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Gifts for graduates who plan to travel

Gifts for graduates who plan to travel

Chicago Tribune15-05-2025
If there's one time in someone's life that's perfect for travel, it's right after graduation. Finals are over, and a new stage of life is on the horizon, so why not give in to a bit of wanderlust? It can be anything from an epic road trip to a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, but the one thing that remains the same for anyone heading out to see a bit of the world is whether or not they have the right travel gear.
Many products are aimed toward making travel easier, so consider giving your graduate a thoughtful gift that'll help them get from point A to point B easily. Most of our favorite items are practical, but they will help your graduate have the trip of a lifetime.
​​Ceptics World Travel Adapter Kit
Designed by a traveler, this power adapter is compact and works with a variety of devices and has six adapters for countries like France, the UK, Australia, Japan and more. It also has two quick-charging USB ports and built-in surge protection.
Veken 6-Set Packing Cubes
While these might seem unimportant, take it from someone who travels regularly — packing cubes are a game-changer. You can keep your clothing organized, you can pack more options with them than without, and with this set, you'll get a laundry bag and a toiletry bag as well as the four packing cubes.
Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside Carry-On Luggage
It doesn't matter if they're traveling by car, train or plane, they'll need a sturdy suitcase that'll stand up to the wear and tear of traveling. This particular carry-on meets size restriction standards for Southwest, Delta, United, American and Allegiant. It has side-mounted TSA locks and comes with a 10-year warranty.
Apple Airtag
Keeping track of your luggage has never been easier. It syncs to your iPhone or iPad with ease, and you can set up the 'lost mode' so you'll be notified when it's detected. Plus, it's a great way to keep track of keys, wallets and other essential items.
All-new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Traveling often includes a lot of sitting and waiting. Give your graduate the gift of millions of books at their fingertips. Opt for a Kindle Unlimited membership or download books for free from the local library.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Top Tips for Activating Your eSIM Before Landing in Italy
Top Tips for Activating Your eSIM Before Landing in Italy

Time Business News

time8 hours ago

  • Time Business News

Top Tips for Activating Your eSIM Before Landing in Italy

Planning a trip to Italy? Getting your eSIM set up before you land can save you time, money, and stress. Many travelers make the mistake of waiting until they arrive to sort out their phone connection. This often leads to long lines at the airport, expensive roaming charges, or struggling to find reliable WiFi. Setting up your eSIM Italy plan before departure is much smarter. You can test everything works properly while you're still at home. Plus, you'll have instant internet access the moment you step off the plane in Rome, Milan, or anywhere else in Italy. This guide will walk you through the key steps to activate your eSIM before traveling. We'll cover everything from choosing the right plan to troubleshooting common setup issues. By the end, you'll be ready to stay connected throughout your Italian adventure. Getting your eSIM Italy service working before you leave home offers several big advantages. First, you can solve any technical problems while you're in a comfortable environment with good WiFi. Trying to fix eSIM issues in a busy airport is stressful and difficult. Second, you'll have immediate access to maps, translation apps, and ride-sharing services when you arrive. This is especially helpful if you're landing late at night or in an unfamiliar city. You won't need to hunt for airport WiFi or worry about expensive international roaming fees. Third, activating early lets you test your data speeds and coverage. If something isn't working right, you have time to contact customer support or switch to a different provider. Once you're already traveling, your options become much more limited. Before buying any eSIM Italy plan, make sure your device actually supports eSIM technology. Most newer phones do, but it's worth double-checking to avoid disappointment. For iPhone users, eSIM works on iPhone XS, XR, and all newer models. On Android, popular phones like Google Pixel 3 and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and up, and many others support eSIM. You can usually find this information in your phone's settings under 'About' or 'SIM cards.' Some phones can hold multiple eSIM profiles at once. This means you can keep your home number active while also using your Italy data plan. Check your specific model to see how many eSIMs it can store and use at the same time. Italy has excellent mobile coverage throughout the country. Your eSIM Italy plan should offer good speeds in both big cities and smaller towns. Think about how much data you'll actually need based on your travel style. Light users who mainly check email and social media can get by with 1-3GB for a week-long trip. Moderate users who stream music, use maps frequently, and share photos might need 5-10GB. Heavy users who post lots of videos or work online should consider unlimited plans. Pay attention to plan duration too. Some eSIMs last 7 days, others 30 days. Make sure your plan covers your entire trip with a few extra days as backup. Services like Billion Connect offer flexible options that work well for different travel lengths and data needs. Once you've purchased your eSIM Italy plan, download and install it while you're still at home. This process usually involves scanning a QR code or entering activation details manually. Most providers send you an email with installation instructions right after purchase. Follow these steps carefully and don't skip any parts. The exact process varies slightly between iPhone and Android, but both are fairly straightforward. After downloading, you'll see the new eSIM profile in your phone's cellular settings. Don't activate it for use yet though. Just having it installed and ready is the goal at this stage. Before traveling, do a quick test to make sure your eSIM Italy profile installed correctly. You won't get a data connection at home since the plan is designed for Italy. 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Most eSIM Italy plans have specific data limits, and going over can result in extra charges or slower speeds. Your phone's built-in data tracking can show usage for each SIM line separately. Check this daily, especially if you're streaming videos or uploading lots of photos. Popular travel activities like using Google Maps and sharing experiences on social media can use more data than expected. If you're running low on data, look for WiFi networks in cafes, hotels, and tourist areas. Italy has good public WiFi in many locations, which can help stretch your eSIM data further. Once your eSIM is in good conditions, you will be able to make the best use of being online everywhere in Italy. Download English to local applications such as Google Translate and speak with the locals, particularly at the small towns where the English language is less used. 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Amazon Is Treating Prime Members to Exclusive End-of-summer Deals on Travel Clothes, Luggage, and More—From $6
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Tech Mishap Sends Man Into Panic for Whole Flight
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Tech Mishap Sends Man Into Panic for Whole Flight

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