The 7 tech travel hacks I swear by - after years of learning the hard way

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. AI is great for ideas, but weak for real logistics unless it's nudged. Tag everything you can: bags, keys, wallet, and passport. Freeze your travel card until the moment you pay. There's no doubt that tech has made travel so much easier. From mapping on a smartphone to real-time translation, gone are the days of relying on a dead-tree travel guide passed down from your parents. I can remember being in countries where I couldn't speak or read the language. Heck, a couple of times I didn't know what the local currency was (or the exchange rate). Now you have all that information -- and much more -- in the palm of your hand. Also: I tested Google Maps vs. Waze to find the best updated navigation app - and this one wins But despite the fact that we now have more tech power in the palms of our hands than they had to go to the moon, things can still get stressy. And with a few 2026 trips already in the rearview mirror and a few more lined up, I've become pretty good at keeping travel stress to a…