Smartphone apps let you stay in touch for free while on vacation

As smartphones become more common, so do texting and chatting. People going on vacation abroad have many options to keep loved ones in the loop

As smartphones become more common, so do texting and chatting. People going on vacation abroad have many options to keep loved ones in the loop.
Here's how to stay in touch with friends and family while sitting on a Caribbean beach or skiing in the Alps.
Global data plans are not cheap, but the added freedom may be worth it if you value the added mobility and have the extra cash to spend. Verizon Wireless offers a plan for 18.76€ per 100 megabytes of data.
Using this data calculator, the Daily News was able to determine that 100 MB of data will allow you to make 100 social media posts with photos attached, send 100 emails with photo attachments and view 200 web pages. It works in roughly 150 countries, according to Verizon's website.
Want to stay in touch for free? Use the WiFi access available in coffee shops and where you are staying. Most hotels and resorts offer free WiFi access to guests, just ask at the front desk. Once you have free, unlimited WiFi, your options for staying in touch are endless.
Video calls are the best way to show off your new tan and make people jealous. Some of the best free options are Skype, Google Talk and Tango. These apps work across iPhone, Android and Windows phones. In order to place calls with these apps, the people you call must also have the same app installed on their smartphone, tablet or computer.
These video-call apps also allow you to make voice calls to anyone with the app installed on their device.
Free texting is another great way to keep in touch. It doesn't require everyone to have the same app and it’s almost easy as sending a regular text message. Heywire is a great option for iPhone, Android and Windows phones. It allows people to send free text messages to any cell phone in more than 45 countries, even non-smartphones, according to the developer's website.
Chat apps also allow users to stay in touch for free, but require everyone to have the same app in order to participate. The best one for iPhone users is iMessage but - like BlackBerry Messenger - it doesn’t work for users of other phones.
One of the best cross-platform chatting apps is WhatsApp Messenger. It works for Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows and even Nokia phones. It allows users to have both individual and group chats and automatically finds friends in your contact list.
Making everyone jealous of your vacation is easy and affordable. Next time you have a great story to tell, don’t wait until you’re home, grab your smartphone and let everyone know.