Elizabeth Duran's review of Wanderlog

Date last edited: 11-22-2024 at 10:59PM

   
Rating: Everyone

Review:
Elizabeth Duran
COM-123-OL-A
Title: Wanderlog
Developer: Peter Xu & Harry Yu
Genre: Travel
My Rating: 5/5
Primary Audience: Young Adult/Adult
Platform: iOS, Android, Website
Year of Release: 2019
Cost: Free OR 39.99/year

Wanderlog is a travel app that lets users plan out vacations, road trips, and itineraries for visiting countries across the world. Wanderlog was founded in 2019 and has already become one of the most popular apps for planning trips, just within five years of its launch. I personally use Wanderlog to plan and prepare most of my travels, especially when they are out of the country so I have all my details and information in one place. Wanderlog also allows users to share plans, so that there is peace of mind for everyone involved and a safety net for anyone who is travelling.

The First Media Key: Balance
Balance is the first media key, but it opens up so much more because of how important it is to the rest of the media keys. Balance helps us to process the media we consume and it allows us to actually respond to what we receive. Balance can be tricky, and even a little scary, however, we can use that as leverage for our cause. “There really is so much we can gain from the media, but if we don’t approach it with balance, there’s also so much we can lose.” (Gan, pg. 31) We should not shy away from all media, just because a lot of it is bad.
Wanderlog provides balance to its users by giving them multiple options for how they want to build their accounts and start planning. For each trip that is started, the option is given to make the plans private, public, or shared with anyone using an email address. The Wanderlog app also gives options for the actual trip planning process. Wanderlog offers routes, stops, and even some AI to help set an itinerary. Along with being able to link confirmation emails for hotels and other bookings, the use of every option is just that: an option. With Wanderlog, users can balance whether they want a tight schedule or to just go with the flow. Wanderlog allows for full creativity and independence for whoever uses it.

The Second Media Key: Attitude Awareness
Attitude Awareness is something that a lot of people need to practice, but don’t know it. Having the right attitude can make or break our view of media. “We can’t control what messages media makers send out. But we can control our awareness of those messages.” (Gan, pg.46) When we approach media with the right attitude, it can not only help us in judging what is in front of us, but it can also help us in choosing what to do with what we see.
Wanderlog is optimized for both long and short trips, but what it specializes in is making sure that breaks are taken during longer trips. In the itinerary, each stop is marked with how many miles there are between them and how long it will take to travel there; there is also a distance and time marker for the whole day. Wanderlog has a feature where users can search for restaurants, rest stops, and other sightseeing attractions in-between destinations with the help of Google Maps. Oftentimes, not enough breaks from travel and even those we travel with, can cause issues and divisions. Our attitude reminds us that not everything is a big deal; Wanderlog recognizes that it is okay to venture a few minutes off the route to get a breath of fresh air.

The Third Media Key: The Dignity of the Human Person
The Dignity of the Human Person is integral to whatever media we are using or consuming. This includes how the people are portrayed, how they are viewed, and how big of an impact they make. The people closest to us in our lives should always make a big impact, but sometimes the media can deflect that. “When it comes to the media we use, the positive and negative consequences are even more pronounced” (Gan, pg.62) This means that whatever media we surround ourselves with, can impact us and how we view the human person, in the best way possible, or the worst way possible.
Wanderlog takes away some of the worry we have when using apps. In my own experience, I have not received any ads or pop-ups, or even a notice that states I must subscribe to text messages or emails. Wanderlog is not the type of app to take away your time or provide distractions; it does precisely what it is supposed to do- help users plan trips in their free time. Wanderlog is also free with a ton of features, there is a ‘pro’ subscription option for 39.99 a year, but the basic necessities are still there without it. Wanderlog promotes people spending time together, exploring God’s creation, and opening the door to a new understanding of other cultures around the world. Most importantly, Wanderlog is just an app. It doesn’t want anything from its users and it doesn’t wish to push anything on them either; by respecting the boundaries of its consumers, Wanderlog respects the dignity of the human person.

The Fourth Media Key: Truth-Filled
Truth-filled media is quite difficult to come by in a world that feeds society a hearty dose of lies and deceit, but when we do happen to stumble across some media that is truth-filled, it is like finding gold. “Through media, truth can be woven into a movie, a song, a video game, even a Facebook page.” (Gan, pg. 77) Truth-filled media fuels our hearts and minds because we do not have to second-guess everything we are consuming when we know that what we are reading, listening to, or looking at, is true.
Wanderlog is truth-filled because it keeps travelers' expectations real. By having features where users can rate each place and give honest feedback on guides, there is little room to be disappointed. Wanderlog lets its users determine if something is over-hyped or a must-go, especially because they link places like Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor on each place’s page.

The Fifth Media Key: Inspiring
Finding Inspiration in the media is not hard, but finding the right kind of inspiration can be. “The world we live in is full of signs pointing the way to God…we create those signs, and through them, people find their way.” (Gan, pg.84) The signs we create should be good ones, just like those we choose to follow. The media we consume should give us good signs and the right kind of inspiration; everything good should point to God, this includes media.
Wanderlog is inspiring because it promotes quality time with friends and family. There are various features which break down the time, cost, and quality of a trip and each stop along the way, this brings a better understanding to users and enhances their desire to travel. I looked through some guides in major US cities, and nearly everything featured is meant for a group setting, with quite a few family friendly sites. By using the Wanderlog app, it is easier and more efficient to plan to spend time with our families and friends, whether it's for the weekend or for several weeks. Inspiration needs to stem from a seed, Wanderlog can help plant that seed by making it easier to spend time with those we care about.

The Sixth Media Key: Skillfully Developed
Skillfully developed media is important for all media types we consume as Catholics, not just those that are inherently Christian or indented for liturgical use. Skillfully developed media can come in all different forms, but it is equally as important to identify them all. “When we fail to recognize what constitutes skillfully developed media, we fail to incorporate the principles governing well-designed media, we fail to incorporate the principles governing well-designed media into our own use.” (Gan, pg.110) Media that is skillfully developed is easily distinguishable from that which is not, and most people gravitate to the earlier.
Wanderlog is a private travel-planning company based out of California. Wanderlog has gotten multiple positive reviews and ratings, on both android and apple phones, as well as on its website. Wanderlog’s free plan gives users an unlimited number of trips to plan, the option to share with others, the feature to record any booking in-app, an AI tool, and a detailed itinerary. Wanderlog’s ‘pro’ plan is everything the free version is, but with an offline itinerary and map, more AI tools, and a dark mode, plus a few smaller additions. Wanderlog is skillfully developed, but even more so, it is skillfully executed.

The Seventh Media Key: Motivated by and Relevant to Experience
Media should always reflect some kind of relevance to our lives, whether its something about ourselves or our experiences. When media is motivated by and relevant to experience, we connect more deeply with it and appreciate it fully. “Media itself is an experience because it gives us an experience.” (Gan, pg. 119) While understanding relevant media is key to recognizing good media, we should remember to experience media in our life, not our lives in the media.
Wanderlog, as a travel app, stays exceedingly consistent in how relevant it is for its purpose. When you first sign up for the app, it asks you a series of questions regarding how you like to travel, whether it's a fully-packed trip with tons of sightseeing or a slow and steady, relaxing vacation. An app, though wonderfully designed, cannot replace the knowledge and judgment of a human person- but Wanderlog knows that. Users can share their past travel itineraries and even curate specific guides for trips and travel, all with plenty of space for notes about certain sites and places. Wanderlog depends on the actual experiences of humans to be as good as it is. I personally do not use the guides for my own trips, but I do use them to reference how ‘worth-it’ a restaurant is, or how far away a park actually is from town. Human experience is irreplaceable, but acknowledging that is key to a good app.

The Wanderlog app is overall a great app for planning any sort of vacation. Wanderlog gives you balance in the options you have and does not overstep its boundaries as an app, while also providing the most relevant information through the people who trust it. Those who are new to traveling and those who are experienced at planning adventures will benefit from what Wanderlog has to offer. Everyone who travels, both adults and older teens alike, should be able to stay connected with the rest of the group and have access to any itineraries and bookings that may be necessary for that trip. Wanderlog is not just convenient, it is practical.


Seven Keys:
Balanced:
Attitude:
Personal:
Truth-filled:
Inspired:
Skillfully Made:
Experienced:

Overall Rating: 35/35

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