UPDATE: I’ve posted reviews of the DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w and the PN-60w / SPOT Communicator combo
DeLorme has put up web pages for the forthcoming PN-60 series, including lots of screenshots and other goodies. One thing caught me by surprise – the PN-40 SE model and the PN-30 series are now listed as discontinued. This makes the popular PN-40 the low end model in the product line; not too shabby, huh?
I asked a source at DeLorme about the discontinued models and they assured me that they would continue to support them and that they are still being sold through various outlets. 
About Rich Owings
Rich,
Curious what you think Garmin/Magellan will do in response to the Delorme/Spot marriage. Do you see them following the same track? I wonder if they will start their own satellite tracking service. Seems kind of a natural fit for them.
Rick
I’d be very surprised if Garmin doesn’t have a unit that does something similar, or a combo GPS/PLB, within a year. I don’t foresee Magellan doing this that soon, though I could be wrong on all counts!
I was just thinking what a fantastic safety feature this would have been to include in the new 78 series handhelds (easier said than done, im sure). With them being geared toward the boater, would have been a nice piece of mind, oh say 50 miles off shore in a 20 foot disabled boat. This happened here in Jacksonville, Florida about a month ago. Folks picked up by chance off the coast of Brunswick, GA after 3 days. 3 people lucky to be alive.
This is one reason I’m really looking forward to it. I do a lot of very remote, solo backcountry stuff. Talk about peace of mind!
Bought a pn-20 a few years ago, used it about 5 times, then it quit, sent it toDelorme, they told me it was “dead” offered me a refurbished one for $99 or $50.00 off a new one using my old wa ass trade in, no deal I love the Topography maps but their units are unreliable, then to top it all off I bought SPOT for my Son-in-law for a “Mongolian rally where they take old ambulances, truck etc to Mongolia, SPOT QUIT WORKING IN FRANCE sO MUCH FOR PEACE OF MIND
Noting what may be obvious: since the PN-30 and PN-40SE use the same firmware as the PN-40, DeLorme’s promise of continued support does not ring hollow.
I knew that the PN-40SE was always planned as a limited run, so I’m not surprised to see that discontinued. And, of course, the PN-20 was getting long in tooth. The PN-30 catches me by surprise; I always thought that would be their low-end entry point for a while longer than it was offered. Wasn’t it just the beginning of this year that it came out?
Looks like it hit the market about a year ago.