GPS reviews, news, tips and tricks
Okay folks, if you missed the EMS deals last week, here comes the other big handheld sale of the spring. We look forward to REI’s anniversary sale every year; this time they have two of the newest Garmin handhelds on sale through May 28. And while they didn’t show up in the sales flyer, and we can’t guarantee the end date, they’ve got some other great deals as well. Here are all the details: read more
UPDATE: I should have noted that this new version of the inReach will work with either iOS or Android devices.
UPDATE 2: I’ve added DeLorme’s news release to the end of this post.
This one is for you iPhone-toting, off-trail wilderness freaks. Been feeling left out when it comes to two-way satellite communicators? Dying to tweet or post to Facebook from the middle of nowhere? Well for better or worse, now you can, for it looks like word has travelled from Cupertino to Yarmouth, and DeLorme can finally sell their inReach for iOS devices. read more
This one is for you iPhone toting backcountry types. It looks like the DeLorme inReach two-way satellite communicator is finally going to see an iPhone version. Or to be more precise, there’s actually a new model, the DeLorme inReach 1.5 that will be compatible with both iOS and Android.
Hands on review of the DeLorme inReach for AndroidThe DeLorme inReach for Android
UPDATE: Alas, the deal is done. For a current list of holiday bargains, head on over to our GPS Deals site.
Ok folks, this one may be a fluke, but it’s worth a try. Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) has brought back their Black Friday pricing on GPS receivers. Sort of. What they are saying is that everything is 20-30% off today, but that Garmin units are excluded. Yet if you look at their GPS page, they’ve got some great deals on Garmin units. If you want one, I’d move fast. Here are some of the best; the inReach, eTrex and Montana deals are particularly hot:
The DeLorme inReach is now shipping. For those of you who don’t recall, this is one of the first consumer satellite communicators with two-way messaging capabilities, so search and rescue can tell you that they’re on their way to bail your ass out. It requires another device to pair with (to compose messages), which is why it comes in two flavors – one that pairs with Android smartphones and another for the DeLorme PN-60w. Here’s where you can pick this bad boy up:
Holy fragmentation Batman! DeLorme issued a news release yesterday about its upcoming inReach product and, buried in the last paragraph, was this bombshell:
There are separate models for Android and DeLorme users.
Now that isn’t a big deal for users (unless you happen to be a DeLorme toting Android owner), but it’s bound to be a headache for DeLorme. Apparently this is due to the PN-60w using a wireless protocol other than Bluetooth, but really, couldn’t they have included two wireless technologies in one unit?
DeLorme surprised a lot of us last Friday afternoon, announcing the DeLorme inReach 2-way GPS communicator. This morning they’ve let us in on a few more details. You can hit that link for the full story, but here are some quick highlights…
Earlier this afternoon, DeLorme gave us a sneak peek at the forthcoming DeLorme inReach, which allows two-way messaging in the absence of a cellular connection. With plans starting at $9.95 per month, it sounds a bit pricey, but when you consider that the basic SPOT plan costs $99.99 per year, that’s not so bad (depending upon what the basic plan allows and the cost of the device). The device will work as a stand alone unit, or paired with the DeLorme PN-60w or Android smartphones. It’s late and I’ve got family obligations pressing, so for more info hit the link above and read all about it.
UPDATE: DeLorme tells me that SPOT units have been tested and sorted, and that “any new package from DeLorme heading to retail will have a blue sticker on the bottom of the box as the indicator it is a new or tested good unit.”
I received an email overnight announcing a recall of SPOT Communicator units sold with the DeLorme PN-60w. Apparently there is an issue with messages not being sent when temperatures are below 40 degrees F. Affected units include all those with an ESN number range between 0-2000000 and 0-2019999. To make amends, the company is offering a six-month extension on service plans. Hopefully, the company discovered this issue without it impacting any emergency situations. This just goes to point out that there is no substitute for good old-fashioned wilderness preparation.
GPS Tracklog is written by Rich Owings, author of GPS Mapping.
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