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For those traveling solo far off the beaten path, the ability to relay emergency messages should trouble strike could mean the difference between life or death. Enter DeLorme, whose inReach satellite communicator offers one of the first compact, lightweight, and affordable communication solutions for outdoor enthusiasts. The inReach communicator can link with any Android smartphone to send standard text messages via satellite, enabling quick contact to the outside world in the absence of a cellular network.
A broken leg miles from civilization could spell certain doom, but thanks to inReach if such a tragedy were to befall an adventurer information on the severity of the injury and location. More importantly, the ability for two-way communication means the injured person won’t suffer alone, an important mental factor that could give them the drive to survive. Even without an Android-enabled smartphone, the device can still send an SOS signal and act as a beacon for tracking down lost individuals.
The DeLorme inReach satellite communicator will be available October 1st for $249.99.
[via REI | Thanks, Alan!]
And the direct consequence will be: More adventurers wandering into situations that they don’t know how to handle.
I was excited about this until i saw the 249.99 price tag. Guess i can’t get it now… :(
You would feel it dirt cheap when you’re alone in the Desert with no cell phone signal and water…..
Who set the price on this one? Probably the same individual who set the initial price for the Motorola Xoom….
You missed the best nugget of info in that article; When asked why they debuted with Android support and no iPhone support they said this;
“We’ve chosen the Android, and there’s certainly been a lot of feedback from the public. Our management team is definitely listening closely. We started with Android because it was a faster development cycle for us.”
Satelite phone 500$, service 20$ per month unlimited calls! Why do I need delorme device?
It’s good but if you’re out in the wilderness (desert, forests, the arctics), there might be a slight possibility of not having any Charging outlets.
Coupled with a huge portable charger(s) in the bag, I suppose this would be quite a deal.
How about it comes with Solar Charger -> This thing would be a the Ultimate Life Saver when we are helpless
Mike from DeLorme here. I want to provide some more information based on the comments so far.
For the pricing, while we’re sorry if $250 is out of someone’s range, we’re quite proud to have hit this mark. Unlike most other communications devices (like cell phones) which operate over a limited range, the inReach can send messages over 2000 miles up to the satellites. And this is done with 2 AA batteries. This is new technology that is much smaller and less expensive than satellite phones.
Speaking of batteries, the inReach uses standard AA batteries. While it doesn’t accept a solar charger directly, you could use one to recharge batteries.
Mike from DeLorme here. I just want to follow up on some comments.
Price: While we’re sorry if $250 is out of someone’s range, we’re proud to have hit this price. Unlike communications devices with limited range like cell phones, the inReach can transmit over 2000 miles to the satellites. This is with 2 AA batteries. The inReach is new technology that can do two-way communication for much cheaper than satellite phones. It is also rugged and waterproof, so your investment will last.
Power: Like I said, the inReach uses 2 AA batteries. This makes it easy to keep it powered up and while it won’t accept a solar charger directly, a charger could be used to recharge batteries.
in case anyone is curious–this is not a “buy it once” price, there is a monthly recurring fee for this as well. per the REI site,
” Subscription plans, 3 of them, involve monthly fees paid during a 1-year commitment. The “Safety” plan, with 10 messages and SOS capabilities, is $9.95/month. The “Recreational” plan offers 40 messages, unlimited tracking and SOS for $24.95/month. The “Pro” plan: 120 messages, unlimited tracking and SOS for $49.95/month. No charge to upgrade from a lower plan to a higher plan; a $25 fee is imposed for downgrading”