New DeLorme GPS Offers Satellite Communication Capability

DeLorme has come out with a new, handheld GPS that can send messages via satellite, using SPOT satellite technology. What’s the benefit? This allows a user to stay in touch with others (or reach emergency responders) even when out of cell phone range. With its texting ability, DeLorme’s new Earthmate PN-60w offers many of the benefits of a satellite phone, at a fraction of the cost.

The Earthmate PN-60w is the world’s first handheld GPS that enables Type & Send text messaging via satellite. With the PN-60w you can send a text message (with your location), from pretty much any spot on the globe. Having that capability can be a life-saver for a hunter or hiker stranded in the wilderness. Messages are created on the PN-60w’s internal keyboard, sent wirelessly to the separate SPOT communicator, then relayed via satellite to individual email addresses, cell phones, buddy lists, and/or geo-caching websites. In case of emergency, SOS messages can be sent directly to rescue services with the user’s GPS coordinates embedded.

As a stand-alone GPS, the Earthmate PN-60w has premium navigation features including a 32-channel GPS chipset, dual-core processor, 3-axis electronic compass, barometric altimeter, elevation profiles, and GPX file transfers. The Earthmate PN-60w comes with DeLorme Topo North America GPS maps and desktop software included, with topographic and street coverage of the U.S. and Canada. The unit can also display high-resolution aerial imagery, official USGS and Canada topo maps, NOAA nautical charts, and Navionics charts, (all extra cost). The text messaging, track progress, and emergency SOS/911 features are activated via separate fee-based SPOT subscriptions (not included in hardware price). MSRP for the PN-60w and SPOT Communicator bundle is $549.00, with product availability in July.