SPOT Connect

[Dave77459]

I was getting ready to buy a SPOT II, and went to their homepage to check the annual subscription. That's when I saw the notice of the upcoming SPOT Connect.

 

The SPOT Connect pairs with your [Android] smart phone to enable you to send SMS and short emails over SPOT's satellite system. On close inspection, it doesn't look that different than the SPOT II functionality.

 

The difference is that the interface comes from your phone. It connects using Bluetooth; not sure how having this paired with my phone will work when my phone is paired to my helmet. It is available only for Android 2.0 or later; unfortunately for you Apple and Blackberry fanboys, they are targeting smart consumers.

 

The SPOT Connect is available at the end of January. Pricing [at REI] seems to be the same as on the SPOT II. Not sure about data plans.

 

Anyone hear any buzz on this?

 

Dave

 

 

http://findmespot.com/images/spot_connect/connect_prod.png

Edited January 8, 2011 by Dave77459
Added data sheet PDF

[Lone Eagle]

It did receive one of the top awards at the CES show in Vegas just concluding.

[RedRider]

There's chatter about this product on the Long Distance boards. The IPhone and BB/RIM apps should be out soon. The IPhone app is at Apple for approval. Not sure of the BB/RIM status.

 

Looks interesting.

 

FYI - for you folks using SPOT to track and display your travel progress, there is a website put together by one of the LD guys that makes it easy to display your routing. Check out www.spotwalla.com. Allows you to provide/control however much info you want displayed.

 

RR

[Dave77459]

It did receive one of the top awards at the CES show in Vegas just concluding.

That is really interesting. Thanks!

 

There's chatter about this product on the Long Distance boards. The IPhone and BB/RIM apps should be out soon. The IPhone app is at Apple for approval. Not sure of the BB/RIM status.

 

Looks interesting.

 

FYI - for you folks using SPOT to track and display your travel progress, there is a website put together by one of the LD guys that makes it easy to display your routing. Check out www.spotwalla.com. Allows you to provide/control however much info you want displayed.

 

RR

I'm glad the apps are spreading. I had been using my phone to feed to Spotwalla, but it became pointless as I moved outside my phone's coverage. Riding LD, that happens a lot. I am hopeful that SPOT will expose an action intent so that I can automate things using the Android Tasker app. I set up checkpoints before I head out, and try to send location updates via SMS as I cross state lines, for example. Again, that doesn't work well when I am not in coverage.

 

I don't know if you saw the article written by the Spotwalla creator in the latest (Fall 2010) Iron Butt Magazine. If not, it's neat to know the background of stuff.

 

Dave

[RedRider]

Yes, I read that article and am impressed with his ingenuity putting that website together.

 

Hoping to ride at least 2 LD rallies this coming year and will likely make my first use of the SPOT technology. The Team Strange Minnesota 1000 is already on the books to be done (July 29-31, 2011 www.teamstrange.com). The other will hopefully be the Utah 1088 (June 22-26, 2011 for the 3 day rally www.utah1088.com), or LOE, or the RAT, or .....

 

I think the Utah 1088 will require the SPOT tracker. They did last year for the 10n10 rally.

 

RR

[Midrsv]

I like the idea of Spot Connect. Not sure if I'll upgrade when it becomes available. On a trip last year there were quite a few areas where I was without cell coverage and it would have been nice to be able to get a message out. I have a Spot 2 and my family really likes being able to follow my progress along the way. If I ever had to use the help button I'm sure it would freak people out at home not knowing what the problem was. With the connect feature you could at least let them know you had a flat tire or were out of gas.

 

Here is a link to my last year's tracks http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=6473

 

Dennis

[Dave77459]

Yes, I read that article and am impressed with his ingenuity putting that website together.

 

Hoping to ride at least 2 LD rallies this coming year and will likely make my first use of the SPOT technology. The Team Strange Minnesota 1000 is already on the books to be done (July 29-31, 2011 www.teamstrange.com). The other will hopefully be the Utah 1088 (June 22-26, 2011 for the 3 day rally www.utah1088.com), or LOE, or the RAT, or .....

 

I think the Utah 1088 will require the SPOT tracker. They did last year for the 10n10 rally.

 

RR

 

Are you an IBA Premier member? Are you going to the Daytona 2011 meeting? I'm thinking I'll ride there, then collect some more states for my ride map. I don't have vacation time to attend the group rides.

 

 

I like the idea of Spot Connect. Not sure if I'll upgrade when it becomes available. On a trip last year there were quite a few areas where I was without cell coverage and it would have been nice to be able to get a message out. I have a Spot 2 and my family really likes being able to follow my progress along the way. If I ever had to use the help button I'm sure it would freak people out at home not knowing what the problem was. With the connect feature you could at least let them know you had a flat tire or were out of gas.

 

Here is a link to my last year's tracks http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=6473

 

Dennis

Yes, my primary interest is to let my family know where I am. But the safety feature can't be discounted. The reviews on REI were quite poor of the SPOT II, but its way better than nothing.

 

Dave

[RedRider]

Are you an IBA Premier member? Are you going to the Daytona 2011 meeting? I'm thinking I'll ride there, then collect some more states for my ride map. I don't have vacation time to attend the group rides.

Dave

 

Yes, I am a premier member, but will not be attending Daytona. It is still a little early in the season for me to ride. I ride a Yamaha, not a BMW.

RR

[Midrsv]

Yes, my primary interest is to let my family know where I am. But the safety feature can't be discounted. The reviews on REI were quite poor of the SPOT II, but its way better than nothing.

 

Dave

 

Dave,

 

I read the reviews and the disgruntled comments seem to center around billing and customer service. Fortuntately I've not had to contact them. I don't mind the auto billing, I knew that when I signed up. So far I haven't had to use the emergency service and hope I don't. When I bought the unit the emergency service was a secondary feature for me. Since I don't go off roading and on long trips I'm generally travelling with other riders I should have help close at hand anyway. My primary goal was to allow people back home to follow my travels.

 

I recommend anyone looking at a Spot 2 to look at the RAM mount for it. See the attached photo.

 

Dennis

[Dave77459]

Yes, I am a premier member, but will not be attending Daytona. It is still a little early in the season for me to ride. I ride a Yamaha, not a BMW.

RR

 

LOL. I can just scoot halfway across the country on one highway: I-10. I'll be warm here by March. But I am planning to turn and go up to Savannah and Atlanta before heading home. Could be cooler there, I suppose.

 

Dave,

 

I read the reviews and the disgruntled comments seem to center around billing and customer service. Fortuntately I've not had to contact them. I don't mind the auto billing, I knew that when I signed up. So far I haven't had to use the emergency service and hope I don't. When I bought the unit the emergency service was a secondary feature for me. Since I don't go off roading and on long trips I'm generally travelling with other riders I should have help close at hand anyway. My primary goal was to allow people back home to follow my travels.

 

I recommend anyone looking at a Spot 2 to look at the RAM mount for it. See the attached photo.

 

Dennis

The comments I noted were about loss of signal... the "OK" message not getting out. But it seems like almost all the comments like that were from hikers who possibly did not mount their unit right. I have the RAM Mount for my GPSMap 60CSx, and plan to get one for the SPOT when I get it. However, this new SPOT is shaped differently... I wonder how long before they make one that fits?

 

Is the top edge supposed to be up, or the face? I was thinking of getting a powered tank bag, and putting the spot in the map window. If it is laying flat, will that work OK? And I wonder if I have my phone next to it, if that will cause too much noise for both of them?

 

Dave