[SatNews] This new communicator is receiving some impressive awards and raves...

DeLorme, an innovator in mapping, GPS, and satellite communication technologies, has received an Outside Magazine Gear of the Show award and GearJunkie.com Best of Show honors for its soon-to-be-released inReach two-way satellite communicator. The awards stem from inReach’s debut at the 2011 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, which is the premier trade show for products aimed at activities such as hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, climbing, and kayaking. Outside and GearJunkie.com are among the most influential voices in product evaluation for outdoor activities.

The inReach offers users a number of unique advantages compared to other satellite communicators. Because it relies on the market-leading Iridium satellite network, inReach can deliver two-way text messaging with full-pole-to-pole global coverage and message delivery confirmation. It also provides remote tracking. When paired with either an Android smartphone or a DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w handheld GPS, the inReach lets users send and receive 160-character messages to and from family and friends. In case of emergency, inReach users can send messages describing their situation so that responders can come prepared. The inReach can also be used as a solo device to send pre-loaded text messages or SOS alerts with delivery confirmation. Solo users can also enable remote tracking, which is automatically triggered by any SOS message. The inReach is designed to prevent SOS false alarms, in compliance with the RTCM SC-128 standard for SENDs. It also supports one handed, gloved operation.

In addition to Outside, a number of influential websites and blogs have written about the inReach. The REI blog said, “Of the thousands of items being paraded down the new-product catwalk at the summer Outdoor Retailer trade show here in Salt Lake City, none may elicit a bigger wow this year than the DeLorme inReach satellite communicator.” And the Phandroid site had this to say: “DeLorme's inReach Satellite Communicator Could Be Savior of Stranded Adventurers.” Individual inReach models are available for Android and PN-60w users. Android users will be able to download and display DeLorme Topo North America maps on their phones, at no charge. Topo North America is also included for PN-60w users.