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Travel Gear

Travel Tech for GPS Obsessives: Spot Messenger

April 30, 2008 at 4:00 PM | 1 Comment

So that travel blog, that Flickr page and your constantly-updated Twitter account aren't enough? Better look into Spot. The "satellite messenger" is the official gizmo of the TMI era.

Here's how it works: As you trek along, Spot pings GPS satellites and then sends your location to a password-protected server. It can also send an SMS or email to your buddies, which will direct them to a Google Map pinpointing your position in almost-real time. You can also go back afterwards and scope the route you navigated and your waypoints.

Admittedly, you can use the thing for something more important than over-sharing your world travels. In an emergency, Spot will send a distress signal to rescuers, complete with your current coordinates. Could be handy if you end up stranded at an abandoned train station.

Related Stories:
· Spot Messenger [Official Site, via]
· Travel Gear coverage [Jaunted]