GPS-Enabled SPOT Watches Over You

Sometimes, having a device that tracks your every move is a good thing—such as, say, when you're tromping around in the wilderness or hauling yourself up the icy slopes of Everest.

The Wall Street Journal has a review of the SPOT Satellite Messenger, an orange-and-black handheld with GPS that zaps your coordinates to friends, family, and even rescue workers (if need be). When the $170 gizmo pings GPS satellites for your location, it also checks in with the SPOT service via commercial satellites; you can then send your coordinates to your "SPOTeam" (basically, a contact list of pals and loved ones) or call the cavalry if you're in a jam. Even better: you can set SPOT to automatically check your location every 10 minutes, allowing your buddies to track your progress on Google Maps. Cool.

The Journal has a few bones to pick with SPOT: you can't receive messages on the device, and there's no keypad for typing in messages (you have to come up with canned messages in advance). You'll also have to pay for SPOT service: $100 a year, plus another $50 annually if you want the tracking service. That said, it's tough, waterproof, and able to withstand extreme cold (down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit).

Related:
Phoning Home Without a Phone [The Wall Street Journal]