Adventure Tech: DeLorme InReach SE

Last fall I reviewed the DeLorme InReach satellite communicator, finding it an excellent way to stay in touch while in remote areas of the world. The device uses the Iridium satellite network to communicate from remote corners of the globe, and on its own it's capable of sending brief pre-canned text messages and Twitter updates. But when paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth, the user is capable of sending what ever messages he or she wants. The two devices work well with one another and make for a solid communication system while on an expedition somewhere. But carrying two devices means you extra weight, plus the challenges of keeping everything charged. DeLorme has addressed this in their newest product, the InReach SE, which now comes with a built in touch screen that eliminates the need for a second device.

The InReach SE was just announced yesterday and brings some nice upgrades to the table. For instance, it now incorporates a bright, easy to read color screen that includes a virtual keyboard for sending any type of message you'd like. The device features all of the functionality you've come to expect from the satellite communicator, including global coverage, the ability to call for an SOS, and satellite tracking functionality. It also allows the user to post to popular social media network such as Facebook and Twitter. The device features a rechargeable lithium battery that is rated for 100 hours of use under typical circumstances and the entire unit is waterproof, dustproof and impact resistant.

Just because DeLorme added a screen to this model doesn't mean that you can't still pair it with a smartphone however. Bluetooth functionality is still built-in, which means you can pair a smartphone or tablet and gain access to the Earthmate Apps, which provide downloadable topographic and NOAA maps to help navigate in the backcountry. When paired with such a device, the InReach SE acts as the GPS receiver, while the smartphone or tablet is the screen that provides highly detailed navigational tools.

The new InReach SE comes with an MSRP of $299.95 and is available now. Seems like a great evolution of this product line and an improvement over an already great product.

Adventure Tech: National Geographic National Park App

Looking for yet another great use for your iPhone or iPad? Then look no further than the National Parks app from National Geographic. It's a high tech tool for planning your visit to more than 20 of America's top parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion.

The app is free to download but includes the option to buy special map packs for each of the parks for $1.99 each or the entire collection for the bargain price of just $9.99. Those packs offer highly detailed topographic maps that feature points of interest (complete with GPS coordinates), hiking routes, lodges and more. The editors of Nat Geo have even compiled their favorite must-do and must-see experiences for each of parks, making it even easier to know what you should do when you arrive at your national park destination. Other features include photo galleries, complete with images from the National Geographic archives, collectable park stamps, social networking integration and a personal space for saving your own notes, itinerary and photos.

The National Parks app has actually been available for some time, but a recent update has added some new features. It has now been optimized for the new iPhone 5 screen and has iCloud integration allowing users to sync map packs across all of their iOS devices. There have also been improvements to the already fantastic maps and the addition of an in-app store for purchasing a variety of fun national parks apparel and other gear.

Nat Geo's app is a great example of how technology and outdoor adventure can come together quite nicely. The maps are super high in quality and the fact that they can integrate with the phone or tablet's GPS system extends their usefulness greatly. The points of interest database for each park is quite extensive and includes thousands of locations, which comes in handy not just before your visit, but while you're there as well.

The $9.99 price tag is incredibly inexpensive for everything that is included in this app. If you're a fan of the national parks and visit them often, then this is a must have.

National Geographic Posts Daily Everest Updates Inside Digital Edition Of Magazine

National Geographic has come up with a new and unique way to provide updates from the Everest Expedition that they are co-sponsoring with North Face. Yesterday a new electronic edition of the magazine became available for download and that issue includes daily updates straight from Base Camp and directly to your iPad or other electronic device.

As always, the May issue of National Geographic magazine contains a number of interesting stories including an article on Civil War re-enactors, the still beautiful – yet changing – landscapes of Iceland and efforts to rescue Koala bears in Australia. But will be of most interest to adventure seekers will be the new  "Field Test" section which uses an Internet feed to provide updated blog postings, videos, photos and more directly of Everest. This interactive section, obviously available only in the electronic version of the magazine, already includes profiles of the climbers, a "climb tracker" for charting progress for the two teams along the normal South Col route and the West Ridge and a great comparison of the two routes.

But what really sets this digital edition of the magazine apart, and shows how the medium is changing forever, is the daily updates. Blog posts and videos are seamlessly pulled into the app and conveniently located in one central place. A real-time update of temperature and wind speed in Base Camp (currently -7.2ºC/19ºF and 4mph) gives us an idea of the conditions that the team is dealing with and a continuously updated photo gallery gives us some great photos from Nepal as well.

I've had a subscription to Nat Geo on my iPad from the first day that it was available. I love getting it in this format as I always have a couple of issues with me when I hit the road and the physical magazines aren't taking up space in a corner of my apartment. The digital edition has always delivered some nice features, such as embedded video, interactive maps and more. But this new Field Test section is very impressive and opens up the door to a new form of real-time journalism that hasn't been available to print magazines before. It is an exciting proposition to say the least and I'm looking forward to seeing how it is implemented in the future. I do know that it'll be a great source of Everest updates in the days ahead and a completely different way for following how this expedition unfolds.

Experience The Greatest Adventure Stories Ever Told With New Nat Geo App

For decades National Geographic has chronicled some of the most challenging and inspiring adventures on the planet. Using a combination of breathtaking photographs and fantastic writing, the iconic magazine has told us stories of the men and women who push the boundaries of exploration, often in brutal and life threatening conditions. Now, a new app for the iPad shares some of the best of those stories in a new and exciting way.

The app, which is entitled National Geographic Adventure: Greatest Stories Ever Told,  costs just $1.99 and features six of the all-time best tales of adventure from Nat Geo. Those stories include the discovery of the Titanic on the ocean floor, crossing Antarctica with Will Steger's epic 1988 dogsled expedition and diving into the mysterious blue holes in the Bahamas, amongst others. The app combines video, audio, interactive maps and other unique elements to tell these stories like never before. It is a fascinating way to learn more about these stories, some of which we've heard about before but not in the capacity that is shown here.

Other fun features of the app include interactive timelines that show the evolution of gear such as climbing shoes and compasses, video of Ueli Steck making a speed climb of the Eiger, and a live feed of the Nat Geo Adventure Blog directly in the app itself. Those additions make this a very well rounded package for iPad owners who are looking to add a bit of adventure to their tablets and makes the $1.99 price tag seem like an incredibly great deal. The photos and video look fantastic on the device, particularly on the new Retina display, and you'll get hours of entertainment and education out of these stories. It would be a bargain at twice the price and I'm looking forward to delving in deeper when I take my iPad on a trip in a few days.