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Iridium releases AxcessPoint Mail & Web app for globetrotting iDevices
A towel and an even keel go a long way when you're galavanting around the globe, but whether we're going to grandma's or New Guinea, many of us won't leave home without access to email. Iridium created its AxcessPoint Mail & Web software for such connection-dependent people, but the service was unavailable to those using iOS... until today. The company has finally brought AxcessPoint to Cupertino's mobile platform, and iPhone users can download the free app now. Of course, before you start checking messages in the middle of the Sahara, you'll need to spring for one of Iridium's pricey sat phones and its WiFi hotspot, then pay a $1 per minute charge once you've connected your iDevice. And, with speeds on the network checking in around 12kbps for web browsing and 40kbps for email, you'll pay dearly for the privilege of opening the Vogon poetry attachment your buddy sent to entertain you while you sail solo across the Atlantic.
LightSquared donates phones to North American tribes, keeps the rural connectivity flame a burnin'
It looks like LightSquared's crush on rural America is still ongoing, folks. The firm announced today it'll donate 2,000 satellite phones to the Indian Health Service and other tribal organizations, allowing them to make calls in areas that terrestrial networks don't cover. Sadly, no details on exactly what gear it's deploying, but according to Computerworld the devices are voice-only, meaning IHS employees better get pretty damn crafty if they want to surf Engadget whilst on the job -- can you say dial-up tether? Either way, with connectivity headed to facilities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Arizona, can the firm's wholesale debut be that far off? We'll have to see, but in the meantime, indulge in the official PR beyond the break.
TerreStar nabs $300 million in funding, aims for satellite launch by end of year
TerreStar certainly hasn't been flooding us with news over the years, but it looks like the company's been keeping itself busy nonetheless, and its now scored an impressive $300 million in funding for its efforts. That money, coming from EchoStar and Harbinger Capital Partners, will largely be used to fund the company through the launch of its TerreStar-1 "hybrid mobile satellite" (pictured above in a circa 2005 mockup), which promises to power cellphones that'll be able to use traditional terrestrial networks and fall back on satellite when there's no other signal. What's more, despite the three-year-gap since the initial announcement, TerreStar says it's still shooting for a launch by the end of this year, with Arianespace confirming that it's able to provide the transport into space during the December 2008 through February 2009 launch window.
