GoTennaMesh
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Engadget giveaway: Win an outdoors package with goTenna and more!
As we shake off the shackles of winter and ease into the more clement weather of spring and summer, it's time for travel plans to take shape. Enjoying the outdoors doesn't mean you have to ditch all the mod cons, though. This week, we have a trio of outdoors items for two winners that will let you keep the tech while you head off-the-grid. The goTenna Mesh communicator lets you stay in touch with others without a cell signal by sending texts and GPS details over radio waves. The radius of communication is a few miles when you're in the sticks, but can expand when there are more devices around. BioLite's Charge 20 is a rugged portable battery to help keep your phone and other devices topped up. And if you're out capturing footage with a camera, the GNARBOX storage unit and mobile editing software can turn some of those quiet hours in the outdoors into casual productivity without needing a laptop (iOS / Android). It even supports editing of 4K video and RAW photos. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning one of these outdoors tech packages including the goTenna Mesh, BioLite Charge 20 and GNARBOX editing set up. Good luck! Winners: Congratulations to Arin W. of West Lafayette, IN and Francis K. of Depew, NY!
Engadget giveaway: Win a set of goTenna Mesh off-the-grid communicators!
Communications have always been a sticky issue when traveling off the grid, either in remote rural or forested areas, exploring other countries or when networks fail. goTenna Mesh fills this gap with its Bluetooth-connectable radio antennas. Pair your mobile device with one and you can send private or broadcast messages and GPS coordinates to anyone in the 1-4 mile range with another goTenna Mesh -- no mobile connection required. If others in the area have a device, they help create an ad-hoc mesh network expanding the range of communication. The goTenna Mesh can also help you stay in touch with friends and family at crowded events where mobile networks are jammed up. They work with a variety of international radio spectrums, too, making it a great backup to roaming mobile options when abroad. This week, goTenna has provided us with two of its Family 4-packs for a couple of lucky readers. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this off-the-grid communication solution. Winners: Congratulations to Ed N. of Milwaukee WI and Pavan A. of Atlanta, GA!
GoTenna's new communicator crowd sources for a better signal
If you're a fan of exploring the great outdoors, especially in areas of devoid of cell service, you may have already sought out a GoTenna. These walkie-talkie-like enablers pair with your mobile device via Bluetooth so you can send messages and GPS data to others in the area using radio frequencies. Today the company is pushing the off-the-grid envelope even further with the introduction of GoTenna Mesh, along with a new premium subscription service and an SDK for developers to play with. The addition of mesh networking makes it one of the first devices of its kind, providing mobile (not fixed point), off-the-grid, long-range communication to users -- so long as there's a smattering of devices to help leverage its capabilities. This is also the first time GoTenna is launching its product internationally, utilizing available public radio spectrums in each area. Early birds can pick up a set starting at $129 on Kickstarter, but if you wait for the retail launch it'll run you $179 per pair.
