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A new version of the Garmin Inreach (formerly the Delorme Inreach) device was announced this week.
This one is the Inreach Mini.
I took a quick look through the web site and several videos and will try to summarize:
Those of us with other Inreach devices will find it very familiar, i.e., the concepts are the same. You still use OK, Back, and Arrow keys to operate it and of course an SOS button is available. You still use the Garmin web portal (inreach.garmin.com) to manage your account and the device. It still communicates with your phone and the Earthmate app. And it appears subscription plans are still the same (I've not looked in detail at that so don't hold me to it).
On first glance, it's surprising to see the buttons have disappeared from the front of the unit. But they've just been moved to the sides. Up/Down on one side, OK/Back/SOS on the other (and power on top).
The screen is smaller and the user interface looks different. Again, the same concepts are used (i.e., 3 free Presets, Quick-Text messages, weather forecasts, etc)
The 'virtual keyboard' appears to be as clumsy as ever but different, now changing to scrolling through the alphabet with auto-complete trying to shorten the process. (And phone users will want to enter text from the app)
It appears there's no map. You can create a track in the web portal and upload it to the unit but to follow it you'd be looking at a very basic GPS display-- just a rotating arrowhead (with distance) or a spinning-compass view like you see in compass-equipped binoculars. It's better than nothing but you'll probably want to connect to a phone for maps or carry a standalone GPS (or maybe look at those paper maps you have along for backup and overview!)
And the Mini communicates with some Garmin fitness watches.
Also- the photos show a carabiner loop for carry but the accessories page shows quite a variety of mounts, adapters, lanyards, holsters, and clips. (click on the plus symbols or View All to expand them)
There's more detail and lots of photos in this Garmin Inreach Satellite Communicator In-Depth Review on this DC Rainmaker page.
Whattaya think, Wanderers?
This one is the Inreach Mini.
I took a quick look through the web site and several videos and will try to summarize:
Those of us with other Inreach devices will find it very familiar, i.e., the concepts are the same. You still use OK, Back, and Arrow keys to operate it and of course an SOS button is available. You still use the Garmin web portal (inreach.garmin.com) to manage your account and the device. It still communicates with your phone and the Earthmate app. And it appears subscription plans are still the same (I've not looked in detail at that so don't hold me to it).
On first glance, it's surprising to see the buttons have disappeared from the front of the unit. But they've just been moved to the sides. Up/Down on one side, OK/Back/SOS on the other (and power on top).
The screen is smaller and the user interface looks different. Again, the same concepts are used (i.e., 3 free Presets, Quick-Text messages, weather forecasts, etc)
The 'virtual keyboard' appears to be as clumsy as ever but different, now changing to scrolling through the alphabet with auto-complete trying to shorten the process. (And phone users will want to enter text from the app)
It appears there's no map. You can create a track in the web portal and upload it to the unit but to follow it you'd be looking at a very basic GPS display-- just a rotating arrowhead (with distance) or a spinning-compass view like you see in compass-equipped binoculars. It's better than nothing but you'll probably want to connect to a phone for maps or carry a standalone GPS (or maybe look at those paper maps you have along for backup and overview!)
And the Mini communicates with some Garmin fitness watches.
Also- the photos show a carabiner loop for carry but the accessories page shows quite a variety of mounts, adapters, lanyards, holsters, and clips. (click on the plus symbols or View All to expand them)
There's more detail and lots of photos in this Garmin Inreach Satellite Communicator In-Depth Review on this DC Rainmaker page.
Whattaya think, Wanderers?