MILPITAS, Calif., May 6, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- SPOT Inc., the pioneer behind the award-winning SPOT Satellite Messenger(tm), today announced its sponsorship of the Primal Quest Montana Expedition Adventure Race. Called the "The World's Most Challenging Human Endurance Competition," Primal Quest 2008 Presented by SPOT is scheduled to take place in Big Sky Country, Montana June 23 through July 2, 2008.
Primal Quest fans can follow their favorite teams at www.ecoprimalquest.com, through real-time GPS tracking and custom leader board technology provided by SPOT, allowing for up-to-date viewing on SPOT enhanced Google Maps(tm). This technology is based on new SPOT services that allow users to broadcast their location and messages to others over the web. The SPOT satellite messenger will be worn by each of the 70-plus teams of adventure racers during the 10-day, multi-sport competition.
"We have been looking forward to the innovative technology that SPOT is bringing to Primal Quest for many years," said Don Mann, Primal Quest Director. "SPOT is a lightweight personal satellite messenger that won't slow the racers down and will provide continuous position updates of the teams along the Primal Quest course, making it the most interactive Primal Quest in history."
Primal Quest is the largest human-powered, multi-discipline, multi-day event of its kind in the world. Since its inception in 2002, the race has attracted world-class athletes and established itself as the leading event of its kind in the world. The extraordinary demands on the Primal Quest teams means that they need a rugged, easy-to-use tracking product -- and a way to update their location reliably.
"Unlike other GPS units, SPOT sends the user's GPS location and message to others and provides real-time tracking, making it a natural fit for the world's most demanding adventure race, Primal Quest," said John Dark, Senior Marketing Manager for SPOT Inc. "SPOT is small, rugged and reliable enough for the world's most extreme athletes, so we can offer a unique solution that will enhance the experience not only for the adventure racers and Primal Quest staff but the supporting community around the world."
For every day use, SPOT has just released SPOT share pages, a software upgrade allowing any SPOT user to share their adventure and messages with others -- perfect for that personal sea kayak trip or weekend hike. SPOT share pages automatically create a customized web page with sophisticated real-time tracking and mapping.
The SPOT Satellite Messenger gives users a way to alert responders of their GPS location independently of cellular coverage. SPOT enables users to send their location and message to friends, family, or emergency responders, and to visually track the location of the SPOT satellite messenger through four simple functions:
* Alert 9-1-1 notifies the emergency response center of your
GPS location
* Ask for Help sends a request for help to friends and family
* Check In lets contacts know where you are and that you are OK
* Track Progress sends and saves your location and allows
contacts to track your progress using Google Maps(tm)
Weighing just over 7 ounces with a SRP of $169.95 (US), the SPOT Satellite Messenger provides a new level of safety and peace-of-mind for anyone who spends a considerable amount of time in the outdoors or just wants the comfort of knowing that help is available at the push of a button.
To learn more about 2008 Primal Quest Presented by SPOT, visit www.ecoprimalquest.com
About SPOT Inc.
The SPOT Satellite Messenger, the world's first satellite messenger, uses both the GPS satellite network to determine a customer's location and the SPOT network to transmit that information to friends, family or an emergency service center. SPOT Inc., a subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT), provides lifesaving communications technology that allows users to communicate from remote locations around the globe. Thanks to this affordable, cutting-edge personal safety device, the company offers people peace of mind by allowing customers to notify friends and family of their location and status, and to send for emergency assistance in time of need, completely independent of cellular phone or wireless coverage. For more information on how SPOT Inc. is helping users live to tell about it(sm) -- from disaster preparedness to outdoor adventure purposes -- visit www.findmespot.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: to download a high resolution picture of the SPOT Satellite Messenger please visit http://sales.findmespot.com/photoshoot/index.htm.