Roampod can chat when mobile phones are out of reach

When I headed out for a three-day hike along the Appalachian Trail with a group of Boy Scouts some years ago, I knew our mobile phones and walkie-talkies would not keep us in touch with the guys at our base camp.

But the new Roampod would have been a perfect device to keep in touch or if there had been an emergency.

The Roampod provides a communication channel when other conventional channels aren’t available.

The portable snap-on gadget uses Bluetooth and a mobile device to connect to another Roampod over a long-range radio frequency. The Roampod doesn’t need a mobile phone signal, just a Bluetooth device to serve as a keyboard for text chatting. That means it will also work with a portable device like a tablet or iPod Touch that doesn't have phone service.

The typical range of Roampod is up to 1 mile in the city and up to about 20 miles in rural areas where two Roampods are along a line of sight. That could be attractive for farmers, ranchers or climbers — anyone working in remote areas where a cell phone isn’t practical.

The Roampod is slated to be priced at $249 for two units but when the developers launch their Kickstarter campaign, backers can get two for $149. To be notified when the campaign starts, sign up at the Roampod website and follow @roampod on Twitter.

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Written by Ric Manning

Follow me on Twitter @ricmanning and read my technology columns at My Well Being.