Where am I going / have I been - that I need it? World cruises on QM2, oh dear oh dear, that doesn't sound good does it, complaining about the price! Uhum... Well first half of
cruise to
Sydney, not the whole 120 days. Not that I Need it. It's a communicator/maybe someday a lifesaver/certainly a breadcrum
trailer that I feel is amazing as a
service, but the price hike is excessive. I do also use it walking in hilly areas like Lake District where there might be no
phone signal on any mobile
network. Not exactly USA 'wilderness' I grant you, not anywhere near like it, but I do use it like that.
I have the continual rolling annual
contract, not the stop-start as I please arrangement, so it really IS a lot more expensive.
In isolation I might be more tolerant, maybe, but the Android versions of the earthmate app (Garmin linked app to device) since they became Garmin branded no longer transfer the messages from device to
phone if you only pair-up once you see the msg light flashing. An approved way to use it, but it shows an error (on multiple Android phones I tested) then deletes the messages. So as a communicator, it no longer communicates. Garmin gave me inane pointless replies to my support question that could have been written by a Russian troll factory. I use the original inReach, that takes AA
batteries (a big ++ in my book). It was only when I downloaded every prior version of the app from (hopefully not contaminated) on-line sources and installed them progressively backwards that I found a version that worked perfectly once more, and that was the last Delorme one (with the green rectangular map logo/icon). Should customers really have to do this? How many have the wherewithall to even try? So in my book Garmin chose to break compatability with the original device. That annoyed me no end. Needless slash and burn to generate more revenue from sales of new devices. Well I don't want the new device with the
battery that will go flat. I want the AA
battery compatability.
So from my perspective this is a drip...drip reduction of quality and increase in costs. I know I'm naieve to think that a comms system so Utterly Fantastic should be made available to the whole world at a 'fair' price - but when I feel 'screwed' then I get annoyed, and it's in the British pyche to respond in this kind of way. We're a bit like that over here. It damages their brand. I guess they don't care. I rather suspect that Delorme Did.
UK is going through the whole Brexit thing at the moment and it seems just an excuse for all companies to increase costs and reduce
service. Almost all foodstuffs cost more... way more than the inflation rate, but get smaller and smaller. But for us to pay SO much more than USA is unfair. Besides, don't we mostly earn less that you!
I so wish I could write a glowing recommendation of inReach under Garmin
ownership and I'd be the first to be a brand ambasador as the whole world should know about the amazing service. But it's starting to sour.
That's all and thanks for bearing with me. I will keep the device for the
cruise then probably terminate it after and revert to my PLB when in the hills.