@Jamesatsea: I was thinking the device would have been useful in situations like when James Kim was trapped in a snowstorm with his wife and child with no cellular signal, or when the hikers who went up Mount Hood got trapped for days.

There are wild places in our backyard, you know, and plenty of places in America that still don't have cellular signal. That's why I felt the SPOT was so useful, and that's why I wrote the article.

@HARRKEV: Let me quote from the article you linked:
"I tend to be somewhat conservative when it comes to lifesaving devices. So, first off, until we get a unit in hand to test, I'm not about to endorse SPOT. I also want to test a production version when they become available, just to confirm whatever results we initially obtain.

If SPOT performs as promised and it proves reliable and robustly constructed, I think it might provide a viable alternative to a more expensive PLB for many users. Over the short term it will save some money, but whether it's a good long term investment is another issue. However, the lower initial outlay will definitely encourage more folks to buy and carry one of these on their adventures and all other things being equal the statistics suggest that will save lives—if it works, etc., etc."

I don't dispute any of that, but maybe you should? The author plainly states that if it works as promised - and everything in both articles you linked leads one to believe that it does - then the device is definitely better than a PLB. What's the problem there?

The one item I'm concerned with is the financial stability of the GlobalStar network, on which SPOT operates. It was brought to my attention after the post went live that the network needs funding and is danger of going under, which could leave a lot of SPOT owners high and dry.

i don't know what some of you guys are on about - this is the best comment and discussion moderation policy I've ever seen on the web. :D

Not only is it tasteful and observant of people's ability to comment what they choose, it's reflective of what more and more blogs need to do: move away from the eyes-bleeding YouTube/Digg comment style and towards something more substantive and intelligent.

There may be hope for the Web yet.

Very nice redesign!

Comments. Hunh. Ah well. As ironic as this is, BoingBoing was kind of the last bastion of intelligent blogging on the net that DIDN'T NEED COMMENTS TO BE GOOD.

I mean, it takes one look at the comments at places like Fark, Digg, and YouTube to understand that comments aren't necessarily a good thing. Half of them make my eyes bleed. :( Even communities that have had great commenters slowly but surely get corrupted (eg, Lifehacker and some other Gawker blogs).

Here's hoping it's smoother sailing for you guys. Beautiful redesign, good luck with the community.