I was wondering if anyone used a portable e-mail device while on their hike. I’ve heard of a device that you can use which will transfer a message over the speaker of any phone.
If anyone can give me any information on what type of devices are out there and if they are worth the effort then I would appreciate it.
Happy Hiking,
Crockett
Crockett
I would suggest you click “Search the Forum” and enter “pocketmail” in the message text field. Once you get returns, click on a post that has me as the posted by and read all about such a device. There are other threads on the subject too so don’t limit yourself to the thread I just directed you to. I used the device last year on my hike.
Two Scoops
WOW! I love my email but, i think one of the saddest things (to me @ least) is to see hikers with cell-phones stuck in their ears or mini-laptops @ campsites…
I hike over 100miles each year on the A.T. (i’m on the 20 year plan to get to Katahdin) & it seems to get worse every year…I guess i’ll continue to “do it my way”…& leave the technology at home…for me the trail is a “walk in the undisturbed woods”…a place to “get away from it all”…a place to truly “stop & smell the roses” (or wild hydrangeas!)…well, you get my drift…
good luck with your hike…
“Jaybird”
Jaybird all I did last year was use the Pocketmail to maintain my journal. I kept it out of sight and respected other people’s desire for technological solitude. It also kept me from having to find a library all of the time and my transcriber didn’t have to transcribe from a hand written letter. Had I not been maintaining a journal I would have not have carried the Pocketmail. One of the unexpected results of the Pocketmail was all of the email I got off of the Trail Journals site. That is the only email I got other than a few friends. I got support from people all over the world. What is wrong with doing that? You are hiking a week at the time so your limited removal from society has less impact on you besides a thru-hike is an event for most people. I am not lessening your section hike because I have a lot of respect for the resolve it takes to do it. I agree about the cell phones and such but I don’t see a discreet email device as being overly intrusive on someone’s hike. Last year I was also able to tell people where other hikers were ahead of us because some hikers would email back to me. The journal and email device made it more of an event. If someone does not want that in there hike then don’t do it. But Crocket if you do take such a device please be discreet about it. I would also suggest a little sil sack for it. I left mine on Clingmans Dome in my pack for two weeks in which everything got wet except the device and my sleeping bag.
Two Scoops
As of today, I’ve been without my Pocketmail service for 2 1/2 months. Although it worked great while it worked, I’ve had nothing but frustration after frustration with the Pocketmail folks in my attempts to get a working composer. I prepaid for 6 months email service and have been without the device for over 2 1/2 months of that time period. The original composer was sent back twice and the replacement quit working the third day I had it. Another hiker I know had the same problem with their composer and bought another one and is experiencing problems with it although it hasn’t quit working yet. It has taken Pocketmail over three weeks to return the composer to me each time I’ve returned it. You’ll get absolutely nowhere with their customer “no” service reps. I’m sure they just have a batch of bad machines but they could do a lot better on replacing defective equipment. Bic pens and paper are no heavier and a lot cheaper in the long run.
Chief