It's interesting though, maybe it's time for a thread on "products you'd like to see!" for wilderness use

I am quite skeptical concerning the radio capabilities. The radio frequency FAQ reads more like a statement of FRS and MERS general standards than it does the specs of the tablet. I seriously doubt they can get the advertised range without an external antenna.

It's illegal to build an FRS radio with an external antenna in the US. GMRS and MURS radios may use external antennas. I seriously doubt that any internal antenna will work for theoretical maximum range on any of those radio services.

This is quite an interesting product, integrating an Android tablet platform integrating GPS, Radio reciever, Radio FRS, GMRS, and MURS transceiver etc (FRS and GMRS could be programmed into the cheap and widely available crop of Chinese 2 band VHF and UHF HAM transceivers such as Wouxun etc). Even HAM Satellite Comms could be achieved in theory using a Wouxun depending on the Antenna. The radio transceiver for the Earl appears to be the weakest aspect of the device, almost to the point of being useless for survival applications in remote areas.

I am currently using a iPod Touch 4th Generation and with its various accessories such as a BT GPS (Garmin Garmin Glo Portable GPS + GLONASS, which is very fast and very accurate in difficult sky view conditions for all manner of GPS applications), ZTE MF60 MiFi Mobile Wifi Hotspot (21Mbps Mobile Hotspot Network Router 2G / 3G / HSUPA / HSDPA / UMTS / WLAN / MiFi), which can be used with a variety of microwave antenna's in poor coverage area's so I can make very cost effective VOIP telephone calls. i.e. call anyone in the world for a few pennies per minute. It is actually cheaper for me to call the USA than it is to call England when calling from Scotland!

The iPod can also act as an interface to the Spot Connect Satellite Communicator if required.

The iPod also makes for a very high quality audiophile experience when using some AGK K702 headphones and a FiiO ANDES DAC headphone EO7K amplifier.

Now if there was a App for a FunCube Pro Wide band SDR receiver so I can receive precision Shortwave Radio SW, SSB, LSB, FM radio etc

+1

E-ink is fantastic for reading where battery life and clarity/look trump refresh rate. I use one on a regular basis & it beats a lit screen in all categories. When I have the time, I'm a BIG reader. A normal size novel will last a couple days if I'm undisturbed. I charge one before leaving on vacation and don't have to recharge it until well after I get home.

When I first read the topic, I thought it was referring to some new concentrated food product - like a really big vitamin.

As you can guess, I am more of a food guy than a tech/gear guy.

Hahaha! I was also thinking it was some food pill from The Jetsons!

What I want to know is what part of the tablet do I shave or baton in order to get kindling or tinder for a fire? The thing is just too techie...

More seriously, consider how you are allocating your resources. Presumably, there is a limit to how much money any of us can plow into outdoor/survival gadgets. Would you be better off with the survival tablet which gives you comms and an emap or a well rounded set of more trad survival stuff, like firestarters, FAKs knives, and warm clothing?

I'd rather have a knife and a FAK, thank you.....

My guess is even if they can get 1000 people to pony up for one they will end up with an orphan.

Ah, but what if you aren't looking for a survival tablet or gadget specifically, and just looking for a tablet. I wonder if this will be a reasonable option for every day use, that just happens to have additional benefits for use during an emergency/survival situational/outdoor use.