https://www.rei.com/product/124223/geko-smart-whistle

Just ran across this. Apparently, if in distress, you blow on the whistle and the device automatically notifies three contacts of your choice that you are in trouble at a location (provided by your cellphone). It works somehow with your cell and if you are not in cell range, you would be SOL. the whistling notifies anyone in your vicinity in the traditional manner.

Anyone have experience, anecdotes, or stories about this gadget? It is on clearance at REI...

Innovation continues, sometimes in strange directions. Never even heard of it before.

I think I can see why.

It's worrisome enough to depend on a fragile battery powered device that depends on a cellular network (voice call on your cellphone directly to a rescue team) to get you help.

It's even worse to depend on a fragile battery powered device (electronic whistle), that itself depends on another fragile battery powered device (smartphone), that depends on an installed software application (smartphone app), that depends on a cellular network, that depends on an SMS/email provider to send a text message/email, that depends on your contacts having their smartphones on and in a service area to receive your text message/email, that depends on your contacts fulfilling their duty to notify a rescue team, that depends on your contacts knowing the phone number for the rescue team, to get you help.

Why not just call the rescue team yourself? You've got your cellphone right there in the first place! This electronic whistle appears to be a solution in search of a problem.

Agreed. For one thing, 911 would be one, if not the first, number I would enter. these days a lot of SAR ops are triggered by calls from the victim's phone at the scene. I do doubt that this gadget will have much of an impact

Ofcourse, those are the ones we know about - those in cell phone range with charged batteries. As for the rest, we will notice them when the snow melts....

Take a look at the reviews on Amazon --

https://www.amazon.com/GEKO-Emergency-Au...customerReviews

It requires a lot of stuff for it to work -- a social media account, an Android phone, an app that's constantly open, a subscription, etc. Some people find it useful for their elderly relatives in "I've fallen and I can't get up" sort of situation, but with so many requirements, I am not sure I'd rely on this gadget.

I am sure that I would not rely on such a device. Innovation is not bad, it just goes down some dead ends sometimes. And sometimes some aspect of a failed innovation spurs innovation in another direction. I am not sure where this would go, but people should not stop trying new ideas. Maybe they should test more before they go into large scale production though.

That reminds me, I need to watch the "Connections" mini-series with James Burke again. Fantastic the way he tied invention to invention to invention. I'm really dating myself remembering this series. But heck, most of y'all here are probably as old as I am and might remember the series too. I'll have to check out the local library and see if they have it on DVD.

No. I had to look it up. That series came out before I was born.

Jeanette Isabelle

Was going to say a back up phone probably better investment, like the Spare One (which can be powered by an AA). But seems they're not available anymore, and website has gone.

Those were very interesting programs. Burke does have some books, and there are some documentaries on some of the streaming services that sort of try to do the same thing. I can't remember what their titles are though.

Yes! My library has it on DVD! I'll go check it out today. Since this series is about inventions, it's funny that DVD's were not even invented yet when the series came out. I'm not sure if video tapes were even invented yet either. Wait - they had to be. I don't recall watching the series on live TV, must have been on tape.

Anyway, I'd like to hear James Burke's take on this invention progression where we now have electronic whistles that connect to smart phones. Things have certainly changed in our lifetimes, haven't they?!

Yes, rub it in, rub it in. Make us old folks feel, well, old.

You are our shining fountain of youth around here!

And yet I feel old ever since Mom and I moved to Florida.

Jeanette Isabelle

Wait until you go to one of your high school reunions and the topics of conversation include "How are your grandchildren doing? Are they enjoying college?"

While technology is great - I'm still old school enough to keep paper maps etc. around along with the non-connected whistle.

Our office assigned unit (a nice van) has no GPS but everyone in the office always uses their 'smart' phone to navigate. I'm paranoid enough that I put the new paper state road map in the van just yesterday.

On the "getting old" front - I just sent in the paperwork to start my pension payments from the former job as I hit 65. I'm going to go for another three years in my current agency to get a second pension so I'm an official "double dipper"! Also, it will help pay for the grand kid trips!

Paul -

Connections was a great series. I've not seen it on public TV in years. You can find DVD's of the original series on Ebay for around $60, but the second season is apparently made on DVD's of platinum. . The series runs around $350!

Ouch!

I would be happy to see them rebroadcast, or another similar series put together.

Some people try to innovate without getting input from a broad range of people. In this case, I imagine a dedicated hiker sitting around a camp fire, smoking weed, staring at his trustworthy whistle, and thinking of ways to improve it. He thinks, a whistle that has the reach of his cell phone is the answer! He doesn’t bother running the idea past nerdy cell phone engineers because they just kill the vibe, man. So, he runs with his idea unchecked and surrounded by “yes” men. This is the result.