HMD OffGrid Device Gives Your Phone Access to Satellite Grids video

Wandering around without cell service? HMD's new OffGrid hotspot accessory is designed to let smartphones send texts using satellites. We liked it so much, we named it a Best of CES award winner. CNET's Lisa Eadicicco gives it a look.

When you don't have Wi Fi or cell signal, your phone can feel kind of useless. That's where the HMD off grid comes in. This tiny device lets your phone access satellite networks so that you can actually send messages and contact emergency services, even if there's no cell tower nearby. So I'm here in Las Vegas out on a balcony, and I'm about to check it out. A lot of newer phones already have satellite connectivity baked in. For example, the new iPhones like the iPhone 14 and later have that functionality, but a lot of people don't really upgrade their phones unless they actually have to. So what this does is it allows you to connect to satellites when you're not near a cell tower, even if you don't have a newer phone, and it works with iOS and Android. So you can use an app to send messages to friends and family members, even if it's not an emergency. And if the person you're sending those messages to doesn't Have the app, it'll still show up as an SMS message. So this device costs $200 which is a little pricey, but if you're the kind of person who really likes going on long hikes in remote areas and you don't want to upgrade your phone, it could be a compelling option. You also do have to pay for a subscription on top of that price, and the cheapest plan starts at $80 a year. And with that you do get 350 messages. For the year. So this device is really meant to be like kind of worn or exposed so that it can actually get a clear signal to those satellites. So that's why there's this little loop at the top. You can kind of hook it onto your backpack. The easiest way to think about this is kind of like a mobile hotspot, but for satellite networks instead of cellular networks. So this is the app. It kind of just looks like a messaging app. There's this is where your chats are. This is where the location tracking is, emergency and checking messages and then account information. So, um it's, it's pretty simple and straightforward and we can try to send a message right here. Let me see. I'm OK. And you can see it says connected to satellite right there. So that's how you know it's connected to a satellite network and there's also a little satellite icon right next to the message as well. So once again, this is the HMD off grid. It is one of the coolest little gadgets I've found here at CES. I really like how it kind of adds more functionality to your phone without requiring you to get an entirely new device. I think it could be very useful for people who go on a lot of hikes and spend a lot of time outdoors, but what do you think about it? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.