MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 30, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Globalstar, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT), the world's largest provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments and individuals, today announced its subsidiary company SPOT LLC has received the prestigious 2008 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award for the SPOT Satellite Messenger. The innovative handheld satellite-based personal safety, messaging and tracking device was named this year's winner of the Consumer Electronics category. This marks the sixth industry award for the SPOT Satellite Messenger since its introduction in November of 2007.
The Wall Street Journal received more than 700 entries to be considered for the Innovation Awards. Judges looked for innovations that broke new ground in their field and demonstrated a measurable impact. Only four percent of the entries received the final award in 19 different categories. A full list of this year's winners can be viewed at www.WSJ.com/Reports.
The SPOT Satellite Messenger uniquely combines GPS and simplex satellite technology, enabling users to stay in contact directly and reliably with friends, loved ones and emergency responders from virtually anywhere around the globe -- even the most remote places -- independent of cell phone coverage.
"To be singled out by the Wall Street Journal as the most innovative consumer electronics technology for 2008 validates Globalstar's position as the first mobile satellite services provider to offer products and services to the mainstream consumer marketplace," said Tom Colby, Chief Operating Officer for Globalstar, Inc. Mr. Colby added, "SPOT was designed to increase safety in the outdoors virtually anywhere even if traditional means of communication such as cellular are limited or non existent. SPOT has also quickly established itself as an everyday lifestyle product that does much more. Today, tens of thousands of people around the world -- from outdoor adventurers to soccer moms to trucking companies and social networks, are using the SPOT Satellite Messenger to stay in touch and track the GPS locations of family members, co-workers and friends."
SPOT is battery-operated (two AA lithium batteries), rugged, and waterproof, and allows users to send satellite text and email messages for help, or to check-in and inform loved ones that they are out of harms way. In an emergency, SPOT will notify GEOS, an international emergency response center used to dispatch local rescue authorities to the SPOT user's GPS location. Since its debut the SPOT Satellite Messenger has helped save more than 40 lives with its 9-1-1 emergency message function.
SPOT retails for $169.99 SRP with a $99.99 annual subscription service. SPOT is available at more than 5,000 retail points-of-sale, including retailers in the United States and Canada, and at www.findmespot.com.
The SPOT Satellite Messenger will be honored at an awards ceremony and dinner in conjunction with the Dow Jones Alternative Energy Innovations Conference on October 21 In Redwood City, California at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay Hotel. For more information about the awards ceremony and the conference please visit: http://AlternativeEnergy.dowjones.com
About Globalstar, Inc.
With over 300,000 subscribers, Globalstar is the world's largest provider of mobile satellite voice and data services. Globalstar offers these services to commercial and recreational users in more than 120 countries around the world. The Company's products include mobile and fixed satellite telephones, simplex and duplex satellite data modems and flexible service packages. Many land based and maritime industries benefit from Globalstar with increased productivity from remote areas beyond cellular and landline service. Global customer segments include: oil and gas, government, mining, forestry, commercial fishing, utilities, military, transportation, heavy construction, emergency preparedness, and business continuity as well as individual recreational users. Globalstar data solutions are ideal for various asset and personal tracking, data monitoring and SCADA applications.
For more information regarding Globalstar, please visit Globalstar's web site at www.globalstar.com