Can You Hear Me Now? goTenna Lets Your Smartphone Connect With Friends Even If You Have No Bars

Did you ever go on a big family road trip where there were two or more cars in the caravan, and you brought along walkie-talkies so you could communicate on the drive? Now, of course, nearly everyone has cell phones to accomplish the same thing more easily, but there’s a problem: When you don’t have service, you’re hosed.

And of course, it’s not just on long drives where a lack of service can be problematic. If you don’t have an international plan when in another country, or you’re in the woods, or wherever, you may find yourself with a need to connect with others without a means to do so.


goTenna looks to fill that gap. It’s a device that allows you to effectively create your own network with others equipped with a smartphone and a goTenna. You can send messages, share your location, set up POIs, group chat, and even send secure messages that aren’t stored anywhere.


goTenna doesn’t rely on cell towers or WiFi, so it doesn’t matter if those networks are out. Available for iOS (7 and above) and Android (4.x and above), goTenna isn’t cheap; a pair will cost you $299, although if you preorder, you can get two for half the cost.