Skip to content
25 Sep, 2026
Latest Posts
F-Droid’s Android open-source app store has been rebuilt from the ground up
OSS Document Scanner is an open source mobile app to scan documents to PDF
Grist is an open source self-hosted spreadsheet with a database hiding underneath
OpenCode is an open source alternative to Claude Code
AI Efficiency Could Cost Us the Next Generation of Experts
Gadgeteer icon

GadgeteerZA

Simplifying Gadgets and Technology, is my passion!

  • Photo of keyboard with open source title
    My Massive list of FREE and Open Source Software...
  • A white off-road vehicle parked on a dirt path surrounded by rugged hills and sparse vegetation under a clear blue sky.
    My Jimny page...
  • Yaesu Radio
    My Ham Radio Pages...
  • Photo of two hands, one humna, one AI
    My Tech blog about daily items I find interesting...
  • Photo of keyboard with contact sign
    Contact me

  • Home
  • Gadgets
    • On my Radar
    • Android
    • Nokia E90
    • Apple iPhone
    • Computers
  • Other Interests
    • My Alternatives to Big Tech
    • Alternatives to Big Tech Social Media
    • Solar Tips
    • Traditional Shaving
    • Pinelands
    • Home Automation
      • Google Assistant Commands
      • Home Assistant
      • Configuring Acurite Weather Station with Weewx
      • Configuring the Ambient Weather WS-2902C weather station
    • Ham Radio
      • OpenWebRx Web-Based Radio Receiver
      • VarAC P2P Digital Mode Chatting Application
        • VarAC EmComm Use South Africa
        • VarAC Wednesday Check-Ins
      • FreeDV HF Digital Voice for Amateur Radio
      • Ham Radio Digital Modes on iPhone and Desktop Computers
      • Hardware devices for Digital Ham Radio Modes
      • How to configure APRS Reporting in South Africa
      • PC Based Messaging with Outpost
      • Winlink 2000 E-Mail via Radio
        • Winlink Wednesday Check-Ins
      • Meshtastic in South Africa
      • MeshCore in Soutrh Africa
        • Elecrow ThinkNode M9
      • JS8Call Digital Mode
        • JS8Call Messages for Exercises or Emergencies
      • Tips on using an Anytone 878 with an Openspot
    • Starting a WordPress site
    • GadgeteerZA Public Photos
      • Places of Interest Photo Albums
      • Hiking photos
    • Photography
    • Reading
    • Various Vehicles
      • Suzuki Jimny
      • My Bike
        • Tips for Operating the BMW R1200GS
    • Family Stories
      • Recollections of my Childhood by Billie Fourie
      • Memories and Recollections of Parow
  • FOSS
    • FOSS Maturity
    • BEE and SMME Vendors
    • Linux
    • Microsoft Office
  • Blog Posts
  • Site Info
    • Site Notices
    • About
    • Social Networks
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Sitemap
    • Comments Policy
  • Home
  • SOS

Tag: SOS

South Africa’s Gauteng e-Panic button app tested — with impressive results

2024-08-282024-08-28 Danie
Brick wall background with a hand holding a smartphone. On the screen is a Crime Prevention badge with a big blue button in the centre marked Emergency Assist.

MyBroadband tested the Gauteng provincial government’s e-Panic button and was impressed with its user experience and overall performance. Upon its launch alongside a physical panic button fob in May 2024, the province described it as […]

BlogSOS, southafrica, technology

Starlink by SpaceX to offer free emergency SOS on ALL phones worldwide

2024-08-282024-08-28 Danie
A post on X by Elon Musk stating: After thinking it through, SpaceX Starlink will provide emergency services access for mobile phones for people in distress for free. This applies worldwide, subject to approval by country governments. Can’t have a situation where someone dies because they forgot or were unable to pay for it.

While Emergency SOS via satellite is literally life-saving, the implementation by smartphone companies is not going to be free, at least not for long. This defeats the purpose of the feature and could even be […]

BlogSOS, starlink, technology

The Motorola Defy satellite dongle tested: Essential plan starts from $5 per month

2023-09-182023-09-18 Danie
A hand holding a flat oval shaped grey plastic dongle, a bright orange button on the right side, with the label SOS next to it.

“I think [satellite connectivity] is going to start coming in as a feature in the high end and then become just a default feature for flagship phones,” he said. “It’s relatively easy to take our […]

Blogsatellitecomms, SOS, technology

Stranded motorist effects own rescue by attaching his phone to a drone and sending it up to higher altitude

2023-03-082023-03-08 Danie
A drone in flight with a phone hanging below it

Rather than wandering off on foot in search of help, he stayed with his vehicle, which provided shelter from the elements. Conveniently, he also happened to have a drone along with him, which provided him […]

Blogdrone, SOS, technology

Here’s what it’s like to use Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite – You can also send your location via satellite in the Find My app

2022-11-152022-11-15 Danie
IMG 4165

While this feature was announced back in September, it’ll officially start rolling out later today in the US and Canada before launching in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December. The pitch is simple: […]

Blogemergency, iphone, satellites, SOS, technology

How to set up Emergency SOS on your smartwatch – Makes me realise I should have maybe bought a SIM enabled watch option now

2022-05-192022-05-19 Danie
SOS

While smartwatches have always been able to relay notifications, the ability to make emergency calls was a big step forward in making them standalone devices. Generally, Emergency SOS features have two functions. The first is […]

Blogemergency, smartwatch, SOS, technology
Get new posts by email:

Powered by follow.it

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Mastodon
  • Telegram
  • Tumblr
  • Friendica
  • Hubzilla
  • PixelFed
  • MeWe
  • BlueSky
  • XMPP
  • Matrix
  • Nostr
  • RSS
Magazine Plus by WEN Themes