Newsletter #9 - October 28, 2008

The Next Wave of ActiveCaptain...


In This Issue:

- Major update to the Going Mobile section
    We've re-written it and added 16 articles all
    about using mobile phones on boats.

- ActiveCaptain Mobile available for Windows Mobile
    We've finally released it! Free trial available.

- ActiveCaptain web site remains forever free

- ActiveCaptain Mobile charts have been updated

- New pricing for ActiveCaptain Mobile

- Cell Ranger - our first third-party product
    You need to check this out if you use a mobile phone
    on your boat.

- User Survey: Don't Forget to Vote!!!


Major Update to the Going Mobile Section
========================================
We've re-written the entire Going Mobile section. And we've put up our 11 part series about using mobile phones on boats. This past summer we were asked by the on-line boating magazine Mad Mariner (http://www.madmariner.com) to write a series covering all aspects of using a mobile phone on a boat. The series has been very well received. We've now expanded it to 16 articles and updated it. Check it out:
http://www.activecaptain.com/articles/mobilePhones/intro.php

See how we've used mobile phones to enhance our cruising experience. Cut through the confusing acronyms so you can ask good questions and understand the answers. Explore the variety of mobile phones available. Learn about the many applications that can make your boating experience safer and more fun. Read the entire series or just pick specific areas of interest. Whether you are new to mobile phone technology or a power- user we think you'll find something useful.


ActiveCaptain Mobile Available for Windows Mobile
=================================================
The Windows Mobile version is finally available:
http://www.activecaptain.com/store/catACM.php

You can now have powerful marine navigation tools on your Windows Mobile device wherever you go. We appreciate your patience as we put the finishing touches on this exciting new product. It took longer than expected because we wanted everything to be perfect.

ActiveCaptain Mobile works with Windows Mobile Professional version 5.0 or later. Designed to work with the ActiveCaptain web site, it provides a comprehensive set of tools for your cruising needs. It's a chart archive with access to thousands of nautical charts. With an Internet connection, it's a living electronic guidebook with access to tens of thousands of marinas, boatyards, anchorages, and local knowledge markers from the ActiveCaptain web site. Add a GPS and you have a powerful, portable chartplotter. All of these capabilities for only $19.95 with one US NOAA region. A bundle of all 14 US NOAA regions is only $49.95 for a limited time.

Visit the Going Mobile tab today and browse the online manual and download a free trial version:
http://www.activecaptain.com/GM/Downloads.php

We know you'll find ActiveCaptain Mobile a useful tool for your boating needs.


Thank You!
==========
We wish to thank our 50 dedicated beta testers who found a few bugs, made great suggestions, and pounded the software mercilessly. The software couldn't have been released without you!


The ActiveCaptain Web Site Is Still Free
========================================
The ActiveCaptain web site will remain a free resource for all registered Captains, continuing to provide you with valuable information from your fellow cruisers. You can always access our extensive database from your desktop system. That will not change. We hope many of you will also see the value in a handheld companion and will try ActiveCaptain Mobile. The proceeds will help to defray our web site costs and allow us to expand the web site capabilities.


ActiveCaptain Mobile Chart Updates Now Available
================================================
All ActiveCaptain Mobile chart regions have been updated. These charts have thousands of updates from NOAA and are free to all existing ActiveCaptain Mobile users. Select the My Account link in the blue band on every page of the web site to access the chart regions you have purchased. Download the new charts and follow the instructions in the ReadMe.txt file.

SPECIAL NOTES TO EXISTING PALM OS USERS: If you download the newest version of ActiveCaptain Mobile for Palm, you must also download the new chart region files. Your old chart region files will not work with the latest version of ActiveCaptain Mobile.


New Pricing for ActiveCaptain Mobile
====================================
We received many emails from people telling us that they didn't need EVERY NOAA chart for the US. Instead, they just wanted one region at, perhaps, a lower price. We listened and responded. Starting today, you can purchase ActiveCaptain Mobile for Windows Mobile or Palm with a single region for only $19.95. The entire 14 region US NOAA bundle will still cost only $49.95 until 2009.

We've now been asked by our pre-release users if they can purchase a single region and then "upgrade" to the bundle. So yes, you can. Purchase the bundle within a year of buying a single region and we'll refund the single region purchase.

So you can use the full software product with your region of charts (including GPS and ActiveCaptain marker support) for just $19.95.

If you have other ideas, please write. We'll listen and respond!


Cell Ranger - Our First Third-Party Product
===========================================
Manufacturers give us mobile phone products because we're developers and we've been writing about using phones on boats. This Summer we were given a new product called the "Cell Ranger". It's a small, wireless amplifier that amplifies all cell phones in the immediate vicinity of the 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter or the USB port. We were skeptical because we'd tested so many wireless amplifiers on boats before and they failed to perform.

Boy were we wrong on this one. We experienced outstanding results. The Cell Ranger uses different technology than traditional amplifiers and guess what? It costs about 1/3rd what a regular amplifier costs. We were so impressed that we decided it was the perfect thing for our Captains on their boats especially for ActiveCaptain Mobile users.

We put a lot of information about the Cell Ranger on the web site in the Going Mobile section. A direct link to the Cell Ranger page is:
http://www.activecaptain.com/GM/CR.php


Vote
====
We know that US Captains are thinking about their votes next week. But we need your vote now! We're planning the next expansion for the web site and new mobile phones to support. We'd like your input. Please visit the web site and cast your vote today - there are just three short questions:
http://www.activecaptain.com/poll.php


Thank you for continuing to support this project. And don't forget to add your favorite anchorages and review your favorite marinas!


==================================
Karen and Jeffrey Siegel
aCappella
Castine, Maine

www.activecaptain.com
The Interactive Cruising Guidebook

2010-02-23	#28 - ActiveCaptain "X" is now live
2010-02-15	#27 - ActiveCaptain Loves MaxSea/Furuno
2010-01-19	#26 - ActiveCaptain 2010
2009-12-10	#25 - ActiveCaptain X goes beta
2009-11-17	#24 - Quick Lists
2009-10-20	#23 - A fresh look at the iPhone
2009-09-22	#22 - Are we the wave of the future?
2009-08-19	#21 - ActiveCaptain Sets Sail
2009-07-21	#20 - Rescue Tape for 150 Points
2009-07-14	#19 - ActiveCaptain Rocks!
2009-07-01	#18 - ActiveCaptain Gets a Facelift
2009-06-02	#17 - Another ActiveCaptain award!
2009-05-19	#16 - Hats off to you!
2009-05-06	#15 - Twitter, New PodCast, and more
2009-03-17	#14 - Using phones in the Bahamas
2009-03-03	#13 - The best fuel prices
2009-01-28	#12 - SAIL innovation award
2009-01-05	#11 - Power accessories article
2008-12-02	#10 - Bluetooth headsets article
2008-10-28	#9 - The next wave
2008-09-13	#8 - ActiveCaptain Mobile news
2008-06-15	#7 - Mad Mariner
2008-03-12	#6 - ActiveCaptain Mobile
2008-01-21	#5 - Inlets
2007-09-19	#4 - Boat ramps
2007-07-09	#3 - Local knowledge released
2007-04-14	#2 - Global support
2007-02-11	#1 - Anchorages released

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