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Annual inReach SOS report emphasizes the value of Garmin satellite communication devices

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Garmin report offers key insights and information into SOS trends from around the world

OLATHE, Kan., Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today released its 2024 inReach® SOS Report, highlighting trends involving SOS incidents reported to Garmin Response℠ during the past calendar year. The report provides insights into the activities and locations of adventurers who find themselves in need of emergency help. Since 2011, inReach satellite technology1 has helped hikers, explorers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts stay in touch globally with two-way text messaging, location tracking and critical SOS emergency response services. That technology was expanded in 2024 with the release of inReach Messenger Plus, allowing users to exchange photo and voice messages while off the grid, which can provide essential information to emergency responders when seconds count.

Here are some key takeaways from the 2024 report:

Users across six continents and three oceans triggered an inReach SOS message for a wide variety of incidents.Response missions varied from local emergency services on remote highways to highly technical helicopter rescues.People sent an SOS message the most during hiking and backpacking activities, followed by driving and motorcycling. There was also an increase in dirt biking and rafting incidents.Injuries were again the top cause for SOS messages with the biggest increase in medical issues like altitude sickness, heart problems and gastrointestinal issues.Weather events such as wildfires, flash floods and hurricanes resulted in more SOS message triggers, as did encounters with wildlife like bears and rattlesnakes.Many SOS messages were for the user; however, nearly one-half were for another member in the user’s party or a third-party individual.With the help of professionally trained Garmin Response staff, inReach users were able to self-rescue nearly 12% of the time.

Click here to read the entire 2024 report. 

How inReach SOS works with Garmin Response

Thanks to a dedicated SOS button and 100% global Iridium® satellite network coverage, Garmin inReach users can quickly send an SOS message should an emergency occur. Once an SOS message is triggered, even if the user takes no other action, the device sends a distress message to Garmin Response, a 24/7 staffed professional emergency response coordination center. Garmin Response will communicate with the user, their listed emergency contacts, search and rescue organizations and other available local resources. They provide updates to users and emergency contacts on the response effort, including confirmation when help is on the way, and remain available as the incident is being resolved.

What our customers are saying about inReach

“I cannot say thanks enough to every single person involved in this entire process. Without the enormous efforts put in by absolutely everyone, I would not be having breakfast again with my friend tomorrow morning.”
–James Birch, inReach owner whose friend triggered an SOS message after getting caught in an avalanche

“Sometimes (more often than not) being prepared can end up helping others even more than yourself, and I think there is no better feeling than being able to help when it’s needed.”
–Adrian Abrahams, inReach user who helped stranded couple on overlanding trip

“Without the inReach, we wouldn’t have had any information about what was approaching us that day, and we would have spent much of the valuable time we had hiking out slowly. Not only did we have the threat of fire, we also had trees down on the road, no service and we needed assistance.”
–Brittany Farrish, customer who used inReach to escape wildfire

Find your Garmin inReach

The inReach Messenger Plus two-way satellite communicator, complete with photo and video messaging and a battery that can last weeks, is handy for anyone who might find themselves without cell service.When the size and weight of the gear matters most, the easy-to-carry inReach Mini 2 is a great option with its lightweight and compact design.Dedicated explorers, mountaineers, and hunters may prefer the rugged GPSMAP® 67i GPS handheld and satellite communicator, which offers TopoActive routable mapping and superior battery life.Road warriors can use the Montana® 710i and 760i GPS navigators, which include a durable touchscreen display and a variety of mounting options for ATVs, motorcycles, bikes and more.For overlanding enthusiasts, the Tread® XL Series is built for every part of the journey and has the on road and off road mapping they need to stay on track.On the water, Garmin offers the inReach Mini 2 Marine Bundle, which includes a powered mount for the boat’s helm for easy access when needed. Mariners also utilize the GPSMAP 86sci, which comes with preloaded BlueChart® g3 coastal charts in a water-resistant, floating design.Aviators can send and receive messages right from the cockpit with the Garmin™ Messenger App for smartphones.

Learn more about all of Garmin’s inReach-capable devices here.

An active satellite subscription is required for live tracking, messaging, weather forecasts and interactive SOS capabilities. A variety of affordable plans are available. Individuals with a supported device and an active subscription can purchase search and rescue (SAR) insurance plans through Garmin which offer financial reimbursement for qualified search and rescue related expenses2.

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for adventurers, athletes, off-road explorers, road warriors and outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing products that enhance experiences, enrich lives and help provide peace of mind, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. Visit the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with @garminoutdoor on social, or follow our blog.  

1Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is your responsibility to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdiction where the device is intended to be used.
2 SAR insurance is an optional benefit in addition to the emergency coordination response from Garmin Response. SAR insurance is not required for Garmin Response to coordinate a rescue response.

About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin, inReach, GPSMAP, Montana, Tread and BlueChart are registered trademarks, Garmin Pilot is a trademark and Garmin Response is a service mark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2024, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0001-411180). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Brianna Silverman
913-397-8200
media.relations@garmin.com

 

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SOURCE Garmin International, Inc.

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LYKSTAGE Launches Patented Video Platform That Pays Creators and Viewers — Now Live Across Five Countries

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MUMBAI, India, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LYKSTAGE, a video-sharing platform owned by LYK Inc., a Delaware-based entity, and founded by New York-based entrepreneur Adris Chakraborty, is redefining how the creator economy works — with a patented monetization model no other platform can legally replicate.

Built by a technology team in India under Manhattan Tech Ventures, LYKSTAGE runs on a patented Watch-Time Monetization Model that fundamentally changes who earns from video content. Creators earn whenever their content’s watch time gets monetized — no subscriber minimums, no waiting periods, and no thresholds to cross before earning begins.

What makes the model unprecedented is that viewers earn too. Logged-in viewers are rewarded whenever their watch time gets monetized — when they watch content uninterrupted and the ad served during viewing is fully consumed. When that happens, the creator earns, the viewer is rewarded, and the platform earns. Every reward is funded by actual ad revenue — not venture capital subsidies. The model is entirely self-sustaining.

The platform serves both skippable and non-skippable ads, determined by an ad server algorithm that optimizes based on viewing patterns and content traction. For advertisers, impressions are served intelligently — matching the right ad format to the right moment, delivering higher completion rates and genuine attention.

LYKSTAGE is now live across five markets — India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the UAE — and available on Samsung TV, LG TV, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, desktop, mobile web, and native apps on both the App Store and Google Play Store.

Adris Chakraborty, a Kolkata-born Columbia Business School alumnus based in the US since 2003, co-founded Mediamorphosis Advertising & Technology Inc. in New York in 2006 with his spouse and business partner Poulami Mukherjee. The company expanded to the UK in 2012, followed by Manhattan Communications in India — building a multicultural advertising group spanning five countries with over 100 clients, providing LYKSTAGE with built-in advertiser relationships and market intelligence.

The platform has crossed over one million users across all markets, with more than 20,000 creators on board and growing across all five countries — achieved with minimal paid marketing.

LYKSTAGE is a transparent, patented system where the people who create the value are the ones who earn from it.

Sign up at:
Android – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lykstage.app
Apple – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/lykstage-video-streaming/id6754064834

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2960187/LYKSTAGE_Logo.jpg

 

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Towngas and Tencent forge strategic partnership to drive “Energy + Tech” smart digital transformation

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HONG KONG, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) and Tencent have signed a strategic partnership agreement in Hong Kong. The two companies will collaborate extensively on unified cloud resource management, digital platform development, large artificial intelligence (AI) models and applications, customer engagement enhancement, and R&D tool synergy. Together, they aim to drive the smart digital transformation of the energy sector.

The partnership dates back to 2020, when Towngas Lifestyle, the extended business division of Towngas, first teamed up with Tencent Cloud. In 2021, Towngas Energy, the Group’s renewable energy arm, worked with Tencent Cloud to build a smart energy ecosystem, which currently supports over a hundred integrated energy projects for the business segment. In 2023, Towngas Lifestyle and Tencent Cloud entered into a comprehensive strategic partnership spanning cloud platforms, big data, AI, and customer engagement, delivering one-stop lifestyle solutions to 46 million household customers across Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. This latest agreement marks a comprehensive, group-level strategic partnership between Towngas and Tencent. It is designed to pool their resources, achieve cross-divisional synergy, drive quality and efficiency gains, and accelerate AI innovation.

Over the past six years, this collaboration has yielded remarkable results. Powered by Tencent Cloud, Towngas Lifestyle has upgraded the digital foundation and driven application innovation for its Towngas Lifestyle Cloud (TLC) platform. Furthermore, leveraging Tencent Cloud’s TBDS (Tencent Big Data Suite), it built the Towngas Analytics Platform (TAP), which currently supports big data applications for over 70 affiliated city-gas companies as well as its Hong Kong operations.

In terms of AI applications, Towngas Lifestyle has capitalised on Tencent’s AI computing power and large model technology to launch innovative tools such as smart safety inspections and AI service agents, significantly boosting the efficiency of frontline staff at gas companies. To better serve its customers, the company has deeply integrated Tencent’s WeCom to improve customer outreach. On the R&D front, Towngas Lifestyle has widely adopted Tencent’s AI development tools to streamline workflows. Moreover, the partners have successfully replicated their mainland successes in Hong Kong, completing the cross-border deployment of the TAP platform and advancing the upgrade of the city’s business systems.

Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee, Managing Director of Towngas, said: “Tencent’s leading position in AI and digital technology is obvious to all. Since 2020, the two parties have established a strong partnership, expanding from Towngas Lifestyle’s extended business to cooperation on the smart energy platform for the renewable energy segment, and gradually extending from the mainland to Hong Kong. As an enterprise with a 164-year history, Towngas has grown to possess a customer base of over 120 million since entering the mainland gas utility business in 1994. Facing such a massive number of customers, data security is of paramount importance. How to build a secure and efficient system for management and service has become a critical issue for business development. We are confident in joining hands with Tencent to co-build a secure and efficient digital system, comprehensively elevate the customer service experience and operational efficiency, and jointly pioneer more possibilities for ‘Energy + Tech’.”

Mr Dowson Tong, Senior Executive Vice President of Tencent and CEO of Tencent Cloud and Smart Industries Group, stated that as a household brand in Hong Kong, Towngas’s “customer-centric” service philosophy aligns closely with Tencent’s corporate mission of “Value for Users, Tech for Good”. Over the past six years, Tencent has engaged in deep collaboration with multiple segments under Towngas, empowering businesses with technology to achieve precise operations. Tencent looks forward to taking this exchange as a new starting point, further consolidating the “Cloud + AI” technological foundation based on existing cooperation, and deeply integrating Tencent’s digital capabilities with Towngas’s rich application scenarios. Through technological innovation, the goal is to achieve better customer service delivery and enhance operational efficiency, exploring a new path to sustainable development for the smart upgrade of the energy industry while ensuring data security and user privacy.

Looking ahead, the two companies will continue to deepen their collaboration in migrating core businesses to the cloud, co-building digital platforms, deploying large models and AI applications, and enhancing customer engagement. This will not only deliver a superior experience for gas customers but also set a benchmark for the high-quality transformational development of the energy industry.

 

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SOURCE Tencent Cloud

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DMEGC Solar Achieves EcoVadis Gold Medal, Underscoring Its Commitment to ESG Excellence

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JINHUA, China, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 15, DMEGC Solar, a global leader in magnetic materials and renewable energy solutions, achieved a milestone breakthrough in sustainable development. With outstanding performance in environmental protection, social responsibility, and other key areas, the company earned a Gold Medal from the internationally recognized rating agency EcoVadis, scoring 82 points. This places DMEGC Solar in the top 3% of all rated companies worldwide, surpassing 97% of participants.

EcoVadis is a globally leading sustainability assessment platform, having rated over 150,000 companies across more than 250 industries and 185 countries. Its evaluation framework covers 21 indicators across four core themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. The platform aims to assess the sustainability performance and social responsibility of companies within global supply chains.

DMEGC Solar participated in the assessment at the group level rather than as a single factory, demonstrating outstanding strength across all four dimensions. In the Labor & Human Rights dimension, the company has established a comprehensive employee rights protection system, strictly implemented occupational health and safety standards, and promoted employee development and career growth, ranking in the top 1% of its industry.

In the Sustainable Procurement dimension, the company has built a full-chain green supply chain management mechanism, collaborating with core suppliers to create a “cooperative carbon reduction” ecosystem. Initiatives such as packaging material recycling, green electricity usage, and localized collaborative production have enabled a low-carbon, traceable supply chain, also ranking in the top 1% of the industry.

Coupled with strong performances in environmental governance and business ethics, the company achieved an impressive score of 82, surpassing 97% of evaluated companies and earning the Gold Medal. This distinction places DMEGC Solar at the top in the global solar module manufacturers to receive such recognition.

This Gold Medal rating will for sure strengthen the company’s competitiveness in overseas markets. On one hand, its industry-leading ESG performance helps meet policy requirements related to sustainable supply chains, enhancing both the premium pricing of its products in international markets and its ability to secure orders. On the other hand, this recognition will boost customer and partner trust in the company’s brand, supporting the expansion of market share for its core products—such as photovoltaic modules, residential energy storage systems, and magnetic materials—while consolidating its market leadership.

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