Lost? Not if you have this

Under the "gotta have one" heading comes this little item: a seven-ounce, cellphone-sized satellite tracking device that also serves as an emergency-locator transmitter and allows you to check in with friends and provide them with trip progress reports.

The SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker will work anywhere in the world, according to its Corona, Calif.-based distributor, Aircraft Spruce. "All it needs is a clear view of the sky," says the company. In fact, the firm notes, the device has more functions than government-mandated emergency-locator devices and can be used in flight or on the ground. The unit, manufactured by SPOT Inc. of Milpitas, Calif., operates on two AA batteries and sells for $149.99 at www.AircraftSpruce.com.