As a group, we all had similar abilities and speeds, so range rarely became an issue while skiing. When someone backed away from the group, stopped for a few minutes, or even turned a particularly large rock corner, we would get a “Jeremy out of range” alert. Milos works best with a straight line of sight and for our resort riding needs are plenty. However, they don't always work the resort bar, which means drink orders get missed, but we don't blame Milo for this. Not much anyway.
We were also impressed with Milo's Nearby Mute feature, which mutes the microphone when you're close enough to chat at a normal volume. This works well, anyone not close enough can still communicate via speaker with the assembled group.
Recent software updates have also added a number of voice commands to Milo, with more coming soon. We couldn't test these, but they include one-on-one chats, allowing you to talk to individuals in groups with the simple prompt “OK Milo, talk to Chris.”
Milo founder and CEO Peter Celinski also told WIRED that they are launching a Long Range Messaging Mode that will let you use voice commands to record and send messages to specific individuals in your team. . You receive confirmation when your message has been received, and the recipient can freely replay the message, even multiple times. This would be a useful added feature and another reason to keep your phone safe in your pocket.
The hardest button to play with
Milo is very intuitive and once you appreciate its limitations it is extremely useful. But it is not without problems. With the exception of the large main mute/unmute button, the rubberized controls are difficult to use when wearing gloves, especially considering that skiing is considered by the company to be the Milos' main activity (along with kayaking, surfing, hiking and surfing).
Using the main button also requires precision—we estimate a 70% first-time hit rate, although this improved with practice. What is very annoying is that each Milo's volume is reset to a low level when the power is turned off.
Oddly, Milo doesn't give specific battery life, but overall our devices survived a long day on the slopes, although that required each person to power down their devices. at lunch to get through the final day. elevator.
Up to six Milos can be linked in a group, which seems a bit limiting, but given the high price of buying multiple units it could be a blessing. At $249 a pop, can you convince your friends to invest? Milo offers group deals—great for families—with four units plus the armband and action clip costs $925 instead of $1,120.
We haven't tested the Milo on the bike or in the water, but in the mountains we quickly realized how useful they could be. Chatting as you ski, sharing tips, and generally getting excited about climbing is fun—and being able to follow a group and help out when needed is a real bonus. And remember that free telephone communication cannot be used when surfing the web and the like.
If you have the money to spend, we're happy to recommend Milo, especially as the brand rolls out more AI and voice-based features. If the price were a little lower, the battery life a little longer, and the unwieldy volume buttons a little larger, Milo's modern walkie-talkie would be a clear winner.
