5. Pros

• Small, rugged, durable
• Works well
• Works inside buildings, movie theaters, basements -- anywhere that Sprint has cellular coverage
• Good customer support
• Long battery life (10 - 21 days, depending on tracking frequency)
• Optional vehicle tracking case and various arm/wrist/leg straps available
• Supports custom automated tracking schedules based on time of day, day of the week
• Powerful web portal provides lots of reporting options
• Brickhouse Security's web portal displays location information on a map as well as exact address information
• Advanced geofence support - can be configured to alert on entry or exit of specified area
• Supports custom escalation lists of persons to notify in the event of an alert

6. Cons

• No way to tell if the unit is turned on or off
• Can only get location information via the web
• Battery compartment's protective flap difficult to open
• Qualcomm's gpsOne not as sensitive as other GPS receivers, like SiRF
• AGPS positioning accuracy varied considerably depending on cell-tower coverage (more cell towers = greater accuracy. Less towers = less accurate)
• No way to view remaining battery life
• Initial setup and configuration can be daunting
• No panic button (Brickhouse has a larger model with a panic button)

7. Conclusion

Whether you're a concerned parent, private investigator, law enforcement officer, or fleet operator, the P-Trac Micro is a powerful tracking device that offers solid performance indoors and outdoors with loads of customizable options.

Unlike traditional GPS tracking devices that require line-of-sight to the sky, the P-Trac Micro leverages Assisted-GPS (via Sprint's cellular network) to provide real-time tracking from any location with cellular coverage. That means the P-Trac Micro can be located inside a movie theater, basement, the trunk of a moving vehicle, inside office buildings, or just about anywhere where a cell phone would work.

Throughout my testing I found the unit worked very well and was reliable, even in areas of marginal cellular reception. I also appreciated the ability to configure geofence boundaries and receive email/SMS alerts if those Geofences were crossed. You can even setup escalation lists of people you want to notify in an alert situation.

Also useful was the ability to define different tracking schedules for different times of day. For example, you might configure more frequent location updates while a child is out with a nanny, and then adjust for less frequent updates overnight when the child is asleep.

Battery life was generally excellent: I consistently got about 6 to 7 days battery life tracking 24 hours a day at 10-minute intervals. Bumping the tracking interval to 30-minutes extended the battery life to about 10 days. Battery life fluctuated somewhat based on cellular coverage, as the P-Trac automatically boosts power in poor coverage areas and lowers power consumption in areas with good cellular coverage.

Finding the device was easy using Brickhouse's customer portal, and reports can easily be exported into Google Maps.

The catch? Cost. Unlike regular GPS which is free, Assisted-GPS (running on Sprint's network) means you'll need to sign up for a monthly service plan ranging from $30 to $80 per month, depending on usage. Plus the device itself costs around $450. For most people the $45/month plan is the most cost effective and still provides real-time tracking capabilities.

Those in need of a serious tracking device should take a good look at the P-Trac Micro. It's expensive, but it works. Designed for consumers and professionals alike, the P-Trac Micro sells for $450 and is available from Brickhouse Security.