Hi Fletch
Great website. Great content as always.

Question for you: I'm no tech guru but I find it amazing that a gps chip isn't around that can fit a standard child's watch. All these tracking devices you review, while a step in the right direction, are bulky and don't seem to last long on a single charge. Am I way off on this? With all the tech advances, it just seems a simple chip that might run off a watch battery or something is not possible to track our chilren.

You're right Rob - you'd think by now a GPS could fit on the head of a pin and run for days on a single charge. Unfortunately, that level of technology still appears to elude us.

What I found during my testing is that battery life and GPS signal performance are inversely related. Devices that last for days at a time aren't powerful enough to get GPS signals indoors, seriously limiting the usefulness of the tracker (especially for kids).

Some devices, like Zoombak for example, use SiRF's StarIII receiver, but have the power turned down so low that signal performance is compromised.

Hopefully the day isn't too far away that GPS tracking devices will be small enough, sensitive enough, and have battery life long enough to take GPS tracking from a niche market to the masses.

I'd expect to see more and more cell phones with GPS tracking features, too.

"I'm no tech guru but I find it amazing that a gps chip isn't around that can fit a standard child's watch. All these tracking devices you review, while a step in the right direction, are bulky and don't seem to last long on a single charge. Am I way off on this? With all the tech advances, it just seems a simple chip that might run off a watch battery or something is not possible to track our chilren. "

The problem is NOT the GPS receiver guys, is the GPRS or WiFi transceiver that cause the needed space.
Look at Dash PND, it's huge, look at the new Magellan Maestro 4350 = GPRS it's huge. The reciever can last 12-24 hours or longer depending on the pings (location notification) you are requesting.

You can already track with cell phones that are GPS enable and this power consumption would not be a big issue in the near future.

There was a company that sold child tracking watch named Wherify, but it did not take off as it could have due to poor marketing stadigy.

http://www.wherify.com/wherifone/safety.html

So is not the GPS receiver as much as the transceiver.
Look at the new Garmin GPS watch forerunner 401 but it can not track you and let your location be known to others.

http://www.autonav2000.com/mall/anProdDetail.asp?ProdID=758

hi fletch
My main concern is if my children get abducted. The first thing someone may look for is a phone or tracking device that looks like a phone. We need something that doesn't look like a tracking device.

Hello, I would like to know if any of these have world wide coverage. We travel quite a bit and I really need a device for my youngest. I especially need coverage for a trip to Syria in the next six months.
Thank you.

Erin - yes, I believe the WorldTracker GPRS has worldwide coverage. It's available from BrickHouseSecurity, among others.

I live in a foreign country, is there any effective tracking or GPS device that does not require having to pay a monthly service fee. This device should be a able to work both indoors and outdoors. Probably a device that works off a cell phone or blue tooth technology. Thanks for your help.

Do you know if the Loc8tor plus is the same thing as the Brickhouse Child Locator Device (http://www.brickhouse-childsafety.com/locator.html). It looks visually the same, but the Brickhouse device claims visual as well as audio direction.

Thanks.

Dan - yes, Brickhouse Security's Child Locater Device is the same device as the Loc8tor.

Dear Sir

We live in Denmark Scandinavia. Do you know if any of the devices which you recommend work here? This device should be a able to work both indoors and outdoors. Probably a device that works off a cell phone or blue tooth technology. Thank you in advance

RE: RF based people tracker
Have you look into Avalanche Beacon such as Pieps DSP ?

I was wondering, I am moving to China and I was wondering if there is any tracking device service that reaches all the way to there?

Thanks for a great review !!

Great review, thank you!

I'm leaning towards the WorldTracker but buying it for 3 kids could get expensive. Can you please tell me how long is the battery life of the Amber Alert model? What is the mile range? How bulky is it compared to the WorldTRacker? I have a 4 year old that attends a school 45 minutes away, and rides the school bus home. She has a toddler cell phone that she uses to call for help but I'm concerned that someone may snatch that away. One time her school bus stalled somewhere in the boonies in the hot Louisiana heat and she was able to call me to go get her. Fortunately I knew the bus route, but if had been an abduction or another parent bringing her home, then it could have been an issue. But if the WorldTracker is the way to go, I'll spring the money for her. Most of her life strangers come up to tell her how pretty she is, even waiting outside stores or restaurants to greet her or offering to buy her things (in NYC, Philly, NJ, MIA doesn't matter where). My New Yorker husband does the stare downs but with him being deployed for over a year ... I think you see my point.

So.. any additional info or breakdown would be greatly appreciated! Thank you

I know it hasn't even been a year, but I'm wondering if any new -- and possibly better -- products may have become available since you last reviewed child tracking devices. I need a bracelet that can be placed on a two year-old child that will notify me if it is ever tampered with. My wife and I just discovered that our live-in nanny has been handing our kid off to relatives and spending time with her boyfriend during the day. We desperately want a solution.

hello i wanted to know if you could review the brickhouse security system it looks like loc8tor but just want to know if theres a difference also can you tell me the alert modes for the loc8ter i saw its says near far etc but do you know the feet there set to like 20ft 50 ft etc? thanks

I spoke to the folks that make the Ionkids tracker and I suspect they will not be around much longer. They sold all of their devices and didn't have enough orders to order more from china. They were sold out of everything as well as all of their resellers including Brickhouse. I even tried Ebay.
I need a device I can lock on the child because she is a high needs autistic 7 year old escape artist that enjoys being nude when on an adventure. Child protective services will remover her from the home if she continues to escape. This is now what we want for this beautiful person.
We need to come up with a strap that she cannot remove as well as a waterproof device. Any help would be appreciated.
Dave

Great review, many thanks to the author! It would be great if this review could be updated on annual basis. I'm sure new products are being developed each year as this is a HUGE business opportunity - this is a world-wide market with millions of potential customers. Please keep up your great work with updates to your reviews. THANK YOU.

Thanks for the website and reviews. With my 5 year old son getting becoming more independant and more then willing to wander off by himself....I was wondering if any new non-GPS child tracking system have come out that has been improved upon in the recent year that works best indoors.

It seems that any of the non-GPS tracking systems don't really work that well indoors....I'm hoping that the technology can be improved in time.

I would like to keep abreast as to all of the most recent technology relating to child tracking and associated applications? I would also like to learn about opportunities for marketing and selling these types of devices. I have two children, 4 yrs old and 4 months old and would prefer an implanted (removable) device or other application that would not be readily detectable. It is troubling to think about these types of scenarios, but I would rather understand how to incorporate this type intelligence now rather than when I am in a panic.

Thanks SS

**

Google Maps on mobile phones now have a 'share my location' option. If the phone on the child has a GPS - how is this different than any of the GPS/GSM options presented here - which also cost quite a bit of money in monthly fees....

Great reviews here very informative.

Just wondering why www.globaltrackinggroup.com has not been reviewed here. THey seem to be pretty big and not a new company. Anyone have any comments on them?

I am looking for a device specifically for impaired adults who could wander.

I am thinking fo the zoomback but also looking at the Amber Alert GPS.

thanks

I have a four month old child, and my thought is when I do have to put her in daycare. I know that everyone has procedures as far as who can pick them up and such, and I plan on putting her in a smaller day care so she wouldn't get lost in the shuffle. But she's 4 months old, and not large enough to carry a cell phone, or a tracking device. And besides that, you can only find the location of the device so if your child is abducted, they may have dropped the back-pack or cell phone they were carrying. We need to come up with some type of device that can be worn, such as a piece of jewelry or even something that can be attached to their clothing in an inconspicious place. We can put microchips in pets that have identifying information on them. Why not a microchip that also has GPS locating ability in something that cannot be removed or is very inconspicious!!

I have the Spark Nano from Brickhouse Security. It is about the
size of a Zippo lighter. I put the GPS in my baby's car seat
when he has supervised visits with his father. I did this, because I have great fear that he will take off with our child.
I have an order of protection against my baby's father. We are now going through a divorce/custody battle. He discovered the
GPS and had a fit. I am to be notified when he, the baby, and
the supervisor(his mother) leave with the child. There is an
incident when they didn't notify me. I am praying that the Judge will let me use the GPS driving record in court. It would've defeated the purpose of advising the supervisor of the GPS system, so they were not aware of it until recently. I would
appreciate any feedback. I don't know if anyone is or has been in a situation like this.
The Spark Nano is wonderful.

Fletch, I am like a couple of your other readers in that I have a 6yr. old son who has autism. He loves to wander and has done so a couple of times from the house, but now as of last week from school. I too need something that can't be removed and at least water resistant. At this point, even though I can't afford it, money is the issue. I need a device that has real-time monitoring and would best meet my families needs as well as the school. I'm on information overlaod with all of the different claims that these companies make. Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Ericka in Sacramento

I agree that the device needs to be smaller and able to be placed in an incospicuous place on the child. In a watch would be acceptable, but ideally it needs to be smaller. There's no price you can put on the safety of your child, but these prices are riduculously high! And what if you have multiple kids? No discount? Come on! People aren't going to spend over $2,000 per year, especially in a bad economy. Hopefully other companies will realize this and put downward pressure on the prices. It shouldn't be that difficult.