Posts Tagged ‘Gps Unit’

3 GPS Kid and Teen Tracking Systems

March 5th, 2010



Here are two very good GPS child tracking systems and an additional child monitoring tool to help keep your kids safe. You can think of this as your introduction to tracking kids with GPS and continue to do additional research from here. You should make sure that you know what you need before purchasing any GPS kids tracking system.

T-Trac XS – This GPS device was created specifically with teens in mind. It is geared towards older teens as it is an automobile GPS tracking device. This will help you to know exactly where your teens are when they take the car for the night, or any time for that matter. If there’s trouble you’ll be able to get there much faster, or see that help can get there, because you’ll know where your children are at all times. Besides that it also helps keep track of your teens with a couple other special features.

If you only need tracking during certain times of the day you can set this GPS device to do that and conserve the battery life. Maybe your teen only takes the car for school and you want to make sure they come right home, so you can use this to track only during the school hours and immediately before and after. There’s also a geo-fence option on this tracker that lets you specify a certain range for the GPS device. If the car goes outside that range an alert will be sent to you.

Another feature of the T-Trac XS is the ability to set the GPS unit to alert you if the car it’s installed in exceeds a certain speed limit. No more need to worry about speeding teens since you’ll know if they exceed the speed limit you’ve set for them.

Whereifone GPS Locator Phone – This is a good alternative for younger teens; a cell phone with GPS built in. It’s small, cool and fairly cheap so you won’t have to break the bank to get a GPS kids tracking unit. It also comes in a variety of colors so you can get the one that your child likes to help keep them happy. The unit is quite accurate and can locate a person within several yards, even if they are in a highly populated location. As far as cell phone GPS units go this is a great choice.

Cell Phone SIM Card Spy – This is not a GPS unit, but is a complimentary device used to track your child or teens cell phone use. It basically makes available to you all the information stored on the cell phones SIM card including text messages, incoming and outgoing calls. In these dangerous times we sometimes need to keep an eye on the things that our children may not consider as dangerous because they don’t have enough experience to know about them. I don’t advocate spying on your children, but in some circumstances it may be necessary to keep them safe.

Cell phone monitoring and especially GPS tracking are both great ways to ensure the safety of our children. It can keep them from trouble and harm while giving you the peace of mind to be able to relax when they are out of your sight.

By: Steven Walters

You, Too, Can Be a GPS Geek

March 4th, 2010



You know those maps you see at shopping malls and site seeing areas that have that red dot – “You Are Here”. That’s kind of what a GPS is, except it moves with you wherever in the world you are. It’s not restricted to a building or event area. In addition, it helps you find where you want to go. You just tell it the location you want to find and it gives you directions to get there. Newer models will guide you audibly, tell you nearby attractions, restaurants and gas stations and get you back on track when you turn the wrong way.

GPS, or Global Positioning System, is made up of a series of 28 orbiting satellites. It was originally developed by the military, but has spread to consumer use. If you have a GPS unit, it receives satellite signals that help it to determine your location. Consumer GPS units are accurate within few yards or meters, but the military and government models are even more accurate. Your GPS unit can give you instructions to another location if software for mapping is installed, which most for consumer use do.

GPS units can come as standard or extra equipment on new cars. They are available in many rental cars, usually for an extra fee. GPS mapping software for street use is the most common consumer usage today. If your primary purpose in seeking a GPS unit is so you can get from one place to another via a reliable navigation system, this is the type for you. Your dealer can build them in or you can purchase one that will attach to your dashboard. Some available features you may want to consider are voice directions, detailed included maps for your area and any area you know you’ll travel, rerouting when you get lost or detours force changes to the GPS-suggested route and a points of interest database.

The GPS is most commonly found for car use, but that’s not the only type you can get. Think about how you might use your GPS. Perhaps you may need your GPS outside of your vehicle. Handheld GPS units are great for hikers, bikers and sportsmen. There are plenty of GPS units geared toward to outdoors person. Features you may need in these include lightweight, rugged, waterproof, long battery life, tracking (so you can tell where you’ve been), speed and distance measuring and even built in radios and party locators.

Marine GPS’s help you find the fish! If you’re an avid fisherman, this is the type of GPS you’ll want. These are designed to be on the water and are all waterproofed. Look for a bright screen that will be easy to read in the sun. You can get them with water and shore mapping, fish hotspots and sonar. You can get marine GPS units that double as car navigation units, as well.

PDA’s, or Personal Data Assistants, are starting to be bundled together with GPS’s. Most of these are limited at this time, but they will improve as more people are attracted to this combination. For now, it’s recommended to buy your PDA and GPS separately.

There are also GPS’s designed specifically for airplane pilots. If you’re a private or commercial pilot, you already know about these. They give mapping based on what can be seen from the air.

No matter what kind of unit you need, there is one with the features you’re looking for. Your GPS will be a continued source of accurate and helpful information and even a great deal of fun!

By: Michael Russell

Automotive GPS Units – Practical Technology

March 2nd, 2010



Prior to the invention of automotive GPS units, traveling to unknown areas had to be done through reading a map and/or asking for directions. Both methods had problems. For instance, how can one effectively read a map while driving? Map-reading is only best if there is another passenger in the car, which isn’t always possible. Asking for directions can also be annoying, at least if the person giving the directions does so in a manner that is not as clear.

Fortunately, with the emergence of automotive GPS units the process of map-reading and getting directions has never been easier as each can be done either through voice activation, touching the screen, pushing buttons or a combination. Maps pinpointing the exact location pop right up on the screen, while directions can be given through a computer-generated voice. Nothing could be easier or better. The only issue is deciding which automotive GPS unit should be purchased. This article will serve as a guide telling consumers what they should be on the lookout for when choosing automotive GPS units.

The first area of consideration when buying automotive GPS units is seeing how accurate the device is. One way to determine this is by how many channels the GPS unit has. This is because more channels means the unit will be able to communicate with a larger number of satellites, resulting in more coverage. Another way to determine the accuracy of most automotive GPS units is through how its antenna is designed. Make sure the antenna is placed in an area of the unit where it will be able to stand freely.

The next thing to think about when looking at automotive GPS units is size. There are some automotive GPS units that will not be portable. Onstar, which has to be installed in one’s car, is an example of an automotive GPS unit that can not be moved from car-to-car. Many other automotive GPS units vary in portability.

Thirdly, perspective buyers of automotive GPS units should take notice of a unit’s interface. More expensive automotive GPS units will contain voice-activation and/or touch-screens, while cheaper ones can only be used through a series of buttons. If another person is in the car, using buttons is not as bad, but if only the driver can use the unit, it is important that it be as hands-free as possible. It is also important to try to get an automotive GPS unit that has the capability to give directions through a computer-generated voice. Doing so is another way to ensure that the driver of the car keeps their eyes on the road and nowhere else.

The software that the automotive automotive GPS unit uses is also critical. Most top of the line units have very good mapping software included with the unit. However, as time passes the mapping software becomes out of date. You should make sure that you automotive GPS units software is updated at least once every 6 months. Frequently there is cost for this service but if you live in fast growing urban environment then it is a good investment. Your automotive GPS unit is only as good as its operating and mapping software.

When looking at automotive GPS units one should consider: ease of use, accuracy, size and interface. Keeping these elements in mind ensures that a buyer obtains an automotive GPS unit that is reliable and will best assist them when they are on the road.

By: Jim Kesel