GPS tracking devices have come down in price, but choosing the best GPS device to suit your needs can be confusing as there are many different designs. The following will help to explain the differences between the different types of GPS trackers on the market.
All GPS tracking devices are either real-time or passive GPS trackers.
Real-time GPS trackers are constantly updating their position to an online GPS mapping software via a cellular network. This allows the user to track the location of the GPS tracking device, in real time, from any Internet enabled device. Depending on the tracker, multiple variables can be transmitted including location, speed, start/stop time, altitude and direction. Should the device be in a cellular dead zone, the tracker will automatically switch to a passive tracking mode and store the location(s) of the device in an internal memory chip. When the cellular connection is restored, the device will revert to real-time tracking and upload the stored locations to the mapping software. Since real-time GPS trackers require a cellular connection, a cellular plan must be purchased in addition to the tracking device. Some real-time trackers are designed to operate independent of a cellular network and upload their position via satellite. This allows for real time tracking virtually anywhere on earth.
Real-time trackers are great for keeping tabs on something or someone, in a situation where you would need to know the location of the tracker at any time, for example a family member in a foreign country. A real-time GPS tracker would allow you to see his/her location at any time and ensure that he/she is safe.
Passive GPS trackers are not connected to a cellular network and therefore do not automatically upload their position to a GPS mapping software. Passive trackers record the tracking information internally, to be retrieved at a later date when connected to a computer. Whereas with a real-time tracker you can find out where the tracker currently is, a passive tracker will only tell you where the device has been once the information is uploaded to a computer. The internal memory of the device can vary depending on the device.
Both real-time and passive trackers come in a variety of designs for different tracking scenarios.
Asset trackers are ideal for tracking shipments and other valuable cargo to see where they are/have been while in transit. Since cargo can spend weeks on boat and in customs, asset trackers feature a long lasting battery so you can always determine the location of your goods. Because some foreign ports and the open seas are outside of the cellular network, some asset trackers transmit their position over a satellite network allowing them to function virtually everywhere.
Fleet trackers are designed from the ground up to track vehicles. They are often hard wired to the vehicles electrical system allowing them to function indefinitely. Additionally some fleet trackers have the ability to record additional information about the vehicle such as if the ignition is on or off, engine temperature and even airbag deployment. There are even fleet trackers specifically designed for motorcycles. Great for locating a stolen bike, they can even alert emergency personnel in the event of a crash.
Fleet trackers allow businesses to operate more efficiently and give dispatchers more information on the vehicles out in the field. Fleet trackers are also a great solution for keeping tabs on the family car and teen drivers.
Personal trackers are designed small enough to be carried on person, they are a great way to keep tabs on children, elderly and employees. For tracking in remote parts of the world, some trackers operate over a satellite network to provide constant tracking anytime anywhere. For those who like to travel in remote locations, personal trackers are a great solution. There are even models that allow you to “check-in” and send out an “SOS.”
]]>The SPOT HUG is a multipurpose satellite-based GPS security system which acts as a sophisticated alarm system for your boat, as well as provides ways to call for help in remote areas where there is no cell phone signal.
With this device, users can establish a 500-meter virtual security perimeter around their boat. If the boat goes past that perimeter without your authorization, a notification with your boat’s GPS position is automatically sent to the Asset Monitoring Center who then alert local authorities.
The SPOT HUG is also equipped with four monitoring sensors for battery, high water, engine/ignition or other external contacts, thus ensuring efficient detection if your boat is in danger or is used without your permission.
And last but not least, the SPOT HUG provides reliable, location-based messaging via satellite independent of VHF radio. The functionalities available are:
• SOS: to notify emergency services of your GPS location if you need assistance
• Help : to notify your personal contacts that you need assistance
• Check-in/OK : to let your friends and family know that all is going well with a pre-programmed message along with your GPS location
• Sensor Alerts : SPOT HUG will alert you via SMS and/or e-mail when an event occurs (your boat is turned on, moved, etc.)
• Track Progress : to send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress in near real-time using Google Maps
The SPOT HUG is available for $399 plus standard shipping.
]]>The MotoTraq, a new GPS Tracker from Quantum-Wireless, applies GPS tracking technology to motorcycles to create the most affordable motorcycle safety option on the market with theft recovery, crash detection and 24-hour EMS dispatch services.
Quantum-Wireless is proud to introduce the MotoTraq Real Time GPS Tracker, the most affordable Motorcycle GPS Tracker on the market. The MotoTraq combines real-time GPS tracking with state-of-the-art safety features including tip sensors, crash detection and 24/7 EMS dispatch services.
Although GPS tracking technology has been around for several years and has been widely used to track automobiles, motorcycle tracking is a fairly new GPS application. Quantum-Wireless is now offering the most affordable motorcycle tracking solution currently on the market with a purchase price of just $199.95.
“The MotoTraq tracking solution has been specifically designed and engineered for the unique requirements of motorcycle enthusiasts,” explains GPS Analyst, Elliott Fink. “The MotoTraq is water, dust and shock resistant; the GPS and cellular antennas are internal and completely self-contained; and the MotoTraq is so small and unobtrusive that it can easily be concealed and kept out of view, maintaining any bike’s stylish exterior while providing unparalleled safety and security through GPS.”
Though Quantum-Wireless is a new presence in the GPS Tracking space, their impressive team of experts brings invaluable industry experience to the company’s offerings. In the summer of 2010, Quantum-Wireless initiated a talent-acquisition campaign and hired Charles Greenwald as Director of Business Development for GPS tracking. Charles has successfully rolled out GPS-related products for other leading companies, and was brought on board by Quantum-Wireless to spearhead the launch of new GPS tracking solutions designed to satisfy a broad range of applications and customer requirements. The latest of these is the MotoTraq.
“Quantum-Wireless now provides the latest technology for fleet, asset, vehicle and personal tracking at the best price,” says Charles Greenwald. “Coupled with our high level of support and customer service, we are a new force to contend with in the GPS industry.”
The MotoTraq will be featured at the Great American Motorcycle Show, January 28-30, 2011.
About Quantum-Wireless
Quantum-Wireless.com aims to deliver top-quality wireless equipment at the best prices on the web. Specializing in cell repeaters, 3G/4G routers, mobile hotspots and GPS tracking, Quantum-Wireless has positioned itself as a provider of cutting-edge devices in the 3G/4G wireless space. Offering topnotch customer service and custom kits and installations for corporate clients, Quantum-Wireless ensures customer satisfaction across its client base. For more information, please visit http://www.quantum-wireless.com.
]]>The term GPS tracking might evoke images of James Bond or George Orwell’s Big Brother. To some, this technology seems a bit distasteful; clandestinely following others’ movements certainly invades privacy and is arguably unethical. However, in today’s modern age where the covert devices of old are available in the mainstream market, this invasive technology has been remarkably adapted to helpful, and even life-saving applications. 
The business world has adapted GPS trackers for managing fleet tracking of company vehicles and tracking employees. With trackers like the Spark Nano (Product replaced by MiniQ), supervisors can monitor every active vehicle in their fleet as well as keep records of their travels – distances, stops, and time out on the road. This allows businesses to manage their time more effectively by easily determining the quickest routes and cracking down on those extra-long coffee breaks. The Trackberry allows business execs to keep track of their employees through their cellphones, also enhancing productivity. Though a little invasive, these technologies can help keep your honest employees honest.
There are still other uses for trackers that serve more altruistic purposes. A common problem among families caring for an elderly relative with dementia or a sibling with autism is the tendency for those individuals to wander off without the ability to care for themselves or find their way home. These situations are tense, stressful, and extremely dangerous. Families need to rush out into the neighborhood, looking for their relatives before they cross a street at the wrong time, or wander onto a city bus. With trackers for children and the elderly, families can keep their loved ones under constant watch and many real-time trackers use geo-fencing to alert you immediately when the carrier of a device leaves a certain virtually-enclosed area. Even pet owners can allay their fears of losing Rex forever, by equipping him with his very own pet tracker.
GPS trackers have certainly provided much peace of mind to those caring for relatives by keeping them safe. But this technology even provides a lifeline to those of sound mind and body. The Spot Messenger and Delorme Earthmate are built for world travelers and adventurers who always take the trail off the beaten path. Not only do these devices provide constant waypoint feeds to concerned folks back home, but in times of distress, SOS signals can be easily broadcast, bringing emergency services to your exact location as soon as possible.
So the next time you hear about GPS trackers or tracking devices, don’t think of James Bond, think of Lassie.
There has been some controversy regarding the legality of placing GPS tracking devices on vehicles that are in use by non-owners, and there are many arguments from both sides. We interviewed a bus driver who works for a company that utilizes GPS devices on their vehicles and asked her what she thinks of the whole situation. Watch the video below.
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The GPS geniuses at DeLorme have a lot to smile about lately; their Earthmate GPS PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator has been basking in the glow of acclaim from several prestigious sources. While a recent honor from Popular Mechanics is no small potatoes, you can't be "showered" in praise with just one award, you need at least two honorable mentions before you're unofficially inundated with accomplishment.
That second ray of recognition came today as the extremely well-regarded and worldly wise globe trekkers at National Geographic bestowed the groundbreaking GPS device with a "Gear of the Year" award. DeLorme and SPOT's GPS tracking collaboration allows you to communicate with the outside world via bursts of 41 characters or less, managing to marry the acts of getting lost and being found in beautiful fashion.
It's a must for anyone traveling off the grid into dangerous situations or those just eager to explore uncharted territory. If the DeLorme Eathmate GPS PN-60w with SPOT is good enough to serve the wanderlust of National Geographic, it's certainly good enough for anything you're planning to do.
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Deborah Naybor and Quantum Networks are teaming up to study poor women farmers in Uganda. Naybor founded and is the executive director of Both Your Hands. She started the organization to get MP3 players into the hands of Ugandan women. The women were able to learn using the recycled MP3 players.
She teamed with Quantum when she decided to map the movement of rural women before and after the provision of a community garden and agricultural training in Uganda.
“I hope to show that by providing land rights and education to poor women, they have more time to take of themselves and their families,” Naybor said, “Quantum has been a great help in finding the technology I need to do this critical research. I spent a year looking for someone who understood the problems of working in a remote area with no electricity but I’m so excited to finally have the equipment I need.”
She will field the trackers and solar chargers this summer. She will also begin a pilot program to provide audio programs on farming methods using MP3 players. She applied for a $5000 grant to get her project up and running, but didn’t receive the funding. She’s looking for other revenue channels to continue building her impressive project.
It shows how GPS tracking devices can help educate and help less fortunate people. Naybor will continue to grow her philanthropic endeavors. She hopes to help women in Uganda learn about farming, importance of the growing season in the African country.GPS Tracking devices can enable a lot of things, including learning and education.
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GPS trackers increasingly serve more diverse uses and applications. From covert investigators to concerned parents, trackers provide information useful in a variety of situations. Each case has its own set of manageable elements and hurdles when considering how to most effectively use the GPS. For instance, a fleet manager might want the tracker in plain sight as a constant reminder for his drivers. A suspicious parent, on the other hand, will want to hide the tracker discreetly, so that their child remains unawares. The fleet manager will want a real-time GPS tracker, one which constantly feeds play-by-play data to an accessible website, while the parents may consider using a passive tracker, which they must retrieve after the trip and review the data after-the-fact, but at their own convenience.
Geo-fencing, a major feature common to most, if not all real-time trackers, fills a very specific function that can greatly assist users, depending on their need and purpose. Geo-fencing refers to the ability to create a virtual perimeter around a given location. This perimeter acts as a containment field, set to surround a subject wearing a GPS tracking device. If the subject leaves that specific location and “breaks through” the virtual fence, the GPS tracker immediately alerts the monitor both through the standard surveillance website and a cell-phone communiqué.
Geo-fencing best suits individuals caring for elderly or mentally challenged individuals who wander off, on occasion. Unable to properly care for themselves in the open, these individuals unintentionally put themselves at great risk. Those responsible for their safety need to know not only where they are at all times, but if they have left their home or safe area. Setting up a geo-fence can avert serious incidents and help families retrieve their relatives before anything scary develops.
Pet owners as well can use the geo-fencing feature to alleviate their fears. Some pets have the tendency to run away when given the opportunity. Sometimes they get lost forever or killed after running into the road. By setting up a geo-fence pets wearing GPS trackers can’t get very far without their owner’s notice. The tracker will immediately alert owners when their pets stray too far from home and helping them lead long and safe lives.
Many different GPS trackers contain this feature and each configured its program slightly differently. Make sure to learn how to set geo-fences on your specific device. Of course, this feature only applies to real-time trackers. Passive trackers do not send out alerts, they merely record the data for you to retrieve on your own computer at a later time.
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SPOT 2 Satellite Messenger can back up your any adventure and give peace of mind to your family and loved ones.
SPOT 2 uses advanced GPS and messaging chip sets providing you with the best technology to track your location and share it with friends and family, or to request emergency assistance anywhere in the world. SPOT 2 uses GPS satellites to track your location and commercial satellites to relay your messages. That means you are not limited by your cell phone’s reception or coverage areas or by your radio’s range limitations. You can explore deeper, further, and with more confidence than ever before.
The SPOT 2 is reliable and easy to use. A single push of a button before each trip and SPOT 2 will perform a system self diagnostic test, press a second button and you can be sure that all messaging functions work properly. SPOT messenger will work for up to 3 months on a single battery charge (3 AAA batteries); if you request emergency help, SPOT 2 will send your message along with your GPS coordinates to the GEOS Rescue Coordination Center every five minutes for 3 days in adverse conditions (sky view is blocked) or up to 6 days if the sky is unobstructed for the antenna. SOS button is covered to prevent an accidental activation. Alternatively, you can request help from your contacts using a separate designated button that will send them a pre-programmed message requesting help. Or STOP 2 can automatically track your location every 10 minutes for 3-6 days storing all the way points in Google Maps where your friends and family can track your progress. You can also send a pre-programmed message to your designated contacts or check-in with a separate message letting them know that you are okay. Your messages can be delivered to a cell phone as SMS or via email (email will have a link to Google Maps where your location will be displayed).
SPOT 2 is designed to go where you go – with operating temperatures between -22°F to 140°F and at altitudes of up to 21,320 ft. Yet it is small (3.7 x 2.6 x 1 inches) and weighs just 5.2 ounces. SPOT 2 is humidity and salt fog rated and is waterproof for a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. That means you can use it in your cross-country trip, or in the scorching desert, or in the snowy tundra, or in the mountains, or in the urban jungle, or in a sailing expedition.
With the SPOT GPS tracker, you will never feel alone because it not only allows you to request emergency help anywhere on the planet, but to share your locations in almost real time with family, loved ones, and friends. They can receive personalized messages from you and can monitor your progress on Google Maps where way points from you trip will be recorded and displayed. Now you will be able to show precisely where you crossed a river or where you made that unforgettable photo. You will be able to review your explorer maps later.
