Teensurance GPS tracking goes nationwide June 27, 2007
Posted by Rich in : GPS vehicle tracking, GPS tracking children , 1 comment so farThe insurance firm Safeco announced today the nationwide availability of Teensurance, allowing parents to track where a driver is, how fast they are driving, and the time they arrive at a specific location. The auto tracking system, dubbed “Safety Beacon GPS,” relays data via cellular networks.
Teensurance is available beginning today at an introductory rate of $14.99 per month, which is guaranteed for two years. Safeco is citing a normal rate of $29.99 per month. Installation and emergency roadside assistance is included. Further costs are likely to be incurred with Safety Beacon alerts:
Teensurance subscribers purchase and spend “credits” to enable and receive Safety Beacon™ notifications. For example, you spend one credit each time:
- Safety Beacon™ notifies you about an event, such as your vehicle exceeding a speed threshhold or reaching a destination.
- You request information from Safety Beacon™—such as your vehicle’s location—from a phone or your account at teensurance.com.
- You configure a Safety Beacon feature or turn a feature on or off.
You receive 100 free starter credits when you buy Teensurance. Additional credits must be purchased through your online account. A block of 100 credits costs $29.99.
Other features include stolen vehicle retrieval support and remote door unlock.
Surprisingly, and to their credit, Safeco says they will not use collected individual data, stating that “individuals’ driving data (speed and location notifications) will be available only to parents and teens.”
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AmberWatch Mobile GPS tracking service June 25, 2007
Posted by Rich in : GPS tracking cell phones, GPS tracking children , 3 comments
The nonprofit AmberWatch Foundation has announced the new AmberWatch Mobile GPS tracking service for cell phones, designed to help protect children from sexual predators and other risks.
Scheduled to become available beginning in September 2007, AmberWatch Mobile’s services will include text-message, voice, web and email alerting systems that provide:
- Alerts: Individuals will be able to send alerts, which include their GPS location, to family and friends to indicate that they need assistance.
- Location Views: Select family and friends who will be able to view a loved one’s location on a map from a PC or mobile phone.
- Scheduled Checks: Parents will be able to set up “scheduled checks” so they will be automatically notified that their children are where they should be, like arriving at home from school.
- Phone Tree: When a loved one feels threatened and sends an alert, if their primary contact is not reachable, the system will continue to be active until a secondary contact is reached.
Zoombak GPS pet tracking device June 8, 2007
Posted by Rich in : GPS pet tracking , 1 comment so far
UPDATE: Reviews are starting to appear online and I’ve posted links in a new and thorough post looking at the the Zoombak GPS dog collar.
A new entry in the GPS pet tracking market turned up this week — the Zoombak, and while its not on store shelves yet, it is winding its way through the FCC clearance process. You can check out a PDF version of the owners manual here. No word yet on street date, cost of the device or service fees. It appears that the collar device will report locations back via cell carrier.
Project Lifesaver moves to GPS tracking June 2, 2007
Posted by Rich in : GPS tracking elderly , 1 comment so farProject Lifesaver International, a public safety oriented nonprofit, has announced that they will add the latest in cellular and global positioning system (GPS) technology to their product line. Used to track Alzheimer’s and dementia patients and others, Project Lifesaver currently relies on radio technology.
The new system will use GPS tracking and cellular technology developed by Locator Systems Corporation
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