Using variety of methods you can trace the position of the GPS Tracker yourself or you can be automatically informed every time it changes the position, by activating the park mode. You receive then a message containing the position of the GPS Tracker, completed with the GPS coordinates on the digital maps which are included by the GPS software, which you install on your GSM.
The GPS Package consists of the GPS Tracker and the GPS Monitor software, a cover, a 1GB memory card of your choice (depends on your mobile phone), a USB 2.0 card reader, an extra battery and a standard as well as a car 230V charger.
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In order to use it, you place the GPS tracker with the SIM card somewhere invisible in your car and activate the park mode. If a car with the hidden GPS tracker changes it’s position, you immediately within a couple of seconds receive an SMS containing a graphic picture illustrating the new position of the car on the GPS Monitor application maps on your GSM.
When you open the package it seems that it is very user friendly. You place the SIM card in the GPS Tracker and install the GPS Monitor software on your mobile phone. It seams clear, however you are advised to read the manual first and then follow the directions. In order for GPS Monitor to work you have to activate it and connect it to your mobile phone. It seams simple, however it is essential for it to work properly. You have to send a registration SMS to the GPS Tracker in order to connect it to your mobile phone and number. If you wish, you can connect more than one mobile number to the GPS Tracker, so that several telephones receive the service.
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After you have succeeded with the installation, you are ready to use the variety of GPS Tracker features. With the exception of your own mobile phone and the extra SIM card, there is no need for any additional contracts or costs.
The most valuable feature is of course the park mode. If you owe an up-market car, in order to insure it you are required to obtain a GPS Tracking system. These systems are generally quiet expensive, therefore the GPS Monitor offers a cost effective alternative. Another advantage is that, in case of a theft, the owner immediately gets a warning and is ready to react, often in a shorter period of tome than the police does. Once I’ve been a car theft victim myself and when I contacted the police I was asked to come to the police office and complete the notification…
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After you have turned it on, the GPS Tracker searches for a contact with the mobile network and the GPS satellites. The red light (on the left) flashes frequently, while it is searching. After the connection it flashes approximately once every 3 seconds to demonstrate that it is connected. The blue light (on the right) is of if the GPS Tracker has no connection and is on if it is connected.
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In order to activate the park mode you have to push the “park” button on the front side of the GPS Tracker. From that moment, if it changes it’s position by more than 5 m, you automatically receive an SMS on your mobile which is connected to the GPS Tracker, completed with the GPS coordinates of the new position.
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I’ve placed it in my car for a couple of days and tested it several times. The system works very well. After I activated the park mode and drove away, immediately within 20 seconds I received an SMS on my GSM containing information about the latest position of my car on the GPS Monitor software maps. If you forget to activate the park mode, it is possible to do it from a distance, by sending an SMS to the mobile number of the GPS Tracker. It is not very user friendly, however the GPS Monitor features a way to do it semi automatically. The only thing you have to do is to select the command. The complete SMS looks as: “Username,0000,4*”
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I’ve noticed that the life span of the GPS Tracker battery is quite short. The manual says it functions up to 24 hours, however I experienced that it is more like 6-14 hours, depending of the number of SMS that are sent. If the park mode is activated and there is no SMS traffic, the battery functions up to 18 hours. Of course it does not happen a lot that you leave your car parked somewhere for such a long time, however I think that a gadget like this, in order to work invisibly, should be able to stand-by for a longer period of time. Despite that it is completed with a car charger, I am not sure if it is such a good idea to leave it on for couple of days. There is also not much use of the spare battery , if you have to go to your car to replace it. It is not so easy to replace the battery, the cable connecting the batter is quiet thin and fragile and it is quite difficult to place it back in it’s holder.
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Another interesting feature is the observation mode. After it is activated the GPS Tracker sends an update of it’s position to the connected mobile phone with a frequency of your choice. It comes handy in case you want to know what your SO is up to or if you want to “spy” on your coworkers. I would say – “Big Brother” in action.
Another feature is a ‘Panic’ button. If you push it, the GPS Tracker sends and immediate SMS containing the position and an audible alarm goes off, in order to draw the attention.
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If you have an urgent situation and immediately want to know the position of the GPS Tracker, you can use any phone available and dial the number of the GPS Tracker. In return it sends an SMS containing the GPS coordinates of it’s position at a particular moment and will update the map information in your own mobile phone.
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Conclusion:
The GPS Tracker is one of the first appliances that connects the mobile phones to the GPS system for an objective other than navigation.
All the features function more than satisfactory. However I had an impression that GPS connection can be interrupted easily. On one occasion at my home I could not get any satellite connection at all, however it is completely the same with TomTom. Outside it works very well, however in a car it gets disconnected from time to time. It seemed it happened in synchrony with the GPS connection of TomTom.
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The GPS Tracker is, due to it’s GPS Monitor application on your mobile phone, very user friendly. The configuration of the SMS and commands is easy to apply. Anyway I believe that the majority of users will install the GPS Tracker and will use mostly the park and observation mode. The first one you operate with the button and the second one is already installed as a standard command in the GPS Monitor application.
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With a price tag of 1079 Euro, the GPS Tracker in not an impulse purchase and it is not intended to be one. My advise would be to contact your insurance company and ask for a discount on your insurance premium, considering that the GPS Tracker reduces the risk of a car theft with consequences of never being able to find it back. A colleague has successfully done this, after purchasing smoke detectors and fire-extinguisher he reduced his household insurance payments and partly earned back his investment.
Another option would be if the supplier could make an arrangement with the GSM providers and sell the GPS Tracker in combination with the mobile contract and offer a discount to the customers.
Shortly, I have a positive opinion about the GPS Tracker. Technically it works very well, I could not find any flaws. It is also very user friendly. Some aspects, such as the life span and the replacement of the battery, could be improved, however in general GPS Tracker serves it’s purpose very well.
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