GPS tracking bracelet for a kid - need advice

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Jul 21st, 2015 3:41 pm

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Jul 19th, 2015 12:14 am

Negotiator [OP]: Deal Addict; Feb 14, 2007; 2213 posts; 636 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 19th, 2015 12:14 am

GPS tracking bracelet for a kid - need advice

After spending a bit of time researching available options, I've gotten somewhat confused.
Most GPS bracelets have a service fee of $5-$10/month. Others require service from cell company - does it mean that GPS is using a SIM card? I was under impression that the GPS tracker should work in the same way as Garmin car units - meaning service is basically free, but that's not what I'm seeing... Wonder why the need for additional service.

Tons of devices are available on the market now. Any popular favourites? The only things important for me are reliability, long battery life, and preferably a lock that's not easily removable by a child (or his peers).

EDIT: The kid is under 4yrs old, I want to make sure he doesn't wonder off from the kindergarden. Also want to track him in crowded places - malls etc - if he runs off. And cell phone is not an option - he'll lose it the first day.

Heatware

20 replies

Jul 19th, 2015 12:39 am

Solsearchin1: Deal Fanatic; Nov 24, 2012; 5889 posts; 2135 upvotes; Space

Jul 19th, 2015 12:39 am

Is he/she a convict?

+1

Jul 19th, 2015 12:39 am

Financials: Deal Fanatic; Jul 26, 2014; 5219 posts; 1679 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 19th, 2015 12:39 am

these are a thing?

wow.

id never forgive my parents if they gave me an ankle bracelet, da fuq.

good way to ruin a childs social life.

+1

Jul 19th, 2015 1:32 am

death_hawk: Deal Expert; Aug 22, 2006; 29362 posts; 14857 upvotes

Jul 19th, 2015 1:32 am

Negotiator wrote: ↑Wonder why the need for additional service.

You can receive the coordinates all day long for free but how are you going to get them off the bracelet?
Your kid will know where they are but you will have no idea.

+1

Jul 19th, 2015 3:11 am

JamesA1: Deal Fanatic; Mar 20, 2009; 8862 posts; 2689 upvotes; Vancouver

Jul 19th, 2015 3:11 am

death_hawk is correct. All GPS trackers need cellular service to report their position to someone. GPS is a one-way free broadcast from the satellites to all receivers, which allows them to find their position, but it doesn't do much good if they have no way to report that position. Most of them take a SIM card. so you can choose your cellular service.

+1

Jul 19th, 2015 4:00 am

Gee: Deal Expert; Aug 2, 2004; 36342 posts; 9609 upvotes; East Gwillimbury

Jul 19th, 2015 4:00 am

Would it not be easier to just get an app for their cell phone?

BBM has a tracking option called Glimpse, it defaults to 30 minutes and shows you the exact movements of the person

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Heatware

Jul 19th, 2015 4:29 am

Ebeniz: Deal Addict; Jul 10, 2010; 1721 posts; 568 upvotes; Near Toronto

Jul 19th, 2015 4:29 am

Gee wrote: ↑Would it not be easier to just get an app for their cell phone?

BBM has a tracking option called Glimpse, it defaults to 30 minutes and shows you the exact movements of the person

because that would cost a lot more in DATA and battery life.

Glimpse is an app for Android also.

If the kids is old enough to have a Cell Phone and it's an android phone then you can just type "where's my phone" in google and it will show you the phone of the account that's logged in.

Jul 19th, 2015 10:58 am

JamesA1: Deal Fanatic; Mar 20, 2009; 8862 posts; 2689 upvotes; Vancouver

Jul 19th, 2015 10:58 am

It's not going to cost any more battery life or data to use Glimpse than to use Android's built-in tracking by Google. They both report your position regularly using mobile data. If you haven't done anything to enhance your privacy settings, Google probably has a record of everywhere you have ever been (sign in and visit https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0).

The OP is probably looking for something like this: http://www.********.com/home-gadgets/pp_157924.html

Jul 19th, 2015 9:58 pm

Solsearchin1: Deal Fanatic; Nov 24, 2012; 5889 posts; 2135 upvotes; Space

Jul 19th, 2015 9:58 pm

Check out, HereO

Jul 19th, 2015 11:03 pm

LEXX911: Deal Addict; Jul 27, 2009; 2392 posts; 461 upvotes

Jul 19th, 2015 11:03 pm

These kids/toddlers tracking devices are freaking stupid and beat the purpose. Lets make it obvious that these are a tracking devices so that people will know to take them off your kids if they want to kidnap them.

Jul 19th, 2015 11:56 pm

Ebeniz: Deal Addict; Jul 10, 2010; 1721 posts; 568 upvotes; Near Toronto

Jul 19th, 2015 11:56 pm

JamesA1 wrote: ↑It's not going to cost any more battery life or data to use Glimpse than to use Android's built-in tracking by Google. They both report your position regularly using mobile data. If you haven't done anything to enhance your privacy settings, Google probably has a record of everywhere you have ever been (sign in and visit https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0).

The OP is probably looking for something like this: http://www.********.com/home-gadgets/pp_157924.html

Google location services doesn't ping every second like glympse does.

Jul 20th, 2015 4:08 pm

singhrh: Deal Addict; Nov 3, 2008; 1804 posts; 484 upvotes

Jul 20th, 2015 4:08 pm

Being a parent I can understand the fear associated with losing a kid however I don't think this will kind of device will work. If your kid just wanders off he/she will turn up eventually (some good samaritan will take them to guest services or lost and found). However if your kid is (god forbid) kidnapped, the first thing they will do is remove the device.

Best advice is keep an eye on your kids, find a better daycare if they aren't monitoring properly. You might also want to put your phone number in the kids pocket or on the shirt label.

+1

Jul 20th, 2015 5:16 pm

Vacillator: Deal Addict; Dec 3, 2003; 2366 posts; 398 upvotes; Edmonton

Jul 20th, 2015 5:16 pm

singhrh wrote: ↑Being a parent I can understand the fear associated with losing a kid however I don't think this will kind of device will work. If your kid just wanders off he/she will turn up eventually (some good samaritan will take them to guest services or lost and found). However if your kid is (god forbid) kidnapped, the first thing they will do is remove the device.

Best advice is keep an eye on your kids, find a better daycare if they aren't monitoring properly. You might also want to put your phone number in the kids pocket or on the shirt label.

Child abductions by strangers are extremely rare in Canada: http://www.canadasmissing.ca/pubs/2014/index-eng.htm

Definition: Than
A conjunction used to introduce the second element of an unequal comparison: She had better grammar than I.

+1

Jul 21st, 2015 1:52 pm

alkizmo: Deal Guru; Oct 24, 2012; 11638 posts; 2615 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 21st, 2015 1:52 pm

Financials wrote: ↑id never forgive my parents if they gave me an ankle bracelet, da fuq.

good way to ruin a childs social life.

Not all kids are teenagers with a social life.

I think that bracelet is more for 7-12 years old kids who just go to the park a couple of streets over on their bicycles.
It's reassuring for the parents to know their kids are still at the park, or... you know, when said kid is roaming the neighborhood on his bicycle, avoiding to come home because he/she has homework to do

Jul 21st, 2015 2:03 pm

JamesA1: Deal Fanatic; Mar 20, 2009; 8862 posts; 2689 upvotes; Vancouver

Jul 21st, 2015 2:03 pm

Wait, don't you get a visit from the police now if you let your 7-year-old kids go play in the park on their own?

Jul 21st, 2015 2:06 pm

sprung: Deal Expert; Apr 16, 2002; 24585 posts; 34241 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 21st, 2015 2:06 pm

the irony being that its safer than ever to be a kid right now. yet parks and playgrounds are frequently deserted or the parental unit helicopters over the kid not letting them explore or even get hurt. As a dad it makes me sad to see how soft and sheltered some children are becoming through no fault of their own.

BTW - I'm also of the opinion that this tracking device is a terrible idea. Like others said, change daycares or talk to them if they're not meeting your standards.

I'm serious as cancer when I say rhythm is a dancer.

Jul 21st, 2015 2:06 pm

alkizmo: Deal Guru; Oct 24, 2012; 11638 posts; 2615 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 21st, 2015 2:06 pm

JamesA1 wrote: ↑Wait, don't you get a visit from the police now if you let your 7-year-old kids go play in the park on their own?

I know you are referring to those news articles about parents being arrested for letting their 6-8 years old play in the frontyard alone for 2 minutes and such.

I think it depends on the area, we live in a very deep residential area where there are small parks everywhere, tons of old retired people walking their dogs 24/7 (Yes, my cameras show dog walkers at 3am-4am!). I see plenty of kids 6+ walking to/from home by themselves, heck even the elementary school a few blocks over lets the kids walk home.

Jul 21st, 2015 2:18 pm

Beachdown: Deal Fanatic; Apr 23, 2009; 5161 posts; 703 upvotes; South of Ottawa

Jul 21st, 2015 2:18 pm

Sad that someone even thinks they need something like this. Terrible reflection on the power of media and the current culture of fear that permeates just about every aspect of life.

+1

Jul 21st, 2015 2:46 pm

JamesA1: Deal Fanatic; Mar 20, 2009; 8862 posts; 2689 upvotes; Vancouver

Jul 21st, 2015 2:46 pm

alkizmo wrote: ↑I see plenty of kids 6+ walking to/from home by themselves, heck even the elementary school a few blocks over lets the kids walk home.

My brother and his wife let their two young kids (7 and 9 years old) walk to school a few blocks away, in a very safe family neighbourhood in Sherbrooke. That's a choice they've made deliberately, one that they feel is both safe and and their own business. But they've actually been lectured by nosy neighbours about it! It's hard for me to feel much sympathy with people so paranoid. I walked to school when I was 6 years old, and so did everyone else in my neighbourhood, and it was no more or less dangerous than today.

Jul 21st, 2015 3:19 pm

alkizmo: Deal Guru; Oct 24, 2012; 11638 posts; 2615 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 21st, 2015 3:19 pm

JamesA1 wrote: ↑But they've actually been lectured by nosy neighbours about it! It's hard for me to feel much sympathy with people so paranoid. I walked to school when I was 6 years old, and so did everyone else in my neighbourhood, and it was no more or less dangerous than today.

It's kind of like the bicycle helmet law. We were lived without brain damage, but because a few kids had accidents, everyone has to wear a helmet even if they just go from their house to the park. There is a reason why it is less acceptable to let a kid roam free like that, but depending on the area, you'll find leniency.

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