Category: GPS Tracking

Kids GPS Phone: A Brief Introduction

We all know cell phones are here to stay. You can’t walk 10 feet in any public place without seeing some parent, child, or teen talking on their cell phone. You can even go to ‘poor’ countries and find that many people have access to this type of wireless communication. But have you ever heard of a kids GPS phone that is designed specifically to help parents keep tabs on their children?

A few years ago, cellular phone companies found out that busy parents needed a solution to their business problem. With the pressures of work and the need to get things done around the house, get kids to their activities, make dinner, and be sure that they have money for their future parents realized that they weren’t giving their children the time that they deserved. As a result of this they developed types of cell phones that have been labeled ‘kid phones’ for the functionality made specific for children of a young age.

Kids GPS Cell PhoneThese phones generally have certain features that make them particularly useful for small children.  One of them is that they often have the regular number pad removed.  This is replaced by a speed dial pad.  This helps your child on two levels:

  1. They do not have to memorize telephone numbers at all. While most children are very good at memorization as early as the age of 4, so you are not having them memorize your cell phone number because they are not able too. But in the heat of an emergency a child’s brain might not be able to hand the recalling the seven digits that make up your phone number. By reducing it to a simple speed dial you are giving your child’s mind the ability to remember that “One equals Mommy” or that “The red button equals the police man.”
  2. By keeping your child’s phone to the simple speed dial options you reduce the risk of them using the cellular device for non-necessary reasons. You don’t your child to have access to all the internet, text messaging, and camera features that a regular cell phone might have. They simply don’t need all of that. You want them to be able to give you call in case of an emergency or if they need to be picked up from school. That is all.

The speed dial feature on kids phone seems to be the focal point of most the phone design.  The screens are often just big enough to display who you are calling and if the call is connecting or not.  Then there is the are the ‘send’ and ‘end’ buttons.  These are generally large and obvious for your child.

For many years these types of devices have been being utilized by parents to help ‘keep in touch’ with their children while parents go about their busy lives.  During this same period of time, we have also seen an explosion in GPS technology in consumer electronics.  The trickle down effect has finally made its way into cell phones and specifically created a new class of phone: the kids GPS phone.

Understanding Kids GPS Phones

Cell phones and GPS technology are very similar in nature.  With GPS, a signal containing relevant position information is transmitted from a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. As more and more signals reach a GPS receiver, the computer inside the device is able to calculate the position of the receiver using the information provided by the satellites and a mathematical process called trilateration. (For more information see our article on how GPS tracking watches work.)

Cell phones are very similar. They receive signals from cell towers that often dot the urban landscape in a type honeycomb pattern. These signals tell the cell phone that they are in service, how strong that cellular service is (i.e. how many ‘bars’ do you have?), and whether or not you are accepting calls at the moment (is the phone on or off?). When you talk with your phone, it is really acting like a very complex walkie-talkie where what you hear is being transmitted to you on one channel while what you say is being broadcast over another channel.

One interesting side effect that this has is that phones can be used as a tracking device even if they don’t have GPS enabled. This is because the cell towers can measure how long it takes to get a response back from your cell phone between the different towers in your area. Once it has this information, it can use it in conjunction with the known position of all the cell towers to find your general location. Now this is probably not as accurate as a GPS phone, but it is still pretty accurate.

This similarity between the workings of GPS and cell phones made them obvious candidates for integration into a single device: thus the GPS phone was born.  The most common application of this type of phone is found in the ubiquitously necessary navigation system.  Turn by turn direction and road maps seem to be all the rave these days and cell phone companies saw a market that they wanted to tap into.  This was definitely the first use of GPS in cell phones.  (Though it is important to note that not all phones with navigation capabilities have GPS enabled on them – the simply might have it available because of the location information available from cell towers.)

Eventually some executive or engineer decided to implement the GPS feature on the kids phones that they were already developing.  Perhaps it could be a good way to upsell some parents and get them to subscribe to more services while offering them an improved experience and more functionality.  Either way, parents might want it and cell phone providers were going to give them kids GPS phones.

These devices take advantage of both the cell phone and GPS technology that their small plastic cases contain.   Unlike a kids GPS tracking watch, kids GPS phones are able to penetrate areas that can often be hidden from the watchful eye of the Global Positioning Satellites orbiting overhead.  These areas often have some type of obstructed view of the sky overhead – such as a heavily wooded area or building – but can have access to a cell signal.  While the location information is significantly less accurate when based on information provided from the cell portion of the kids GPS cell phone, it is still better than nothing all.

Another key feature of these GPS devices is that they are also cell phones.  While some GPS watches for children also have this capability as well, many child locators do not.  There is something powerful in knowing that you can reach out and call your child whenever you are concerned about their whereabouts or safety.  It is also nice to know that they can turn around and call you as well if ever they are worried or concerned.  You are never more than a phone call away.

Plans and prices for the kids GPS cell phone are fairly reasonable if you are serious about having this type of capability in something that you already have your child using anyway.  You probably will not have to use it very often (most parents never need to), but if you feel like it will give you some peace of mind and supplement the safety of your family there is certainly some quality providers out there who can provide a kids GPS phone to meet your needs.

Parents also have the option of leveraging current cell phones and turning them into tracking devices for free. Just download one of the many cell phone trackers out on the market and you can instantly turn a normal cell phone into a power tracking device. Just be sure that you have the data plan to cover it since this type of activity can be data heavy. But if you are already paying for a data plan why not make the most of it and install a tracker on your kids cell phone?

GPS Kids Watch

Have you ever thought what you would have done with a GPS kids watch when you were growing up?  I know I have.  It probably would have been on of the coolest things in the world to be able to know that your parents could know at any minute exactly where you were, all thanks to that wonderful GPS kids watch on your wrist.

I remember that when I was in Kindergarten being at church one Sunday with my spiffy Thunder Cats kids watch.  I thought it had this special power that when I pushed a certain button it would call my brothers and we could chat with each other during Sunday School.  I even tried it a few times believing that I could actually hear them and talk back.  We were having our own little secret communications.

Well, those childhood thoughts are now a present reality.  A kids GPS watch is able to do exactly what my childhood mind fantasized about.  At the click of a button, a parent or child will be able to communicate with the other through the modern marvel of GPS cell phone technology.  All I wanted to do with my Thunder Cats kids watch was to talk with my brothers, but now in the case of an emergency a parent can activate the watch and communicate directly with their child.  The peace of mind that this can afford a parent is pretty fantastic.

They will know that if there ever were an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood, or other natural disaster while they were at work and the child at school that they would be no more than a click of a kids GPS watch away from talking to their child – providing the calming voice of reason that a parent should be. Sure, this type of peace of mind could be available on a cell phone, but chances are younger children could be irresponsible with a cell phone or it could be lost or not on their person when the emergency strikes.

If they are out on the playground, their kids GPS phone won’t do them much good when it is in the classroom in their backpack. The children won’t be able to return to get their backpacks and will be taken directly to the safest place for them to be – either in the multipurpose room or the playground away from buildings. With a GPS for kids watch you won’t run into this problem as the device that allows you both to contact your child and to let them know that everything is going to be okay will always be attached to their wrist.

Bulky GPS Kids Watch May Draw Unwanted Attention From Other KidsThere is some potential danger when it comes to this type of kids GPS device – namely ridicule.  GPS kids watches can be a little bulky and offer some useful but cumbersome wrist lockdown technology that will prevent your child from taking off the watch (or in the worst case scenario, a predator from taking off the watch).  Both of these combined may make the GPS tracking watch stick out with your child’s classmates.  Any problems with this can easily be avoided if you take some very proactive steps with your child.

The first step is to teach your child about GPS.  They need to know a little bit about how it works in order for it to make some sense in the way that they look at the world.  An older child can obviously handle a little more of the technical information, but a little child needs to know more about the basics and safety that they can feel when wearing it.

Let your kid know that their watch is like a child locator that lets mommy and daddy know exactly where they are if something were to happen.  Tell them that if they needed help all they would have to do it touch that button on their GPS kids watch and they could hear mommy’s or daddy’s voice that would be able to tell them exactly what they should do.  Also tell them that their GPS tracking watch can be used by you to know exactly where they were, so if they ever felt scared or lost they wouldn’t have to worry as long as they had their watch on because you could always see where they were because the watch knew how to tell mommy and daddy exactly where they are.

This will help let your child know that their kids GPS makes them safe.

Then you can embellish things a little and give them the fantasies that I had when I was a little kid and that you might have had too.

Build up the power and mystery of the watch and make it into this great peace of adventure that they can experience every day.  Let them know that the watch is like a small kids tracker that you have put on their wrist to always be able to tell exactly where they are.  This will help keep them safe as we have already discussed, but it is also about helping them have amazing adventures with their GPS .

One day, make a log of what activities they do when they are out in the world and you are at work.  After your child and you come home make it your goal to go over the map that you made using your child’s GPS kids watch with your child.  Let them know how much you love them and have a ton of fun talking with your child, giggling, asking them questions about their day, and making them feel so special to you.  Your child needs you before they need any GPS for kids.

After they feel special because you are giving them your time and effort, reinforce the GPS tracking watch that they wear by letting them know that you were able to record their adventures today like you did because of that watch.  Tell them that that child locator has the power to tell mommy and daddy exactly where they are every single day while they are at school and on the playground and in the lunch room and on the bus home from school.  Let them know that the watch provides GPS tracking for kids to mommy and daddy and that mommy and daddy like this very much.

This will help make your child like to wear the GPS kids watch and if they like thier GPS kids watch they will be able to deflect any criticism that might come their way at school.  If they don’t like it and someone makes a joke about it they will be less able to deal with the emotional problem this brings up.  They will feel ashamed and not like wearing their kids tracking device.

But if they like it, when someone makes a joke about it they can respond with confidence and assert just how great their watch really is.  GPS is nothing to be ashamed about, especially because of the safety and peace of mind that it provides.  No school yard teasing should come in the way of that.

If you are interested in more ideas on how to help your child appreciate their GPS kids watch we have two articles on this subject at GPS For Today.  The first is Getting Your Child To Wear Their Kids GPS Tracking Watch – The Power of Fun and it is about one way to draw your child in to loving their GPS tracking watch. The second is GPS Kid Tracking Tip – Adventure is King which explores the potential that tapping into your child’s love for adventure can do for getting them to wear their GPS kids watch.

Image by Matt Honan

GPS Tracking Watches For Kids, Teens, and Adults

We have said it before and we will say it again – a GPS tracking watch is a great tool that can be used in a variety of different situations. In fact, we have outlined several unconventional ways that you can use these devices to enhance life and to do interesting things. But the question remains, “What is the right GPS tracking watch for me?” This is a question that will take some thoughtful consideration.

The first thing that you will want to consider is what will be the main reason you use your watch. If you are planning on purchasing a fitness watch mainly for the benefits that it offers then you are probably going to want to purchase a Garmin of one variety or another. Both Suunto and Timex offer fitness watches that have all the things that a Garmin watch will have – a heart rate monitor and all the metrics you’d expect with a GPS enabled watch – but their GPS is not integrated into the actual watch itself. Instead, you have to carry a pod with you on your run, bike, kayak, hike, swim, or walk. These things can be cumbersome and have a tendency to pull down your running shorts at the most inopportune times.

If you are looking for a kids GPS watch that can fit into your desire to keep your child secure there are a few different options available. However, the vast majority of these are still in the development stage. Another set back is that they normally have a significant up front fee in addition to a monthly service fee. The rates for these are comparable to a monthly cell phone charge. We are a little torn over who provides the best service and what the best route to go here is, but we definitely suggest that you contact the company you are looking to buy the watch from before making your purchase and ask them the questions that concern you the most.

Another avenue where GPS tracking is important is in keeping tabs on individuals with severe handicaps or dementia. Those suffering from Alzheimer’s can be particularly difficult to locate if they have wandered away from their home as they can quickly become disoriented and they have a significant problem communicating memory to people trying to help them. You want to maintain the dignity of those suffering from a mental of physical impairment but also want to keep them safe and secure through GPS technology. There a few items on the market for this now, but we expect GPS watches for Alzheimer’s and other impairments to increase over the next 5 years.

GPS technology is still in the early stages of being adopted in consumer products. This may not currently meet your needs of having the exact knowledge you want exactly when you want it, but it will in time. Just give it five to ten years and you will have access to a lot more information via GPS that you do today. It may even be the information that you are wanting right now.

GPS Tracking Watches For The Working Dad

Probably the worst part about being a dad is having to leave your wife and kids to go to work. IT is a strange game that modern man has to play in today’s society. Before the industrial revolution father’s spend a significant amount of time with their children, especially the boys. From a very early age the fathers would teach their sons the trade by which they made a living. When you went to work, your child went with you.

Not so today. Our children go to work (school) just like we do and we have handed over the responsibility of teaching our children job skills to government institutions and professional baby sitters. There are ways to reverse this trend (home schooling), but most of them are more radical than many have the stomach or financial resources for.

GPS tracking watches can help you bridge the gap that work inserts between you and your child. While using a GPS watch is not the best way to do this, for those that already own one or are planning on getting one it can be a nice bonus in addition to the fitness benefits of the GPS tracking watch.

Here is how to use your standard GPS tracking watch to decrease the disconnect between you and your child: use your watch at work.

Well, it’s not that simple, but that is the first step. The next phase of the plan is to share this information with your child in all the glory of 3D with Google Earth or Microsoft’s Virtual Earth 3D. By downloading your tracks onto your computer you are opening up the opportunity to show your child exactly where your day took you.

For some of us who sit a desk all day long it might require a little imagination to get your kid interested. But if your occupation is one where you are constantly moving – like a postman, construction worker, plumber, or policeman – you will be able to relive your day to your child in vivid detail.

You could mention how one particular house was a little stinky inside or that you saw a particularly nasty looking dog on that street or any slew of interesting or exciting things. You can also teach your child the finer points of your trade with the 3D map sitting in front of you on you computer. Did a particularly important meeting take you out of the office? Use this opportunity to teach your child something about what you do as the assistant to the regional manager. Teach them the basics of a sales pitch or show them why speaking well in front of a crowd is important.

Kids learn by example and by mimicking the behavior of their parents. If they see you using your gps device they will much more receptive to using their own GPS kids tracker. You will also benefit from enriching the life of your child with all the years of experience that you have in your chosen trade. As they grow they will have a better understanding of how things work in the world and how to be a productive member of society. And besides, you could have a lot of fun in the process.

This article was included in the Carnival of Family Life at All Rileyed Up

GPS Kid Tracking Tip – Adventure is King

Kids have a flare for adventure, especially boys. Put any boy in a room with a variety of toys they will eventually find themselves turning something into a weapon of some kind or imagining they are one of their favorite heroes from a book, TV show, or movie. Boys are born for adventure. For the wise parent, this often misunderstood quality can be harnessed into you most important asset in keeping your child safe. It is also a great way to get them to wear their GPS tracking device. The trick is to work with their adventuring spirit rather than try to snuff it out and turn them into little girls.

Cultivating the Adventurer Within

Boys want to be special. They want to be seen as strong and courageous. There is something deep within them that longs to be filled with adventure. As a parent, you can lovingly guide them toward this in a safe and controlled way by utilizing a GPS kids device. After all, you want them to be safer in the event that the unthinkable would occur.

The best way to get your child to buy into using their GPS tracking device is to associate it with adventure. You can do this in any number of ways, depending on what particular flavor of adventurer your child likes. Do they love Indiana Jones? Any good modern day archaeologist uses GPS extensively, often employing multiple devices get measurements within 5 cm. Are they a fan of the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers? No good Ranger goes without a locater so the rest of squad knows exactly where he is and can run to his aid when a foe approaches. Transformers, Bob the Builder, even Dora the Explorer all ‘use’ GPS for their needs. By associating the GPS with their favorite adventurer and offering them a chance to do the same you are using a built in incentive to using the device – getting to be like their hero.

GPS Kids Devices Are Made For Adventure

Now that you have spoken with your child about the device and wowed them with the association you made with their favorite adventurer it is time to reinforce the relationship between their GPS device and fun/adventure. You can do this in any number of ways. Take your child on a walk around the park while you go on an “adventure with them.” Be sure to bring a GPS device of your own with you. It can be your GPS tracking watch or Blackberry. A Blackberry or other internet enabled cell phone might be a better choice because that way you can access your tracking service associated with your child’s device.

On your adventure stop at some point and make a reference to ‘needing’ to find exactly where you are at – to call in reinforcements, or to log the location of a valuable item, or to mark you way home. Take out your phone and access your real-time tracking service, displaying a map of your location. Show this to you child and let them know that you will be able to get this information at any time as long as they have their GPS device with them. You can do this a few more times if it will make your adventure together more interesting and fun for the both of you.

By now your child should have had a good experience with you and their GPS kids device. If you want to, and you probably will because it was so much fun, you can always re-create this type of adventure scenario to acclimate your child to their device. This will help the child think positively about GPS technology and will help them be more aware of their device, thus reducing the risk of them losing it.

Some Additional Kids GPS Considerations

In addition to using the a GPS tracking device, teach your child regular safety information. All the GPS training will do little good if they don’t know the basics. Avoid using fear as motivation for you child. It will turn out badly for them and for you. Instead, use positive thoughts, images, and incentives to achieve the behavior you are desiring. Your child will be healthier emotionally and they will probably do a better job meeting your expectations than if you used fear based tactics.

Related Posts:
Getting Your Child To Wear Their Kids GPS Tracking Watch – The Power of Fun

Three Unconventional Uses of GPS Tracking Watches

Most GPS watches are used for fitness applications. They are light weight and durable, providing just what the serious athlete needs to gather information about their workout to push their bodies to the next level. But that is not all that GPS tracking watches are good for. In fact, they can be used for many different purposes. Here are three:

Measure Something

Have you ever wondered just how big your apartment complex is? How far your child walks to school? Or the approximate size of the lot you are thinking of purchasing? Well, most GPS watches are going to be able to perform these measurements for you – without having to spend a single cent on gasoline. All you have to do is have your watch on as you take a relaxing stroll around you apartment in the evening, or as you walk your kid to school, or as you survey your potential purchase. These powerful systems will silently track all your information for you – can can even set way points along the way to help you track specific portions of the trip or to help you find the exact spot where you began your measurements.

Most watches also allow you to interface with a computer mapping application. This can give you a satellite image of your journey. Not only will you have information concerning the object or distance you measured, but also you will now be able to process that information in the larger context of the world you live in.

Exploring

As mentioned above, GPS watches have the ability to set way points. One watch in particular, the Suunto X9i
, advertise this feature aggressively. Suunto likes to classify this as a ‘military’ feature, but most fitness GPS devices have a similar function. Way points are generally very useful.

It is particularly helpful in exploring unfamiliar territory – whether it be out in mother nature or in a new neighborhood or city. All you need to do is log your starting location into your watch and be amazed as it records electronic breadcrumbs for you to follow once you have explored to you hearts content. This makes it very easy to find you way back and takes a lot of the stress out of exploration.

Analyze Your Commute

A GPS tracker is also helpful if you want to take a closer look at your commute to and from work. With gas prices being what they are and looking to go even higher, making our driving time as efficient as we can is important to our pocket books and to the environment. All you need to do is have your GPS watch in tow, for this example lets consider you have the Garmin Forerunner 405. This model comes with a heart rate monitor, an addition that will add a nice little bit of information for our analysis.

By utlizing the heart rate monitor you will not only be recording the standard information found in a GPS tracking watch – speed, direction, altitude, and time – but you will also be able to see your heart rate. Does your commute make you particularly stressed? Do you sometimes feel burnt out after getting out of your car when you left work feeling fine? A your Garmin Forerunner 405 with heart rate monitor will help you see where and when changes in your heart rate occurred during your commute. You will even be able to see interesting information that you would normally never be able to see – how your heart rate responds to a crisis.

During rush hour many near accidents occur. When this happens and we are wearing our GPS watch we will be able to see exactly how these near accidents affect our heart rate. This is really interesting information and it is all made possible by your GPS tracking watch! You can share this information with your children and get them excited about their own GPS kids device.

GPS tracking watches have tons of possible uses and applications in a variety of daily activities. The ability of these devices is improve our understanding of the world around is immense if we are willing to be imaginative enough to utilize them to their fullest potential. GPS technology is simply a tool waiting to be used.

 

A GPS Tracking Watch Can Improve Fitness

We all exercise for different reasons. Some of us love the experience of testing your mettle against all that mother nature has to offer. Others like how a jog outside can break the monotony of treadmills and gym membership. Many cannot afford, or simply cannot handle, gyms so they turn to outside activities to get the most out of their fitness routine. It does not matter what the reason you go outdoors for your fitness regimen is – GPS tracking watches will enhance it.

One of the main assets of a GPS watch is its ability to track many different pieces of information simultaneously. Most watches record the following basic information that is important for your training – your speed, the total distance traveled, and the changes in altitude made over the course of your workout. In most workouts without a GPS tracking watch the best you can get for these metrics is the average.

Let us take a look at an example to see the benefit of what a GPS tracking device will do for you. If you just did your 7.4 mile trail run in 56:32 you can calculate that you ran an average speed of 7.86 miles per hour. This is important information in and of itself, but what if you can find your actual speed at any given point of the trail? Wouldn’t that help you get a better picture of how you can improve your workout and increase your speed? This is the power that GPS tracking watches provide – and it does so without you having to notice landmarks or check your watch and remember at what time you passed it. Your entire focus can be on hitting the trail, improving your speed, and enjoying all that it has to offer.

When you add the power of a heart rate monitor to the equation you have the perfect combination of effortless information tracking and training analysis. Not only do you get the standard information of speed, distance, and elevation, but now you also can see just how each of these affected your body’s performance – the real key in getting your training to the next level. I have talked previously about Garmin GPS tracking watches and the following is a screen shot taken from data recorded on one of these devices:

Garmin GPS Tracking Watch Output

These graphs are extremely data rich and can really help you better understand your body and the nature of your workouts. They provide information that you would not be able to gather otherwise! Who on earth has the coordination and concentration to keep pace while checking their pulse? Moving your hand away from pumping causes inefficiency of motion and only produces an estimate of your beats per minute. A GPS watch used in tandem with a heart rate monitor is an extremely efficient way to gather this information.

In addition to it being efficient, it is also very fun. Having the ability to see the exact locations of your run, kayak, or hike can add an element of adventure that goes beyond the actual experience. Looking at your route from outer space can give you new ideas of paths to take or interesting features to explore. This can be added motivation to improve your fitness even further and to hit the trail when you don’t really feel like it.

GPS tracking watches provide everything a person needs for outdoor exercise. The casual adventurer receives added motivation through the fun interface to explore new areas or push themselves to new limits. The more dedicate fitness enthusiast can access the powerful information recorded by the watch for use in analyzing their routine’s weaknesses and pushing their body to new heights of physical exertion. They are the best non-essential devices out there.

This article was included in the:
19th Edition of Weight Management and Fitness Forum
Workout Blog Carnival

Kids GPS Tracking Devices and School

GPS tracking devices have many applications in today’s society.  We use them to help us better manage massive fleets (like municipal bus systems and tractor trailers), packages and other assets, as well as to track our children.  GPS tracking devices are even beginning to make their way into the world of public schools.

Bryan Adams High School is currently testing out a pilot program to help keep students in school and off the streets through the use of a GPS tracking device. Faced with a truancy rate in excess of 15% the school was loosing many of its kids and the money associated with their attendance. Strapped for a solution to this problem the Dallas Independent School District’s (Dallas ISD), which has the seventh worst dropout rate among large school districts according to America’s Promise Alliance, has turned to GPS tracking devices to get the children into class.

These GPS devices, more like the devices used to monitor an individual on house arrest than a GPS tracking watch, were given to 6 students of the more than 300 who were sent to truancy court over the past year. The project cost the district $26,000, with the bulk of the money going to a case worker assigned to monitor and assist the children’s activities and to provide support to the families in keeping their child in school. This method is much more cost effective for the state when compared to detaining the chronically truant in a juvenile detention facility. Giving them a kids GPS can also provide some much need structure to a student’s life, increasing their ability to function in society.

There are additional benefits to using GPS tracking for kids that are truant. Most students who suffer from truancy issues also have other issues that they deal with. These issue can range from the extreme to the minor and include behavior involving drugs or alcohol, gang involvement, family life issues, or all of the above. Last year, the GPS tracking system for truant students was used to locate a member of the trial group on the verge of overdosing on illicit drugs. Also last year, the GPS system helped case workers discover that a student had ditched school because he was thinking about taking his own life. In both instances, a GPS tracking unit helped those concerned with the well being of the students to track them down and provide the assistance that they so desperately needed.

But not every one is enamored with idea of kids GPS used in schools. According to a New York Times article, one Texas state senator is opposed to the idea because the “ankle cuffs used in an earlier version were reminiscent of slave chains” (source). This could be a comment based solely on the political aspirations of a politician since the ethnic make up of Bryan Adams High School is predominately non-European. The majority of students are Hispanic American (53%), with African Americans representing the next largest contingent (32%). In addition to ethnic diversity, the school is economically disadvantaged, with 62% being classified as such. These demographic statistics could be at the heart of the senator’s comments or it could really be that the school district is out to reintroduce and perpetuate slavery through GPS.

In all, the Bryan Adams High School and Dallas ISD should be applauded for their efforts in utilizing GPS tracking devices to help students to maintain their attendance, pass school, and get quality jobs that can help alleviate the poverty in the community. The use of GPS tracking technology to improve current systems needs to be further explored and tested in real life situations if we are to fully develop and utilize this powerful technology.

Garmin GPS Tracking Watches For Fitness

Any fitness regimen can be enhanced through the use of a GPS tracking watch. They can provide precise travel information ranging from the extremely common to the outrageously awesome. A GPS watch is still a watch, so it can tell you what time it is as well as give you a precise start and end time for your exercise activity. But that it is also a GPS so it can leave electronic breadcrumbs like a digital version of Hansel a Gretel (but without the creepy witch who wants to stick you in an oven and eat you). When paired with a heart rate monitor that invisibly transmits data to your watch it can become one of the most powerful tools in the training athlete’s arsenal. They do this by assisting athletes in analyzing the relationships between heart rate, speed and the changing elevation of the course that is being run, biked, or even swam (swimming only available on selected watches).

Many of these watches also let you download this information onto your computer to interact with different types of mapping software. This allows you to interact with your workouts in a way that would be nearly impossible without it happening automatically in the watch’s computer. The mapping features will let you know which parts of your routine caused you to work the hardest. Some models and services even suggest workouts for you to help you improve your fitness level.

Garmin currently offers 7 models of GPS tracking watches specifically designed for fitness applications. Of these seven models, four also come with a heart rate monitor. Heart rate monitors are devices that strap around your sternum, with the pickup resting on your chest while an elastic band wraps around your back. As mentioned above, these monitors offer much more information to the user and are highly recommended for those seeking to maximize the potential use of their device.

Prices for these models can range anywhere from $99.99 to around $450.00 for the seven models. While you definitely do not need to spend that type of money, these devices can add significant value to activities you already enjoy or need to do for health reasons. Sacrificing twenty nights out at the movies or bringing a sack lunch to work on forty different days might be a trade off you are willing to make to buy one of these devices.

Below is a list of links(affiliate) to each of the specific Garmin products along with a brief description about them:

Forerunner 50

This is actually not technically a GPS device. Instead it is more like a fancy pedometer that has some of the same functionality that you will find with the other Garmin GPS tracking watches. It is the cheapest of the watches for this reason. There are versions of it available that have a heart rate monitor so this might be a good option for those just starting out using a watch to assist their fitness regimen.

The watch uses a foot pod to measure the distance that a user has traveled. This technology counts each step that a runner, walker, or hiker makes and then tries and determine the distance traveled by using an average of their step distance multiplied by the number of steps taken. This provides a decent approximation of the distance traveled, but it really falls apart when hilly terrain is being traversed. Running up hill shortens the gait while running downhill elongates the gait. Most step counters do not compensate for this discrepancy like a GPS device would because it does not actually measure the distance traveled.

This device should probably only be purchased by those looking to keep costs down or who do not train seriously enough to warrant a full fledged GPS tracking watch.

Forerunner 101

This is Garmin’s entry level GPS device for runners, athletes, and walkers. It can seem a little difficult to set up if you don’t have any GPS knowledge, but other than that this device delivers exactly what it promises – a reliable watch that tracks what you want it to. It is supposed to store up to 2 years of training information and has all the features that you would want on a GPS watch. There is no heart monitor with this device.

The price on this product is decent, but there are much newer models that really have eclipsed this watch. The greatest shortcoming for those who are really looking to improve their overall fitness level is that no heart rate monitor can accompany this watch. As a result you are left without all the important information that will help you push yourself into the next training level.

Runners of all levels should look elsewhere for a fitness watch to meet their needs unless you can find one at a ridiculous price.

Forerunner 201

The next tier up on the *01 series of watches is the 201. This device offers the increased ease of rechargeable lithium ion battery over against the Forerunner 101. This device is also Garmin Connect (Garmin Connect is an online training tool) and Garmin Training Center compatible. These two programs let you seamlessly record your information of your PC and provide powerful tools to help you analyze your workout, giving it some more training edge over its older counterpart.

It, however, lacks support for a heart rate monitor in addition to being a relatively overpriced piece of equipment. I would again steer clear of this watch as its blend of features and price tag do not make it worth the money to buy – at least not new anyway. If you can get this used for a price well below $100 you have probably found a good price, otherwise pass on this watch and get the Forerunner 305 or 405. They are much better watches.

Forerunner 301

The 301 is the first in the *01 series of watches that comes with a heart rate monitor. It also has several improvements in the interface allowing you to scroll through past workouts, change sports in the middle of workouts (read triathletes), and the ability to create custom, goal oriented workouts. It too has access to Garmin Connect and the Garmin Training Center. This watch is by far the most advanced of the *01 watches.

Forerunner 205

Summary coming soon!

Forerunner 305

Summary coming soon!

Forerunner 405

Summary coming soon!

Kids GPS Tracking Watch for Children – The Power of Fun

Getting your child to wear their GPS tracking watch can be a bit of a hassle. They can be bulky and uncomfortable, giving your child every reason in the world not to wear it. This can defeat the purpose of getting the kids GPS device in the first place. What is even worse is that children often lose items that are not attached to their bodies, resulting in the device’s potential theft or, at the very least, the inconvenience of having to track it down in some out of the way place. Concerned parent, do not fret, there are real solutions to this child tracking problem.

Associate the GPS Tracking Watch With Warm, Fuzzy Map Feelings

GPS is built with maps in mind, often integrating seamlessly with various mapping applications. By teaching your child to enjoy looking at maps you can easily motivate them to wear their GPS kids device. For example, to introduce your child to wearing a GPS tracking watch you take them on a fun trip to one of their favorite destinations.

Let’s say that your child loves Disneyland and you decide to try this method out there. Before you go on the trip you introduce to them the idea of GPS tracking and let them know that all the places you go today are going to be tracked, but instead of having them wear the watch you wear it. You go about your fun trip as you normally would. As you wait in line at various attractions remind the child about the watch by saying things like, “I wonder where the Tea Cups are on a map of the world” or “It will be so fun to see exactly where we saw Mickey when we look at the GPS tomorrow.” The key here is on building excitement and anticipation around the watch. Once you have had a fun day at Disneyland (or on a any trip/event your child would enjoy) it is time to relive the entire experience once you have time to sit down with the tracking information. During this time you try and highlight the funnest parts of the experience while reinforcing the fact that the GPS tracking watch is what made it all possible.

You might even consider using a tracking device that seamlessly integrates with digital photos – like the i-GotU. This way you can see all the wonderful memories and the location where you took them on a map afterward.

Now your child has some significantly positive feelings about the GPS kid tracker. For some children this will be enough to get them to wear it. But if you want to solidify your child’s positive feeling toward the watch you may want to take the next step and take your child on another adventure – but this time they wear the watch. You basically do the exact same things – have fun, remind them about the watch, build anticipation to see what the watch recorded, relive the trip’s moments later – as you did the first time, but now the child will be associating the fun and excitement with them wearing the watch. This type of association is key to getting your child to buy in to the GPS system.

Reinforce Your Kid’s Love for GPS

Now that your child has some very positive memories with the device it is time to get them wearing the watch as part of their daily routine. You won’t have to fight with them during these times when you really want them to wear it the most because you have already taken a little effort on the front end to make it special.

Keeping the watch special should now be the focus of your efforts. You can do this naturally by infusing your regular dialog with your child with references to the tracker. You could say things like, “I wonder where you played at lunch today, do you want to see?” Or you might say, “Yeah, class sounded really interesting today. Hey, that makes me wonder something. I wonder where Mrs. Robinson’s classroom is on a map. Let’s look!” These types of things will hopefully keep the fun of their device alive in their mind until the force of habit created by wearing the watch day after day becomes enough to keep them wearing it for some time.

GPS Can Work For Kids

As you can see, with a little effort it is possible to build positive feelings around these sometimes bulky and awkward tracking watches. Not only will you create some really nice family memories on your trips, but you will also give yourself the peace of mind you were looking for in getting the kids GPS tracker in the first place. Both are invaluable to you as a parent and both can help make the world a safer, more happy place. So give this kids GPS tracking watch tip whirl and see how it works out for you.

This article was included in the Carnival of Family Life found at Live from Waterloo

How Do GPS Tracking Watches Work?

All GPS tracking devices, including GPS tracking watches, work around a few basic geometric principles. These principles are described by the trilateration equation. Trilateration uses the know location of two or more points of reference (the more the better) and the measured distance between the subject and the reference points to give an exact location for the subject. To aid our understanding of this geo-speak, take a look at the two dimensional example below:

GPS Tracking Example

You are standing at point B in this picture (found where all three circles intersect). Let us imagine that you are standing out in the middle of nowhere and you want to find out where ‘here’ is. On your wrist is your GPS tracking watch, ready for instances just like this one. P1, P2, and P3 represent satellites in the NAVSTAR GPS constellation run by the US Government. There are twenty-four of these satellites orbiting approximately 12,600 miles (20,200 km) above the earth surface that are constantly transmitting microwave signals. At the same exact time, these satellites transmit a signal with information concerning their current location and the time that they were transmitted. The colored circles represent the path of the signal from the satellite at a specific time, let us say 8:45:03 AM, August 5, 1991.

Your GPS tracking device is designed to pick up these signals and record the time at which they arrive. Because the signals from the satellites travel at approximately the speed of light, knowing the difference between when the signal was generated and when your watch picks it up will let you know the distance between you and the broadcasting satellite. This is a very simple physics equation (speed x time = distance). When you combine this with the known location of each of the satellites (this information is contained in the signal that your watch picks up) your GPS tracking device has all the information it needs to give you an exact location for where you are.

GPS Tracking Is More Than Trilateration

Your GPS tracking watch will then do something with this new found information. If your watch is a data logger it will simply log your location in its memory and possibly give you a display of your longitude, latitude, and altitude. Data loggers are often simple devices that are used by bikers, hikers, and joggers to record their journeys, track the distances traveled for training purposes, or to build maps or guides if they are exploring new territory. This type of device has many useful applications, but unless you have a map with you in the middle of nowhere (Point B) this type of information will do you no good. If you are every stranded in some nondescript Point B I hope that you don’t have a data logger.

Instead, you want a tracking device that is going to be a data pusher. What these GPS devices do is they transmit their position information at specified intervals to a central database. This database can often be accessed through the internet, providing valuable information to the search party looking for you. Common applications of data pushers include tracking delivery vehicles, locating stolen property (LoJack), or keeping tabs on an object’s or individual’s location. Data pushers are extremely powerful because of the information they provide – but with this power also comes significant risk of abuse. The most common form of data pushing devices are used for GPS tracking are cell phones.

I hope that was a fairly straight forward explanation of how GPS tracking watches work. It was fairly simplified, so if you are interested in finding out more about the complex mechanics I would recommend checking out the following articles:

How To Teach Your Kids About How GPS Works

When teaching your child about their kids GPS, you are going to want to find a way to relate the information in a way that they can understand.  It doesn’t matter what type of GPS you are using with your child – it could be a short range child locator, a GPS tracking watch, or even a covert GPS tracking device – you just need to find a way to give your child a way to wrap their mind around the idea.

A basic understanding of math is always a good thing to have, but if your child is too young to fully grasp things like geometry they might be old enough to measure things.  If you are in this situation, this quick activity may help you out:

  1. Grab a couple of paper plates out of your pantry.
  2. Draw a few satellites in the center of each paper plate.  This will be a great time to explain what a satellite is and how they fly in the sky around the earth.  You can make sure that they know that satellites make up the Global Positioning System (GPS).
  3. Arrange the paper plates so that they resemble the picture found above.
  4. Take out a ruler and measure the distance between each ‘satellite.’ Take the time to explain how this is important for the child locator that they get to use every day.
  5. Now explain that the child locator knows exactly where the satellites are in the sky around the earth.  It can measure where the child is just like you did together with the ruler.
  6. Now take out your cell phone or your child’s GPS kids phone.  Explain that their GPS device for kids works in the same way the phone does – it talks through the air to another phone.  That is exactly what the kids GPS does – it talks through the air to someone else.
  7. And finally, tell them that the person that the GPS tracking watch talks to also talks to Mom and Dad.  That is how you know that the child locator works and why you got it for them.

Most importantly of all, you want your child to fell like they are safe with their GPS tracking watch and that it makes them valuable/special.  This will give them a better understanding of the world that they live in and will enable them to be productive little guys.