Re: Pocket-sized GPS tracking device

[ddl@danlan.*com (Dan Lanciani)]

In article <o8idnTc-aMwE4Y_bnZ2dnUVZ_rXinZ2d@xxxxxxx>, ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx (Robert Green) writes:

| Has anyone used one of these?
|
| http://www.smarthome.com/72391.html

There have been several products like this for a while now.  Some interface
with the OBDII computer to record even more interesting details.

| <<This pocket-sized GPS tracking device receives signals from orbiting
| satellites and uses an advanced internal computer to determine the precise
| location of the device within 2.5 meters. With this data and the included
| SkyTRX Tracking software, you can accurately determine where a person
| traveled, how fast they drove, where they stopped and for how long. Don't
| just catch your teenager's bad behavior: Use this system to teach him to
| drive responsibly!>>
|
| Since all the tech info seems to indicate that this is not a real time
| device, one has to wonder about the veracity of the reviews at the Smarthome
| site, specifically:
|
| "Our son got in an accident with our car and by having the GPS tracker we
| were able to locate where he was and get him help. This was a life
| aver."  -  Jerome  --  St. Louis, Missouri
|
| "We have a 16 year old daughter that just started driving. This gives us the
| peace of mind that we know where she is at all times."  -  Becky  --
| Madison, Wisconsin
|
| Shouldn't that read "where she was?"
|
| Smarthome isn't technically being deceptive with their product info, but I
| would feel better knowing that the posted reviews had some connection to
| reality and those that didn't got removed.

I would imagine that the reviews are filtered based not on reality but
on whether they are favorable to the product.  For example, I would never
expect to see something like:

"SkyTRX allowed our son to be charged with manslaughter even though
he claimed it was an accident when the drunken man stumbled in front
of his car on the highway.  Our son said he was driving at 55 but data
downloaded from SkyTRX by court order showed that he was actually
traveling at the reckless speed of 66 in violation of the law.  Thank
you SkyTRX!"

				Dan Lanciani
				ddl@danlan.*com