By I’ve been pretty harsh with my criticism of Garmin but their latest announcement coming courtesy of AT&T us actually quite interesting. They’ve got a small device called the GTU 10 that you can attach to the collar of a pet or to other property and track it online or through a smartphone. If you’re worried the new puppy might scamper away, the GTU 10 could be a nice security blanket.
(Device shown is not Garmin, for conceptual purposes only)
The best feature in my opinion is the ability to create up to 10 boundary lines and when the tracker crosses certain boundaries, the owner is alerted through E-Mail or other preferred messaging solution. This automated monitoring could definitely ease some minds.
What else could you use the GTU 10 for? Most of my ideas include either a small child or pet, snooping/spying on a person/spouse, or for some reason attaching it to outrageously expensive property that might grow legs and walk away. So yeah, for me the uses are extremely limited. Feel free to provide your own ideas in the comments.
If you DID have the perfect reason to buy the GTU 10, I’m afraid the cost and limitations make it a rather unattractive proposition. The device costs $199 which comes with 1-year of service, but you can only see the most recent 10 locations recorded. Pay $4.99 extra/month and you can get a complete history of the previous 7-days. Note to Garmin: just give all the information to everyone who invests in this rather than the nickel and dime thing, please.
I’m not even sure the Garmin GTU 10 will have an Android Application. The press release notes smartphone access, but they could simply have a mobile optimized website. However, I thought this was an interesting idea to explore because with Android Open Accessory on the way, we’re going to be seeing a lot more innovation in these types of solutions.
Attaching it to your teenager’s car would tell you where they’ve been!
I know some people that will jump on this asap.
yeah this thing is a little old i purchased 1 for my father about a month and a half ago to help him track his hunting dog …..there is a android app like a stand alone app and if im not mistaken its accurate to about 30 yards ….so its pretty god
Attach it to sex offender and if they cross a boundary it sends an alert to the closeist cop
Hmm, something I need to find a lot… My phone, oh wait, theres an app for that lol.
In all seriousness this would be a fun toy to have lol.
Awesome idea but not payimg a monthly fee. Garmin u faul again
wow i was almost sold on this until i saw the monthly fee, as if $199 isn’t enough Garmin you just dont get IT you fail in the cell phone bussines, GPS, what else?
I will attach it to myself… for next time I get lost in Chinatown again.
So now I’m sposed to plug my dog up too? Kinetic battery?
You said, attach it to pets or to other property?
You mean, like children!
Yes, just attach it to their collar next to where the leash hooks up. :-)
Guess I don’t have to though. Mine just turned 18.
Checking my computer bag to make sure the wife didn’t slip one of these into a pocket…