GPS Tracking Videos
GPS tracking is a spreading its tentacles all the way to Youtube! Here is a selection of interesting and informative videos that either demonstrate how to use GPS tracking devices or pitch a GPS tracking service. I don’t endorse any of the companies found in any of the videos, I just want you to get an idea of how GPS products are marketed toward individuals and businesses.
GPS Tracking Aids Murder Investigation
This video covers an investigation where a GPS device was used to help pinpoint the location of a criminal at the time of a murder, putting him at the scene of the crime. According to the video, the device used is accurate to within 3 meters. It also allows you to view route history, see data displayed on Google Earth, and produce printouts of the vehicle activity.
What a murder is doing with a GPS tracking device in his car is beyond me, but I am sure glad that he did so he could get caught and never do something like this again. What is interesting is how the DA in the case wanted GPS tracking installed in all vehicles so that it can be used in law enforcement. To me this is a double edged sword that I won’t comment on right now, maybe I’ll write a post about it soon.
Tracking Vehicles A GPS Tool Away
This is another news story covering the use of GPS, but this time it is in the context of tracking teens. It claims that is GPS tracking devices can pinpoint anyone in the world at anytime – but that statement just isn’t true. GPS receivers need to be receiving a signal from a GPS satellite before it can even begin to get a fix on its location and sometimes requires 3 satellites to get a strong signal. Manufacturers are working hard at solving some of these limitations (by incorporating other data not received from satellites such as cell phone towers – this called A-GPS).
Other than this sensational bit of news reporting, the video also shows a claim of one GPS tracking manufacturer that there device is so good that you can zoom in on your mapping application and tell which lane the driver of the vehicle is in – now that is precise! The interface for the company featured is internet based so you don’t have to download any software.
It also shows some of the interesting interplay between parents and teens over the whole “privacy” issue. Should teens be tracked by parents? Is it within their rights to know where their child is located? It even goes into some of the business issues around GPS fleet tracking as well.
The monthly service fee for the device featured is $30 and the initial price for the tracking unit is around $430 at the time of the taping.
GPS Tracking Catches Dumb Stupid Robbers
This video covers how a store owner used a DeWalt asset GPS tracking device to catch a thief who kept coming back to his store. The thief apparently gained entrance by knocking out a window and then would steal high cost tools from the store.
Not about to let this continue, the owner installed a GPS tracking device in some of the products commonly stolen. Sure enough, at 3 AM one morning his monitoring device sent him a text message that his device was on the move – apparently a break-in occurred. Armed with the position of his equipment, the store owner tracked down the criminal to an apartment complex and took descriptions of 40+ vehicles to give to the authorities.
The next time the equipment was on the move the store owner was notified and he used the GPS tracking device to tell the police where the criminal and his equipment were – information that the police used to recover his stolen equipment.
Thieves beware! GPS tracking devices may be tracking your hot items!