DISQUS

brian fanslau · 1 month ago

Do they come with a Remote that you can tazer them from home?

Mother in Florida · 1 month ago

Brilliant! I love it!

Tom · 1 month ago

I'm not a parent, so react to my comment with that in mind. Doesn't there come a time when kids should make their own decisions? I'm not talking about the magic number of 18 years, either. Devices like this attempt to give parents round-the-clock control. That's impossible, and it's the wrong solution to the problem. The problem is parents' fear (or shame) that they haven't done enough as parents to equip their kids to make the right decisions. Equip your kids to make right decisions--then you won't have to hover around them all the time.

jedimom · 1 month ago

Tom, as someone who doesn't have kids, you speak-eth the truth! If we do our jobs as parents all the way from the beginning (not suddenly start when they become tweens) they'll have much, much practice in making their own decisions & experiencing their consequences, good and bad. Also, it helps for parents to practice w/their kids how they'd react in peer pressure situations. Once again, good call, Tom!

Mike Greco · 1 month ago

Excellent!

It seems in the mass infiltration of new technologies we're becoming blinded. Technology is a tool that we can use, most often to so that we can connect more with those that we love.

Instead of investing in a product that screams(!) I don't trust anything or anyone, I agree with you. Build into your kids the ability to make the right decisions for themselves.

zmom · 1 month ago

I also think of the 7 year-old murdered last week, and the 20 year anniversary of the Jacob Wetterling abduction in Minnesota. If either of these kids had these devices (both too young for the responsibility of a cell phone) they may have been saved.

I have a 12 year-old with a cell phone (he forgets to carry it) and my 9 year-old isn't ready for that responsibility. I agree that as a parent, we need to equip our children to make decisions, but not all of them "get it" right away. Mistakes happen, and while it might sound creepy--it could save families a lot of pain as well.

Dad · 1 month ago

Mike... your comment is really exposing your lack of life experience. Don't worry, you'll get it someday little fella

Shaquawn · 1 month ago

Tom oh Tom... sounds great on paper.

CH · 1 month ago

There was a story of a girl in California who was kidnapped 18 years ago in front of her step dad. He chased them on a bicycle but wasn't able to keep up with the car. She experienced daily rape and mothered two children from this man. Had she had this type of device in her clothes, bag etc. Perhaps she might have been saved from this torment.

Mike · 1 month ago

Tom, I am a parent, and an adult, and I don't always make the right decsions. I've gotten behind the wheel when I probably shouldn't have, I've answered the door for strangers, heck, I've even torn the tag of a mattress or two, and I think my parents did a great job teaching me right from worng. Fact is kids, teens, adults will make mistakes, thats why we make seat belts, cell phones, medical advances, and yes even now GPS, to help find a kid who may be in grave danger!

Robin Croft · 1 month ago

This type of GPS technology has been around for since at least 2002, with child locators in wrist watches and mobile phones. Mobile networks are able to provide a similar service where children have GPS enabled handsets, but in practice say little about it. And in Britain there was a public outcry when a professor arranged for a child to have a GPS chip implanted under her skin, at the mother's request.

The problem is that in focus groups parents invariably say what an excellent idea this technology is, and how they would almost certainly invest in one. When the devices come on the market, though, the reaction is different and they are perceived as something closer to the sorts of tagging device worn by offenders on parole.

This technology does not "have good intentions", but is a way of marketizing parental guilt and fear.

JM · 1 month ago

Great until some creepy pervert starts tracking your kid too, or starts tracking the single woman down the street and waits until the right moment when they know that person is in an opportune place to attack. I don't like it one bit.

Mike Greco · 1 month ago

Good point...it's the new Date-Rape GPS Navigation Device!

Name · 1 month ago

you are absolutely right, i think this would be useful on very young kids but I never even thought about the weirdos that will try and take advantage of it, that is pretty scary

Big Tyrone · 1 month ago

An armed society is a safe society.

My wife carries a gun everywhere and I never worry about her or someone trying to rape, abduct, etc her.

I do worry about the mess of testimony and court appearances we will have to attend.

Bottom line great product!! Love it!

Mike Schinkel · 1 month ago

My dad taught me that the fastest way to get myself shot would be to start waving a gun around at people. YMMV.

B · 1 month ago

I think that if you do this with younger kids, and they are aware of it, it's not a bad thing. I just keep thinking of the 7 year old girl who was abducted and murdered last week. Imagine if she had one of these in her backpack? They may have found her before it was too late. I don't see it as a "spy on your kids" thing, but as a failsafe your kids can use as a tool to get out of trouble, should trouble ever arise.

Mike Greco · 1 month ago

Yes, yes. It would be a brilliant resource for those sorts of situations. Maybe something very visual would even deter would-be malefactors from their intentions.

Kinda like "the club" for cars.

Dad · 1 month ago

B don't worry about Mike's comments here. (he is kinda naive....shhh don't tell him I said that)

The Kid · 1 month ago

This does not have so much to do with freedom now as it does with freedom in the future. Fear is always the path that is taken when introducing a limitation on freedom. If people are afraid, they are much more likely to forgo with liberty. That being said, people have argued that children do not have the same freedom or liberty as adults and I agree. The threat to liberty comes when one realizes the populace is the only power that can fight the curtailment of liberty and if the populace does not understand or respect liberty they will not fight. What happens when this generation of children is the voting populace? If they have been tagged and monitored their whole lives, perhaps they will not see a problem with the government doing so when they are older. Parents need to teach their kids that liberty is valuable and worth the limitation to security. We should not raise a generation of children that believe this type of activity is warranted.

birdiecanfly · 1 month ago

Would I use this for my small child while travelling overseas? Yes, without hesitation. Would I use it on a daily basis or with an older child? It'd be mighty tempting but the answer's no. It's about trust and teaching your child right from wrong.

This little device would be very useful in other situations as previously commented.

nannygoats · 1 month ago

If a parent thinks he needs to use it on his or her kid, then it seems there might be a problem that goes deeper than merely making sure they make it safely home from school each day.

I think it's a good idea if the child may have special needs or is really young and you are working on building their independence, in which case this would make a good intermediate step.

However, I can already foresee the opportunists and abuse of new technology and I'm just waiting for the first stalker story to come out where some obsessed jerk slipped one into some girls purse in order to follow her home. ICK!

Kera Torrence · 1 month ago

If my parents gave me one of these or snuck one in my backpack I'd never trust them again. I know it's probably overreacting, but if they can't even trust me to be where I say I am or know that I'm not lying then a) something's wrong with the way they raised me apparently because they don't trust me (makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside) and/or b) something's wrong with them.
Seriously.

karrinakontney · 1 month ago

I have 2 commnets
1. You will never develop trust this way
2. If you want a safety - Put the chaperon service on thier cell phone; and use if needed; no need for yet another device

Gus · 1 month ago

I have a hard time believing this would work. GPS satellite wavelengths are not very good at penetrating objects, and I don't imagine this has a particularly good receiving antenna. I imagine that once tucked in a lunch box or pencil case inside a backpack, good luck getting a GPS signal. Now point the antenna at the ground and start walking under trees or next to buildings - goodbye GPS signal.

Angel Panneflek · 1 month ago

Well it has good intentions, but I don't think its right.. A kid should have at least some freedom

SLP · 1 month ago

So say that it's for kids primarily under 12 years old. Do they actually NEED freedom? No, not the freedom that would put them in harms way. Sure, they need to romp and play with their friends, but this is actually a fantastic idea. If my kids were not older, I would purchase this in a heartbeat. Since when is it wrong to keep an eye on your child? This day and age you can never be too safe! Furthermore, they already have this feature available, and have for YEARS, on cellphones..

If you're not a parent, really your voice doesn't count in this matter. You need to realize it's not spying, it's protecting them and since when has it been wrong to protect your own?

Name · 1 month ago

"If you're not a parent, really your voice doesn't count in this matter."

WARNING! WARNING! Parent with attitude of complete entitlement detected!

So you're basically saying if you haven't reproduced, you couldn't possibly have the right to comment on whether this device is a good idea? What a crappy, narrow-minded attitude. Hey, if you don't own a gun, that means you can't comment on gun regulations. And if you don't own a car, you can't comment on anything to do with roads, oil prices, insurance, etc, because what do you know, right? There is such a thing as an informed opinion. Intelligent people acquire these through inductive reasoning. Everyone else gets one from experience (maybe). There is plenty of terrible parents out there who have no right to comment on anything. So please get off your high horse.

CJM · 1 month ago

Did you know that you are an jackass and your logic is way off.

Name · 1 month ago

and if you don't give birth, you have no right to comment on abortion.

oops, did I go too far with your point?

SLP · 1 month ago

Exactly what I was saying. Have a problem with it?

Truth. If you don't have a kid, you do NOT know the worries that comes with being a parent, therefore, you are unable to make ANY statement/comment/rambling opinion on how a device like this may or may not benefit children. You don't have kid, you don't know what goes with having kid, the fears, the worries, etc., so you lose your voice to opinion!

Deal with it. Or go cry in a corner, that'll work too.

Giddy up!

crimsy · 1 month ago

Agreed, some people are just too dumb to understand others opinions.

Name1 · 1 month ago

WARNING WARNING! Name is a doushbag

Name · 1 month ago

There is plenty of terrible sentence structure.

dee · 1 month ago

Just because you know where your children -- or your children's backpacks -- are doesn't mean that they are safe. Bad things can happen to children even when they are exactly where they are supposed to be.

SLP · 1 month ago

Wow. Did it hurt to come up with that answer?

Alan · 1 month ago

I am a parent. And other people's voice *does* matter.

What we do affects others, not just us or our kids.

If it didn't, I could beat my kids, or teach my kids how to shoplift, or....

Nameless · 1 month ago

**does not** jackass

angel_devil_gurl · 1 month ago

sooo, if we agree with you, but are not a parent, our voice still doesn't count?

Namer · 1 month ago

Not really

crimsy · 1 month ago

Narrow minded anyone? It is spying. You are not protecting them from the comfort of your cellphone or your computer. All you can do is track their movement which completely falls in the spying category. Protecting them is actually taking the time to walk with the to school or take them yourself to wherever it is they need to go not buy a gadget like this and say you are protecting them.

I don't shun the use of this gadget as I myself would rather have my kid use one until a certain age (younger years only, not when they near teenage years) but I will not destroy a person's opinion just because they don't have a kid. I am sure a little sister, brother, relative or etc is enough to even understand and comment on this. The mere fact that everyone was once in a young age and know what it is going through it is MORE than enough to comment on the item mentioned.

Get your 'protective' ideas straight. If your kid gets kidnapped, goes off to some mischievous activity with their friends, or simply gets in some sort of accident your gadget will not protect them, it will simply give you a location.

Name · 1 month ago

Yes it's spying, which isn't at all a bad thing.

Nothings wrong with voicing an opinion if you aren't a parent. Everthings wrong with CRITICIZING a parent for wanting a device like this. You can VOICE an opinion all you want, just don't knock something you have NO CLUE about and expect anyone WHO DOES to take any stock in what you say.

karela · 1 month ago

I would say that if you find your kid with a kidnapper before the kidnapper harms them, then you are indeed protecting them. That's the idea behind an alarm that goes off if your kid leaves a certain area and a GPS system that can tell you where they are. If the little Duggar girl had had one the day the creep snatched on her way home from the bus stop, she wouldn't have had to live in a back yard tent for eleven years and bear the guy two children starting at the ripe old age of thirteen. That's the kind of stuff Mom and Dad would like to protect their kids from. My only complaint is that the thing needs to be smaller and come in cheap multiples so that you can sew it into their clothes. People are projecting their ideas of freedom onto children who need protection more than they need the freedom to play hookie. It would also come in pretty handy for all the kids that get lost in National Parks every year. This device would never be used on a teenager because any teenager with a brain would notice the big blue thing in his/her backpack and loan it to a friend at school while they went to the mall during study hall and then reclaim it before they went home.

Taras Kiseliuk · 1 month ago

The road to hell is paved with good intentions ;) However, this could be pretty useful for kids, which need to be watched after..better safe than sorry!

Sam · 1 month ago

Kids get the freedom their parents give them.

kalimckibben · 1 month ago

I wish it was a lot more accurate. I'd love to get one for each of my dogs.

Gus · 1 month ago

There are GPS dog collars available. They tend to be pretty pricey.

NEO · 1 month ago

Which is why they commented on this one - not pricey but... stay with us here... they wish it was more accurate!

Chris · 1 month ago

Does anyone know how big these are?

Sara J. Owen · 1 month ago

Sorry, we guesstimate that it's too large for a discreet implant!

Al Coholic · 1 month ago

Where do you want it implanted? Hmm

Name · 1 month ago

i read somewhere they were about the size of a USB

Robert · 1 month ago

Do you have a kid, Christina? Just curious.

Christina Warren · 1 month ago

I sure don't. I can't really comment on whether this would be something that would be attractive to parents to use or not, but unless this is used with very young children (say elementary school aged), I question its effectiveness.

Jimmy · 1 month ago

I question your intelligence.

Tergiversator_Maximus · 1 month ago

Wow, you're clever.

Sarcasm aside, older children will find a way to circumvent such a simple system, so questioning its effectiveness is clearly rather valid.

Sam · 1 month ago

Clearly she does not.

Laura Ambrose · 1 month ago

It seems this is one more thing to delay the inevitable: kids need to grow up and separate from their parents AND their parents need to let them. I like the dog idea, though.

karela · 1 month ago

Seven year olds don't need to have autonomy as much as they need to be protected from creeps who snatch kids on their way home from the bus stop. Ask the little Duggar girl who spent all those years living in a creep's back yard and having his babies. Yuck.

Gus · 1 month ago

Makes sense if you think of using it for smaller kids. There's been a lot of talk about the area that kids are allowed to roam in getting smaller with each generation, and the possible negative consequences. I roamed a lot when I was seven or eight, but I doubt I'll let my kid roam nearly as freely. One could conceivably increase the amount of freedom allowed to that kid if you knew where he or she was all the time.

Scott A. · 1 month ago

I really don't see what's wrong with this. In Japan, my host mom had a similar device for tracking one of my host siblings. It was a much better idea though, as the GPS tracking system was incorporated into the siblings cell phone, so they really wouldn't want to discard their phone. It was used simply to make sure nothing bad happened to them, I mean if your kid gets kidnapped or what have you, you can make it easier finding them using a GPS tracker. The cell phone tracker was used simply to see when abouts my host sister would get off at the bus stop at night from ballerina practice so that some one could meet her there and walk her home safely. There will probably be parents who are overly paranoid though and will be checking this thing every minute or so though.

Scott A. · 1 month ago

Just discussed this with a friend and an idea come up regarding people's concern w/ paranoid parents. If you've ever grown up w/ paranoid parents or known kids who have had to put up with them, you know that the parents rarely, if ever let their kids out of the house unless it's for school or no other adult is home, they take them on errands. A GPS tracker would cause paranoid parents to be more likely to let their kids do things w/o their presence, because they know where they are. And slowly, their need to check where their kid is every 5 min would lessen as the trust builds that their kid is where they say they'll be.

rb3m · 1 month ago

I'd put this on the cat. I've always wondered where they go.

As for kids, maybe young ones. Say 7 or 8. Older ones, maybe 12 or so, no. They need to get more freedom, sure they can get in trouble (part of growing up) but one can't keep them on a leash forever, not even a very long one.

timbond · 1 month ago

My sister is thinking of doing exactly that with her escape-artist cat and this is just one of the products she is considering.

Other products are available that just record the tracking data which you retrieve when the person, pet or object returns. http://csensedesign.co.uk/blog/?p=183 is an example of someone using such a device to map out where his kitty went a'wanderin'

This Buddy Tracker product seems to work with a cell phone company's service to report the info back to the website where you check current location. The CatTrack guy has something that you can put a SIM card in for a service like AT&T or T-mobile (or other GSM company) to get the data sent live over the airwaves. Garmin also makes a device that emits a signal that can be picked up with a tracking unit up to a mile away and doesn't require extra service fees (but does require you to be within 1 mile of whatever you are tracking).

ncollard · 1 month ago

I'd strap this to the bottom of my bike, and lo-jack that thing.

Jeremy Toeman · 1 month ago

I'd suggest asking some parents their opinions... As a father of 2 young children, this is definitely something I'm interested in. And I'm not really all that paranoid, it just seems like a practical thing, whether for emergency, disaster, or other "time of need"... My wife and I keep little "emergency cards" in our pockets, but this doesn't help my mother, a nanny, a teacher, or anyone else get in touch with us if something happens and we can't get on the phone...

Name · 1 month ago

And now for a different opinion. Some kids have developmental problems. This device is a way that parents can give them some freedom and yet help keep an eye on the child to protect them. In some cases I like this idea and think it is completely appropriate.

Another use would be for adults that adventure out on their own, hiking biking motorcycling etc. It may help find someone who is lost.

Sara Miller · 1 month ago

I work for Sprint and we have "Family Locator" as a service for all of our phones. I like the idea on phones - if the parents are footing the bill for your cell phone, they have the right to know where you are! (Of course, yes, you can put this on your spouse's phone, too. Creepy? Well, I guess it depends.)

Plus, I hear the "America's Most Wanted" guy approves of these types of devices and services. We've all heard way too many stories about abducted children lately. A little lost privacy for your child could come in handy - but let's hope no one ever has to use it.

Sex Toys Guru · 1 month ago

Now the kids can know what it's like for dad and his house-arrest anklet!

Sara J. Owen · 1 month ago

This device has many applications... elderly people, joggers, singles out on the town, pets, my car keys...

sawood · 1 month ago

Oh yes!!! For finding my car keys I would most certainly get one!!! Now if only I could find my Blackberry...

Jay · 1 month ago

i'm surprised that i haven't read the comment/idea yet to use it on a spouse. the dog is a great idea. the smaller and more accurate these become the better. if smaller, someday maybe we could attach it to the dog (already mentioned), favorite items (jewelry), um...the car (cheaper than low-jack?), etc.

Error 601 · 1 month ago

I think this would be fine for younger kids (under 12), or maybe kids with certain mental disabilities. Older kids would probably have a cell phone anyway, which the parents could call to check in on.

Carol M · 1 month ago

I know this is being marketed as a way to keep track of a child's whereabouts.

However, I think it would also be great for those caring for adults who tend to wander off and get lost. Something like this would have come in very handy for my mother in the months immediately following my father's stroke.

Christina Warren · 1 month ago

I totally agree. I think devices like this have lots of potentially good uses, but I also think that it is a case-by-case basis sort of thing. I think that for people who have disabilities or for young children, this sort of thing could be great.

sawood · 1 month ago

If I had a young child (toddler to 7 years old) and was visiting a high traffic area such as an airport or amusement park then I would use this device. Also, my ex and I share custody of our young children so if I was paranoid that he was going to kidnap our kids (I'm not, just saying...) then handing this to my oldest and saying it was for their safety might also be an option. But using it as a spy device??? To me it just is not right!

Dennis Jordan · 1 month ago

Used properly, this is brilliant. But I think the whole concept needs a few ground-rules:
a) the device needs to be smaller; my car GPS is twice the size of my dad's newer one ... smaller will come with time. as a very small device that can be attached like an anklet or in some other creative way, it serves a better purpose.
b) the focus should be on young children, and the purpose should be to mitigate tragedies. A kid that goes missing while camping or at a cottage, or that is legitimately abducted. My kid brother was missing for three hours at a cottage. he was fine, but we were not.
c) parents and teenage children should come to some agreement on how the device is to be used; something like: "if you're 90 minutes later for curfew, or you leave the city we live in without us knowing, we're going to check up on you. otherwise, we will not." Maybe there's an audit trail delivered directly to the teenager to ensure the parents comply, and moreover, ensure the child feels protected, not monitored.
d) widespread adoption of this in a multitude of disguises should reduce child abductions across the board. it may shift abuse from outside the school to inside the school -- who knows -- but this kind of technology can work.
e) it can reduce a lot of anxiety felt in events like a shopping trip where your 6 year old is totally gone for 3-4 minutes. every parent faces this type of thing. knowing you can log on from a blackberry and solve the riddle would provide some to people in what is likely millions of false alarms each year.

Tony Montana · 1 month ago

If this is the same quality as every other Inisgnia product I have ever seen, don't bother. However, I could also see this being used by parents of teens with a fresh driver's licence to make sure they're following the laws and parents insturctions when using their car. IE. not going on the highways, go straight to someone's house and back, etc.

Cristin · 1 month ago

Maybe for a young child, but not a teen.

Name · 1 month ago

I think this is actually a good thing. I know our private school doesn't allow the kids to have cell phones, and being in CA you always worry about things like an earthquake or fire. Then there is always something really scary like kidnappers. I would tell my son it was there. As for my teenage daughter, you can simply put a tracker on their phone...this is also something I would tell her if her dad (divorced) would let me. I think it helps kids stay out of trouble...they can tell their friends they can't skip school or go to that college party because they have a tracker on their phone. I think today's society is pretty scary when it comes to kids and giving the tools to stay safe is a good idea.

Name · 1 month ago

This is like an insurance policy. Rarely used, but offers peace of mind to the owner.

Nick · 1 month ago

im 15. I search through everything my parents give me to make sure they CANT track me. If my parents were to do that to me i would think they have no trust in me. I wouldnt even bother going places cause if i made one step out of line, even something little, i would be questioned for an hour about why i went to get ice cream across the street and left my fiends house.

SLP · 1 month ago

Well Nick, that's why it would be better for children under the age of say.. 11 or 12.

Mike Greco · 1 month ago

If this gets out, it could be pretty bad.

What next? Micro-GPS devices sewn into clothing? Affixed to earrings? Maybe implanted beneath the skin?

What ever happened to those campaigns encouraging parents to actually TALK and build TRUST with their kids?

Rob Wilcox, CEO · 1 month ago

This is a great resource for parents and honestly - for kids of the age where this would be useful - BE PARENTS! They don't need their "freedom." They need to understand that their whereabouts are reportable (and verifiable). Man, I remember what happened if my mom called a friends house because I wasn't home for dinner on time and she found out I wasn't there...

asimpson · 1 month ago

To me this seems like a gret gadget for parents (And yes i have 2 myself!) to become lazier. "Oh we don't need to watch them - the GPS will do it for us" - time to do what parents have done for centuries -deal with it, be good parents ;)

Joel V · 1 month ago

OK, so here's the deal for the non-parents out there. "Sneak it in there" - yeah, that would be dumb in all sorts of ways WAY beyond being sneaky. Basically - do not use if you can't tell your kid what it is, why you're doing it, and if you can't get them to carry it without threatening a whoop ass if they drop it then you shouldn't use it and you should work on your family's trust issues.

As I think many point out, its not implanting a chip on you kid, its a device that you could leave in the library, go grab a few beers, then go back and get before you go home. The point is if you kid gets lost (or worse) you can find them. Better for small kids.

This isn't about taking away personal freedoms, what an idiotic thing to say. You have a "find me" feature in your f'ing iPhone why not your kid.

As far as your kid sneaking out or whatever when they're a little bit older - its gonna happen, just try to teach your kids to trust you and make the right decisions when they do the stupid s*** that every kid does. But for now, something to keep the kid from getting lost is a big plus.

FYI - by the time my 4 YO is older, this will be in every mobile phone on earth anyway.

Joel V · 1 month ago

By the way, the interesting angle to this story is that BestBuy is acting as an service provider with an interesting application! This has business model implications!

John · 1 month ago

If I were 14 and skipping the Library for hanging out at Taco Bell, I'd drop off the GPS thing my dimbulb parents thought they were using to spy on me at the Library on my way.

On the other hand, I'd probably feel somewhat more at ease knowing my 5 year old had a tracking device stashed somewhere, not because I wouldn't trust him per se, but because he would have the sense and judgment of a 5 year old.

Name · 1 month ago

That's why you watch your five year old?

Matthew Lowery · 1 month ago

Could be useful if you're monitoring kids under 12. Once they become 12, they deserve a thing called "freedom".

Mother in Florida · 1 month ago

As a mother in Florida, thankfully not the mother in Florida whom buried her baby today! Her baby that was snatched off the street walking home from school........... yeah it's a good thing! I agree about teenagers.. (maybe) but 12 and under........absolutely.

biggiant · 1 month ago

Kids? Yeah, right. People are going to get this thing to bug their spouses (or boyfriends/girlfriends). Knowing that your husband is really where he says he is would give comfort to many wives.

For anyone, though, this is going to be tougher than expected. A lunchbox won't work, the kid will lose it. The backpack won't work, as the kid won't take it to their friends house, but leave it in their locker. I imagine this would be most effective for vehicles, where if discreetly hidden, could at least lead you to their car.

Hmmm.... do I need one of these for my wife? j/k

frances · 1 month ago

forget the kids, how about sticking one under the seat of a potentially cheating SO's car?

i think it's a great idea for young kids to track if they are kidnapped, too.

biggiant · 1 month ago

It's funny we posted that idea at the same time. I guarantee is this going to be the device's #1 use.

CD · 1 month ago

It's not the paranoid spouse I'm worreid about as much as the abusive/controlling ones. I would hope law enforcement/women's crisis centers will be checking for these devices to shut them down or intentionally mislead perpetrators.

Any guesses as to how long it will be before one of these is Exhibit A in a stalking trial?

Chris · 1 month ago

Hrm...I've known some Alzheimer's patients these would be good for.....they liked to wander...and hide from EMS and such when looking for them. I bet more people will use them for tracking spouses and boyfriends or girlfriends than children though. Small, easy to hide in a car, etc.

nthomas00 · 1 month ago

I think this is a good Idea, but it seems like a child would notice this device in thier backpack and take it out. The device would have to be something more disguised, something that looks like or is an everyday object.

Nathan Nash · 1 month ago

Or, bug their cell phone.

Name · 1 month ago

This software isn't perfect, which means that it can be hacked. Somebody could hack the system and know the whereabouts of millions of kids.

Jasper · 1 month ago

I love how we all pretend this is for parents who track their kids... What it really is, is a usb stick that lets you track whoever's bag or coat you dropped it in. Your kids, your spouse, your boss...

You're kids are already carrying a safety device btw. It is called a cell phone and allows the police to track people that really go lost. You are not allowed to randomly track people who carry cellphones though, BECAUSE IT KIND OF GOES AGAINST PRIVACY.

Kevin · 1 month ago

Well, whoever wrote "paranoid parent" I'll bet is not a parent. I'm picking up two of these things for my kids on my next trip to Best Buy.

Alan · 1 month ago

Should your own parents (respectfully assuming they are still alive) track you?

"When are you coming for dinner? You haven't visited in weeks! Why did you stop on the way to our place? Why did you go ______ last weekend instead of seeing us?"

Seriously. Think of the implications.

We want to track everyone else. We don't want anyone to track us.

angel_devil_gurl · 1 month ago

i would totally get one for my child! just because you know where your kid is doesn't mean he doesn't have any freedom! if he skips school or the library a couple of time, that's ok, you don't HAVE to punish him! It's just if he does it consistently and gets bad grades, or if he does something more dangerous, at least you know. you just don't have to act on it.

JCD · 1 month ago

I would definitely leave this somewhere if I found it on me. These things really creep me out. I'm a teenager by the way, and if my parents bought this I would never trust them again, and more than likely just go more places in rebellion, like sonic at night or the record store.

marciocacao · 1 month ago

Thanks God when I was a child there was no such thing!

Connie · 1 month ago

I'm getting one for my husband and another for my dog!
Thank God for this device! Think of the children it will help find...the ones
we will NOT see on the Nancy Grace show!

JNM · 1 month ago

Yes, with the number of children that go missing each year, every parent should use a personal GPS tracking device, but you dont have to be a parent to need or benefit from owning one of these devices. Motorcycles, skis, musical instruments, laptop computers, purses & luggage, even the family dog: EVERYBODY has SOMETHING they want to protect!!!

When considering the purchase of a tracking device, do your homework because not all GPS systems are alike. Aside from features such as Geofencing, speed-alerts and so on, the one thing you really need to look into is the COST. Most GPS devices I've looked into have HIDDEN costs such as monthly/annual renewal fees or charge you per track ontop of the purchase price. When I called Best-Buy to get more info on the "Little Buddy" they couldn't even tell what the OTHER costs of thier system were.

I ended up buying a system called "The GPS Guadian" at http://www.thegpsguardian.com . Not only did I get the device for FREE by purchasing 3 years of service up front, but I got the 4th and 5th year of service for FREE as well.

Sandy · 1 month ago

Is there a monthly service fee for this?

bob · 1 month ago

Yes I can't wait to get it, call it creepy or whatever, but its a dangerous world and there are very bad people, I think most people who think this is "so horrible" either dont have kids or are simply very immature/oblivious to all the abductions, sex crimes out there

Name · 1 month ago

there've been things like this for the last 7 years (at least.. thats the age of my oldest.. and I've been seeing them around ever since he was)

I especially like the watch that isn't removable without activating an alarm...

this is not so new, but MUCH cheaper.

marksrig · 1 month ago

Better yet....attach it to your cheating wifes car!!!

Tracey · 1 month ago

I know you were going for a cynical and edgy tone, but do you think the parents of Haleigh Cummings or Somer Thompson would share your attitude on this product?

While not a week seems to go by without another report of a missing child, I'm sure grieving parents will find comfort in your wry remarks.

Terry Hayes · 1 month ago

If you're wondering where you've heard this before:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/611/
About 8mins in...
and it's actually called Child Tracker too.

Satirized before it even existed. Awesome.

rgworld1 · 1 month ago

it's interesting stuff.

http://www.seodoom.info

Chris Miller · 1 month ago

Hell yes, I would put one of these on my kid. What kind of deadbeat parent dosen't want to know where their kids are. Kinda creepy??? What kind of a sorry comment is that. Your job as a parent is to be involved as a parent. Kids get freedom gradually, when they show responsibility and depending on your child's maturity this could be a great tool for any any age child or teenager.

This is a great product that I will be purchasing.

Chris Marigold · 1 month ago

Love it and buying 3 ASAP

MugsyKudzu · 1 month ago

I am currently a parent, but prior to that, I was someone's kid. I think everyone that has ever been someone's kid should have an opinion on this.

Universal Indie Records · 1 month ago

The only reason I would purchase a device like that is god forbid my kids were ever abducted. Beyond that, I don't feel the need to spy on them.

MoZeu · 1 month ago

Are you kidding? For safety purposes, I would buy this in a heartbeat if I could find a way to ensure it would stay with my kid at all times. Especially as I have an autistic 4 year old and am always terrified he'll wander off when a teacher is not watching. Talk about peace of mind!

paulaschuck · 1 month ago

Are you kidding I would totally buy this.

Paula Schuck

Kate · 1 month ago

this is so disgusting & wrong. i hope the kids take sweet sweet revenge on these parents. may you get yours back.....

Universal · 1 month ago

The only reason I would purchase a device like that is god forbid my kids were ever abducted. Beyond that, I don't feel the need to spy on the

Masha W. · 1 month ago

OMG, this is exactly what i was discussing with my husband today. I will put a tracker on my kid. I have no moral dilemmas about it whatsoever.

aml · 1 month ago

This is a great device for young children. Imagine how fewer children would be abducted each year, or who could at least be found before they're assaulted and murdered, if these devices were carried by every child.

Malik Brown · 1 month ago

Heck yea, I would put one of these on my kid! To put kinda creepy is a just irresponsible. Clearly the author of the article is someone with little life experience who does not have kids. This is a great product or tool to help being a parent a little easier.

Kids, children, and teenagers get freedom when they show they are mature/intelligent enough to make decisions that are consistently, well good decisions. Then based on that decision making ability "freedom" can be granted. We don't live in a society when parents can afford to be laid back about raising their kids.

As a parent this is a great product, I would definitely use it and have no regrets about covertly placing in on my child.

Daddy · 1 month ago

This is the product every parent I know has been waiting for. What a great idea!!

It would be spying if you could hear conversations or had video but this only tells you where your child is located. Saying it is spying or creepy is just naive.

aboutjer · 1 month ago

Stalkers of the world just got a new toy. Imagine if some crazy ex-boyfriend/girlfriend conveniently "lost" this in your car? Or in your kid's backpack at the mall....

I'm just saying....

Concerned Dad · 1 month ago

I want my kids as safe as the next person but who's to say that someone won't be able to gain access and stalk them instead. Or worse.

TheBookLady · 1 month ago

Wow, seems like Best Buy (and many people) are not aware that statistically you'd have to go back to the early 70's or 60's to be safer as a kid. Just because we hear about kidnappings in the media doesn't mean they're happening more often--just that we're hearing about the same ones way more often.

If anything, we've made our kids more vulnerable to things like heart disease and diabetes by listening to media hype and being too fearful to let them outside the house to play.

Lots and lots of links to research to back this up on the site http://www.wordpress.com/freerangekids.com . Mom of 3 kids, one a teen. All of whom are allowed to make choices now and learn from them, rather than have me helicopter them and fail in public as adults, with severe consequences.

hunterros3 · 1 month ago

I'd like my kid to have one of these on his person. So if somebody ever kidnaps him, I can arm myself to the teeth, drive out to where the little dot says my kid is, and turn the kidnapper into hamburger.

Mike Schinkel · 1 month ago

Heh. It'll be people spying on their significant others a lot more than their kids!

Ricardo Serrano · 1 month ago

I'd say that for those paranoid parents that can't handle a nanosecond without knowing where their kids, this gadget is a heaven sent. Also, the proper use depends on the age and maturity of your kids. In this era where kids disappear now and then (voluntary and involuntarily), it's an excellent tool to find out where your kid is right away. For teenagers, this would be more of an annoyance than something that would help parents and teens get along and help in their relationship. Wonder what is the expected sales figure for Insignia during, let's say, the first six months. Will it catch like wildfire (holiday sales), or just be another item in the shelves waiting to be discontinued?

Tergiversator_Maximus · 1 month ago

I wouldn't; though I might consider it if we had repeated problems.

likeit · 1 month ago

We use a similar cell phone version of this (available on AT&T) to give our child, age 9, more freedom, not to spy. She knows she has it with her, and we now feel more comfortable letting her walk 1 mile to school with a friend. We get an alert (email and SMS) when she arrives at school. Works great.....and this would be a much more cost effective solution.

mylo · 1 month ago

Sure, I think it's a good idea in theory. I have a 4 year old, and anything that I thing would help get her back if she were kidnapped is a good thing. But I think that if we bought one, it would more likely be used by my wife checking where my car goes to see if I'm cheating on her.

Ed M. · 1 month ago

I just showed it to my 12-year-old, and she thinks it's cool. She says it would make her feel safer.

everysandwich · 1 month ago

I can think of plenty of other uses for it. For instance, sewn into the luggage of the South Carolina governor -- or any politician, really.

Name · 1 month ago

I would like to get one to put on my scooter or car in case someone steals it.

karela · 1 month ago

What fun is it to be seven years old and kidnapped on your way home from school? If it were me, I'd really like it if my Mom brought the Mounties to take me back home before the creep hurt me. How about you?

General Kafka · 1 month ago

This technology is a tool. Don't let it make you surrender actual parenting.
I think monitoring your kids without their consent is wrong. Consent is relevant maybe after 7 to 9 yr old, depending on your child.
You can teach your child that you completely respect their privacy and teach them how they can disable the tracking device (alumunium foil will work just fine I'm sure).

The problem is that, in case of child abduction, the only sure way to find your child again is if they have the device in their pocket - not in their backpack.

I don't feel comfortable putting a radio emitting device in the pocket of my child next to their skin permanently...

Dan · 1 month ago

Until you turn 18, we have the right to spy...get over it. And if you don't have children, you do not have a clue what a parent goes through, no mater what you "opinion" is. I bet the parents of the child in Orange Park, FL that was found dead in a dump in Georgia would have loved to have one of these, but now that the child had paid the ultimate price, it really does not matter...

Mojo · 1 month ago

Jeez,

you all make it kind of painful to read. I just wanted to see how well this thing works, not get a lecture on liberal versus conservative parenting. Do you all have jobs? Who cares how some complete stranger uses this thing? Is there anything on this thread from someone who actually bought one?

Dan · 1 month ago

crimsy - you must suffer from what I call intelligence poisoning. You sound educated, however, you missed the point entirely of the device in the first place. The device is LOCATE you child, in a case of emergency, not save the child. Geez. please refrain from reproducing. you obviously speak before you understand.

Dan · 1 month ago

Let me try to put this in a way a 16 y/o can understand. Being able to locate your child that is overdue from school, before the abductor has a chance to rape and murder them, and give the police a chance to find the child and catch the slim that took her, is a TREMENDOUS benefit. Maybe it would have prevented this tragic outcome. You obviously speak before you read.

Jim · 1 month ago

not a horrible idea for kids who are driving their parent's cars

Mark Ying · 1 month ago

This device is a great choice for any parent who loves their children. Who want to see their child grow up. Just asked all the parents of missing children, would they had used this device.

Such devices would not be necessary if our government would keep child molesters and rapist in jail, for good. But they won't, remember even a criminal has rights, but their victims do not. We would not have to go this far in protecting our children, if there were a deterrence to crime.

Returning to the old ways, where neighbors and families saw your child and chased them back to where they belonged or knowing the children in your neighborhood, and who their parents are, so when something strange was happening, you as a concern neighbor, friend steps up, to intervene in behalf of a child and their parents to prevent the evil of our society to destroy them, a device like this would not be necessary.

mrchickensoup · 1 month ago

I wonder if this device would work for a 3 year old autistic child who given the chance will leave the house whatever the weather.l

Loyola · 1 month ago

we as parents need to start taking care and making sure of where are kids are and arent that is our responsabilities as parents because if you love them you take care of them and make sure you know what they are doing what they are watching and reading and lilstening to if you want your child to be safe healthy happy and also show him by living your life the way our Lord taught us to live and teach them you are the parent not the friend.. and respect them and tell them you love them. This to me is not a spy deal its to keep you safe deal. Always tell them you love your child and if they do wrong repremend em and follow up.
Loyola Montoya in Espanola NM

alyssasmom9807 · 1 month ago

I think it is okay for really young kids but for teenagers like 16 or 17 its weird unless theres a good reason

myboys · 1 month ago

I agree with the other parent. Unless you have kids of your own, you don't know what it is like to worry if your kids are Ok. If they had a tracking device as small as the chip they put in the neck of house pets I buy them just to know my kids are safe not to spy on them. You can't trust anyone with your kids.

Ron · 1 month ago

Why a $99 price tag? Shouldn't it be much cheaper? Not every family can afford this price tag.

daysie78 · 1 month ago

Well, I don't consider it spying on the kids, I consider it a way to find them if something goes wrong. My son is 8 and he has been wanting to venture off to his friends houses. I simply want to be able to set the boundaries and if he goes past them, I'll know. And, if there would be an emergency, I would be able to find him. Surely, no one actually sits at the computer and watches every move the kid makes. At least, I hope not.

no name · 1 month ago

k im 17 and this idea of freedom for kids wont work want to kno why its because kids will throw the damn thing away if they find it which 90% will so ya whoever made such a thing needs slapped hard in the face over and over and over till you bleed.

Mike · 1 month ago

Why can't we have our cake and eat it too? Why can't we use both good parenting and technology? Obviously it can be used to spy on your kids, but what if my 22 month old was to be abducted, and the abductor was not savvy enough to discover and discard the device, would I regret not spending $80 bucks to help find my child. I trust my nanny, I don't have the time (or interest) to watch her or my kid’s every move, who does? But if I ever receive that frantic phone call, I have another tool to bring my child back. Everyone has a right to voice their opinion, but I will say I think much differently now, than I did 22 months ago. Your world changes in that delivery room.

Joan Van Vuuren · 1 month ago

hi my name is Joan from South Africa your device, the little buddy is great, not for spying on children, but for their safety, my children are all grown up, but I think of all the children in South Africa that get kid-napped, daily. I think all parents through-out the world could do with one of these devices for each of their children, but your price is crazy very few parents in South Africa can afford the price u are charging, and then u advertise it as something for parents to spye on their children - hahaha a game - not good. Do u know if this device is in South Africa already

no name you fucks · 1 month ago

listen you stupid people out there who dont know how to trust your kids let them go, give them more space, thats how you get more trust from them, kids hate it when your breathing down there necks every 5 min saying where were you, what was you doing, who were you with, give it a brake for crying out loud, and honestly kidnapping dont happen all the time and this thing wouldnt help your kid if he/she was raped cause clothes come off and everything so the person doin the nasty with your child will find it anyways, so give it up you just cant stop rapes, kidnapping, or any of that stuff you stupid fucks.

JNM · 1 month ago

LMAO... this person is either a kid with issues or a dolt. With thier incredible vocabulary and writing abilities, I'm sure everyone will take your thought under serious consideration...... NOT!

No name ass kicker · 3 weeks ago

shut your hole you doushbag dicksucker

andrew37 · 4 weeks ago

GPS signals are very weak. A GPS receiver will not work inside a metal lunchbox. (Neither will a cell phone, which is the other half of this gadget.) But even if the product works as advertised, if a kid with one of these devices is abducted, the "Little Buddy" will be the first thing tossed out the window. Even if you purchase this device, you can't use it without subscribing to their service. I went to the company's web site and saw no mention of the monthly subscription fee -- only the generous offer to get the first two months free.