Interesting potential tracking device.

[GaryDZ]

Introductory price of $79 (supposedly a 39% discount) with 1 year of "Free" service.
Ping - The World’s Smallest Global GPS Locator

I won't buy it yet because:
1. It is not due to ship until July 2017. So, in effect, you are crowd funding. I don't trust that it will ship so I will wait.
2. There is no information about what the service will cost after the first year.

 

[msinger]

There is no information about what the service will cost after the first year.

It's $36/year after the first year. You can find those details near the bottom of the page you linked above.

 

[Mylesob31]

Yeah 36 month


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[kenjancef]

I ended up getting one. It will be primarily for my P3P, but I can use it for other things as well. Guess I won't know until July.... lol...

 

[mick74]

Marco Polo RC Model Recovery Tracking System

• Line of sight: up to 2 miles typical
• Open terrain, rolling hills with few obstructions: up to .5 – 1 mile
• Dense suburban areas: 2,000 ft. typical

 

[anotherlab]

Yeah 36 month


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No, it's $36 for a year, based on what they posted on their IndieGoGo page

If you look at what Hologram.io charges for it's data plans for IoT devices. It probably costs Ping less than $1/month for it's data usage.

 

[Mylesob31]

Misread it whoops


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[nssdrone]

So, in effect, you are crowd funding.

The link is to IndyGogo, it's literally crowd funding, and they aren't trying to hide it



P3A with Nvidia Shield K1 tablet

 

[Dave Pitman]

It does look interesting. But...

Has a built in proprietary SIM.
Non-replaceable battery.
Currently no guarantee of delivery.
I'll be watching for real world reviews when it exists. I hope it happens.

 

[anotherlab]

Proprietary or sealed SIM means that you use their service and they make a bit of a profit reselling the cell service. A non-replaceable battery means after 3 years, assuming Li-ion, the battery will be toast. I would wait until it comes out before buying one.

 

[nssdrone]

If their service is only $3 per month, I'd target use that than pay $10 a month to add it to my verizon plan. I haven't looked into prepaid data plans to compare those though. I can't imagine you could beat 3 bucks though

As far as the battery, wtf, completely non removable? Or is it one of those things they make you send it in for replacement? Perhaps that means some soldering skills could get the job done for a DIY person. I'm keeping my eye on this but certainly skeptical. I'd like a cheap option to take hiking, or to send with my daughter when she's old enough to start school.

P3A with Nvidia Shield K1 tablet

 

[Barnesy1965]

I'm thinking about checking out Marco Polo tracker. It has a 2 mile (3.2 km) range. Also it does not operate on Cellular so no monthly fee.

RC Model Tracking and Recovery - Pet Tracking Made Easy | Marco Polo The Pet Tracking System

System Radio Frequency Operational Specs.

• Method – Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) 50 Channels
• Band: ISM 902.5 Mhz. – 906.5 Mhz.
• License Requirements: ISM/unlicensed, operates under FCC Part 15 Section 247
• Modulation: FSK
• Single Frequency Dwell Time: 50 msec. once every 4 mins.
• Transmit Power: 250 mW
• Receiver Sensitivity: -125 dBm
• Communications Coding: Data coding and forward error correction allow the system to operate with a BER as low as 1:10, significantly improving overall system range.

System Range†

• Line of sight: up to 2 miles typical
• Open terrain, rolling hills with few obstructions: up to .5 – 1 mile
• Dense suburban areas: 2,000 ft. typical

† Ranges shown are typical under controlled testing. Your results will vary with your actual conditions.

 

[kenjancef]

If their service is only $3 per month, I'd target use that than pay $10 a month to add it to my verizon plan. I haven't looked into prepaid data plans to compare those though. I can't imagine you could beat 3 bucks though

As far as the battery, wtf, completely non removable? Or is it one of those things they make you send it in for replacement? Perhaps that means some soldering skills could get the job done for a DIY person. I'm keeping my eye on this but certainly skeptical. I'd like a cheap option to take hiking, or to send with my daughter when she's old enough to start school.

P3A with Nvidia Shield K1 tablet

I'll let you all know when I get mine in July... hopefully...

And I agree, I'd rather pay $3/month this way then add it to my cell phone plan, just another thing they can price-gouge you on... wasn't aware of the non-replaceable battery, but we'll see what they do with that...

 

[jakobe75]

I dont want to wait until July for a "maybe".
I backed The Whistle GPS thing and it didnt work out. I am a little leary of crownfunding.

I want a Tracker today!
I guess I have narrowed it down to the Trackimo or the rf-v16. I like the ability to call the rf-v16 and have it "beep". But build qaulity seems sketchy.

 

[That Cicero Guy]

I also saw an ad for this on YouTube this morning. I would really like this but I can't wait until the summer. I've had my eye on the Trackimo so I think I'm going to get that and pass this one up. I'd like to see how this performs, though.

 

[kenjancef]

I also saw an ad for this on YouTube this morning. I would really like this but I can't wait until the summer. I've had my eye on the Trackimo so I think I'm going to get that and pass this one up. I'd like to see how this performs, though.

I'm thinking (ok, hoping...) it will do well. I can wait till the summer. I won't just use it on my P3P, I'll throw it in my camera bag, and even throw it in my son's backpack or hockey bag when it's not on the P3P. We'll see...

 

[yorlik]

I'll let you all know when I get mine in July... hopefully...

And I agree, I'd rather pay $3/month this way then add it to my cell phone plan, just another thing they can price-gouge you on... wasn't aware of the non-replaceable battery, but we'll see what they do with that...

Ck t-mobile service area first! PRETTY BAD IN PLACES. NO COVERAGE AT ALL IN MY PART OF OHIO!

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[yorlik]

sorry for all caps. Darn phone.

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[FunN4lo]

There have been several colossal crowd funding failures of things too good to be true lately. This thing almost fits the too good to be true category. I have posted on their Facebook page for links to beta tester reviews (surely they have beta testers... if not red flag) but no response (red flag?) when they have responded to some other questions

 

[jakobe75]

I should win a prize for my prediction.

March-Update - Ping GPS