Stealthy Tracking on a Budget

You know people have spying on the brain when even the NY Times is reporting on the newest development in affordable person-and-thing tracking gadgets.

Last week, the newspaper ran an article announcing a GPS-based locater device that even amateurs can budget for. Usually 500 bucks up front, plus $50/month for service, a company called Zoombak, has figured out an 80% discount on a tracking gadget that’s pager-size, and $15/month will get you all the tracking service your spying heart desires.

Zoombak’s marketing the device as a tool that’ll help you keep track of your belongings: cars, children, your children’s pets and backpacks – you name it. A stolen car’s not a problem if it’s carrying a Zoombak, nor is a lost dog or a missing child.

Makes sense at first glance, but let’s face it – unless you have a car that tends to go missing often – you’re unlikely to outfit it with a Zoombak on the offchance it will get stolen 15 months from now, especially considering you’ll have to charge it every 3 to 4 days.

So let’s call the compact Zoombak what is it – a spy gadget, many versions of which have been employed in spy thrillers – be they books or films – for decades.

On Zoombak’s site, you can track your device on an earth map (MSFT not Google, for those who mind), but NY Times reporter and expert gadget tester David Pogue does mention the map is too small, so brush up on your zoom and pan skills. Trails mapping where the device has been over the course of time (while you’re not checking in on it) are updated every 4 hours.

You can get an email or text notification if someone’s found you out and turns off the tracker, or when it dies cos it’s run out of battery power. Other mobile perks include being able to tap in to the Zoombak’s location from your cell phone.

The Zoomback operates on T-Mobile’s network, so wherever T-Mobile service is spotty or non-existent, you can expect the same from your Zoom.

image courtesy of www.zoombak.com