Winnes 4G TK915 GPS Tracker Work Globally Strong Magnet Car
Winnes 4G TK915 GPS Tracker Work Globally Strong Magnet Car GPS Tracker Anti Theft Realtime Location Track Monitor 10000mAh Long Battery Life GPS Tracker with APP, Without Subscription Fee
Create an Account to Get a Location Tracking for Multiple Gps Trackes
- The Fleet Managers Get benefits by Creating an Account for Getting a Location Tracking for Multiple Gps Tracker
- the setup of geofences that can alert to a vehicle’s whereabouts when it leaves a certain location or boundaries.
- you can set an over-speed alarm, so you can know Adhere to safety standards with vehicle speed data
- GPS tracker can replay a route(180day ), so you can Know if a vehicle is used after business hours, helping to protect company property
Features:
- 4G GPS tracker: GPS+LBS Dual Positioning Ways & 4G with better coverage, so worldwide available
- Unlimited tracking range: it working Based on the global positioning system, no matter how far away from the target, you can track it
- Realtime GPS Tracker: you can get a 24 hours real-time location by SMS or by APP/laptop, the accuracy up to 5 meters
- 180-day History Route Playback: it records the newest 6-month history data, you can check or download it as you need
- Geo-fence: you can add multiple geo-fence alarms on APP, to monitor its movements within a district. e.g. You can set this geofence where you park your vehicle frequently, so APP will push an alarm when it gets in/ gets out of that range
- GPS tracker with long battery life: built-in 3.7V 10000mAh battery, longer battery life than other models
- car tracker with Magnetic: built-in 6pcs magnets, can be very easily installed on iron metal material
- Overspeed Alarm: set it by texting the command, or turn it on APP/WEB
- Vibration Alarm: set it by texting the command shock123456 to the GPS tracker, or turn on it on APP/WEB
- Losing Alarm: There is an anti-removal induction sensor on the back of the device. If the GPS tracker is removed or falls down, it will send “Losing alarms!”, if you don’t want this alarm, you can turn it off by covering the sensor
- APP/Web platform, without a subscription
Specification:
- size: 112 x 77 x 27mm W
- eight: 300g N
- etwork:4G LTE; 3G WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100Mhz; 2G GSM:850/900/1800/1900Mhz G
- PS sensitivity: -159dBm G
- PS accuracy: 5m W
- all charger: 110-220V input 5V-1A output
- Battery: 3.7V 10000mAh Li-ion battery
- Storage Temp.: -40°C to +85°C O
- operation Temp.: -20°C to +55°C H
- umidit: 5%–95% non-condensing
NOTE:
This gps tracker not include a sim card, you need to order one separately. you need top up the sim card, make sure you ae able to use it call/text and surfing internet.
as long as the sim card has signale, it works in this gps tracker. like Vodafone, EE, giffgaff,o2, Tesco, Lycamobile, Asda, etc.
Package
- 1x Winnes 4G GPS tracker(not include a sim card, you need to order one separately)
- 1x user manual in english
| Dimensions: | 13.1 x 10.1 x 6.2 cm; 390 Grams |
| Model: | TK915-4G |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
| Manufacture: | Changsha Yunang Network Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Dimensions: | 13.1 x 10.1 x 6.2 cm; 390 Grams |
| Origin: | China |
These are great tracking devices for the money. Very accurate and lots of options for your needs. Needed a little help setting them up but the customer services is excellent and get back to you very fast. They were a great help and made it an easy process. Highly recommend both the product and selle
These are great tracking devices for the money. Very accurate and lots of options for your needs. Needed a little help setting them up but the customer services is excellent and get back to you very fast. They were a great help and made it an easy process. Highly recommend both the product and selle
the 4G devices for safely tracking Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition Teams in various parts of the UK, including Brecon Beacons, Dartmoor, Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia and less remote areas. Accuracy is ‘spot on’ and the Latitude/Longitude coordinates can easily be copied into OS Maps app to give a UK grid reference and visual location on a 1:25000 scale OS map. Battery life has been great and can easily cover 2/3 Gold expeditions of 4 days duration each, although, we do charge them fully prior to each expedition to be on the safe side! We’ve also purchased orange 1ltr dry bags to put each tracker in, allowing for the British weather and easy location in a large rucksack. Superb service from customer support, when required. We use ‘OneSim All Networks’ SIM’s, which connect to O2, EE, Vodafone and Three, ensuring best coverage in whichever area the devices are being used.
the 4G devices for safely tracking Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition Teams in various parts of the UK, including Brecon Beacons, Dartmoor, Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia and less remote areas. Accuracy is ‘spot on’ and the Latitude/Longitude coordinates can easily be copied into OS Maps app to give a UK grid reference and visual location on a 1:25000 scale OS map. Battery life has been great and can easily cover 2/3 Gold expeditions of 4 days duration each, although, we do charge them fully prior to each expedition to be on the safe side! We’ve also purchased orange 1ltr dry bags to put each tracker in, allowing for the British weather and easy location in a large rucksack. Superb service from customer support, when required. We use ‘OneSim All Networks’ SIM’s, which connect to O2, EE, Vodafone and Three, ensuring best coverage in whichever area the devices are being used.
Instructions could be easier. But got through and it works well
Instructions could be easier. But got through and it works well
Use this to track the car or track my luggage when flying. Works great and is much more accurate than bluetooth air tags. Plus no subscription required other than investing in a mobile sim card, a cheap deal payg SIM works for me.
Use this to track the car or track my luggage when flying. Works great and is much more accurate than bluetooth air tags. Plus no subscription required other than investing in a mobile sim card, a cheap deal payg SIM works for me.
Easy to set up using web pages. Very accuarate positioning.
We purchased this in April 22 and it has done everything it is advertised to do. As well as using it in the Uk we used it in France where we were on holiday cruising and had to leave the car unattended for 2 weeks in a very open space. Having the tracker meant if the car moved we would know immediately and be able to track it This gives great peace of mind. So pleased have bought another WINNES tracker to protect another valuable possession.
We purchased this in April 22 and it has done everything it is advertised to do. As well as using it in the Uk we used it in France where we were on holiday cruising and had to leave the car unattended for 2 weeks in a very open space. Having the tracker meant if the car moved we would know immediately and be able to track it This gives great peace of mind. So pleased have bought another WINNES tracker to protect another valuable possession.
Just rec my GPS TRACKER & so far I’m very impressed, it work’s very well, I don’t know if there is supposed to be an audible alert that comes up on my phone etc but I don’t seem to get it working, other than that it’s excelle
Just rec my GPS TRACKER & so far I’m very impressed, it work’s very well, I don’t know if there is supposed to be an audible alert that comes up on my phone etc but I don’t seem to get it working, other than that it’s excelle
My one gripe is the battery life, which is only 3/4 days, however for my use (tracking luggage) this is fine and given their very small size you would expect the battery to be small anyway. This said, they can be left plugged in via USB and will just continue working, for example with a small external battery pack or hardwired into a vehicle. Just bear in mind these are cheap handy units, great for the price, but not quite the sophistication of many hundred pounds of vehicle tracking hardware.
My one gripe is the battery life, which is only 3/4 days, however for my use (tracking luggage) this is fine and given their very small size you would expect the battery to be small anyway. This said, they can be left plugged in via USB and will just continue working, for example with a small external battery pack or hardwired into a vehicle. Just bear in mind these are cheap handy units, great for the price, but not quite the sophistication of many hundred pounds of vehicle tracking hardware.
I wanted to use the vibrator alarm (to detect movement of a motorcycle) and this works well with a GIF-GAF sim card inserted in the tracker. The GPS is accurate. My smart phone is set to receive visual and audio alerts when the tracker detects movement/vibration.
All in all very good for the price
I wanted to use the vibrator alarm (to detect movement of a motorcycle) and this works well with a GIF-GAF sim card inserted in the tracker. The GPS is accurate. My smart phone is set to receive visual and audio alerts when the tracker detects movement/vibration.
All in all very good for the price
Works well with 1pmobile sim card.
There is a bit of a time lag in the real time tracking on the app, but as an additional security measure for a bike it’s perfectly adequate.
I have uploaded a video and photo of how to insert the sim card correctly, as requested by the supplier, as this can be a bit tricky.
Great little device, subtle and functional. Used a different bracket than the provided and it looks even more like a regural rear light, which is the main point. The app is functional, although there is more to be desired. Accuracy is very good and it’s only lacking in battery life but can go on for several days on charge, depending on the settings.
If you want a cheap and cheerful tracker that will not let you down, but do not expect to use it in anger very often (ie you don’t have dogs or children that habitually run off or get lost) then this is fantastic.
Pros:
Very cheap
reliable, always works, always gets a phone signal even in my village (which is terrible).
no monthly fee
uses google maps so the location is clearer to see than some, it needs no App on your phone and you can use it from ANY smart phone not just your own.
very little setup beyond putting a live SIM card (with active data) and finding it.
The google map location you are sent also shows YOU not just the tracker, so you can get a sense of how far away it is
Cons:
Does not seem to offer real-time tracking despite mentioning it in the title (true real time tracking means you can follow the blob on a map as it moves). Its possible it might be buried somewhere in the unintelligeble instructions. This would be a problem if you have a dog that goes AWOL a lot as it’s much harder to home in on something if you have to keep getting an updated location rather than seeing it move “live”. NB there are no inexpensive trackers that do this without requiring a monthly fee and contract. I did a lot of research before buying this and eventually found two that claimed to offer real-time location tracking as well as no monthly fee. One just didn’t work and the other had lied and simply did not offer real time tracking (but was double the price of this). both went back.
The charge-port cover fell off on the first one I bought after a couple of uses. Had this happened after a year I would have covered it with duct tape and carried on using it, but as it was only a few days old I sent it back. the second one was find.
There is no easy or obvious way to attach it to a dogs collar, and it’s larger and heavier than some. but I found a solution – cable tie it tightly onto the back of a harness and keep it still so it doesn’t bump around, and then use a second cable tie through the single lanyard attachment hole attached as a back up just in case first cable tie works loose. This works well even with my tiny (4kg) dogs.
The manual is totally unintelligible, but basically all you need to know is how to put the sim card in, how to find it, to charge it and what code to send to the number whenever you want a location update.
Overall, if you want a GPS as a “just in case” (one of my dogs lost sight of us in a corn field and panicked – its’ never happened before or since but this is just a reassurance) and don’t want to pay a monthly fee, this is what you need!!
If you want a cheap and cheerful tracker that will not let you down, but do not expect to use it in anger very often (ie you don’t have dogs or children that habitually run off or get lost) then this is fantastic.
Pros:
Very cheap
reliable, always works, always gets a phone signal even in my village (which is terrible).
no monthly fee
uses google maps so the location is clearer to see than some, it needs no App on your phone and you can use it from ANY smart phone not just your own.
very little setup beyond putting a live SIM card (with active data) and finding it.
The google map location you are sent also shows YOU not just the tracker, so you can get a sense of how far away it is
Cons:
Does not seem to offer real-time tracking despite mentioning it in the title (true real time tracking means you can follow the blob on a map as it moves). Its possible it might be buried somewhere in the unintelligeble instructions. This would be a problem if you have a dog that goes AWOL a lot as it’s much harder to home in on something if you have to keep getting an updated location rather than seeing it move “live”. NB there are no inexpensive trackers that do this without requiring a monthly fee and contract. I did a lot of research before buying this and eventually found two that claimed to offer real-time location tracking as well as no monthly fee. One just didn’t work and the other had lied and simply did not offer real time tracking (but was double the price of this). both went back.
The charge-port cover fell off on the first one I bought after a couple of uses. Had this happened after a year I would have covered it with duct tape and carried on using it, but as it was only a few days old I sent it back. the second one was find.
There is no easy or obvious way to attach it to a dogs collar, and it’s larger and heavier than some. but I found a solution – cable tie it tightly onto the back of a harness and keep it still so it doesn’t bump around, and then use a second cable tie through the single lanyard attachment hole attached as a back up just in case first cable tie works loose. This works well even with my tiny (4kg) dogs.
The manual is totally unintelligible, but basically all you need to know is how to put the sim card in, how to find it, to charge it and what code to send to the number whenever you want a location update.
Overall, if you want a GPS as a “just in case” (one of my dogs lost sight of us in a corn field and panicked – its’ never happened before or since but this is just a reassurance) and don’t want to pay a monthly fee, this is what you need!!
Getting two to work on the same app was tricky but their tech support were terrific and both working great.
I would definitely recommend as it’s a no monthly subscriptions are involved, just a pay as you go sim.
easy to instal but battery no so long as expected
easy to instal but battery no so long as expected
Good just battery run off when live tracking every day last nearly 10 days average tracking 8h at least you know where your motorbike!
Very accurate and easy to hide in a car for example
I do not use the cloud service from the company, only direct text queries.
The main differences between the 2G and 4G units I have found are:
* The battery does not last as long – the 2G last a couple of months the 4G a few weeks (Customer services advise this is because of the greater power demands of 4G)
* the 4G version has a ‘sleep’ function to extend battery life. When enabled the GPS is off and the 4G function is reduced to lowest operational level. When ‘sleep’ enabled, it can take 30 or 40 seconds to wake up, get a GPS reading, then send a text. You can wake the unit by sending a text or better still …
* enable the ‘shock’ setting as that will also wake the unit and automatically send a text if the bike is moved. If you chose this option then you can either disable shock before you use the bike or get a text when you do, or accept that the tracker will need more freqent charging.
Overal impression – a little bit extra setting needed to extend battery life, and some delay if sleep enabled, but given that, the 4g is just as good and useful as the 2G version and will work anywhere as 2G is phased out.
Perhaps of greater importance is the after-sales support assistance. I had a technical problem which was managed by Ada. I have no idea what her work role is, or where she is based, but the speed and effectiveness of her response was outstanding. A credit to her company and the best after-sales help I have had in recent years.
I have no connection to the company except as a purchaser, but would be happy to buy from them agai
I do not use the cloud service from the company, only direct text queries.
The main differences between the 2G and 4G units I have found are:
* The battery does not last as long – the 2G last a couple of months the 4G a few weeks (Customer services advise this is because of the greater power demands of 4G)
* the 4G version has a ‘sleep’ function to extend battery life. When enabled the GPS is off and the 4G function is reduced to lowest operational level. When ‘sleep’ enabled, it can take 30 or 40 seconds to wake up, get a GPS reading, then send a text. You can wake the unit by sending a text or better still …
* enable the ‘shock’ setting as that will also wake the unit and automatically send a text if the bike is moved. If you chose this option then you can either disable shock before you use the bike or get a text when you do, or accept that the tracker will need more freqent charging.
Overal impression – a little bit extra setting needed to extend battery life, and some delay if sleep enabled, but given that, the 4g is just as good and useful as the 2G version and will work anywhere as 2G is phased out.
Perhaps of greater importance is the after-sales support assistance. I had a technical problem which was managed by Ada. I have no idea what her work role is, or where she is based, but the speed and effectiveness of her response was outstanding. A credit to her company and the best after-sales help I have had in recent years.
I have no connection to the company except as a purchaser, but would be happy to buy from them agai
I now have three of these devices
And customer support offered to setup app so you can monitor all in one screen
Fastest customer support have eve
Great device. The support was great and fast when I asked to set up and accou
A cracking little tracker once set up and the technical support was really helpful. Just remember to activate your sim in your phone as I didn’t and it took a while to figure out why it wasn’t working. Highly recommend though now it’s working.
Good delivery. Easy instructions. Can use app or text direct to the tracker. All works perfectly. Great comms from supplier offering help and support..which i havnt needed.
Does what it’s meant to do, senses vibrations and keeps track of your cars location. Great bit of kit with excellent support.
I was pleasantly surprised that the set-up instructions were clear and easy to follow.
At first glance there are a LOT of instructions, so I read them through 3 times before beginning the installation, which definitely made the installation process easier.
I opted to use a Giffgaff/O2 SIM on a pay-as-you-go basis rather than a monthly plan as I only intend to keep the tracker active when my bike is parked in higher risk locations such as towns and cities.
The Google Play store App for this tracker is intuitive and easy to configure the various settings with the option to activate ‘live-tracking’ provided you have a GPS signal. Alternatively GPS monitoring can be every 30 seconds, or every hour, or every 24 hours.
The tracker can be configured to send an Alarm text message with Google Maps link if the bike moves from its parked location.Because he alarm is not heard by a potential thief, I have also added a separate high decibel security alarm that will startle a thief if they even attempt to move the bike. If they are successful then they can’t escape the tracker which will map their movements. A quick call to the police will quickly catch them in the act. To assist them I suggest that on your phone you should keep photos of your bike and its serial number so that it can be quickly identified.
24 hour standby mode reduces the number and cost of text messages and limits battery drain. It’s claimed that a charged battery will last 25 days but this depends upon using minimal settings on the App. The tracker sends an automatic notification when the tracker reaches 30%.
So far I’ve found the tracker to be very accurate and there hasn’t been much drain on the battery.
The tracker/light can be mounted on the bike seat post. The securing bolts are quick release with plastic knobs that can be unscrewed by finger and thumb. I personally have replaced these plastic knob screws with hex screws that require an Allan key to remove the clamp from the seat post. Whilst this won’t deter a determined and well equipped thief, it will slow them down, and it will prevent a casual opportunistic thief.
BEWARE!
The mounting bracket is plastic NOT metal but plastic! A few days after installing the tracker on my bike seat post I found it broken on my shed floor. I contacted the Seller through Amazon Customer Support but the Seller could not provide a replacement. They advised me to buy a GO PRO bracket.
This tracker itself is a great piece of kit that gives peace of mind when used in conjunction with other security measures such as a good quality police approved bike lock. BUT the plastic bracket needs to be replaced by a metal bracket that won’t be easily broken by a thief.
I was pleasantly surprised that the set-up instructions were clear and easy to follow.
At first glance there are a LOT of instructions, so I read them through 3 times before beginning the installation, which definitely made the installation process easier.
I opted to use a Giffgaff/O2 SIM on a pay-as-you-go basis rather than a monthly plan as I only intend to keep the tracker active when my bike is parked in higher risk locations such as towns and cities.
The Google Play store App for this tracker is intuitive and easy to configure the various settings with the option to activate ‘live-tracking’ provided you have a GPS signal. Alternatively GPS monitoring can be every 30 seconds, or every hour, or every 24 hours.
The tracker can be configured to send an Alarm text message with Google Maps link if the bike moves from its parked location.Because he alarm is not heard by a potential thief, I have also added a separate high decibel security alarm that will startle a thief if they even attempt to move the bike. If they are successful then they can’t escape the tracker which will map their movements. A quick call to the police will quickly catch them in the act. To assist them I suggest that on your phone you should keep photos of your bike and its serial number so that it can be quickly identified.
24 hour standby mode reduces the number and cost of text messages and limits battery drain. It’s claimed that a charged battery will last 25 days but this depends upon using minimal settings on the App. The tracker sends an automatic notification when the tracker reaches 30%.
So far I’ve found the tracker to be very accurate and there hasn’t been much drain on the battery.
The tracker/light can be mounted on the bike seat post. The securing bolts are quick release with plastic knobs that can be unscrewed by finger and thumb. I personally have replaced these plastic knob screws with hex screws that require an Allan key to remove the clamp from the seat post. Whilst this won’t deter a determined and well equipped thief, it will slow them down, and it will prevent a casual opportunistic thief.
BEWARE!
The mounting bracket is plastic NOT metal but plastic! A few days after installing the tracker on my bike seat post I found it broken on my shed floor. I contacted the Seller through Amazon Customer Support but the Seller could not provide a replacement. They advised me to buy a GO PRO bracket.
This tracker itself is a great piece of kit that gives peace of mind when used in conjunction with other security measures such as a good quality police approved bike lock. BUT the plastic bracket needs to be replaced by a metal bracket that won’t be easily broken by a thief.
The aftersales technical support is brilliant. The tracker is a handy size and can be stored anywhere inside the vehicle. The battery life is good, mine typically lasts over 3 weeks on a full charge. Very cheap to run.
The tracker works fine. I have two. One for each classic car that I own. Setting up is slightly confusing but there are videos on YouTube plus you can contact the seller for support via WhatsApp and she is super helpful.
Sturdy, works well, strong magnets.
Most of the time it does not trigger when entering the van or slamming the door.
Needs charging monthly but that doesn’t bother me.
The app is great too. We can have several adults phones/tablets monitoring the live location of many trackers, and can drill down into the route history if we need to work out where they have been. The app is light on phone battery usage too.
We have several of the 2G trackers, and several 4G. I haven’t spotted any difference in reliability between them.
This device gets switched on by inserting the sim card – pressing down until it latches in place. This can be tricky to do. My fingers are too wide for the tiny slot, and with a tool it is difficult to judge if it has been pressed down far enough. So it is best to do this once at home, and then we leave it running for a whole trip.
At first I wasn’t sure what was going on, then I figured to contact their tech support. I later released the sim I have bought from 1p Mobile took forever to activate it.
Ada from the support team was very helpful and explained what needs to happen first.
Once the sim was activated just followed the instructions and everything worked like a charm, Tracker location was pretty precise. I still need to do further testing. However, I’m confident there will be no other issues. If any problems I know I can always reach out to their tech support.
Having someone their to hold your hands and guide you if any tech related problems is the icing on the cake!
I wouldn’t hesitate buying it again if required or recommend to the family and friends.
This tracker is perfect!
I’m an anxious person and get especially anxious about riding / leaving my bike in places in London, and this tracker really gives me the peace of mind and confidence to take my bike out (my bike is really beautiful, a mint Pendleton – people always comment on it)
I tell EVERYONE about this tracker – from my friends, to the staff at Halfords. I’m really a fan of this device. It’s small, inconspicuous and functional – the Halfords team were so impressed.
I should also add the support is incredible!
I changed my password and then forgot it and was able to use whatapp to contact the retailer to reset it!
Honestly, if you value your bike / or whatever you’re thinking to use this for, this small investment is worth it.
Other things – battery is great, the tracker puts itself to sleep at home and wakes up as I move it.
I like to use the ‘historical route’ feature to measure my distances travelled, for fitness. It’s quite validating to see how far you’ve ridden in a day.
Lastly, about the set up – it’s very easy. I know experiences aren’t universal; so some may struggle, however I found the instructions clear – for both texts alerts – which give you coordinates AND a Google maps street view of where your bike is! and the app.
10/10
This product is very good to track your car it works very well. The only thing is the instructions not very clear but when you get technical support by sending an email to the company they are very quick answering considering they are in a different country. They normally answer within 24 hours.
This is a great tracker. Once a mobile card is inserted and the app downloaded, the tracker can be followed virtually free. I’ve used it for over a year, and the batteries last approx 4-5 weeks if minimal live data is used.
The magnet is strong, there’s been no fall-offs.
All in all, no complaints, just praise, specially for Ada, the tech support who is always courteous and very helpful.
This is an excellent tracker, it details where it is now, gives live tracking, allows various activation settings, records travel history etc. It is easy to set up, alter settings, charge the internal battery (which can last for ages depending on how you set it up), insert the ‘pay as you go’ sim, view on your smart phone and PC.
I was suspicious that when I took my Bentley for a service one time, she had a few more miles on her than was necessary when I got her back – now I can always check where she has been when not in my hands.
Very pleased with this tracker. It sends itself to sleep when nothing is happening but instantly wakes up when someone opens the doors and gets in to the vehicle. I was surprised at how accurate the positioning is, often showing the correct bay in the car park! Another reviewer recommended a SIM from 1pmobile so I purchased one and it is costing pennies or less a day. Biggest problem is deciding where to hide the tracker!
A year or so ago I bought one of these (2G) and was a bit unsure how good it would be at the price. I needn’t have worried, it was quite impressive. So much so that I bought two more for other vehicles.
I have been impressed with the accuracy and reliability (so far almost a year and a half). I have checked locations many times over and found that it was pretty much spot on every time, only occassionally showing my vehicle to be at a next door property! I have also tracked one of my vehicles on the app when my son borrowed it and was ready watching as he got back to my home through real time tracking. I didn’t tell him I knew what speed he was doing all the while 😉
Cannot express how good value these are for the money compared to big brand, monitored tracking systems. Once purchased the only ongoing cost is for a cheap SIM card.
If only I’d had one a few years ago when my car was stolen. I’m convinced I’d have got it back instead of all the problems and insurance costs for total loss. I’m sure it would have paid for itself several times over.
I’ve had to use Ada’s services to set the trackers up on a single account on the app for me and found him really helpful and speedy. Also prompt on answering questions.
Recently bought a 4G model as I was going to France and I understand Europe is phasing out 2G much faster than UK is.
Out of interest, at first I recharged the trackers periodically and had no issues with how long a charge lasted, I have since connected mine to permanent power supply so now just forget them. It has also allowed me to place them in extremely safe places should anyone want to try and find them.
How can I see the battrey level?
How can I monitor voice/sound picked up by the unit?
WELL IMPRESSED WITH THE TRACKER ,, VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD TO USE AS I AM A TECHNO PHOBE ,, BOUGHT ITEM TO GIVE PEACE OF MIND FOR A CAMPER VAN WHICH IS SELDOM USED,, THE PHONE APP IS EASY TO USE AND HAS BEEN VERY ACCURATE ,, PAY AS U GO SIM CARD HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ,, NO EXPENSIVE SUBS ,, BATTERY HAS BEEN GOOD WHICH U CAN CHECK ON THE APP ,, I TOP THE BATTERY UP EVERY FEW WEEKS ,, I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS ITEM .
I have purchased two of these. Initial setup was quiet easy thanks to the manual. Everything clearly explained. Very friendly tech support linked both devices into one account so I can track then both from one app.
Very accurate device. Long battery life… You can set up a geo fence to let the device move in some area only. Easy to use and well build. There’s a magnetic base so you can put it anywhere and attached to a metal surface easily.
Overall this is a great tracker. Highly recommended.
Will go for more in the future definitely.
And also great customer service. Any problems you can contact them via WhatsApp or email. Quick response considering different time zone. Always happy to help.
Overall very happy with this item. Setup isn’t too difficult but does take thorough reading. I used a giffgaff sim with 10 top up and this should last a good length of time. 1 issue I did come across was for the notifications to come through on your phone from the android app you need to allow the app to run in the background otherwise you won’t get any audible notification. If you don’t want any sms updates then don’t add your admin number. It can be quite costly if you get sms alerts aswell as app alerts. Overall very happy with the product and I would definitely recommend to anybody.
Some of the criticisms in other reviews about the instructions not being clear are fair but, personally, I found enough information in there (plus a few on-line searches) for me to know what I needed to do to set it up. One thing I wish I’d known during the set up is the that SIM card needs to be pushed in quite a long way – I needed to use some tweezers to get it in far enough for it to work.
I went for the GiffGaff 6 per month plan but I might look at moving to PAYG at some point if it looks a lot cheaper. From what I can see there is not much in it.
I found it easy to set up. Once it is up and running you can either use the app to control settings and set up things like the Geo-fence for example, or you can just text instructions to the tracker directly (which, in my experience, seem to get implemented a bit quicker). I might have misunderstood something, but from what I can work out the app doesn’t allow you to control all of the potential the settings – from what I can see some of them (like “move alarm” which I want to use) have to be controlled by text. It would have saved me quite a lot of time if I’d known that.
It has loads of potential functions but what I wanted from a tracker was:
1. For it to alert me if someone tried to force their way into my van (“sensor alarm”)
2. Alert me if the van starts moving when its not meant to (“move alarm”)
3. If I get back to a car park and find its gone, to allow me to see where it is on Google maps (“check”)
Reviewers seem to have different experiences on battery life. To me its a bit like having a guard dog: You don’t need it on its feet 24/7 standing by your gate. You just need it to wake up and bark when someone tries to open the gate or climb over your wall.
It seems to me the logic is the same here. All of the above events will wake the tracker up and it will send you a text alert. I’ve set mine (GPS Mode Settings) at 12 hours and I’ve turned the LEDs off, which means it is “sleeping” most of the time. My battery has dropped about 10% in two weeks which I’m happy with. People getting two or three days out of the battery before needing a re-charge must be using different settings to me.
I think, as an extra line of defence, its amazing value for money and I’d certainly recommend it.
Well built and tracks well. Not very accurate on the road. Mapping point to point but not on the road.
Brilliant device. Once you get to grips with the setup, it works like magic. My only issue was changing the alert tone, which is done in Android Settings, Sound & Vibration, Sound – not in App Settings.
Battery longevity is fine – just remember it’s designed for stationary anti-theft and not constant tracking – tracking is a battery drain. So, put it on your motorhome and forget it, but don’t track your own movements when on the road – unless you want a shorter battery life. When stationary, the device will go into sleep mode after about 5 minutes, but will wake up if any of the alarm triggers are activated by a thief (motion, vibration, exiting a geolocation), thus saving battery life.
The battery indicator on the app goes down in 10% increments, so don’t be alarmed if you think it’s draining quickly – it isn’t.
Realistically, the battery for the Winnes TK905 black tracker lasts about 4 weeks before needing to charge, which is fair since I use it for delivery work.
It does what it says in description, but I haven’t tried any functions other than real time text tracking yet, since that is good enough for me.
For me, it was to make sure I can easily find my kids if I have to stop for whatever reason and they are already around the corner. But for sure a GPS tracker can be useful if you bike the stolen.
There are many GPS trackers on the market and they all work very similarly:
They connect to the mobile network as a mobile phone does (that is why the tracker needs his own SIM) and transmit the GPS location to an app.
As you can imagine the device size and the battery life are key.
In my case, I was looking for a device to permanently fix at the bicycle to make sure I do not forget the tracker at home.
During my tracker research, I came across the “Winnes GPS Bike Tracker Anti Theft”.
The tracker looks like a backlight and does not need with an overpriced subscription as many of the trackers.
A “pay as you go SIM” does the job perfectly.
The device is quite cheap and I was indeed a bit of a risk to buy it.
Here is my review after 2 months of use:
Compared to a cateye backlight in this price range, the Winnes GPS Bike Tracker looks cheaper and it is huge.
The light power is quite low but does the job for short evening rides in the park.
However, the tracker looks like a backlight and a thief will not recognise it as a GPS tracker and smash it.
The tracker comes with attachments (see photos).
As I needed to have the tracker permanently fixed I replaced the screws to make sure a tool is needed to steal the light.
Setting up the tracker is quite an adventure as the guide looks very confusing.
Here a quick guide:
– Buy a pay as you go SIM card
– Put the SIM card into a phone and save the number in your address book.
– Disable the SIM Pin code
– Take the SIM card out of your phone and place it as shown on the photo into the Winnes GPS Bike Tracker.
– Make sure the tracker is fully charged
– Wait till the device has a GPS signal
– Send an SMS to your tracker with this content: G123456#
– You should get an answer with Battery status and the location. Don’t worry if the location is a factory in China – it will change later.
– Search on google for the APN setting. As I am using a Tesco SIM the APN are: APN: prepay.tesco-mobile.com Username: tescowap
Password: password
– Now send in total three SMS to your tracker: APN123456 prepay.tesco-mobile.com, APNuser123456 tescowap and APNpasswd password.
– The device will send you a confirmation SMS
– Search for the app WINNIES GPS and install it.
– Open the app and make sure your select Login by ID (and not username)
– Check the sticker on the device and enter the ID and the password 123456 (not the APN password)
– Now you should be able to see your tracker. If not send another SMS with the text G123456# to check the status.
The app is in early-stage development and needs a bit of practice.
Under “Issue command” you find several nice features like turn the LED off and save SOS numbers. Those SOS numbers will get a Help! SMS as soon the button on the device is pressed.
Overall I am impressed by the value for the money.
If you are looking for a cheap solution to track your bike the Winnies is the product to go for. The setup needs a bit of time but if you are a bit a techie it is a quick (and fun) thing to do. And if you get stuck the WhatsApp help chat is very friendly.
For me, it was to make sure I can easily find my kids if I have to stop for whatever reason and they are already around the corner. But for sure a GPS tracker can be useful if you bike the stolen.
There are many GPS trackers on the market and they all work very similarly:
They connect to the mobile network as a mobile phone does (that is why the tracker needs his own SIM) and transmit the GPS location to an app.
As you can imagine the device size and the battery life are key.
In my case, I was looking for a device to permanently fix at the bicycle to make sure I do not forget the tracker at home.
During my tracker research, I came across the “Winnes GPS Bike Tracker Anti Theft”.
The tracker looks like a backlight and does not need with an overpriced subscription as many of the trackers.
A “pay as you go SIM” does the job perfectly.
The device is quite cheap and I was indeed a bit of a risk to buy it.
Here is my review after 2 months of use:
Compared to a cateye backlight in this price range, the Winnes GPS Bike Tracker looks cheaper and it is huge.
The light power is quite low but does the job for short evening rides in the park.
However, the tracker looks like a backlight and a thief will not recognise it as a GPS tracker and smash it.
The tracker comes with attachments (see photos).
As I needed to have the tracker permanently fixed I replaced the screws to make sure a tool is needed to steal the light.
Setting up the tracker is quite an adventure as the guide looks very confusing.
Here a quick guide:
– Buy a pay as you go SIM card
– Put the SIM card into a phone and save the number in your address book.
– Disable the SIM Pin code
– Take the SIM card out of your phone and place it as shown on the photo into the Winnes GPS Bike Tracker.
– Make sure the tracker is fully charged
– Wait till the device has a GPS signal
– Send an SMS to your tracker with this content: G123456#
– You should get an answer with Battery status and the location. Don’t worry if the location is a factory in China – it will change later.
– Search on google for the APN setting. As I am using a Tesco SIM the APN are: APN: prepay.tesco-mobile.com Username: tescowap
Password: password
– Now send in total three SMS to your tracker: APN123456 prepay.tesco-mobile.com, APNuser123456 tescowap and APNpasswd password.
– The device will send you a confirmation SMS
– Search for the app WINNIES GPS and install it.
– Open the app and make sure your select Login by ID (and not username)
– Check the sticker on the device and enter the ID and the password 123456 (not the APN password)
– Now you should be able to see your tracker. If not send another SMS with the text G123456# to check the status.
The app is in early-stage development and needs a bit of practice.
Under “Issue command” you find several nice features like turn the LED off and save SOS numbers. Those SOS numbers will get a Help! SMS as soon the button on the device is pressed.
Overall I am impressed by the value for the money.
If you are looking for a cheap solution to track your bike the Winnies is the product to go for. The setup needs a bit of time but if you are a bit a techie it is a quick (and fun) thing to do. And if you get stuck the WhatsApp help chat is very friendly.
The setup is not as simple as the instructions make out, but technical support (Ada) helps right away and she is VERY GOOD all up and working with 5 minutes of assistance (WhatsApp).
Insert SIM, send a few SMS and you have the device working.
Not sure about battery life yet…. It works with SMS (SIM Card) and GPS using the App I have iPhone and it works flawlessly
Great value for money and highly recommended!
Ignore other reviews, this was simplicity itself to set up! Really easy!! It is reliable, accurate and records each trip made in its history Battery life I’ve found is more than adequate. A full 100% charge lasted a full month and it gave me a phone text to say it was down to 20% charge! Anyone who has a problem with that just isn’t being realistic? Tech support is fast and reliable, even from China! (British Companies could learn from this one!). Got a sim from Tesco and it’s cost me 79p for a whole months usage. I just cannot find fault with either the product, or the Company that provides it. Fully recommend this item if you’re in the market for a good, reliable, effective tracker unit.
They seem well made, with several different fitting options.Everything is included in the box.
I have only just set them up and but felt compelled to write a review because the customer service has been phenomenal.
Before buying on Amazon, I read a lot of reviews and came across the email at the Buyer in China, for a lady named Ada. So I emailed her with a few questions and she came back the same day with very helpful replies. So I decided to order, although Amazon was saying deliver in several weeks, presumable coming from China. So I emailed Ada with my disappointment and she arranged for them to be despatched from a local UK Amazon warehouse, arriving in about three days!
They require a Micro SIM that supports 2G, not all providers support 2G, so check with whom you get it from before getting it! I got mine, PAYG, from Vodafone, as my mobiles are with them.
A couple of pointers not clear in the instructions, although they are pretty comprehensive..
Remember to top up the SIM BEFORE setting up the Tracker, I did for one but forgot for the other, then wondered why I was having issues!
Each SIM provider seems to require different APN commands to set up their SIM, this is not totally clear from the in-box instructions. So if you buy from Amazon UK, then email [email protected] for the exact commands for your SIM. After you have sent the APN commands to the SIM, You’ll need to remove the SIM from the Tracker then put it back in, this restarts the Tracker, which is a necessary step, also not clear from the in-box instructions.
I also wanted to track both Trackers from one App, so I asked Ada for help. Indeed she actually set it all up for me. The App seems very accurate in showing the location of the Tracker.
If you need ANY help, then do contact Ada, as she was so very helpful and patient with me, above and beyond.
If the product performs is as good as the support, then I’m very happy with my purchases.
Great product for the price.
Compatible with way more simcards as well.
Roaming will most likely not work but for longer stay in country you can always buy prepaid simcard and update for apn / user / pwn.
Pretty precise as well and geofence working ok.
Sometimes gets buggy if relies only on gsm signal where no gps is available but that is ok. Depends on the mobile signal and its strength / quality.
Happy with the product!
It was a little difficult to set up, although I think that was in part due to using a new payg sim from giffgaff and the time to get it activated. The instructions need rereading a few times to make sure you have them correctly, but they do tell you how to get it going. The thing to bear in mind that they do NOT cover, is the light is next to the sim slot, and only lights up when you put the sim in.
Size of the unit, this thing is immense. Fills my hand, and I’m 6’2″. Great for anything larger than a motorcycle, but actually surprisingly difficult to attach to an appropriate place on a motorcycle. Bear this in mind if that is your intended use.
I am unable to get geofencing working, the app says it is active, but says the gps is inactive. It hasn’t notified me any time I have moved it out of the geofence, and I tried different sizes of fence (down to 100 metres which is the smallest above 0 you can set). Just cannot get this to work.
On the positive side, the GPS location when I text and get the reply, is accurate to within a few metres. The link in the reply takes you to google maps, which shows you via an arrow exactly where the unit is located. The text also tells you the last time it was checked, so you know the precise time the unit was at that location. I tested the text/reply/link in multiple locations, and it was fast and accurate every time.
Battery life seems to be pretty long, although 3 months is a stretch. After 7 days it is down to 90%, which would appear to mean approx 10 weeks til flat, but we shall see.
Magnet attaching is strong, I have ridden it over some bumpy roads, it hasn’t shifted a mm, although I have it on the top of a part rather than on the bottom, so I’m not sure the limits of it. I can say I am happy with the performance so far. The unit has also been rained on a few times, once quite heavily, and is working perfectly well.
Overall, I am relatively happy and would purchase more, but NOT for a motorcycle. A smaller unit would be more suitable for that, I feel.
I bought this as a back up tracker, basic tracking and alerts but it does everything is says plus more. Setting up takes a few minutes (need to set APN, etc) but info is provided or can be googled. I stuck a Giff Gaff SIM in and I get shock alerts via SMS, positional alerts on demand via SMS, and real time tracking via the app, along with a timeline history if needed. I work in the Telematics industry and although this isn’t the most complicated tracker it delivers on everything it says! Battery is long life too. Ideal as a fit and forget monitoring tracker, or for a caravan, boat etc, where the long battery life would come into it’s own (just remember to charge it for 10 hours first) Would recommend!
The tracker feels robust with a tight rubber cover around the SIM card/charging port so hopefully no water ingress.
To set up follow these steps:
Firstly register the SIM card in your phone, top up with credit and transfer SIM to the tracker.
1 – Text “admin123456” followed by a space and your working mobile phone number. Don’t write “space”.
EG: admin123456 07738xxxxxx
2 – tracker will reply.
3 – Text g123456# for google map location, battery, co-ordinates etc.
If you want to use the app for real time maps and set up alarms, download Winnes gps app from the play store.
Then….
Google apn settings for whatever network you are using (in my case it is an asda sim).
1 – text “gprs123456”.
2 – tracker reply.
3 – text “apn123456(space)everywhere.
4 – tracker will reply.
5 – text “apnuser123456(space)eesecure.
6 – tracker will reply.
7 – apnpasswd123456(space)secure.
8 – tracker will reply.
Eject and re-insert SIM in to tracker to reset. Now the app will be working and linked to tracker 🙂
Ada is available on WhatsApp and was very helpful in helping me set up!
Not had the time to test battery life yet but initial impressions look good.
**UPDATE**: Battery life seems pretty poor. Currently at 30% after 2 weeks 🙁
I’m am generally happy with this now that I’ve had it running for a couple of months.
The battery life is definitely only about 1 month from full charge not 3 as stated (but NOTE that there is one available with a larger battery which I would have bought had I been aware of it). I have mine set to SMS me on vibration alert and the vehicle only commutes twice a day for about 10 mins each time so I don’t consider that I’m causing a high activation load for the GPS to drain the battery quickly.
I set my phone up so it would play an alarm whenever it receives a text from the tracker which is nice (by adding the tracker as a contact and setting a custom alert tone). Over the past two months it appears to have cost about 5 per month to send me text alerts (using the suggested GiffGaff sim card on PAYG, however GiffGaff have now doubled all PAYG prices (10p per SMS) so it’s not going to be particularly cheap from here on out.)
The TKStar GPS app runs fine on my Android phone. It does crash out every now and again but generally I am happy with it. What is a bit clunky is that the app must be logged in to the My TKStar website in order for it to work, so you will be using mobile data on your phone, and you will only get alarms to go off if you are currently running the app on your phone. What appears to happen is that the tracker sends its location and alarm details direct to the website, then the app checks the website to see if it has received any updates from the tracker. The app then sounds the relevant alarm. I’ve found in general practice that this is fairly efficient but has a delay of about 30 seconds to a minute before you are alarmed about the vehicle exiting/entering any zones you have defined.
Looking around the web I found that the tracker does have a microphone in it which means that it is (potentially) possible to listen to anyone speaking near to the tracker. I contacted the manufacturer who said that it had to be disabled for sale through amazon (which is a shame as audio from any thieves would be useful) but I can understand the privacy issues for doing so. I was told that items purchased directly from the manufacturer do not have the mic disabled though.
For the price I think this is a great device and, having bought 3 of them, I would definitely buy another one if the need arises.
I’m am generally happy with this now that I’ve had it running for a couple of months.
The battery life is definitely only about 1 month from full charge not 3 as stated (but NOTE that there is one available with a larger battery which I would have bought had I been aware of it). I have mine set to SMS me on vibration alert and the vehicle only commutes twice a day for about 10 mins each time so I don’t consider that I’m causing a high activation load for the GPS to drain the battery quickly.
I set my phone up so it would play an alarm whenever it receives a text from the tracker which is nice (by adding the tracker as a contact and setting a custom alert tone). Over the past two months it appears to have cost about 5 per month to send me text alerts (using the suggested GiffGaff sim card on PAYG, however GiffGaff have now doubled all PAYG prices (10p per SMS) so it’s not going to be particularly cheap from here on out.)
The TKStar GPS app runs fine on my Android phone. It does crash out every now and again but generally I am happy with it. What is a bit clunky is that the app must be logged in to the My TKStar website in order for it to work, so you will be using mobile data on your phone, and you will only get alarms to go off if you are currently running the app on your phone. What appears to happen is that the tracker sends its location and alarm details direct to the website, then the app checks the website to see if it has received any updates from the tracker. The app then sounds the relevant alarm. I’ve found in general practice that this is fairly efficient but has a delay of about 30 seconds to a minute before you are alarmed about the vehicle exiting/entering any zones you have defined.
Looking around the web I found that the tracker does have a microphone in it which means that it is (potentially) possible to listen to anyone speaking near to the tracker. I contacted the manufacturer who said that it had to be disabled for sale through amazon (which is a shame as audio from any thieves would be useful) but I can understand the privacy issues for doing so. I was told that items purchased directly from the manufacturer do not have the mic disabled though.
For the price I think this is a great device and, having bought 3 of them, I would definitely buy another one if the need arises.
This item does what is claimed apart from the battery life.
After 11 months of use the battery is down to less than thirty percent in a week, despite being in sleep mode most of the time.
The vibration alarm sometimes goes off for no apparent reason, although sensitivity can be adjusted.
Backup from Ada at the Yunang shop was impressive.
I would still recommend this, because for the price it gives me peace of mind in my campervan conversion, where it is discretely tucked away out of sight. The Giffgaff sim has not been topped up since first installing, so works out very economical.
And then it just worked. app and www work for tracking and playback of tracks. There are quite a few other options but these can be confusing or unecessary. But tracking works. Looks like an excellent unit so far.
Excellent tool, use it daily on my motorbike, and already alerted me twice, once for an attempted robbery, the other when a car parked and “bumped” into it….
No 3 months batterry, but I would say a good solid months, maybe a bit more. I guess it all depends of how much do you use your vehicule and keep waking it out of sleep mode..
Slap a giff-gaff simcard in it, add normal credit, set it up in a way that you get notifications through the app only ( as opposed to “by text” too), and it will indeed cost you about 30p / month,
Generally speaking, amazing tool for the value, increased peace of mind, at a very resonable price.
It has been in place now for 24 hours battery still at 100%, I didn’t realise but there is an app as well.
SO far I am very pleased with this product and the support that comes with it, I have had trackers in the past and paid over 300 for them plus a monthly subscription, this is far better.
Lets hope it continues to function as it has so far.
For the running cost to be ultra low USE THE APP ONLY do not tell the device any phone numbers or it will text you and this will cost you 5p each time. Buy the 1p giffgaff sim for it. Activate the sim as pay as you go FIRST topup with 10, put it in an unlocked mobile phone to confirm activation with WiFi switched off, check you have data connectivity using your phone via the sim. Remove the sim and put into the tracker using the sim size adapter if needed. Note your sim phone number and the number on the back of the tracker you will need these.
Access Point Name or APN is the key to this tracker once set in the tracker that’s it. You do it by texting the tracker 3 commands, yes this will cost 3x5p for initial setup but then no more texts need to be sent. The app will take over using data only. For giffgaff use your mobile and text this to the trackers sim number:
gprs123456 it will reply gprs OK,
then text apn123456 giffgaff.com it will reply apn ok,
finally text apnuser123456 it will reply apnuser ok.
Install the TKSTAR GPS app on your phone login as the instructions say using the number you noted from the back of the tracker.
Tap the issue icon on the app change ‘GPS work mode setting’ to every hour or 12hrs this is what saves you the money by using very small amounts of data.
The vibration alarm was useless for me as it kept activating to much so I turned it off (every time a car went past my car). Each alarm is a small piece of data just set a geofence area and this will serve you well.
I did not register any admin phone number or any phone numbers otherwise it will ring/text you with any alert at 5p per time and the app takes care of this when you select the option in the app.
Battery life I cannot tell yet as only had it for one week its still on 90%.
I have observed the device will go offline between the track interval you set 1hr or 12hr. If it detects movement it wakes up and sends its location to the app I think this is to save battery power.
Its a great device and the way I am using it costs next to nothing in my opinion its the best way to use it.
Hope this helps click ‘helpful’ below if it was.
10/04/2019 update: battery lasts 2 months for me as when you drive the tracker wakes up and sends data to the app.
Saw this on offer last week, such a great device. Was very easy to set up with a Tesco pay as you go SIM. I’ve connected the GPS to my phone via the Android App and that works great! Found out there is the online site too mytkstar dot net which works really well also. I had some questions that got answered straightaway by the seller. Great bit of kit, well needed for piese of mind!
While I do not believe that the 3 months battery life is correct it does have a very impressive battery life (I am getting about a month between charges)
I love this thing, when the app works its great and if someone jogs my motorcycle I get an alarm go off on my phone…..but there is the issue…its when the app works, a lot of times the app simply doesnt bother to let you know the alarm has gone off, add to that some horrible choices in UI flow and user control and I can not give the device 5 stars.
still its very accurate, easy to install, small enough to tuck in anywhere and has an impressive battery life so it gets 4 stars 🙂
Cheers
Nick
It should serve its function though it has not been theft tested so who knows what happen when the car is taken against my will. Fingers x.
What I then found was it wouldn’t work in the tracker. I think possibly because the tracker actually uses 2G for its communication and Three don’t have a 2G network, only 3G and 4G. So, taking advice direct from the instruction manual I ordered a Tesco PAYG SIM. With this my plan was to put 10 of credit on it (the minimum allowed in one top up) and let the tracker just work it’s way through the credit. I would expect it would work for 3 or 4 months on that much (depending how much I use it).
Unfortunately, Tesco decided to take my 10 and sign me up to monthly payments of 10, giving me 2GB of data a month!? A quick 5 minute phone call and this had been corrected and I was moved to their ‘light plan’ which would let me use the credit as I expected.
So with the SIM now working (I recommend using it in your phone until you can see for sure it’s working. Also recommend get the Tesco Mobile App installed, log in using a PIN that is text to you and then you’re logged in for good) I put it back in the tracker and proceeded with the setup instructions. Following the instructions to the letter, texting various codes to the tracker and now getting confirmation replies from it, I was able to set up the APN (Access Point Name) for the Tesco phone network. This will allow the tracker to use Tesco’s data network to regularly report in it’s location.
Now I can install the app from the Play Store (or App Store if you’re on iOS) and connect to my tracker, using the numbers on the underside of the tracker. This allows me to open the app up and monitor its location in real time. The alternative being, you call the tracker (using the number you got with your Tesco SIM) and on hearing the voice mail, hang up. Within 10 seconds you’ll get a text message with a Google Maps link, showing exactly where the tracker is.
With the connection working, next comes installing the tracker in the car. It is of course entirely up to you where to fit the tracker, but it’s quite handy that it has a magnetic case, so in theory you can stick it to the underside of your car should you wish. I’ve hidden mine within the car and it has no issues reporting back it’s GPS location from within the car, which is a relief.
Using the app I can now keep an eye my car’s location. I can set various other options like a geofence, which means as the car leaves the area, I get an alert letting me know. I can set up multiple geofences, so one for home, one for work, maybe one for the pub if you so wish.
There’s also a vibration alarm that can be turned on, a low battery alarm (although the app will show you the battery percentage any time you open it) as well as speed alarms.
The manufacturers claim the 5,000mAh battery in the tracker will last 3 months on one charge, which sounds pretty good to me. It should then charge up in only 2 or 3 hours, which in theory you could do with a microUSB charger in your car, on a long journey. It wouldn’t be that hard to hard wire the power input if you prefer, then you can just forget about it!
There is also an option to view your movement history. This could be handy to see routes you’ve taken, or perhaps to check up on your local garage, to see if they went anywhere they shouldn’t have!
As for running costs. In two days I used 41p of my Tesco Mobile credit. So quick maths tells me this means I will need to top up every 50 days, so around 70 a year. This could be reduced by turning down the ‘checking in’ frequency of the tracker. For me, I had it updating its location every hour. Unfortunately, the only other option (aside every 30 seconds) was every 12 hours, which seems a little long.
All in all I’m quite impressed with it. Only time will tell how reliable it is, but essentially trackers that you buy from firms for hundreds of pounds are very simple devices, just like this cheap one, that report back their location every now and then. I know they say you get what you pay for, with the big tracking firms that’s usually the service. If you’re happy enough dealing with this yourself through your own phone, this could be a good option for you.
The reason for not giving it 5 stars is because of the app. It won’t run in the background, so you can’t set up live alerts, etc through the app – you can only do so via SMS which works very well but can be costly. I’ve used other apps with cheaper children’s watches where I can set up geofencing and other parameters which provide live alerts via the app. This app should be able to do the same.
Having said that, I still highly recommend it because the hardware really is very good, and if you’re happy to receive alerts via SMS then it’s fantastic.