“Dad, where were you? I called you a hundred times but you never picked up!”
“I caught a ride to the store. I called you back when I got home.”
Many of us have had that conversation more than once with our kids, spouses, or parents. It’s not the biggest problem — unless you have a family member who requires special care or tends to wander. Dozens of apps are available to keep track of a phone’s location. They range from free to costly, so take the time to investigate what they offer and how well they fit your needs:
- Are you viewing the real-time location of the device?
- Can you access location history?
- Is it easy to use?
- Does it work on both your smartphones?
- Will it alert you if the device leaves or enters a particular area?
- Is support available 24/7?
- Is there a monthly fee?
The short descriptions in the app store leave many questions, so use your search engine to look for the product’s website.
Find My iPhone and Track My Phone apps are GPS trackers for your phone. Configuring it for your family member’s phone will allow you to find it on the mapping feature.
Glympse, Find My Friends, My Family GPS Tracker, and Tracker GPS Mobile are all free apps that fulfill many real-time tracking needs.
Pricier options that offer more features and require a separate device include iTraq, which features a fall sensor and an ambient temperature alert; and AngelSense, whose device has one- and two-way communication, alarm, location history, perimeter alerts, and email messaging.
Of course, these solutions depend on your family member remembering to take the device or smartphone with them.
The GPS SmartSole is a tracker that fits inside a special, trimmable insole you place in the person’s shoes. You might say it helps keep your peace of mind with any wandering “soles.”
