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rickey939 · Apr 14, 2006, 12:25 PM

http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/04...rint/index.php

Sprint helps parents keep tabs on their kids
By John Blau, IDG News Service

For some kids with overprotective parents, maybe owning a cell phone won’t be so cool after all. Sprint Nextel Corp. launched a service on Thursday allowing parents to track their children with the help of GPS (Global Positioning System) technology embedded in their children’s mobile phones.

The service, called Sprint Family Locator, is one of many location-based services that mobile phone operators worldwide are introducing to tap new revenue streams. It also meets a basic need of parents who are concerned about their children’s safety and want to know their whereabouts.

When a parent or guardian requests the child’s location, Sprint Family Locator uses GPS to pinpoint the location and display it on an interactive map, along with the street address and surrounding landmarks, on the parent’s or guardian’s mobile phone or PC. The child is notified by a text message each time his or her location is provided to the parent or guardian, ensuring open communication.

Sprint follows The Walt Disney Co., which last week unveiled a mobile service designed to allow parents not only to monitor their children’s locations but also control their mobile phone use.

In Europe, Communic8 Ltd. rolled out one of the continent’s first mobile tracking services for children in 2004, with the launch of its specially designed Mymo phone.

The Sprint service costs US$9.99 per month.

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Hmmm, thoughts on this?

Goldfinger · Apr 14, 2006, 12:36 PM

Parents who need to track their children with a GPS device are bad parents who don't communicate with their children and shouldn't be allowed to have children in the first place.

Ghoser777 · Apr 14, 2006, 12:58 PM

Just as bad as calling the house where your kid is supposedly at to make sure your kid is really there (as well as an adult).

 · Apr 14, 2006, 01:12 PM

If used responsibly I think this could be a very good thing. For instance, if you told the child how it worked and only used it if the child was late and/or not where they said they'd be, I don't see an issue.

And I like that Sprint notifies the child that the service has been used.

zmcgill · Apr 14, 2006, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by 

And I like that Sprint notifies the child that the service has been used.

Definitely, that is a vital part. This feature will most likely be useful, like someone said, to find kids if they're late, etc. But any smart kid will drop his phone off at a friend's house before he goes out to wherever.

rickey939 · Apr 14, 2006, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

But any smart kid will drop his phone off at a friend's house before he goes out to wherever.

Haha, very true.

I think Sprint will use the information for their own good as well, to track things as needed for whatever purpose they deem necessary. The fact that they decided to charge for this now, is all the better for revenue.

Nonetheless, technology is not the answer for bad parenting.

MacMan4000 · Apr 14, 2006, 02:39 PM

Terrible idea... if my parents used this how would I ever get to take random spontaneous road trips while supposedly spending the night at a friends house?

rickey939 · Apr 14, 2006, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by MacMan4000

Terrible idea... if my parents used this how would I ever get to take random spontaneous road trips while supposedly spending the night at a friends house?

You would leave the cell phone at your friends house as mentioned above and then go on your spontaneous road trip.

Dork. · Apr 14, 2006, 03:04 PM

I think that the "lost and found" section of the local library is about to have a lot more Sprint phones in it.

smacintush · Apr 14, 2006, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by Goldfinger

Parents who want to track their children with a GPS device are bad parents who over-control and micromanage their children.

Fixed™

 · Apr 14, 2006, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by rickey939

Haha, very true.

I think Sprint will use the information for their own good as well, to track things as needed for whatever purpose they deem necessary. The fact that they decided to charge for this now, is all the better for revenue.

Nonetheless, technology is not the answer for bad parenting.

You think they can't track you now???

And you're right, technology is not the answer for bad parenting. However technology can definitely be a useful tool in good parenting.

rickey939 · Apr 14, 2006, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by 

You think they can't track you now???.

Personally, I know they cannot track me on this particular phone. I disabled all "Location" tracking features within the firmware, thanks to a Sprint representative.

 · Apr 14, 2006, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by rickey939

Personally, I know they cannot track me on this particular phone. I disabled all "Location" tracking features within the firmware, thanks to a Sprint representative.

Despite what you think, they can get a pretty good fix on your location just from being on their network. Not that they *do* - but they can.

Dr Reducto · Apr 14, 2006, 06:19 PM

Kids will now grow up knowing how to jam GPS. Technical measures to monitor kids only make kids smarter, so im in favor.

I wouldn't know so much about computers if my mom hadn't tried to filter internet access

rickey939 · Apr 14, 2006, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by 

Despite what you think, they can get a pretty good fix on your location just from being on their network. Not that they *do* - but they can.

Only if I place or receive a call. And even then, that can pinpoint me only to a certain region (which is quite large), but not an exact location. I am okay with that.

aadfadsfa30 · Apr 14, 2006, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by rickey939

Hmmm, thoughts on this?

Yes I do have some.

Rev-O · Apr 14, 2006, 07:33 PM

If Sprint uses the Nextel side of things to track kids, then the kids have no worries. Nextel is about the worst phone service I have ever seen in a cell phone. The two-way part of NexTel is even worse. Remember, NexTel means "Next time use a Telephone"

meelk · Apr 15, 2006, 01:38 AM

I think this falls in to good parenting, not bad. true, that you should be able to trust your kids, but they are kids, and dont have the capacity to make completely logical choices all the time.

iMOTOR · Apr 16, 2006, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by meelk

true, that you should be able to trust your kids, but they are kids, and dont have the capacity to make completely logical choices all the time.

Which of course, is a part growing up and becoming an adult.

The more parents try to "control" their kids, the more they risk raising either pussified robots or angry nutjobs.

Goldfinger · Apr 16, 2006, 03:44 AM

Originally Posted by rickey939

Only if I place or receive a call. And even then, that can pinpoint me only to a certain region (which is quite large), but not an exact location. I am okay with that.

Not really. Just being logged on to the network makes it possible for them to triangulate you. With damn good precision as well.

meelk · Apr 16, 2006, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by iMOTOR

Which of course, is a part growing up and becoming an adult.

The more parents try to "control" their kids, the more they risk raising either pussified robots or angry nutjobs.

children are left running around far too much on their own now, at younger and younger ages. This is not 20 years ago, things have changed.

Eriamjh · Apr 17, 2006, 07:18 AM

Yeah. GPSes in phones are not necessary because all kids never lie and are always where they say they should be and parents should always trust them.

rickey939 · Apr 17, 2006, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Goldfinger

Not really. Just being logged on to the network makes it possible for them to triangulate you. With damn good precision as well.

By default yes, but not with tweaks.

production_coordinator · Apr 17, 2006, 09:29 AM

There is no one set of rules that works for all children... as if there was, parenting would be easy. Sprint is simply giving parents the option. My mother trusted me growing up, but at the same time, she would check in from time to time to make sure I was on the "right track." Most of the time I was, but sometimes I wasn't.

Blind faith in your children is nearly as bad as being overbearing.

doucy2 · Apr 17, 2006, 10:09 AM

well this is total crap
i have sprint and so do my parents
good thing my mom doesnt know anything about tech. and is too cheap to pay that extra $10 a month otherwise ide be in trouble

Landos Mustache · Apr 17, 2006, 10:12 AM

I think it is a great idea.

qnxde · Apr 17, 2006, 10:44 AM

At least the kid is notified when they've been checked on so they can make up a story in advance - better than being caught out on the spot.

zmcgill · Apr 17, 2006, 12:08 PM

Anyone see a market for some Faraday Cage cell phone holsters(tm)?

 · Apr 18, 2006, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

Anyone see a market for some Faraday Cage cell phone holsters(tm)?

Nope, but I do see a market for the "off" button.

torsoboy · Apr 18, 2006, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by qnxde

At least the kid is notified when they've been checked on so they can make up a story in advance - better than being caught out on the spot.

I think that if the parent notices that the kid is not where they should be they will probably call right then and demand to know why... not much time to make up an excuse.

Originally Posted by iMOTOR

The more parents try to "control" their kids, the more they risk raising either pussified robots or angry nutjobs.

Which are you? You sound maybe like the angry nutjob.