INTRODUCTION

     Global positioning satellites have been around for as far back as i can remember but it wasn't until somewhat recently advancements in technology (followed by several price cuts) made it possible for us to use them not just as the means to navigate in unknown regions but also to keep track of our loved ones and our prized possessions. Now there are many such products in the market today in various different price categories so it's quite understandable that some people may not know which one to pick. There are two main categories of such tracking systems today currently available in the market the ones that use a SIM card and thus can transmit the coordinates of the device on any phone (Google maps is then used to pinpoint the position/location) and there are even some that use your smartphone GPS and Bluetooth (more accurately their software does) to transmit the item/person location to a central server and back to your smartphone/tablet (this is what i call crowd tracking since it relies heavily on the number of people who use such devices in your area/country - we have some reviews coming up). Trackimo is one of the most complete GPS/GSM tracking systems available in the market today (tracks both via GPS satellites and Cellular towers via signal triangulation) that is not only small enough to even fit inside your back pocket but it also gives you the ability to plug it with your cars battery (or your boat) and provide it with a virtually endless battery life.

   Trackimo™ is a U.S. based IoT (Internet of Things) solution provider with proprietary technology, enabling worldwide connectivity for M2M (Machine to Machine) devices. Trackimo aspires to transform business models through the development of customizable radio frequency mobile technology solutions that are easy to implement and are user friendly, used globally with enhanced security and reliability. Trackimo™ developed the world’s smartest, most compact and cost effective tracking device, providing user friendly and powerful options for keeping track of people and things cared for.

   The Trackimo is currently available as a standalone product (2G and 3G GSM/GPS trackers are available), vehicle & marine bundle which also includes the necessary cables to connect it onto the car/boat battery, drone bundle that includes the GPS model and a drone attachment kit and a waterproof bundle which includes the 3G GPS model and a waterproof box kit. All models come with a 1 year international cellular service (10 monthly SMS text alerts are included - you can send text alerts with three buttons located at the top of the device) and after that you will either need to get your own or SIM card and subscription pay the mother company USD5 per month to keep using it (i think the cost is low so this is your safest bet). So what's under the hood of the Trackimo? Well here we see a MTK3336 GPS tracker (quite popular in the market so it's been tested a lot - motion detection is supported), MKT6250A quad band GSM module (supports GPRS and GSM 850/GSM 900/ DCS 1800/ PCS 1900 bands), microphone and a 600mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery which can provide the Trackimo with up to 72 hours of life (up to 150 hours standby). Let's test the Trackimo and see if it's worth placing in your car, boat or on whoever and whatever you want to keep track of.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

We received the Trackimo inside a small white box that has the product name on the top, a 2D barcode on the left side and a sticker with the power requirements and the serial and part number on the rear.

Since the device is very small and the box is quite thick there were no problems during shipping.

Inside the box you will find the Trackimo tracker, 600mAh li-ion rechargeable battery, belt clip attachment, adhesive magnetic attachment (already mounted onto the tracker), adhesive Velcro piece, micro USB charging cable, water resistant silicon cover, lanyard, screwdriver, single screw and the quick start guide.

The car/marine bundle came in a separate plastic bag and includes the 5v micro USB connector (features a built-in over-temperature protection), fuse cable, battery pole cable and two cable ties.

THE TRACKIMO

The 42g heavy Trackimo is a very compact tracker (there are smaller ones out there but not with the same features) that measures 47mm in width, 40mm in length and 17mm in height.

We placed a 2Euro coin next to the Trackimo to get a better idea of its size.

At the front of the device we see the company name and logo, microphone hole, SOS button (emergency notification system) and two left and right buttons which can be configured to send specific messages on the screen of whoever's watching (you will need to do that from the Trackimo app).

There's a tiny hole at the base of the Trackimo (it may be the speaker one) while the on/off power button, the micro USB charging port and another tiny hole (probably another one for the microphone) are placed at the top.

From the factory the Trackimo comes wearing the adhesive magnetic attachment which you can either secure in place with the bundled screw or swap for one of the others.

Removing the attachment is very easy and once you do that you will also find the bundled SIM card.

Here's also where you will need to mount the bundled 600mAh rechargeable li-ion battery.

Aside the magnetic adhesive attachment and the plain adhesive attachment you can also use a belt clip attachment.

You can also make the Trackimo splash resistant (not waterproof) by placing it inside the silicon cover as seen above.

SETUP

To activate the Trackimo you will need to visit their page, click on the activate area at the top and create a new account as seen above.

Next stop is to turn on the device, place it somewhere in the open and enter the device ID (located both on the rear of the box and in the battery/SIM compartment).

Once you do that you either need to enter payment details for a new cellular service plan or if the 12 months program is included just select it by pressing go.

You will also have to give the device a name and enter your cellular number if you want it to send text alerts (up to 10 per month).

USING THE TRACKIMO

The web app of the Trackimo includes everything you need to know at a glance so aside pointing to where the device is on the map it also gives you its latitude and longitude, exact address, current speed and available battery (you can also access history of where the device has been at for as back as you want).

There are several SMS alarms you can configure with the Trackimo including a speed limit alarm (you get to enter the desired number), low-battery alarm, motion-sensor alarm, key alarms (left/right and SOS) and you can also enable/disable the beep sound made by the device (the icons bellow can be used in case you own more than just one Trackimo).

You can also place a fence alarm (200m/500m/1000m/5000m) so if the device exits that area it will send you text alarms (ideal for pets).

The android and iOS app may not offer the same wealth of information at first glance but you can also see where the device is located (both in map and satellite view).

You can of course setup a fence alarm from the android/iOS app as well.

Having access to all the available alarms is also provided as is the option to change the name of the device and its icon and also to adjust the tracking period.

CONCLUSION

   I used the Trackimo for roughly 3 hours when driving around to get presents for Christmas and i have to admit that it's extremely accurate (when in the car or on foot) since it accurately tracked my location well within 5 meters. So next test was to try and see just how accurate it is when used from the inside of a building. To test that i stopped by a fast food place around 20 minutes away from where i live and although at first it couldn't locate my position with precision (many floors over me after all) it did so on the 2nd try (and lost it again on the third). Of course the Trackimo is not so much for use indoors and because of that i wasn't really expecting perfection in terms of accuracy but the fact that it did track my position (even not the entire time) was a pleasant surprise (don't forget you can also use history to see where it was prior to entering a building). Unfortunately when the device couldn't successfully track my position via GPS it used cell tower triangulation and that sometimes placed me up to 100 meters away from where i was at (in movies cell tower triangulation seems more accurate) so do expect some variation in results between GPS and cell tower triangulation (with the first being better). In terms of battery life the Trackimo slightly surpassed 65 hours of continuous use and although that's not extremely close to the 72 hours reported still we can't really complain (besides by using the vehicle/marine kit it's still going after roughly 2 weeks). Overall we have only good things to say about the Trackimo so let's move on and see just how much it costs.

   Currently thanks to several good discounts you can get your very own Trackimo for just USD139.99 if you want the standalone GPS version or the drone GPS tracker with drone attachment kit or USD179.98 if you want the standalone 3G GPS version or the vehicle/marine GPS Tracker bundle (the model we tested). Also do take into account that after the 1st year you will need to spend USD60 per year for the international cellular service a rather small cost which i think will not hold back potential customers. All things said and done the Trackimo is a complete GPS/GSM tracker with a plethora of available features and a very good battery life. Sure it's not as small as some other GPS trackers out there so it may not be the ideal device for small pets but that's just about its only drawback. Long story short whether you want the Trackimo to ensure the safety of your loved ones or your prized possessions it works exactly as advertised and that's why it gets our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Quality
- Compact Size
- Velcro, Magnetic And Belt Clip Attachments
- Tracking Through Both GPS And Cell Tower Signal Triangulation
- Battery Life (Up To 72 Hours)
- 12 Months International Cellular Service
- Car/Boat Battery Connector
- 3 Text Alert Keys 
- Available Bundles
- Software Features

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Cell Tower Signal Triangulation Accuracy