Jiobit Child GPS Tracker Tested

By John Scanlan, Published Mar 08, 2018, 10:51am EST

Tracking devices are a growing security market segment. Bluetooth-only ones (e.g., Tile (tested) have become increasingly used. But GPS ones remain limited.

Of particular concern to many parents is tracking young children who may run or wander off. IPVM had a lively discussion about this: Child GPS / Security Tracker - What Works?

A US startup, Jiobit, run by an ex-Motorola executive John Renaldi [link no longer available], is claiming to solve this problem, declaring:

Stay connected to your child, no matter the distance

Jiobit is small enough to hide, lasts for weeks and tracks accurately and in real time.

We wanted to see how it worked, so we bought one and tested it. Inside we report our findings on:

  • Mobile geofencing
  • Real-time tracking
  • Trusted Places
  • Physical overview
  • Mobile App Overview
  • Battery Life
  • Product support
  • Price & comparison to competitors

*******

** *** *****, *** key ******** ** ****** worked ****, *********:

  • ******** ****** ****** ******* issues, ******** ***** ** bluetooth ********** ** **** range (≲**') *** ***** on ******** *** ******.
  • **** ******** ****** **********, displaying **** **** ******** within ~**' ** ****** location ** ******** *****.
  • ********** (****** "******* ******") alerts ****** ********, **** little ***** ******* ******* entering/leaving *** ***** ***** and ** ***** *********** of ********/****.
  • ******* ******** **** ****** members ** ****** (****** "Caregivers") *** ******, *********** simply ******** *** **** by *****/**** ** ******** the ***.

*******, ***** *** *** key *********:

  • **** ******* ********: ****** **** *** ******** which ** *** ******* cellular *******, ****** ** effectively ******* ** ***** without ********, ****** ********* users **** *** ******* is *** ** ******* range. **** *** ** an ***** *** ***** in ***** ***** **** poorer ********.
  • ** ***** *******:*** ****** *** **** not ******* *** **** of ******* ** ******. For *******, ***** *** not *** **** **** a ***** ******* ** departed * ******** ****** for ** ************ **********.

Mobile *** ********** ********

*** ***** ***** ******** an ******** ** *** mobile **** ** *****, manage, *** ***** *** Jiobit.

Pricing ** ******

*** ****** *** ** purchased******** **** *** *************** $** *** **** an ****** ******** ** *** $129 with *****-**-***** *******.

****** ******** * ******* plan, ***** ***** $*.** per ***** *** *** first ****** *** $*.** for **** ********** *******.

******* ******* *** ******** are ********* **** *********. For *******, **********, ****** ******* ******* of ******* ***** ********, has * $*** *** (now ** **** *** $99) ***** *** *** a ******* ******* *** that ****** **** ~$** - $**. ** *********** ~$** *** *** the ****** **** * $40 ********** *** *** $5 *** ***** *** service.

US ***** **** / ************* *******

*** ****** ** ********* only ***** **** ** the **, *******,******** **** ******** ***************, ******** ** **** on *** ******* ***** these *********/***********:

***, ****, **** *** HSxPA ******** **** *** following ******* *******: ***, 900, ****, **** *** 2100 ***.

** **** ** ************* travel *** ******** ** no ********** ******. *** account ****** ***** ** contact ******* ****** *********.

Mobile **********

****** ********** ** * feature **** ****** *** to *** * ******** around *******, ** ** alerted ** *** ***** wanders **** **** *** caregiver. This *********** ******* * proximity ****** *****. **** is ******* ** ******; e.g. ***** ********* ** event ** * ******* and ********* ***** ****** sight ** *** *****. There *** *** ***** settings *** ****** **********, simply ***** **** *** far. ** *** *****, near ******* ** ************* **', but *** ***** **** 30' - **' ********* on ********* ******. *** far ******* **** *** bluetooth *** ** ***** disconnect ** ******* ** alert *** *** *********, at ***** ** ~**' in *** ****.

***** ** ** ******* of *** *******/***** ****** out ** ***** ** ~75' **** ****** ********** enabled. *** ********* ******** a **** ************, *** phone ******** *** *****, and ****** *** *** the ********** ***** ******* from **** ** ******.

 

Real-Time ********

**** **** ******** ******** a **** ** *** Jiobit ******* ** ** moves, ******** ** * map, ***** *****. **** that *** *******'* ******** is ******* ***** ~** seconds. *** ******* ***** is **** ** *** demonstration ********.

 

** *** *****, **** time ******** ******** *** accurate, ****** ~**' ** the *******'* ******** ** all ***** ** ******.

Trusted ******

*** ****** *** ****** users ** ****** ******** geofenced *****, ****** ******* Places, ***** ***** ***** ** set ********** ** * certain ******** **** ** **** or ******. ***** *** GPS *********** **** *** tracker *** ****** ****** will ******* ****** **** the ***** ******* *** departures ******* ******. ** our *****, **** ****** without *****.

Physical ********

*** ******* ****** *** only * ****** ******, used *** ********* *** Jiobit. *** ******** ******** are ******* ** *** bottom ** *** ****, with ** ********** ***** for *** **** **** and ****** **** ** the ***.

*** ******* ***** **** several ***********, ********* * case/skin, ******** ****, *** loop *** ***** *** wearing *** ******* (********* below).

Size **********

*** ****** ******* ** compact, ***** ***** *** size ** * **** key *** (***** *****). The ******* ** ***** below ******** ** ** HID *** *** **** bluetooth *******.

 

*****

***** ** ********* ** the ****** ****** ***, which ** ********* **** iTunes *** ***** *** Google ****. ***** ** rather simple, login **** *** *********** used ** ******** *** device ** ****** *********** during *****. *** ****** mobile *** **** * guided ***** ** ******* settings ****:

  • ******** ***********
  • ************ ** *****
  • **** *************
  • ******** ********
  • ***** ********** **************
  • ******* ** * "******* place" / **** ********

**** ******* ** ***** below:

*****, ** *** **** will ** **** ** anyone ***** **** *** purchaser ** **** ** noted ** * **** during ******** ** ***** complications ****** *****.

Battery ****

*** ******* ** ********* to ******* ***** * week ** ******* **** on *** ****** **** being **** ** ******* alerts *** ************ ***** the *****'* ********. *** tracker **** **** ** be ********** ******* ** parents *** ********* **** tracking ** *** ***** drain ** **** ****** as *** ******* ******** increases.

Wearing *** *******

*** ******* ***** **** two *********** ***** ** the ******** ******** ******: ******** and ***** *********. *** waistband **** ** ****, and ***** ** ** ********* so **** ** *** slide **** ********. ** also *** ***** ******* teeth **** **** ****** tightly ******* ******** *** clothing. ** ****** ** children **** *-** *** the **** *** *********** preferred **** *** *******. 

Care ****

*** *** ****** * parent ** ***** ****** with ****** **** **** care *** *** ***** such ** ****** ** sitters. ***** ***** ** the **** **** **** be **** ** ******* all ** *** ********* that *** ******* ******* holder *** (******, **** tracking, ***.) *** ****** ****** others.

Good **** *******

*** ***** ** ****** was **** ** ******* and ********** ****** ******* questions **** *** ****** of ****, **** ******** to ******** *** ********* or *********** ** *********. They ******** ***** **** short ***** ***** *** responded ** ******** **** sessions ****** ***********. 

********

*** **** ******* ******** and *** **** **** at *** **** ** testing:

  • ****** *******: *** *.**
  • ****** ***: ******* *.*.* (35)

Comments (14)

Avatar

John Bazyk

Command Corporation
IPVMU Certified | 03/08/18 04:28pm

We have customers ask us about this sort of device all the time. Do they have any kind of dealer program?

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Bazyk | 03/08/18 05:18pm

John - I spoke with Jiobit about this.  They currently sell direct to end users and do not have a dealer program, but are taking information from those who are interested.

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | 03/08/18 05:45pm

Does the unit track while docked in the charger?

Rather, if I installed one of these in a service van and permanently docked it on the charger that would supply power via the vehicle, would it still work?

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Brian Rhodes | 03/08/18 05:55pm

Yes, it is charging and fully functional now.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

03/08/18 06:13pm

"Cell service required: Unlike true GPS trackers which do not require cellular service, " 

Wondering how those "true GPS trackers" report its location without cell service?  or you refer to those GPS receivers?

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 03/08/18 06:27pm

They use satellites to provide location services.

Mike Parker

In reply to John Scanlan | 03/09/18 11:08pm

Yes, but that does not make them "true GPS trackers" - you are conflating the method of obtaining a position (GPS) with the method of reporting that position back to an observer (Cellular as with Jiobit, comm satellite like SPOT or inReach, bluetooth as with Tile, 70cm or 1.2m APRS as with BRB).  GPS has no uplink (well, that users can access...) so suggesting that having a satcomm based uplink makes the tracker a "true GPS" tracker is very misleading.

I'm sorry to be a ranter, but there is just so much misinformation in the world of trackers right now, the bluetooth ones in particular are far less capable than the average buyer understands.

FWIW, tracking a kid or someone with dementia is going to work just fine with a GPS tracker with cellular uplink like Jiobit unless you live on a big ranch in Montana - in which case, maybe inReach.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

03/09/18 03:06am

Hi John, Can we do a survey about using this to track employees?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 03/09/18 12:46pm

Do you want to know whether technically it can be used to track employees or whether or not it's permissible / appropriate to track employees with a child GPS?

Avatar

John Bazyk

Command Corporation
IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 03/09/18 01:26pm

Track employees? Their trucks or actually tracking them? If it's the truck I think there are better options out there that will give more information about the actual vehicle. If you're asking about placing it on their person I would think that could turn into not only an HR nightmare but a PR nightmare unless they were aware they were being tracked and agreed to it. If they agree to it, I think having them share their location on Find my Friends would be easier and free. 

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | 03/09/18 03:12pm

U2, We also have this report on fleet tracking via GPS, which seems like a more a practical implementation for a business.

Undisclosed End User #3

03/12/18 06:56pm

A button to reset the unit that's easily accessible? I've been in the market for one for my autistic son, but I could imagine him holding that in keeping it offline when he would take off in a public place.

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed End User #3 | 03/12/18 07:41pm

U3 - It could be a problem, but will not completely disable the tracker. The device will still be associated with the account, but will need to be paired again. The reset button needs to be depressed for 20 seconds for a reset. 

Undisclosed End User #3

03/12/18 08:42pm

20 seconds is better than 5 or 10, but a paperclip button would be better option with kids, it going offline temporarily (till you pair it back up?) with a lightly verbal autistic child who runs off I find as a problem with design. If it just restarts it... still, paperclip hole.

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