TrackStick Pro GPS Vehicle Tracking System
Pros:
- Small size
- No monthly fees
- Potentially reliable data recording
- Works with Google maps
Cons:
- Customer service is questionable
- Only compatible with Windows
- Little known customer feedback – “positive” reviews have drawn skepticism
Review
The TrackStick Pro GPS Vehicle Tracking System Data Logger is a device that is placed in a vehicle (or backpack, briefcase, or even on a bicycle) to keep track of where the unit travels, how fast it travels, and when and where it stops. The company promotes this is a device helpful in monitoring the route and behavior of a driver and of tracking travel patterns on vacations or other extended trips.
Note: The purpose of the TrackStick Pro is not to identify the real-time location of a vehicle. It does not provide remote information that can be viewed online or via cell phone. Rather, the purpose of data recording GPS trackers is to log and document a specific route that a vehicle has taken after the fact.
The TrackStick Pro features a built in USB jack; the unit is plugged directly into a computer for the data to be downloaded. This is also helps charge the unit, which gains power from the computer while plugged in and can be charged with a cigarette lighter plug.
Because there is no real-time communication service, there are no monthly fees or activation costs associated with the TrackStick Pro, but it does mean that to read the report, the device must be physically removed, brought to the computer, and then re-placed on the vehicle. NOTE: the software required to do this is only compatible with Windows operating systems.
Data recorded by the TrackStick Pro is relatively comprehensive. It delivers information on exact route, speed, and other elements. When downloaded onto the computer, the data can be directly integrated with Google Earth for street-level overlay. TrackStick says the data is also compatible with other mapping programs.
TrackStick emphasizes the compact size and overall durability of the TrackStick Pro, touting its weatherproof case and ability to operate in both very cold (-22 degrees F) and very hot (176 degrees F) temperatures.
There is not much in the way of customer feedback with regards to the TrackStick Pro, so the reliability of this product, and the company’s customer service department is not established. Some reviews report very negative customer service experiences, and users have expressed skepticism over a series of glowing Amazon reviews, all placed on the same day, of multiple TrackStick products.
Bottom line: The TrackStick Pro GPS Vehicle Tracking Data Logger purports severable desirable characteristics, but the jury is still out as to whether positive online reviews are accurate portrayals of the product’s performance. The TrackStick Pro records vehicle movement, route, speed, and other data for several days on a single charge. Users then plug the unit into a USB port, download the data directly to their computers (Windows only), with the option of using Google Maps and Google Earth to view the data.