Primarily manufactured for GPS navigation, these GPS enabled smartphones are available in plenty in the market these days. You can find your location and navigate to the place you wished using this device. However when some software (apps) are installed, they can be used as a tracking device too. The “‘we know where you are’ technology” is not that something that happens only in Mission Impossible movies. The smart phones that we use, can also be used as a tracker device. Let’s take a look at how it is done and what are the problems associated with it.

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Some of the tracking apps that are economical & reliable are listed here -

• Google Latitude – Available on Android, BlackBerry, Apple and many other phones, this app can be used in two ways by you. It can be used as a separate tracking device or as an opt-in feature that is a part of Google Maps. After downloading the app, you can invite people whom you want to locate. However, the disadvantage is that the other end party can also locate you. So, you have to be careful while using this, else they may end up in tracking you.

• Look Out – This app is normally used to find out the where-abouts of the lost cell phone. But, this can also be used as a tracking system to track your child. When you have completed the download of this app to your device, you have the option to log in online and check the location of the end user. This app is compatible with Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, iPad and the iPhone.

• Foot Prints – This app is great in case if you want to monitor your child as it has parental control and has password control for parents so that the child cant tamper it. The other advantage is that, you can also adjust the time span, so that you can monitor your child only for occasions. But this is available only in the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone

Suggested Read: List of iPhone Tracking Apps, List of Android Tracking Apps

With every beauty in an app, there are pitfalls associated to0. Here are a few -

• Accuracy
• Accessibility
• Battery Life
• Flexibility
• Maps
• Price

When it comes to accuracy, it is found out that even lower-end PND gives better accuracy than smart phones, which are expensive and their accessibility is also less when compared to dedicated GPS devices that are used for tracking.

Also, these expensive smart phones have to be upgraded every time. Another thing to be remembered is; when GPS is activated, it consumes battery life very quickly. This may leave you stranded especially when you are lost during a hike.

All said & done, GPS enabled smartphones are more expensive vis-a-vis others. But then, all good things come at a price.

What is your opinion? Have you used any of the GPS software above? Let’s hear it from you!