Mobile2go has introduced a child-tracking devise that features an emergency button that will dial four pre-programmed numbers in case of an emergency.
i-Kids allows children to call four predetermined numbers (preset by the parent or guardian via a secure Web site) and is able to receive, but not compose, text messages. Any of the four numbers can be called at the press of a designated button, says Mobile2go MD David Lehman.
Should there be an emergency, the i-Kids device will dial each of the four pre-programmed speed-dial numbers in order until one is answered, he says. Should none of the pre-programmed numbers be answered, the call is diverted to a reaction company, he says.
Lehman adds the i-Kids technology is designed to recognise voicemail and answering machines, and allows the device to be located even when it is turned off. This allows parents to always establish their child's location, even during school hours, with no disruption to class.
"The i-Kids safety device has been developed to give parents peace of mind while giving kids an immediate line of communication should the need arise," he says.
The i-Kids service is likely to compete with CellFind's Look4me service, which allows cellphone users to track other cellphone users, including children.
Alan Knott-Craig junior, iBurst MD and non-executive director of CellFind, notes the Look4me service does not need a special device, as it operates on all mobile handsets.
The benefit is that there are no upfront costs when setting out to track a child, and the parent has no need to carry two devices at all times, he adds.
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