(Click here for a larger view of KoolTrax)KoolTrax works via a client program installed on a Windows Mobile phone. Once there, it runs in the background. It will not interfere with the normal use of other applications, or with phone use, Blue Tree says.
The software uses a phone's GPS hardware to work out its location, then reports it over the Internet via a phone's data connection. The company claims the amount of data sent is relatively small, making KoolTrax usable even without an unlimited data plan.
The BlueMap tracking console can set up a "geofence" (left), or follow a "breadcrumb trail" (right)
(Click images to enlarge)A companion tracking console, BlueMap, runs on an Internet-connected Windows PC, and is capable of mapping the location of 20 different KoolTrax trackees simultaneously. If desired, an administrator can draw a "geofence," or geographic boundary, around a certain area, then set up the system so it will send an alert -- on screen, via email, or via an SMS message -- if the trackee ventures outside it.
A "breadcrumb trail" feature attempts to pinpoint trackees' locations if they stray into areas, such as remote places or deep inside a building, that have no mobile phone signal. This feature uses predictive techniques based on storing a trackee's movements over the past month, then extrapolating from them when necessary to determine a current location, Blue Tree says.
KoolTrax is said to perform well even in areas where making phone calls would be difficult. This is because it constantly watches for a signal and connects, however briefly, whenever possible. In case of emergencies, the program offers a "panic button" that trackees -- who presumably know that the software is on their phones -- can use to send an alert to the tracking console. This can be useful when children or elderly users need assistance, Blue Tree says.
AvailabilityKoolTrax is available now from U.K.-based Blue Tree for 40 GBP.
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