Phonty - Parental Control App. Locate Your Mobile Device Using GPS Technology

To some people, the idea of having your smartphone monitoring your location may seem a little intrusive at first. Many people even refer to them as "spy apps" which is somewhat misleading. Once you fully understand the technology and set your concerns aside, you will quickly discover that these programs are an excellent tool to help keep track of your children or teenagers and can also be extremely useful in locating your own mobile device if it is ever lost or stolen.

For those of you who have ever gone through the ordeal of replacing all of your contact information or downloaded applications after losing your smartphone, you will immediately see the value in being able to find your device in a hurry.

A cell phone tracker application is also a valuable tool for companies and business owners who need to monitor employees to make sure they are staying on schedule or properly using company time. This can quickly add to productivity and result in an improved profitability picture by eliminating wasted time and inappropriate company vehicle or equipment use. They are available for all major mobile platforms for both phones and tablets including the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, and Android powered devices.

How Do Cell Phone Trackers Work?

If you want to track a particular phone or mobile device (this also works for tablets), it must have GPS capability. Once you download the software and install the app, the phone sends a signal to a satellite which then records the location coordinates on a map. Now, you will need to complete a few more simple steps before you can actively monitor its location.

First, you must make sure that the device is on and has a charged battery. Next, be sure to enable the tracking program so that it can emit the proper signal necessary for the satellite to find the device. The best SMS tracker apps have the ability to run in the background while your device is on so if anyone were to steal it, they wouldn't know that it was being actively tracked. As a final requirement, you must also be in an area covered by your network provider to work properly. Considering the massive coverage areas of most major service providers, this is rarely an issue unless you live in a remote area.

Additional Features to Consider

Depending on how much information you need, there are some tracking services that will also give you remote access to call logs, the ability to listen to specific calls, and read text messages. These more detailed trackers are sometimes called cell phone spy apps. There are usually monthly subscription costs or added fees involved after the first purchase or download of the app to get access to these extended services.

For more personal uses such as tracking your own trips, exercise routes, bike rides, and the like, there are several free applications that you can download from either the App Store for iPhone users or on Google Play for Android users. As with many free apps, you can usually eliminate advertising and gain access to more detailed functionality by upgrading to the paid version of the program. The choice should ultimately come down to which version best matches up with your personal needs. There are several good packages out there ranging from the most basic of services to highly detailed interfaces which can track and plot multiple devices at the same time.