The first Pocket Finder devices have finally been pumped out of a Jabil Circuit manufacturing facility in Meung-sur-Loire, France. Created by Location Based Technologies, Pocket Finder is a tiny, single-board GSM/GPS device tailored specifically for enabling busy families to stay connected. Small enough to fit in the front pocket of a pair of jeans, Pocket Finder can be accessed from the internet, mobile phone, or landline telephone to find its location in real-time. It can also abide by electronic fences so, for instance, a parent can be alerted whenever their child leaves a specified area. And for those parents with a child just learning how to drive, and undoubtedly loving the gas pedal, Pocket Finder can also track exactly how fast a vehicle is going. One day, if combined with a technology like the Map and Positioning Engine jointly produced by STMicroelectronics and NAVTEQ, its reasonable to think that parents alerted of a child driving to fast would be able to actually force the vehicle to slow down remotely. Surely, something like this would save lives and bring down ridiculous insurance costs!
The Pocket Finder should be commercially available in the next few weeks from Tier 1 telecommunications carriers (likely most of the major wireless networks) and distributors. Also of note, Pocket Finder will soon be available as an Android application for the T-Mobile G1!
Read the press release after the jump.
ANAHEIM, Calif. –(Business Wire)– Oct 24, 2008 Location Based Technologies (OTCBB:LBAS), a leading-edge family service provider of personal locator devices and services, today announced that its first production-ready PocketFinder® devices have been manufactured at the Meung-sur-Loire, France facility of Jabil Circuit, Inc. (NYSE:JBL).
“This is the beginning of a very exciting time for the growth of the company and for our customers,” said David Morse, CEO of Location Based Technologies, Inc. “Within the week we will begin delivering final devices to a list of companies ranging from Tier 1 telecommunications carriers to international distributors that have expressed interest in our versatile GPS location devices.”
A national survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that the Internet and cell phones have become central to modern family life. Specifically, Pew reports positive impacts from the high rates of technology ownership in nuclear families. “Some analysts have worried that new technologies hurt family togetherness, but we see that technology allows for new kinds of connectedness built around cell phones and the Internet,” said Tracy Kennedy, author of a new report about the survey called “Networked Families.”
“The PocketFinder family of products, combined with our applications for GPS smartphones such as the Android (NASDAQ: GOOG), is a prime example of how technology can enable families to optimize their busy lives and enhance their ability to stay connected,” Morse added. “We are excited to deliver this new capability, made possible by combining the benefits of wireless and internet technologies, to connect families.”
The PocketFinder family of products uses advanced technology to help families stay connected. The smallest known single-board GSM/GPS device easily fits into a pocket, purse or backpack, and can be accessed via the Internet, cell phone or landline to show its exact location in real time. In addition, the devices include several advanced features, such as allowing users to designate customizable alert areas as electronic “fences” to notify them when a family member or pet leaves or enters a specified area. The devices can even track vehicle speeds to encourage safe driving decisions.
About Jabil
Jabil is an electronic product solutions company providing comprehensive electronics design, manufacturing and product management services to global electronics and technology companies. Jabil helps bring electronics products to the market faster and more cost effectively by providing complete product supply chain management around the world. With more than 75,000 employees and facilities in 20 countries, Jabil provides comprehensive, individualized-focused solutions to customers in a broad range of industries. Jabil common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol, “JBL.” Further information is available on the company’s website at http://www.jabil.com.
About Location Based Technologies
A publicly traded company (OTCBB:LBAS), Location Based Technologies designs and develops leading-edge personal locator devices and services that incorporate patented, proprietary technologies designed to enhance and enrich the lives of families globally. The company is headquartered in Anaheim, Calif. For more information, visit http://www.pocketfinder.com.
