Media Articles and Coverage
Aired: May 12, 2004
Q13 FOX - Seatle, Washington
[ANCHOR INTRO.]
Back now to our look at high-tech safety gadgets for kids.
They can cost a lot of money.
They claim to give parents peace of mind.
But do they work?
Tonight, only on Q13 FOX, we put them to the test.
Today's kids are on the move. Keeping track of them isn't easy... And keeping them safe isn't cheap.
Kristin Graham/The Right Start: It gives them a lot of peace of mind. We have a lot of people who come in and spend a lot of money on safety stuff.
GPS tracking is one of the hottest trends in child safety right now.
This is the Whereify GPS Locator for Kids.
This locking wristband uses satellite and cell phone technology to pinpoint a kid's location.
Six-year-old Connor is helping us test it.
To find him, we just went to the company's website and clicked on locate.
You can do it by phone, if you're not near a computer.
In less than a minute, a map and address pops up, and we call Connor's Dad.
Mark Wright: Okay, it says 600 block of East 57th Street. Is that right?
Dad: Yeah, that's where we are.
Another click, and we see a current satellite photo showing exactly where they are.
At the second location... it has a harder time finding Connor.
But when we hit locate again...
... it's within inches.
This gadget costs about $200. The monthly fee is between $20 and $45 depending on how much you use it.
The next GPS gadget we tested could be a nightmare for teenagers...
When put in a car, it records your speed, where you go... and when.
Mom or dad... then downloads the information to a computer.
This animated map then tells all -- time, speed and location.
The Land-Air-Sea 3100 retails for $295. There is no monthly charge.
It comes with software for your home computer.
We found it very easy to use.
With all the water in Western Washington... a lot of parents worry about their children drowning.
At the YMCA swimming pool, a gadget designed to alert parents to that danger.
Hailee: Well, it just kind of feels like you're just having a bracelet on except when you go in the water, it starts beeping.
When the Safety Turtle bracelet gets wet, it triggers a loud alarm on the base unit... a signal to parents that a child has fallen in water.
The base and bracelet together retail for about $230.
Inside the home, parents can choose from all kinds of high-tech gadgets to keep an eye on young children and babies.
Rob and Kathy Weber tested two for us.
The Sharper Image Wireless Security System uses a camera and remote receiver to keep tabs on baby Charlie.
It even works in complete darkness.
Kathy Weber/Mother: That was a little bit addictive ... It was fun just being able to watch him sleep.
But kathy says it's not worth the $300 price tag.
Kathy: From a safety standpoint I don't know that it added a lot.
In the other room, the XCam2 video camera looks in on three-year-old Nick.
Dad watches on a TV downstairs.
You can also route the camera into a computer.
After some tuning... the picture of Nick is less than clear from this camera that costs about 70 bucks.
Protecting your child outside the house can be even more difficult.. especially in crowded places.
The Gotcha! child safety device uses a radio frequency to let you know when your child wanders off.
It beeps when a child gets a certain distance from you.
But the day we tested it... it kept going off... even when Judy and 7-year-old Hugh were right next to each other.
The company's president told us the massive amounts of electronic waves in the mall must have interfered with it.
Judy Smith/Mom: When you're talking about the life of a child and losing a child, I'd say it failed.
Judy also didn't like the fact only the child's unit beeped, so she couldn't hear it beyond about 30 feet in the noisy mall.
But away from the mall, it worked fine from ten to 75 feet.
The Gotcha! retails for about $100.
As cool as these gadgets are.
Some wonder if they're turning moms and dads into big brother.
Jan Faull/Parent Educator: We need to teach children rules and help them develop a conscience... not that there's a security system watching you, so beware.
Parent educator Jan Faull isn't against these gadgets.
She thinks many are helpful, but says parents should never rely on a gadget to keep their child safe.
Jan Faull/Parent Educator: There's nothing that is going to replace the protection that parents' eyes and the ears provide.
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