Cool gadget: Garmin GTU 10

For a few months now, I’ve been using a Garmin GTU 10 to keep track of my car. The GTU 10 is a pretty simple concept. It’s a small battery-powered device that includes a GPS receiver, so it knows where it is, and a SIM card that connects to AT&T, so it can tell you where it is.

As you can see, it’s pretty small, which makes it a great general purpose locating device. While I usually keep it in my car, I could just as easily throw it in a camera bag, laptop bag, or backpack, or even attach it to a pet. The battery is rechargeable, and since it charges by USB, I can keep it topped up using the same USB car charger that I use for my phone.

You can find the device’s location using a web browser, but I usually use the Garmin Tracker app on my phone, which shows your current location in relationship to the device. This is helpful for me even on a typical workday when I can’t remember where I parked my car. In addition to the on-demand location tracking, the GTU 10 can also also alert you when it has exited a specified area, such as a parking garage. That way you don’t have to constantly check in on your car if you’ve left it parked during a vacation; you know that the GTU 10 will send you an email if it exits the garage. It will also send you alerts if you battery is low. What’s convenient about all the settings is that I don’t have to connect the device to my computer to change anything. Since it’s connected to the Internet, I can just change a setting on the Android app, and the device will be updated the next time it connects to the network.

I’m a sucker for cool gadgets (I have way too many flashlights that I never use), so if you know of something cool I should check out and want to reduce my bank account balance, let me know.