Man Created GPS Drawing To Spell Out Marriage… by GeoBeats

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, comes a story about GPS tracking and, well, love. One man’s wedding proposal goes high-tech when he uses GPS tracking to propose to his girlfriend.

Global positioning systems (GPS) are being used for everything from monitoring the movements and behavior of wild animals to tracking down thieves with GPS trackers hidden in storage containers. It is also being used for more modern uses, where individuals get a little more creative.

One good example of this is when a man in Japan decided to use GPS tracking and mapping technology for one of the most technological marriage proposals yet.

During his journey through Japan, the artist traveled over 4,349 miles in six months. The majority of his trip was done on foot in order to go the route he intended for the proposal, but some of it was done by bicycle, ferry and car. He went from Hokkaido Island on to Hyodo Cliff, and ended at Kyushu Island.

When asked about his idea to propose in this way, Takahashi said: “I wanted to write the world’s biggest proposal, and I found GPS drawing was the way to do it.”

It didn’t hurt that Takahashi was not only an artist by trade, but was also up-to-date on tracking technology at that time. In 2008, people were only beginning to discover how much you could do with GPS technology, and Takahashi knew exactly what he wanted to do with it. Read the rest of this entry »

Upkeep, fuel, and driver pay for your fleet of business vehicles are expensive. When you plan the routes, you reduce costs and speed delivery times. GPS, or global positioning system, tracking devices help you pick routes in the most optimal way possible, allowing you to manage your fleet of vehicles more efficiently.

Here are a look at five key ways you can benefit by using GPS fleet tracking for your scheduling management.

#1. Pick the best route.

Making use of cloud technology and advanced devices, managers now get real-time scheduling and route planning data. The current status of a worker or truck is available instantly, letting a manager make adjustments moment-to-moment. Even at commuter rush hour, it is easy to choose the most optimal route.

GPS technology offers advanced geo-location, 3D mapping and telematics that let dispatchers plan journeys to save gas, reduce wear and tear and speed delivery times Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the illegal immigrants caught crossing the border from Mexico into the United States are avoiding jail time by being outfitted with GPS trackers by the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.

Outfitting them with ankle monitors costs the government $3.50 a day for each person, with an enrollment fee of $19.50. Jail costs about $119 a day.

The program, still in the beginning stages, is named RGV 250. Since December, the program has started monitoring heads of families who were caught entering via the Rio Grande Valley illegally. The pilot project will eventually be tracking 250 in this testing phase.

Each person was fitted with an ankle bracelet and given a notice of summons to report back. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, is recording how soon detainees respond to a summons. If the program proves successful, the goal is to expand the program to 29,000 by the end of 2015. Read the rest of this entry »

Technology moves fast these days. Telematics is one of the more beneficial technological advancements to take place for the fleet management industry as a whole. Telematics is the driving force behind modern GPS fleet tracking systems. It is essential for greater fleet efficiency, lowering expenses, and improved fleet management.

So, what is it?

Essentially, telematics is the communication of information between vehicles and a third party. It enables fleet managers to not only track their vehicles on the road, but also to communicate with those vehicles and their drivers.

More importantly, it allows those vehicles to send important information about the vehicle itself, driving conditions, speeds, and location to the dispatcher or fleet manager. These are just some of the things telematics technology has to offer fleets on the road today. Read the rest of this entry »

Legendary singer Jimmy Buffett found his Mercedes stolen, but GPS tracking technology helped local police track it down.

When Jimmy Buffet was at home in Palm Beach, Florida, he came outside to see the 2013 Mercedes GL350 has been stolen right from his driveway. He told officials it must have been stolen between 10:00 pm on Tuesday evening and 8:00 am on Wednesday morning, when they discovered it had gone missing.

Shortly afterward, his representative spoke to two officers at the Palm Beach Police Department to file a report. As he did so, he told them that while Buffett had left the keys in the car, the car also had something they might be interested in: a GPS tracking device.

Jimmy Buffett, who is an American singer, songwriter, businessman, actor, and author, is possibly best known for his Island-themed musical style. He often writes his humorous life stories into his songs. Some of his hit songs include Margaritaville, Come Monday, and Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.. His fan base have come to be known as “Parrotheads.”

In addition to music, he is also a businessman. Jimmy Buffett has opened multiple restaurants that are named after his most popular songs, including the Margaritaville Café and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Read the rest of this entry »