GPS for Fido. Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. Chances are you have a GPS navigation device for your car. But what about one for your family pet that takes every opportunity to bolt out the front door. A company called Zoombak makes a rechargeable GPS receiver that also communicates back to a Web site...that lets you track just about anything. Your pet, your children, your car. Director of product management Michael Guiher...
"We have a very simple Web interface that allows a person to log in, do an on demand location and find out exactly where that device is. It'll be displayed on a map. You can also set up virtual boundaries. If the device enters or leaves those boundaries you can receive text messages or email alerts that will let you know the device hasn't left or entered. It is rechargeable. It has a five day battery life in standby mode. And it's a simple rechargeable device. When it's in your car, it can be hardwired into the battery system so you won't need to recharge it."
You can get email alerts from the Zoombak when its battery is running low or if it is turned off. The company is using Microsoft's Virtual Earth mapping to pinpoint locations from any Web browser. Zoombak is priced at about two hundred dollars for the device....which is small enough to clip onto a dog collar or a child's backpack...but a service plan...starting at about 10 dollars a month is required as well. You can find information at Zoombak.com. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.