Spring 2006

Our impression

The IC500e from ICThings.com is a designed to locate any type of mobile asset, from trailers and containers to the cargo itself. It is not designed for real-time tracking - more as a cost-effective method of periodically checking an asset's location.

The first things that strike you about the physical device itself are its compactness and the lack of external connector ports. It doesn't need them because it is self-contained, incorporating a GPS modem and SIM communications card, with power supplied by six AA nickel cadmium batteries.

The size (just 52mm by 175mm by 91mm) makes it ideal for tucking into a nook in the vehicle, or even in cargo. I put it in the door compartment in my car during the evaluation. (There are two screw-holes if you want a more secure fixing.)

 

At 420g it is very portable, so can easily be transferred from one vehicle to another - to track a particularly valuable cargo, for example, or bring a hired vehicle into the company's tracking loop.

All the electronics are housed in a reassuringly sturdy-looking casing with an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating.

Another advantage of being able to place the device anywhere convenient is that battery replacement is simply a matter of unscrewing the back and replacing the batteries. To eliminate the risk that failing batteries might cause communication problems at a critical moment, battery life is also monitored via ICThings.com Web site, and an alert is sent when they need changing.

The IC500e unit incorporates an integrated motion sensor that warns users of any prohibited actions, such as if a vehicle or unit is moved by low-loader or towed.

SMS text alerts are sent according to pre-determined events - entering or leaving a geofenced area, for example, or unauthorised movement from a predefined zone. Each unit also contains a motion sensor which automatically triggers an alert if the asset is moved unexpectedly.

Tracking assets is done via a hosted Web application and secure log-in. The Web site is clear and simple. Once signed in to the member's log-in area, managers can check device information and change device set-up.

On the home page, there is Quick Set-Up area which allows you to control the reporting schedule for each device (from 15 minutes to weekly) and set up geofences ranging form 0.5 miles to 10 miles. This is where you also decide which device or groups of devices you want information on.

The device set-up screen includes a copy of the Quick Set-Up box (useful as it saves the need to switch between screens if you have to check anything), along with device data including SIM number, name and owners. From here you can control where SMS notifications or event alerts are sent.

The preference screen allows the user to change passwords and other information, while the gazetteer allows you to edit and delete a personal description of the device, including location.

The reports section has five reports: last known location, position history, excess speed, and devices in alarm. There is a useful calendar if you want to pinpoint data on an exact date.

The position history shows a snail-trail map plus a list of up to 20 location reports. How many days this covers depends on the how often you have asked to device to report in. If there are more than twenty locations in the dates you have requested, the report lists the last ten.

In the SMS communications section, you can set up the default number and a back-up telephone number for alarm notifications. Each device is shown as an icon, or you can rename it (for example, to the vehicle registration number or vehicle name).

The default display is for today, but you can choose the previous day or a specific date, and the map will display the location for that device.

One potential drawback is that if the vehicle moves between reporting intervals but returns to the same address, the report does not disclose the movement.

However, if that is part of a normal operational pattern, it doesn't matter and, in fact, saves you trawling through extraneous data. Also, by configuring the geofence alarm, you would be notified of any movement by SMS text.

Our verdict

An efficient and affordable tool, perfectly suited for regular reporting on where those hard-to-trace assets are. If you need live tracking, this is not the device for you, but, to be fair, ICThings.com is not selling it as such.

Specifications

ICThings

Dimensions 52mm x 175mm x 91mm

Weight 420g including batteries

Power Six AA nickel cadmium batteries; includes smart power management and Web-based battery status monitoring

Ruggedness Casing is rated to IP67 for dust and water ingress

Communications GPS positioning system; SIM card

Reporting SMS event messages; secure hosted web site for tracking