By all accounts the LiveWire NavGenius is your typical grey-market GPS navigation device, with touchscreen functionality and basic mapping software. But tucked away inside is an extra bit of hardware that lets the unit remotely tattle on its location.
The NavGenius is supposed to be used by employers who want to keep tabs on the location of delivery trucks or employees in the field, but it can probably also be used to track down a stolen vehicle if the thief has a poor sense of direction.
The $US600 kit includes the cost of the wireless service which allows the device to report its whereabouts to a web-based mapping service. But it can also send texts and emails with location info, and receive them as well. Which gives an employer, or a worried parent, another way to keep in touch with a vehicle, and even send updated destination info. Sadly, it also seems like the perfect tool for stalkers who want to keep tabs on someone. Or an over-protective person who’s worried that their significant other is cheating on them. [BrickHouse Security via The Red Ferret Journal]
Update: The wireless service is actually $US40/month and includes unlimited location updates spaced at least 10 seconds apart.