While reading a Lifehacker post on what successful and techy people use I stumbled upon the Life360 app. This site and corresponding smart phone app (iPhone/Android/BlackBerry) helps you keep track of family members via GPS. After a quick installation you’ll be asked to create an account. I did this from their site and this makes the process a little easier. Once you have identified your family members, the app found mine from my contacts using their address, you can invite them to download the app to their phone. Once they have signed up you can see their location on a map with the app or the website.
The app also has the ability to send your family texts with predefined messages and to ‘check-in’ once you get where you’re going. No more forgetting to text you made it. One tool I hope we never have to use is the Panic Alert. With a quick touch of the ! icon you will send a text and call your family along with asking if you would like to call emergency services (911).
If you have a minute give Life360 a look, it may be an app you can’t live without. Having a relatively new driver in the family I appreciate the ability to know where they are and if they are ever in any trouble or danger I can be alerted with a simple touch of an icon.