Snitch - GPS tracking security system

**Bruiser** · 12th March 2007, 16:32

Firstly I have no previous relationship with this company and the following is offered only as my experiences and opinion of the product.

I have had a "Snitch" GPS security system installed on my harley, mainly for security and safety purposes. The Snitch is 100% NZ designed and manufactured, they even developed their own tracking software and all the code (gps and website) is theirs.

The installer here in Auckland (Jacques) also happens to be a real nice guy, who rides an 06" Electraglide Ultra, so I was comfortable with him working on my wideglide.

The snitch is a small box (physically about twice the size of a ciggy packet) installed under the seat, with a separate satellite reciever and in-built gsm cellphone card.

The unit can be set to alert (and be queried by) up to 2 cellphones.

Alerts are texted when motion is detected, an accident occurs, the vehicle exceeds the preset speed or the bike alarm is triggered. It also reports if the built-in rechargeable battery or the bikes' own battery is drops below a pre-set voltage. The Snitch can be set to send an alert text to either or both or the two cellphones if the bike is moved or a pre-installed alarm is triggered - great for those overnight trips where the bike is parked outside a motel.

As I said, the Snitch responds to texts from either of our cellphones and will provide the bikes' current position/adress details. And the information it sends back to the cellphone is accurate! I was in Hamilton for the Toy run yesterday and popped into my partner's mums to say hi. She lives in one of 3 units and the Snitch stated the correct address - down to the unit number!

Owners can also log onto their online Snitch account and view full maps and history details of any trip. The maps are about to be updated to 5 levels but the current ones offer two zoom levels - one is down to street level.

The website is where you configure what data is recorded and sent, including the the speed threshhold, which mobile/s to text and the frequency of updates. We set ours to 120kph and the position frequency to every 200 metres.

Last Sunday I left Auckland and cruised down to Cambridge for the Ulysses toy run to Hamilton. My parter was able to watch my journey while sitting in bed from our notebook (via WiFi) and logged into our online Snitch website account. The site updated the map every few seconds with my current position, direction (if not stopped) and current speed. I even got a text from her telling me to slow down! (This feature can be disabled

)

One excellent feature is a G-force sensor which triggers a text to our phones alerting of an accident. Imagine being down a bank late at night with no means of attracting attention. Your partner would be sent a text alerting them that the Snitch built-in g-shock alert has been triggered and could then text the Snitch (or log onto the website) and determine exactly where you are - down to the street address or, optionally, gps coordinates - and this information could then be passed to emergency services.

Its' early days but I am having a great deal of fun with this unit. It has some excellent features including providing us means to graphically retrace our steps on rides, down to 200 metre intervals.

More importantly the Snitch will provide my partner and I with that little bit extra peace of mind. If/when some lowlife decides their need for my bike is greater than mine we will be alerted the second it moves and will be able to track it and find its' current position at any time.

I paid $1295 In GST for the unit, plus $100 for installation. There is a monthly Vodafone fee of $15 and their account charges seem very reasonable.

Cheers,
Bruiser

**shafty** · 10th July 2007, 11:02

Looks like a fantastic product Bruiser, and not bad value when you consider you can xfer it to your next bike and your next. Good report, cheers.

**hdus001** · 10th July 2007, 12:20

"The Snitch is 100% NZ designed and manufactured .."

I think the term "100% NZ designed & manufactured" is a misnomer. Are you sure that the electronics used in the product - modems, GPS reecivers, IC's, power supplies, the software/firmware that runs in the modems & gps receivers etc are manufactured in NZ. I havent seen the product yet, but I can bet they are not 100% NZ in the true sense of the term

**Delphinus** · 10th July 2007, 13:16

Interesting... I'm currently working on a very similar system myself, just cheaper and not commercial yet.

**Steam** · 10th July 2007, 13:44

Snitch guarantees recovery...

If your vehicle is stolen and not recovered within 24 hours Snitch Incorporated will refund the purchase price of your Snitch. Cool!

I'd definitely get one if I had a bike worth that much. Technology is cool.

**breakaway** · 10th July 2007, 21:37

Snitch sounds like a rip. Whats to stop the thieves just yanking it all out?

**Delphinus** · 10th July 2007, 22:38

Sure its possible, but they would have to know its there, and what it is, and where it is... and last time I checked thieves arent the most intelligent ones around

**Bruiser** · 13th July 2007, 15:23

Originally Posted by hdus001

"The Snitch is 100% NZ designed and manufactured .."

I think the term "100% NZ designed & manufactured" is a misnomer. Are you sure that the electronics used in the product - modems, GPS reecivers, IC's, power supplies, the software/firmware that runs in the modems & gps receivers etc are manufactured in NZ. I havent seen the product yet, but I can bet they are not 100% NZ in the true sense of the term

Mate, have you got nothing better to do than pull apart a 3rd party product report word for word?

And then you admit you don't know what you're talking about

I havent seen the product yet......

... sheesh!

Get a life eh

**Bruiser** · 13th July 2007, 15:30

Originally Posted by breakaway

Snitch sounds like a rip. Whats to stop the thieves just yanking it all out?

The thieves have to know its' there in the first place.

Next it takes no less than 20 minutes to remove it from my bike no matter how rough they are (once they find it).

Most scumbag theives of the big bikes like Harleys would be getting it on a trailer and out of the way as a priority, not knowing or caring about any invisible intelligent gps system aboard.

And all this time its sending back reports and responding to text requests.

$1200 for that kind of security with the features the Snitch has is cheap!

**scumdog** · 13th July 2007, 15:59

Originally Posted by breakaway

Snitch sounds like a rip. Whats to stop the thieves just yanking it all out?

Nothing.
But they're probably unintentionally txting you/triggering the alarm while they're scratching their arse wondering where to start looking for the 'snitch' device - IF they even bother to think it HAS an alarm type device...

**Tickler** · 13th July 2007, 20:16

Originally Posted by Bruiser

Mate, have you got nothing better to do than pull apart a 3rd party product report word for word?

And then you admit you don't know what you're talking about
... sheesh!

Get a life eh

Second that, god if you going to pick every word on this site good on you.

I think the moral of this story is that snitch is good for protecting your bike, not which nationality a transistor is.

**Tickler** · 13th July 2007, 20:19

Also i had been looking at this product after some of auckland's finest citizens decided to take my car. It doesnt seem that hefty a cost concidering the funtionality of the product. You can track the object and move it from bike to bike. Plus im sure you could work some lower insurance premiums knowing that you know (to an extent) where the bike is!

We live in the information age, how about we actually get some of it!

**325rocket** · 13th July 2007, 21:16

in my line of work i have a fair bit to do with different GPS solutions. although this is not one of the main product lines i deal with i do know a bit about it.
for asset tracking like this (bike) it would be one of the best on the new zealand market.

**The Pastor** · 14th July 2007, 14:56

Would you get a disconted insurance for having it?

**toycollector10** · 8th October 2007, 21:01

Then your bike goes missing. You locate it at a certain address or lock-up which is private property. The cops say this is a private and a "civil" matter, like they do. Why? Because their main drive is harvesting cash from people doing 111 kph in a 100 zone, but I digress...

So they (the cops) aren't going to go door knocking. Who do you get to recover your bike? How do they do this without trespassing on private property. It's called a "fishing expedition" and it's illegal. Don't start crapping on about how you would get a dozen of your heavy mates to bust the place up, or how you will storm the property with your macho fists and a baseball bat, you will only wind up in court even if you do recover the bike. For sure.

In New Zealand the criminal often becomes the victim and the victim becomes the agressor and criminal. You know it's true. It's crap but it's the reality.

So the question is;
HOW DO YOU GET YOUR BIKE BACK ONCE YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS?