At the moment, the gadget market is huge. Here you can find everything from the usual “smart” watches to flower pots that can be watered remotely. The development of technology allows us to study our physical condition in training, makes it possible for a scanner to find listening devices, install anti-theft models, etc.
Tracker
The Mini A8 GPS tracker received positive reviews because it is a functional device that has many use cases. But we will talk about the most popular option when this device becomes useful to humans.
As practice shows, most often it is purchased for a car or any other transport device. In general, cars have recently been equipped with the most possible and impossible anti-theft systems, but skilled thieves have learned to circumvent all protective options, so motorists began to use the Mini A8 GPS tracker. Reviews about him are often positive, especially if you managed to get a high-quality assembly of the model.
Packaging
This gadget is now sold in China on popular sites. You can also try to find it in your country, but usually it will cost more. The device fits in a modest package that resembles a box for a portable battery. She got a white color with green graphic elements. On the front there is a window through which we see the product itself, supported navigation networks are indicated below, as well as the model of the device.
On the back side there are a couple of pictures that hint to us the advisability of buying this device. Looking at them, you can find that in addition to vehicles, the "bug" is often used to control children or elderly relatives. You can also protect your dog, especially if she likes to run away from you.
It is immediately indicated that there is no GPS directly in the device, which, of course, raises some questions regarding the name of the gadget. The table shows the size of the tracker, its weight, connection support, battery capacity, temperature, voltage, etc.
Equipment
Inside, nothing supernatural can be found for the Mini A8 GPS tracker. Reviews about the configuration remained neutral. There was everything necessary, there was no need to buy any cables - and this is the main thing. Inside, the tracking object itself was located, as well as a charger for it. It is interesting that, in principle, there are models without charging, because it has a standard interface, which means that your power supply for a smartphone is suitable for it. But the cost does not vary much, so it makes no sense to look for such an option. Also, when buying, pay attention to the power supply connector. The socket is presented with a European and American “plug”, so if you have not considered, you will have to buy an adapter. In addition to the charging unit itself, there is a microUSB - USB wire.
Appearance
When studying the review of the GPS tracker Mini A8, reviews about its appearance were mixed. Some felt that the device looked boring, while others, on the contrary, were happy with their inconspicuous appearance, since the tracker should have gone unnoticed, like a tracking device.
So in front of us is a small black box with dimensions of 31x42x13 mm. It has soft touch coverage. In front is a green Android bot familiar to us. Why is it here, it is difficult to explain, perhaps the Chinese wanted to attract the attention of buyers in this way, but there is no operating system inside, and a regular GSM-board is installed. Also in front is the model of the gadget.
There is a lid on the rear panel, which, out of habit, is difficult to open. Inside is a SIM card slot. The right end is occupied by a bright red SOS button, which can be programmed by a chain of SMS messages. Then, when pressed, an emergency call will be sent to the programmed number from the hidden subscriber.
At the other end is a connector for a charger with a microUSB interface. On the bottom side is a microphone jack. Interestingly, in general, the gadget can be disassembled independently. But users on this occasion leave parsing reviews about the Mini-A8 GPS tracker. Although in general at home you can get to the insides of the tracker, but having done this more than 2-3 times, you can “ditch” the case completely. Therefore, without the need, it is better not to disassemble the "bug".
Features
Despite the rather ordinary design, in general, the device turned out to be quite good. Of course, there are problems that we will talk about a little later, but users left positive feedback. Features The Mini A8 GPS tracker got simple but necessary.
Compact sizes were previously noted. This advantage makes it possible to hide the gadget in the car so that hijackers could not immediately detect it. The quality of the battery also turned out to be surprisingly good. It is generally powerful and can work for a week without recharging. If this is not enough for you, you can buy an external battery for the device.
The GSM-locator function also proved to be quite good. Of course, the name of the model hints to the user that GPS is available, but this is another “Chinese trick”, as is the case with the green droid bot. In fact, the gadget works by transmitting the location via GSM stations. The accuracy is sufficient, if used in a large city, then the maximum error is from 30 to 300 meters.
Another feature is the work as a kind of “bug”. The manufacturer claims that if the owner calls the tracker, he will automatically accept the call and through the microphone will transmit everything that happens nearby. It can also function with any mobile operator, and its cost is extremely low.
Functions
Next, you should carefully consider the overview of the characteristics of the GPS tracker Mini A8. Feedback received positive parameters, since in general they work stably. As mentioned earlier, the battery allows the device to not be discharged for more than a week, but if it is engaged in the transmission of sound, then it will last for 2-3 hours. There are negative indicators of the autonomy of the device. If you have a cheap assembly or fake, then the tracker may not last longer than two days.
Interesting indicators are given by the microphone itself. Its sensitivity fluctuates around 45 decibels. This indicator is adjustable. It shows the value of the frequency of the human voice. But you can configure it so that the device will perceive the sound of the speaker, if it is in a radius of 5-9 meters. Although all these values ​​may vary depending on external sources, for example, weather.
User's manual
Another important factor is the proper use of the Mini A8 GPS tracker. The instruction received negative reviews, because either it was not included in the kit, or there was no Russian-language translation. This, of course, did not appeal to many buyers, because not everyone can immediately figure out how to use the gadget.
To connect and configure the tracker, you need to open the back cover and install a SIM card. After the bug detects it, the indicator flashes. As previously mentioned, it is possible to control the tracker via SMS commands. To do this, you need to call him to activate the work. During the call, the answering machine turns on, which means you need to cancel the call. The device now allows you to send commands through messages. If you enter “0000”, then the tracker will turn off the sound signal to return the action, enter “1111”, then the alarm is activated.
If you want to determine the location of the device, send an SMS with the text GPS. Then he will send you his coordinates. By the way, if after the command "1111" the device did not call you back, most likely you forgot to recharge your account. It is also possible the battery is low.
Problems
Instructions on the settings of the GPS tracker Mini A8 reviews did not always get positive, as there were some unforeseen problems. Sometimes there was a launch failure, more often associated with a discharged battery. The lack of a GSM signal is also caused by a battery charge or improper connection of a SIM card. If the connection fails, then most likely the device is malfunctioning. Unfortunately, not all models that are sold in China are of high quality, and no one is safe from buying a defective device.
It also happened that the photo of the Mini A8 GPS tracker, customer reviews, and parameters were different from each other. After the parcel arrived, it turned out that there was a slightly different gadget. His appointment was incomprehensible, or he was completely useless.
Reviews
In general, this is a budget option, which many use as a toy. Of course, there are those who are serious about this device. Usually after a purchase it turns out that the gadget is really very useful. But most often there are users who come across a defective version with low-quality materials and low parameters.
But there is no denying that the Mini A8 GPS tracker has its advantages. Reviews in this regard mark its versatility. As mentioned earlier, most often there are motorists among users. But in addition to guarding the car, you can monitor a child who has just started to go to school on his own, to secure elderly relatives who are at risk of memory loss. In order not to lose your dog during a walk, the tracker can easily be attached to the collar.
Negative reviews concerned the need to charge the device and replenish the account. The response from the tracker can be too long, the message can wait up to 15 minutes. In addition, if thieves stole a car and put it in a garage or drove it into some abandoned building, the satellite may not find the vehicle. It works correctly only in the open air.