Customer Reviews

IDC Ecco Intelligent Digital Compass Personal Pocket GPS Locator

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Just got mine, and went out to a Walmart for testing this out. So it takes a while to set up the compass. You have to go through a 3 step process to calibrate the device. Once there, you get to lock your position and go. I do like the fact that the device doesn't lose the location when it goes to sleep (like one would expect). At the same time, I was impressed with its accuracy. It's not really pin point accuracy. Don't get me wrong. It got me close enough to see my car but it was not pin point accurate. For instance, I wasn't able to get anything going in short distances.

The battery needs to be charged for 2 hours before the first use. Don't forget that! Do I think this device is useful? Absolutely. If you are going to a conference and want to go out for lunch and find your way back, it'll do the job. But if you park your car in a parking lot and hoping for pin point accuracy, you are asking too much. It would get you close enough but stops once you are in a few feet distance.

Update: 08/15/09 - the device has performed well a few times that I have taken it with me on the road. The key to having success with this gadget is letting it lock on the satellites. The battery life is decent too.

The idea is a great one, but this product is lacking quality control. I returned two of these..both with the same defect (screen problems).
The unit appears cheaply made and will not last.

I originally requested that Amazon send me a replacement when the first one stopped working after 3 days. The second one had the same problem and I returned it for a refund. Unfortunately, Amazon withheld $20 even though both units were defective.

After this experience with ECCO, I started looking around and found the Bushnell "Back Track" which I love. It is well made and works great. It is a little larger than the ECCO, but about half the price and much better made.

Also, I purchased the "Back Track" from Costco and their return policy is much better than Amazon's so I'm confident that this was a better choice.

I have to say...I thought that this product sounded so great. Unfortunately, you have to wait between 1-3 minutes in order to be located before you can set your coordinates. This is not a long time when you are truly away from home and want to locate your car, but when you are at a department store and don't plan on being there for a very long time...to wait even 30 seconds before you can leave your car is quite a long time. This device does not know height as well. This means that if you are parked on a multi-level structure...it could not notify you as to what story you are on.

I had to return this item for a refund. It is a neat idea, but maybe not quite its time. Maybe if IDC makes its locator faster...then this would be something I would be interested in.

I hope this helps.

I recently purchased the IDC Personal Pocket GPS LocatorIDC Ecco Intelligent Digital Compass Personal Pocket GPS Locator for my elderly mother who has occaionally lost track of the location of her parked car (she lives in one of the boroughs of New York City, and parks on the street). I liked the simplicity and compact nature of the device - the device slips on to your key chain and there are no complex maps or multiple options - just lock your location, do your shopping, then hit the "Return" button to pop up an arrow which shows you which way to walk and counts down the distance as you approach your car.

However in my actual testing I found deficiencies that will result in my returning this product. New York was bitter cold and windy during my recent visit. I tried setting the location of the car from within the car. However although the device indicated "READY", the location that was locked did not seem to be accurate and the car was not properly found when we hit "RETURN". On another occasion, as we exited a store and I hit "RETURN", the compass did not seem to work and indeed had to be recalibrated - only 3 days after I had initially calibrated it, and for no apparent reason.

Thus, for a tech savy adult, but with poor directional skills, this device might work out, but for an elderly adult with poor or virutally non-existent technical knowledge, this device is not quite ready for use. The time to lock position in the area where I tested this was about 1 - 2 minutes (a NYC street with 1 - 3 story family homes), which seemed a little long, and not convenient during winter use. Furthermore, as noted above, the compass calibration failed and the calibration procedure is simply too complex for the non-technical elderly to understand.

I bought one (and paid a lot more than Amazon's price) and it works perfectly! I've used it in large parking lots, getting back to unfamiliar places in my car and on hikes. Love to use it when I'm out of town traveling.

I purchased this item in England and have used it on my travels at home and overseas. I can thoroughly recommend this neat GPS device for anyone visiting a strange city or other location however far you stray from your base. I have used it in unfamiliar parts of New York, London, and Paris to find my way back to my hotel. It will even locate your car in a huge event car park, or direct you to that tour coach that you have forgotten where it was parked!
Easily charged from your laptop or PC/Mac , car or mains service. I lost my PC/device connecting cable - The Back Up Service is second to none!
Its size means it can be kept in a small pocket along with your spare home or room key; yet it is big and clear enough to be easily read - around the size of a standard man's watchface. For a few dollars more the carrycase is well worth adding to your purchase.
A real design winner, and truly worth carrying. Certainly NOT just another gadget! Five Stars.

I PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT FOR MY USE. I TRAVEL A LOT AND FREQUENTLY USE RENTAL CARS AND HAVE DIFFERENT WORK LOCATIONS. IT IS A GREAT GADGET FOR LOCATING WHERE YOU PARKED (ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS A DIFFERENT CAR EVERY WEEK), WHICH ENTRANCE TO A BUILDING YOU CAME IN, ETC. SINCE I TRAVEL A LOT WEIGHT AND SIZE MEANS A LOT TO ME. THIS GADGET IS SMALL AND LIGHT TO CARRY AROUND AND FITS EASILY IN A POCKET OR PURSE. THIS GPS UNIT WILL BRING YOU CLOSE TO YOUR SAVED LOCATION, WITHIN APPROX. 3-5 FEET.

THE ONLY REASON WHY I WOULD NOT GIVE THIS GADGET 5 STARS IS BECAUSE THE QUALITY COULD BE IMPROVED. THE CLEAR PLASTIC SCREEN PROTECTING THE INSIDES CAN BE SLID OFF EASILY AND IT IS NOT SEALED. THE PLASTIC SCREEN IS A LITTLE OFF IN THE FITTING AND AS A RESULT THE DISPLAY IS CROOKED. THE DISPLAY ITSELF IS NOT EXACTLY CENTERED AND IS ALSO OFF. IT IS STILL READABLE BUT AGAIN THIS IS A QUALITY ISSUE AND THE UNIT CAN STILL BE USED. THERE ARE TWO PIXELS MISSING FROM MY DISPLAY WHICH SHOWS UP AS 2 BLACK DOTS. THESE ARE ALL THAT I NOTICED SO FAR. I HAVE TO NOTE THAT THIS IS THE 2ND ONE THAT I PURCHASED. THE FIRST UNIT HAD MISSING PIXELS ALSO AND THE DISPLAY WAS ALSO NOT CENTERED. FOR $100 THIS UNIT SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE QUALITY ISSUES OTHERWISE IN MY OPINION IT SHOULD COST LESS.

OVERALL, I AM STILL GIVING THIS PRODUCT 4 STARS FOR THE INNOVATION, SMALL SIZE AND EASE OF USE.

--- VIRGINIA, ROAD WARRIOR & GADGET GIRL

I found this product very disapponting. My husband and I both worked on the gps following the directions provided, but we could not get it to work. Furthermore, when I went to return the product, I was very disappointed to find I was faced with a restocking charge, even though I felt the product was defective. It was also difficult to return it to a post office box. I finally had to get Amazon involved. I feel it was unethical to have charged me both postage and restocking charges for a product that did not work!

Thank you for giving us more choices on new and innovated product's like Ecco the first pocket gps key fob, I bough one and it is truly a great gift and a product that I can carry with me I use it to help me find my car at ball games or out fishing. I also use it for traveling to help me find my way back to my hotel, I don't worry any more. It very simple to use.Thanks Again for Ecco to cool.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026RHEB8/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title