By Chris Scott Barr
Have you ever been sent a package, only to wonder where exactly it is a few days later? Sure, you can look up the tracking number and have the carrier give you an idea. However, that isn’t exactly up-to-the-minute information. It also doesn’t tell you what pitfalls befell your poor package during transit. FedEx has decided to solve these issues by introducing a gadget that will tell you everything about your package during its journey.
Aimed at the medical industry, SenseAware is a device that can be dropped into any package to monitor the transit. During this time it uses an accelerometor, light sensor, cellular transmitter and a GPS receiver to gather data about how the package is treated, whether it was opened and its exact location. You can then log onto the corresponding website and check this information at any time.
Right now the service is too pricey for most people, however the $120 per month fee isn’t too outrageous when you’re shipping out fragile and irreplaceable items like transplant organs. I imagine that the cost will go down over the next few years, and you’ll start to see more businesses take advantage of it.
If you have tried to send a package before internationally, then you know the hassles of tracking your product via the internet.
Sometimes you are crossing your fingers if the package was already sent or was stolen. This new gadget is a “god-sent” for people who do this kind of business everyday.
More senseware preview: http://bit.ly/fed-ex-almost-real-time-tracker
That service would be more helpful in the clutzy hands of UPS. They are horrible. I think if a package indicates abuse, it should be the company that pays for the damage. UPS is horrible. I haven't had issues with FedEx, so I don't see the need. Though I'm sure there are others that do.
Do you have to send the tracking device back to FedEx when you get your package? I'm worried that I would become obsessed with the GPS tracking and be constantly refreshing the webpage when the package go close to, or in my city. Watching everywhere the delivery truck goes street by street, light by light, stop by stop to my house.
Well, since the handlers at these package companies mishandle most every package on purpose, how do they get around this?
Why did I think this would end up costing money? Handy for companies I guess but proving damage caused by the carrier is not easy.
Well, since the handlers at these package companies mishandle most every package on purpose, how do they get around this?
Why did I think this would end up costing money? Handy for companies I guess but proving damage caused by the carrier is not easy.