Savannah has recently dropped a few hints that she would love to have a cell phone. Her cousins have one and she would like to have one so that she can, among other things, text with them. It is hard for me to imagine that she's old enough to have a cell phone. Yet, I've been weighing the benefits of her request.
Though she spends most of her time with me - it would be nice to have an easy way to quickly reach her when she isn't with me. A quick call or text could let me know exactly where she is or where she is going. Though, if she's anything like me - she'll likely forget to text when she arrives at or leaves her destination. We've recently found an app that helps me with that task. Folr. Folr has been great for our recent field trips and travels. It allows our loved ones to keep up with our location throughout the day or trip - without us needing to constantly check in with a call or text.
I've found Folr to be an added parenting tool. I like that with Folr, I get real-time, detailed information on the location of my loved ones. I can also get a detailed location history. Did she really go straight to Grandma's or did she stop and get ice-cream on the way? I can also use it as a babysitter or nanny monitor. Are they going where we agreed they could go?
I've found Folr to be an added parenting tool. I like that with Folr, I get real-time, detailed information on the location of my loved ones. I can also get a detailed location history. Did she really go straight to Grandma's or did she stop and get ice-cream on the way? I can also use it as a babysitter or nanny monitor. Are they going where we agreed they could go?
Folr Features I Love
Compatibility
Easily installed on any mobile device (smartphone or tablet) and operating system (iOS or Android)
It's Free
We've tried a few apps that required a fee to use and ended up being a little more difficult to use. We needed to log onto a separate site using a computer in order to view maps and track locations. I wanted the option of looking down at my phone and getting the information in an instant. Folr allows that. I can quickly open the app and view the user along with their locations within seconds. You can find it at the App Store and at Play Store.
Easy to Use
Users can select whom they wish to follow straight from their phones' contacts. If I forget to text Dan and let him know that we've left the museum - he can quickly check his phone to see if we are on the road and on our way home. He can also pre-set the times that he knows we will be out and about.
Follow and be Followed
There are two lists, a list of those who the user follows, and a list of those who want to follow the user.
Detailed Location History
Users can review the detailed history of the followed throughout the day and up to a whole year.
Privacy
I very much enjoyed that it was also private. I didn't need to jump through hoops to make sure the correct settings were applied to ensure that strangers weren't accessing the map of our movements. There are also options for deciding when you can be followed. You can activate or deactivate the days-of-week and the hours-of-day that your device can be tracked.
Various Uses
Folr is perfect not only for tracking your family but can also be used by institutions (i.e. attendance-taking in schools) and social purposes (i.e. locate friends nearby). I love the grouping feature. We often visit amusement parks or other travel locations with a large group of family members. I am able to use the app as a family locator. I can set groups within Folr and assign everyone to a specific group. I can have a group that focuses on our household and a group that contains our extended family. I can also have a group for workout groups that I may run or bike with.
