Are you looking for ways to track and communicate with your kids? But are you wary of getting them a smartphone at an early age?
It’s a legitimate concern every parent has. Getting your five-year-old kid a smartphone will let them have access to the internet, games, and social media, and you have little to no control over who can contact them. Yes, it can be scary.
If you want to talk to your kids and stay updated on their location, a safer alternative would be to get them a smartwatch with GPS capabilities.
One such smartwatch we will explore today is the JrTrack 2 SE. The device is designed for kids from the ages of 5 to 12. You can text and make a voice call to your kids. It offers GPS tracking and geofencing features.
Only parent-approved contacts can call the smartwatch. It has an SOS button for emergencies.
You may need to charge the device once every 24 hours. And its monthly plans can be expensive. So is the smartwatch worth buying? Let us start with the JrTrack 2 SE review to know more.
| Product Overview | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Cosmo Technologies |
| Model | JrTrack 2 SE Kids Smartwatch |
| Dimensions | 2.16 x 1.69 x 0.61 inches |
| Weight | 1.65 ounces |
| Material | Plastic |
| Screen | 1.4 inches touchscreen240 x 240 pixels |
| Battery | 3.8v 600mAh Lithium-ion |
| Processor | 1.3GHz dual-core |
| RAM | 512MB |
| Storage | 2GB |
| SIM | SIM is included, You must pay for a Cosmo Membership plan |
| Color | Black, Pink, Blue |
| Price | Starts from $59.99 |
| Subscription | Starts from $9.99/mo to $19.99/mo |
| Warranty | 1-year manufacturer warranty2-year extended warranty available for purchaseDevice Insurance included with the membership plan |
| Customer Support | Live chatEmailPhone - Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST |
| Amazon Rating | 3.6 out of 5 (853 ratings) |
Our Rating
About Cosmo
Cosmo Technologies was founded in 2020. It is a venture-backed family tech company based out of Denver.
Their mission is to develop tech tools that will help bring families closer together. They focus on creating child-friendly products and assisting parents to raise their children in a digital world.
Cosmo’s best-selling product is the JrTrack smartwatch which lets parents and kids stay connected in a secure environment. Their systems are COPPA compliant, and they follow high data security standards.
The brand also offers accessories like colorful watch bands and charging cables.
Who is the JrTrack 2 SE Smartwatch For?
If you are looking for a safe and convenient way of introducing a tech device to your child, consider the JrTrack 2 SE smartwatch.
With a smartphone, you can text and talk to your kids. But you are also giving them access to the internet. You can have parental controls in place, but having complete control over how your child uses the phone isn’t always possible.
The JrTrack smartwatch does not provide open access to the internet, games, social media, or app store. You can decide who gets to contact your child.
It offers GPS tracking details so you stay updated about your child’s whereabouts.
The smartwatch and the app offer additional features like a camera, videos, a step counter, reminders, a calculator, backgrounds, and more.
So, the JrTrack 2 SE smartwatch is for kids aged 5 to 12 and concerned parents and caregivers who want to stay connected securely.
5 Important Factors We Tested the Product on
Now that you know the benefits of the smartwatch let us understand how the device performs. While writing the JrTrack 2 SE review, we considered several factors like design, battery, ease of setup and use, and features.
Here is what we found.
1. Design
These feature-rich smartwatches tend to be bulky, especially for younger kids. But dimension-wise, the JrTrack watch is medium-sized. Its dimensions are 2.16 x 1.69 x 0.61 inches. It weighs about 1.65 ounces.
If your kid finds the watch too big, you can buy the Comfort-Fit watch bands. They are made of soft synthetic fabric and are secured with velcro. And if you want something durable, consider the premium silicone-made Active-Fit bands that can be secured with a buckle.
The watch itself is made from plastic. It has an IP67 rating. It can handle small spills but do not let the device submerge in water.
The watch has a 1.4-inch touchscreen with a home button. The camera is placed at the top center.
On the right side, you can find the SIM panel. The SIM comes pre-installed. On the left side is the on/off button. And lastly, the charging port is located at the back of the watch.
Overall, the smartwatch is well-designed with kid-friendly features.
2. Battery
The smartwatch comes with a lithium-ion battery. It has a capacity of 600 mAh. The company claims the battery can last for about 24 hours. But I would say it all depends on how you use the smartwatch.
The JrTrack 2 SE does not support video calls, one of the main battery-draining activities. So even with a small capacity of 600 mAh, the watch can last up to a full day.
The watch screen sleeps if the device is inactive to conserve battery. Avoid frequent location tracking to extend battery life.
To be on the safer side, you will have to charge the smartwatch every night. It may take an hour or two to charge the device. You will receive the charging cable with your purchase. You can use the cable with any existing power adapter you have.
3. Usability
The Cosmo JrTrack smartwatches come with their own SIM card. To enable a cellular network, you must activate a Cosmo membership plan. You cannot add the number to any existing plan from carriers like AT&T or Verizon.
To set up the smartwatch, you must buy a membership plan. You can find the activation link on Cosmo’s website.
If you are using your phone, you can scan the QR code on the back of the watch. You can enter the 15-digit IMEI code if you are on the desktop.
Next, enter your email address and pick a membership plan. Next, you can add an extended warranty or proceed without one.
Enter your billing information and make the purchase. Lastly, click on Activate Plan Now to complete the process.
You will need the Mission Control app to customize and manage the smartwatch. You will start with basic steps like creating your account, adding your information and phone number, and confirming your contact details.
Next, when you turn on the watch, you will find the Start setup – Continue to pair option. Scan the QR code at the back of the watch and enter the 8-digit code to complete the pairing. The data can take up to 24 hours to get entirely activated on the watch.
You can now use the Cosmo Mission Control app to add contacts, update your child’s profile, set location update frequency, and preset messages.
The app design is intuitive and functional, but several users have reported performance issues.
Overall, the setup process is straightforward, but it can take up to a day to fully activate the device.
4. Features
You can add up to 10 contacts to the smartwatch. There are two types of contacts you can add – Contact and Guardian.
The Contact can only make and receive calls from the watch. The Guardian can make and receive calls, text, and track location.
You can choose the account type while adding new numbers. When saving a Guardian’s number, the app will send them an invite. The Guardian then must download the app, create an account and confirm the invite under the My Device section.
You have complete control over who can call and contact your child and vice versa.
You can make 2-way phone calls. Under Preset messages, you will find a bunch of responses already available. You can add to the list as per your preference.
The app shows the most recently updated location of the watch. You can also go back in time and check the time-stamped locations on the watch.
You get three options under the Activity Center: alarms, school mode, and step counter. These features can remind your kids to get ready for class, start with an activity or encourage them to be more active.
5. Performance
With these smartwatches, location accuracy is an issue. The JrTrack 2 SE has shown much better accuracy than the other smartwatches we have tested. It isn’t the best, but the accuracy is decent.
Under the Device Settings, you can set the location update frequency. For example, you can get updates every 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes. You can enable the Daytime only update feature to send updates between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
Your child can activate the SOS mode while staying on the home screen and pressing the power button twice. It will start live tracking for 15 minutes with 30-second updates.
The app performance is a bit disappointing. With the newest updates, the app lags and sometimes crashes. Some users have reported that the calling feature has been inconsistent.
Another factor I want to point out is that the $9.99 monthly plans are available on a 2-year commitment. The monthly plans at $19.99 are expensive.
Overall, the smartwatch and app performance is decent as of now. Cosmo needs to make significant improvements to both.
What Sets the JrTrack 2 SE Smartwatch Apart from its Competitors?
A feature that I do not see often on smartwatches is a full texting keyboard. It’s typically due to the limited screen size. In most watches, your child can reply only using present messages. Or they can send voice messages or share pictures or videos.
With the JrTrack 2 SE, your child has access to a full texting keyboard, which they can use to send custom messages.
Geofencing is another feature that not all smartwatches support. JrTrack uses the name SafeZone. In the main menu, you can set a safe zone, set the radius, name it, and assign it to the device you want to track.
You can get entry and exit alerts when the smartwatch is around these zones.
Should You Purchase the Who is the JrTrack 2 SE Smartwatch?
If you want to get your child their first tech device, the smartwatch is better than a phone. It does not provide access to games, internet, or social media.
You can talk to them via text and voice call. It offers location updates according to your selected frequency. It has an SOS mode for emergencies.
The battery can last for up to a day or less. And the monthly plans can be expensive.
Consider the pros and cons and the price of the smartwatch before you buy it.
Pros
- The smartwatch offers GPS tracking.
- You can make 2-way calls.
- You can set geofences and receive entry/exit alerts.
- It has a full texting keyboard.
- It has no open internet, games, social media, or app store.
- The location will update in SOS mode every 30 seconds for 15 minutes.
Cons
- It does not support video calls.
- Monthly membership plans can be expensive.
- Some users have reported issues with customer service.
Price
The JrTrack 2 SE smartwatch is originally priced at $99.99. If you choose to buy from Amazon, with offers, you can find the smartwatch with a starting price of $59.99.
You must buy a Cosmo membership plan while activating the SIM card. The three plans offered are as follows:
- Monthly: $19.99/mo
- 1-year: $14.99/mo
- 2-year: $9.99/mo
The yearly plans are available on a prepaid basis.
All plans include unlimited talk, text, data, full companion app access, and device insurance.
You will also be charged a one-time activation fee of $9.99.
If you want to add a 2-year extended warranty for the smartwatch, you can do so for $24.99 at activation time.
Optionally, if you want to buy different colored watch bands from JrTrack, you can get them from $9.99 to $12.99.
FAQ’s
No. You cannot pause the Cosmo membership plan. Opt for the monthly membership if you want to try the service before committing to a long-term plan.
No. Currently, the JrTrack 2 SE smartwatch works only in the US. The company hopes to expand to other areas soon.
Yes. You can change the watch bands on the JrTrack 2 SE. You can choose bands from the Comfort-Fit range made with a soft synthetic fabric. Or you can opt for the Active-Fit range, which is made with premium silicone.
Summary
The JrTrack 2 SE smartwatch can help you stay connected to your kids in a secure environment. It offers no access to open internet, games, or social media. It is designed for kids ages 5 to 12 years.
The smartwatch offers messaging, preset messages, a full texting keyboard for custom messages, 2-way voice calls, and a camera to take pictures and record videos.
It offers location updates. The SOS mode offers 30-second updates for 15 minutes. You can set up safe zones.
The battery can last for up to 24 hours. The app needs performance improvements. The monthly plans are expensive; consider getting the yearly plans to save on costs.
We hope our JrTrack 2 SE review has helped you with your purchase decision.
Carson Harris is a highly qualified author and expert in GPS tracking technology. With a background in electrical engineering and machine learning, he has established himself as a trusted source of information. Carson’s work experience at Garmin and Panasonic has further enhanced his expertise. He possesses creative skills in website design and AI applications. Known for his clear and concise communication, Carson’s articles on Trax Family’s website provide valuable insights on GPS trackers.