Is the MyKi kids watch and GPS tracker reliable, accurate, and worth the money?

As we’ve clearly established from our full-featured piece on GPS trackers for kids, there’s a market for it. People want to know where their children are, and they want to be able to communicate with them easily. There are several ways to do this, which is probably why there are so many wearables that pander to the concept.

The MyKi GPS-GSM watch is one of those devices. It’s equipped with everything you need to track your kid’s whereabouts and communicate with them. But some questions remain: Is it truly up to the task? Is it reliable?

Yes, it definitely is. And although there are some setbacks, the MyKi is an exceptional wearable for anyone that is interested in this kind of thing. It allows you to make calls and chat with your kids via voice and text messages. Children can also activate an SOS mode when they’re in trouble, and it will automatically begin to alert pre-defined contacts.

Of course, there are several other features, which we’ll get to later in the review.

MyKi Kids Watch Review

The MyKi is available in several colors, blue/green, pink/yellow, and red/blue. It also comes in two formats, one for the US and another for European markets.

Please Note: The European version has a 24-hour clock that you cannot change and the date is defined as dd/mm/yy. The US version does provide the option to choose between a 12 and 24-hour time format. You may also choose between dd/mm/yy and mm/dd/yy formats. Keep this in mind when ordering from a third party, such as an Amazon seller.

Overview

MyKi Kids Watch and GPS Tracker Review
Overall: (4/5)
Build: (3/5)
Setup: (4/5)
App and Tracking: (5/5)
Functionality: (4/5)
App Compatibility: (5/5)

Ultimately, the MyKi watch is a solid device and the companion app – or tracker as it’s called – is intelligent and does its job well. Alerts that come in are accurate, and you can quickly establish safe zones to provide boundaries for your children. From within the app, it’s easy to manage extra watches too, which is great if you have more than one child.

A designated SOS button allows children to call for help if they are in trouble. They can also get in touch with a set of predefined contacts, like Mom, Dad, or grandparents.

The great thing about the MyKi watch is that it also tracks a child’s physical activity, and it can even be used to monitor the quality of your child’s sleep. This means they don’t have to wear multiple devices like a fitness tracker and the MyKi, they can simply wear one.

The MyKi watch is definitely a solid choice if you’re looking for an accurate, reliable tracker for your kids. But if you want to find out more about it, keep on reading.

• Overall: 4/5 – The MyKi kids watch and GPS tracker is well-built and reliable.

Build

The MyKi feels quite durable – band included. The kind of durable that can withstand a great deal of wear and tear, which is important when children are concerned.

Unfortunately, it’s not waterproof so it cannot be submerged. That means your children will need to remember to take it off before they shower or hop in a pool. That could spell disaster for some.

The finish itself is part of the case, so there’s no need to worry about scuffs or scratches wiping it off. While this may not be an immediate concern, we have had this happen with other review units in the past so it’s good to discuss.

The band is made of a soft, elastic style rubber. The display and watch are also encased in rubber guards. All in all, it’s a comfortable wear, and makes for a great design for this type of wearable.

There are three physical buttons on the side – we’ll discuss what they do in a bit. They feel good to press and it doesn’t seem like they will wear down over time, although that remains to be seen.

The display has rubber “ornaments” or bumpers – if you will – that are in the shape of a smiley face. It’s a nice little touch and should help keep the display fairly protected. The watch face also has a reflective mirror, which is a neat little touch. Children can look at themselves, make faces, and have a little fun with it.

The charging cable is Micro USB format, and looks similar to a SATA cable for a computer. It’s flat and relatively durable, as well. You can charge the watch either via a computer USB port, or with a wall adapter if you have one (the watch doesn’t come with one).

• Build: 3/5 – The MyKi watch is not totally indestructible but it is durable, especially for a device meant to be worn by kids. The display also feels reasonably protected. Sadly, it’s missing a waterproof rating which would have been convenient.

Setup

To install the SIM card, you need to open the watch which means loosening several small screws. Luckily, the MyKi comes bundled with a handy screwdriver that fits the screws.

As for the mobile setup, it was remarkably easy. Once the SIM card was installed it simply required pairing with the mobile app and we were off. Now, it might be worth mentioning, it’s possible the company pre-activated the SIM for our review unit before sending it to us. If that’s the case, you may need to do an extra step or two to get it running. Otherwise, it was pretty much plug and play.

The app was easy to download and get running. The interface is slick and intuitive, and there’s plenty to do. We’ll get to all that in a bit.

It’s fairly easy to pair and switch between multiple watch views in the app which is necessary if you have more than one child with a watch. We were provided with two review units to use at once, and they were both worn by children.

• Setup: 4/5 – The MyKi watch is easy to setup and use. Just the way it should be.

Companion App and Tracking

As stated, the companion app is designed well and has an intuitive, easy-to-use interface.

The starting page for the app shows the GPS location of any watches you have connected. The GPS location is remarkably accurate, and you can also see a “history” list which shows all previous locations of the watch. This is great if your child is traveling, or if someone else is watching them. You can also set “safe zones” or security zones that send alerts if and when your child leaves their boundaries.

In the top-menu are options for GPS tracking, location history, messaging, health, and alarms.

The first thing you’ll want to do, is open the phonebook and add authorized contacts. Any numbers you enter here your child will be able to call. So, it’s important you only include people you’re comfortable with your child talking to. You can also designate “SOS numbers” which the watch will begin calling automatically when it enters emergency mode.

In the settings, you can enable or disable notifications to determine which activities will send you push alerts. The settings menu is easy to find and customize.

At the bottom of the main screen is a one-click “call” button which allows you to directly dial the selected watch. There’s also an indicator – always visible – that shows if the watch has been removed from the child’s wrist or if it’s still being worn. We should note here that no, there is no surefire way to prevent your child – or someone else – from removing the watch. When you start a chat with your child – or someone wearing the watch – it opens within the companion app in a threaded message list. Any voice messages you create are sent as individual audio recordings.

You can designate safe zones from within the app that serve as invisible boundaries. When the MyKi watch – or your child – crosses those boundaries you will get alerts. They are easy to establish within the app, and they seem to be pretty accurate. The only downside is that when someone leaves or enters a zone the notification is slightly delayed. This could be a problem if you didn’t know someone was leaving a zone.

You will also receive alerts instantly when the watch is taken off or put back on.

All in all, the app is easy to use and convenient. It has just about everything you’d need to monitor your child’s activity, and it’s all accessible.

• Tracking: 5/5 – Everything you need is there, plus fitness and sleep tracking.

MyKi Companion App Gallery

Functionality

The main purpose of the MiKi kids watch is to track its location via GPS, and it does this well. Both the current location and recorded locations are available to see at any time through the companion app. As stated, the location tracking is accurate and precise, just what you want it to be.

As a bonus, the MyKi will also track fitness data while your child is wearing it. This information is presented beautifully in the app with charts, graphs and stats. If you’re wondering what it will track, there’s steps taken, distance traveled, total activity time, and of course sleep.

One drawback we found is using the watch is not as straightforward as it should be, which is not ideal since children will be wearing it. For example, the designated SOS button is also used to answer calls when they come in. To hang up, you must press the power button. This can certainly be confusing. The SOS button also dials emergency numbers – it enters SOS mode – when held down. The power button will record a voice message from the watch when it is held down. Finally, the first button calls the 1st number in the “family” contacts list, and the second button calls the second number.

Once you spend some time tinkering with the watch, you can get used to the functions for sure. It is questionable whether a child would be able to use it properly, because they must remember what the multi-function buttons do. Most Adults will have no problem.

Once the watch is powered on, you cannot turn it off again via the device – it must be done via the companion app. This is good because it prevents the child from turning it off, but it can be frustrating initially when you’re trying to figure out how to power it down.

There also doesn’t seem to be a way to turn the watch sound notifications off, and they can be quite obnoxious. It would be nice to see a do not disturb mode added sometime in the future.

Speaker clarity on the watch is great during a call, and so is the mic.

• Functionality: 4/5 – The MyKi watch has a lot to offer! Most importantly, it has GPS and emergency features to keep your child located and safe.

App Compatibility

The app is compatible with both Android (3.0+ and up), iOS (7.0+ and up) and Windows Phone devices. It will sync with mobile phones via Bluetooth.

You can also control and monitor the watch from PC and Mac computers.

• Compatibility: 5/5 – The MyKi watch is compatible with most newer smartphones including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. You can also control it via PC and Mac.

MyKi Kids Watch Review: Conclusion

GPS trackers are becoming more common, especially for children and elderly loved ones. The MyKi in particular is designed to keep you in touch with your child and informed of their whereabouts at all times. It does exactly as advertised, and the location monitoring is accurate, which is perhaps one of the most important elements.

There are a lot of devices like the MyKi hitting the market – the Kigo watch is a great example – but not all of them are so reliable. So, if you’re in the market for a wearable like this, you really can’t go wrong with the MyKi.

MyKi Kids Watch and GPS Tracker Gallery

We hope you enjoyed our MyKi kids watch and GPS tracker review and that it proved useful in your search for the perfect wearable. Stay tuned for more coverage!

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Disclaimer: MyKi graciously provided the review unit for our evaluation.