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TickTalk 3 Smartwatch Review - Is It the Right GPS Tracker for Your Kid?

By Oktay Ozadam

Tick Talk 3

The TickTalk 3 is a premium smartwatch designed specifically for kids. This smartwatch features both data and GPS connectivity, allowing parents to know where their children are whenever they are wearing the watch.

The data availability for the TickTalk 3 also allows for communication between parents and children anywhere a wireless signal is available.

All in all, the TickTalk3 is a premium smartwatch made exclusively for kids.

How It Looks

The TickTalk 3 smartwatch is a well-designed piece of hardware. The watch does not try to do too much with its design—the device itself has gently rounded rectangles reminiscent of the Apple Watch, and the nylon wristband looks durable enough to hold up while your kids use the watch.

While TickTalk did not take any risks in the design of their watch, they also did not need to, relying upon a tried and tested formula for smartwatch design.

There are raised edges to the watch face as well to protect the screen from impact. This utilitarian addition is welcome, as it should help to keep the face of the watch safe in the event that the user falls while wearing it.

The biggest issue with the design is the thickness of the watch itself—something that can be seen in most smartwatches. To include the necessary hardware, sacrifices had to be made in this aspect of the design.

The watch is also available in many different color options. The watch itself can be purchased in either black or white, while there is a wide range of colors available for the watchband.

TickTalk also sells replacement bands, so if somehow the band that came with the watch breaks or you decide that a different color would look better, replacing an existing band is always an option. The replacements come in green, black, orange, red, rainbow, blue, and purple. This wide range of options is sure to be able to appeal to nearly all buyers of the watch.

Tracking your Child's Location

One major selling point to the TickTalk 3 smartwatch is the included GPS tracking features.

Reviewers of the watch on Amazon have mentioned the peace of mind that comes with buying a watch that provides location tracking features.

For families hiking in the wilderness or exploring a new city, the ability to track your children adds an extra level of security in the unfortunate event that you somehow get separated.

The GPS in the TickTalk3 is advertised as accurate within a range of 10 to 100 feet, and this statistic is backed up by the reviews on Amazon.

Some reviewers claimed that it always reported the correct location, even the exact address, while others complained that it was slightly less accurate. Nevertheless, having the tracking features of this watch is a welcome addition for parents who want to make sure that their children do not accidentally get lost.

In addition to GPS tracking, the TickTalk 3 can also track its wearer's location via WiFi. Although this is less accurate than the GPS tracking, it adds another option in the case that the wearer is inside and cannot establish a clear GPS signal. The redundancy of having backup modes for tracking should help to establish a deeper level of peace of mind for parents worried that their children could accidentally get lost.

Other Noteworthy Features

While the main attraction of the TickTalk3 may be its GPS tracking, there are plenty of other features to this smartwatch that makes it worth your attention.

Two-way Calling

First, because it connects to a wireless signal, the watch can also function as a phone. The two-way calling features of the TickTalk 3 mean that you can make calls over data and WiFi to be able to get in touch with your child via the watch.

There are additional security measures built into the calling features of the watch—a firewall setting only allows for verified contacts to be able to call, so you can ensure that only trusted friends and family can make contact.

Video Calling

Not only can you make phone calls, but the included camera in the smartwatch also allows for video calling. FaceTalk calling can function over WiFi exclusively as a way to save data. If using this feature, be warned that it can cause the watch to heat up a good bit due to the extra demands placed upon it for video chatting.

Instant Messaging

The communication features do not stop with phone calls and video calls. TickTalk 3 can also send instant messages. You can set up chats between just two people or larger group chats, and the preset texts allow you to streamline your communication. There are even special emoji and gifs built into the messaging platform to make talking more fun.

As mentioned before, the tracking features of the watch are a great benefit. However, in addition to just tracking, you can see real-time updates on the location of the wearer. And if you, as a parent, have multiple children with the TickTalk 3 smartwatch, you can see each position on the same map.

Reminders

The TickTalk 3 smartwatch also has support for adding reminders. If you are worried about forgetting anything, the reminders on this smartwatch are a great way to keep from forgetting to do important tasks. There are several default reminders programmed into the watch itself, but you can also create your own custom reminders and alarms.

Water Resistant (Not Waterproof)

Test TickTalk 3 for waterproofness

The smartwatch has an IP67 rating for water resistance, meaning that it will resist some level of water, but it is not waterproof. It should survive small splashes of water or a quick fall in the pool, but it should not be submerged in water for an extended period of time. It is not recommended to wear this watch when going in the water; doing so can cause irreparable damage to the device. The lack of waterproofing feels like a missed opportunity for TickTalk.

Custom Watch Faces

You can also customize the TickTalk 3 to your exact preferences. It comes with several custom watch faces, so your children can choose the faces that best reflect their personalities.

Do Not Disturb Mode

If your child is wearing this watch to school, there is a helpful do not disturb mode that silences all incoming notifications. This feature will help to prevent any distractions that the watch could inadvertently cause.

Super Hearing Mode

There is also a super hearing mode—any admin-level users of the home TickTalk app can enable the microphone on the watch itself and listen in on what is going on. This feature is welcome in the event of an emergency if your child does not respond to texts or calls. However, it should only be used sparingly, relying upon it to know what your child is up to feels like a breach of privacy.

How Good is the Photo and Video Quality of TickTalk 3?

The TickTalk 3 smartwatch has an included 2MP camera, which is perfectly serviceable for a device of this size. While not at the same level of quality that we expect from our smartphones, a 2MP camera nonetheless fits the needs of this device as a camera that will work well enough on video calls.

In addition, it can be used by your child as a way to have fun and take pictures to remember happy moments and share them with the rest of the family.

Parental Controls

The TickTalk app allows parents to override some of the controls of the TickTalk 3 smartwatch. This includes remotely enabling or disabling the watch firewall, which determines whether or not unknown numbers can call the watch.

Other features that can be controlled via the remote app are finding new friends, access to the watch calculator, changing the date or time, and the dial pad.

In times of emergency, parents can also remotely call 911 via the TickTalk 3 smartwatch.

Having access to these override controls is understandable in the case of an emergency—naturally, you want to be able to protect your child if there is the potential for danger. However, outside of these situations, it is easy to see the potential for misuse of these features, leading to a lack of trust between parent and child. Using them sparingly and only in an emergency is the best course of action in order to not betray your child's trust.

Battery Performance – Good but Could be Better

A smartwatch is only as useful as its included battery, and helpfully, TickTalk has released user data describing the performance of its batteries.

When surveying more than three thousand customers, TickTalk found that a majority of users (nearly 70%) experienced battery life that surpassed twenty hours on a single charge.

This battery life is good, but not great—having to charge a device every night is not an ideal situation for a smartwatch that wants to become an essential part of your life. Indeed, the fact that 30% of users experienced less than twenty hours of battery life suggests that this limitation could be an annoyance to owning the TickTalk 3.

MyTickTalk vs Other Brands

The fundamental difference between the TickTalk 3 smartwatch and those of competitors is the 4G LTE support in the TickTalk watch.

As older 2G and 3G networks are starting to be phased out, other smartwatches that only connect to those networks will quickly become obsolete.

Furthermore, TickTalk has an expert team of California-based engineers to push updates to your watch to keep in functioning as intended for as long as possible.

Lastly, TickTalk also hires cybersecurity experts to ensure that all of your data is protected using industry-standard security protocols.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: Do I need a SIM card and a monthly plan?
  • A: Yes. The TickTalk 3 functions as a smartphone on your wrist, so it requires a SIM card and a full voice, text, and data plan to achieve its full functionality.

  • Q: Does the TickTalk 3 have any games?
  • A: No. The TickTalk 3 was not designed to be a toy, but rather a safety device.

  • Q: Does the TickTalk 3 work with Verizon?
  • A: No, the TickTalk 3 only works on AT&T and T-Mobile's networks

  • Q: Can I use it in any country?
  • A: Yes, TickTalk 3 supports wireless bands for most countries around the world.

  • Q: Can you download apps onto the watch?
  • A: No, you can only use the apps provided by TickTalk.

  • Q: Can you listen to music?
  • A: No, this feature is not available on the TickTalk 3 smartwatch.

  • Q: Can you take remote screenshots?
  • A: No, the only remote functionality for the watch is modifying certain controls and the Super Hearing feature.

Final Thoughts on TickTalk 3

As a safety device, the TickTalk 3 smartwatch excels.

The premium price is matched by a premium feature set that is focused on helping to keep your kids safe.

The location tracking features make sure that you will be able to find your kids if you become separated, and the communication features help you stay in touch with them when needed.

TickTalk's decision to include a do not disturb mode so that notifications are silenced is also a welcome addition, especially for settings like class.

The most significant issues with the device come down to battery life and a lack of extensibility through apps. These two features would greatly expand the functionality of the TickTalk 3.

However, the current battery life and included selection of applications are sufficient to make the device useful. If you are looking for a way to keep your kids safe, especially on vacation, this is an excellent choice of device.

PROS
  • Excellent location tracking abilities
  • Communication features
  • Do not disturb mode so that watch does not become a distraction
  • Wide variety of colors for watch bands
  • Ability to be used in multiple countries
CONS
  • Battery life is subpar
  • Availability of more applications would be helpful
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