Last year a lot of socialpicks members held high hopes for this stock when the price was in the mid $20 dollar range and it has done badly. With a $15 price tag and a new product which the pet industry should fall in love with, it may have a chance to see it's dream of a rising stock.
A new breed of smaller, lighter-weight GPS chips have made it possible to track your dog's every move. The same technology
that helps guide car trips is now being used to locate wandering pets and yes, even kids. A company called Zoomback is selling a
small (3" x 2" x 1") device that you can attach to your dog's collar. When the dog wanders more than a specified distance from
your home, Zoomback sends a text message to your cell phone. And then you can track your pets wanderings from a website (or soon
to be available, get updates on your cell phone).
I imagine you can use the same device to track your kids, your car, your boat, or how about your spouse? The possibilities are
endless (and a little frightening). I'm told that the device can even be used to alert parents if the young drivers in their
family exceed a specific speed. A Zoomback locator costs about $200 plus a monthly fee for the tracking service. It holds a charge for a few days, and "calls home" when the battery is running low.
I'm not so sure that this is what the military had in mind when they launched the Global Positioning Satellites, but it looks to me like it will be a hot field for some time to come. Zoomback LLC is owned by Liberty Media, which also has a stake, through its subsidiary, markets and sells various consumer products, including home, apparel and accessories, and jewelry. It offers these products through merchandise-focused televised shopping programs on the QVC television networks and via the Internet through its domestic and international Web sites. The company also offers perishable products, including flowers and plants, fruits, meats and seafood, sweets and confections, chocolate-dipped berries, and related gifting products through e-commerce marketplace of Web sites. In addition, it operates as an online retailer of costumes, accessories, decor, and party supplies. Further, the company owns interests in Expedia, Inc., a travel services company; and IAC/InterActiveCorp, a multi-brand interactive commerce company.
Liberty Media (LINTA) trades on the NASDAQ.
