The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived – it’s time for TechRadar’s annual Santa Tracker! We will monitor St. Nick’s whereabouts as he delivers everything The best tech gifts for Christmas followed by the two most popular trackers; NORAD and Google.
Kris Kringle’s annual trip around the globe is practically a sporting event these years, with the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s (NORAD) Santa Tracker historically being the first port of call for tracking Santa’s whereabouts. However, these days, thanks to the Internet and smartphones, there are many ways to join in as he delivers gifts at breakneck speed.
We believe we’re the best way to stay up to date and will share global festive traditions, Christmas entertainment recommendations and even some hot last minute tech bargains to keep you entertained.
In keeping with the theme of AI everywhere in 2024, we also asked Firefly AI to create some images of the big man himself and the elves at home as they prepare for some serious gifting. They are only slightly cursed.
What is a Santa Tracker? Chasing Santa Claus is a popular tradition that is being observed more and more often around the world, but it all started with a happy coincidence in 1955. According to NORAD, a Sears catalog accidentally included the phone number for the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center of Colorado Springs printed a hotline in place of a Santa Claus hotline and began receiving calls from children hoping to speak to Klaus himself.
CONAD saw an opportunity for a little festive fun (and some positive PR) and began issuing press releases every year about Santa’s whereabouts. After its founding in 1958, CONAD handed over the reins to NORAD. In 2004, Google released its own Santa Tracker, which offers: A very different experience, but still just as fun.
Today, there are many ways to find out what’s going on with Santa, but in our expert opinion, these two are the most important ones to pay attention to.
Which is the best Santa tracker? When it comes to tracking Santa Claus, you essentially have two options: They offer different ways to follow him, but which one is best depends on the experience you’re looking for.
(Image credit: Future)
The original way to follow Santa Claus, and some would say the best. This US military-run website brings together gruff colonels presenting a video about Santa Claus with live, current information about where the man in the big red suit is.
You can download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store. From there, you’ll be presented with some mini-games to play and you’ll be able to see the gift’s progress live.
Compared to other trackers, it is quite simple, lacking a lot of polish and website design. However, it’s also the most popular and has a heartwarming story behind it – as well as an army of volunteers ready to take your call to find out where Santa is, and the power of Verizon’s network in what’s now a 22-year partnership .
NORAD has also added an AI chatbot called Radar to help you spot Santa Claus. However, if you don’t mind, you can dial +1 (877) HI-NORAD.
Google’s Santa Tracker is a newer addition to the Santa tracking mix and has been around since 2004. It combines the power of Google Maps with the in-depth knowledge of where Santa Claus is.
How to play the Santa games on mobile
(Image credit: Google)
Every year when we publish this guide, people ask how to play the games on mobile devices because the big “PLAY!” program is the first choice. The button in the middle of the screen sometimes fails and only ever shows you random games or videos anyway. Simply go to the Santa Tracker website in a mobile browser, click on the three lines in the top left corner and see all the games you can play. (Note: The Install option that prompts you to “Add to Home Screen” does not work on iPhones.)
Even though Google doesn’t have the same satellite tracking capabilities as NORAD, it’s fair to assume that the search giant has struck a deal with the North Pole to find out where it is in real time using search capabilities, radar, lasers, and… Don’t ask us to interpret the magic.
Accompanying the Santa Tracker is a whole host of mini-games, as well as a month-long website that teaches kids to code while discovering a winter wonderland.
There are some pro-Google Tools moments in this Santa Tracker – the Quick Draw game aims to teach Google’s image recognition software to improve, which feels a bit odd – but it’s a beautifully designed site and arguably the most visually accessible Possibility to follow her Santa Claus.
You can download the app from the Google Play Store, but in our opinion the mobile site is just as good and more accessible to iPhone users, plus Google’s Santa Tracker also offers the best and most user-friendly desktop experience.
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