With help from small tracking gadgets plus the ubiquitous smartphone, we can now keep tabs on our belongings – wherever they may be. Now a startup is crowdfunding a nifty tag that includes an E Ink screen to display contact details and photos in color.
Though trackers from the likes of Apple and Tile are undoubtedly useful, they're a bit of a one-trick pony. The PhotoTag – which is currently raising production funds on Kickstarter – not only helps you to locate gear that's wandered off, but can also brighten up a travel bag with a happy snap or colorful art and serve as an address label too.
The E Ink display can manage four colors as well as grayscale. If you don't really want your contact details on display, then you could create and load in a QR code instead. The setup works with Apple Find My and Google Find networks, which means that it will hijack the GPS of any friendly iPhones or Android handsets nearby, upload the location to cloud servers and then send a notification to your own phone.
If you misplace a tagged item in your house or hotel room, there's an alarm built in that can be triggered from your phone to help you find it. Or if you've included a PhotoTag on the collar of a beloved companion animal, the technology will show you where the little scamp's got to. There's even a feature that can send a notification if you walk away from the transit hub without picking up your tagged gear.
The PhotoTag operates using a 2032 cell battery for up to 10 months of use, when it can be popped out and replaced by the user. It's wrapped in aluminum alloy housing with an ABS back cover, measures 1.77 x 1.36 x 0.3 in (44.5 x 34.5 x 8 mm), and weighs just half an ounce (15 g). An IP65 rating should also see it shake off the odd splash while resisting attacks from dust and debris.
As mentioned earlier, the project is currently funding on Kickstarter, where pledges start at US$29 per PhotoTag – which is about half the expected retail price. Accessories such as luggage and pet tags, leashes and steel cables are also available.
Crowdfunding campaigns always carry an element of risk, but assuming all goes to plan with this one, shipping is estimated to start from April.
Source: Kickstarter
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