If you have a tendency to misplace belongings, then an item-tracking device may be just the thing you need. The new TrackR bravo is one such device. It can be used with its mobile app as a means of locating items to which it is attached, and will even help to find a misplaced phone by ringing it.
Gizmag has featured a number of other item tracking devices previously, such as the BiKN, the Gadget Hound and, indeed, TrackR's own Button device.
The TrackR bravo, however, is claimed to be the thinnest device of its type available, with width of just 3.5 mm and a diameter of 34 mm (1.34 in). It's also said to have the world’s largest Crowd GPS network. This means that although the TrackR bravo only has a range of 100 ft (33 m), when one user of the TrackR app comes within range of another user's lost item, an alert will be relayed to that other user.
As mentioned, the TrackR bravo’s main feature is its two-way separation monitoring. It can be used to find an object to which it is attached by using the accompanying mobile app, or to find a smartphone with which it is linked by pressing a "ring device" button on the device. It also issues alerts when a user appears to be leaving a tracked item behind. If the user ventures out of range of a tracked item, they will receive a notification on their phone to alert them. When searching for an item, users can benefit from the TrackR bravo’s distance indicator, which displays the user’s approximate proximity to the item.
The TrackR bravo can be connected to items using either a 3M double-sided sticky pad, or its metal loop that can be attached to other objects such as keyrings. It is compatible with other BLE devices such as Bluetooth headsets, and TrackR says that the device is built to last a lifetime. It is powered by a CR1616 battery, which can be easily replaced should it run out.
Production funds are currently being raised via an Indiegogo campaign, which began on Monday (June 9) and has already raised over US$120,000 – well over its $20,000 target, with 42 days left to run.
Individuals who want to get their hands on a TrackrR bravo can pledge from $29 for a single device, with the cost per device falling the more devices are ordered. Assuming all goes to plan, backers will receive their devices by January 2015.
You can watch the Indiegogo pitch video for the TrackR bravo below.
