Mobile Technology

Trakdot Luggage tracker keeps bags from being lost

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Trakdot acts like a homing beacon to monitor and locate your luggage anywhere in the world
The Trakdot gadget itself is just slightly larger than a deck of cards and is powered by two AA batteries
Trakdot acts like a homing beacon to monitor and locate your luggage anywhere in the world

Losing your luggage during a trip is one of the biggest worries for travelers, but a new gadget shown at this year's CES could assuage some of those fears. The Trakdot Luggage tracker from GlobaTrac LLC acts like a homing beacon to monitor and locate your bags anywhere in the world in real time, with almost any mobile device.

Trakdot is a relatively simple device that connects with any mobile Apple, Android, or SMS-capable device to alert the user to its current location. It's designed for travelers to keep track of their bags as they shuffle through different airports, and ensure that their luggage is passing through each city along with them. The Trakdot gadget itself is just slightly larger than a deck of cards and powered by two AA batteries, so it can easily fit inside a bag and remain charged for a long period of time.

The Trakdot gadget itself is just slightly larger than a deck of cards and is powered by two AA batteries

Once users have registered their device on the Trakdot website, all they have to do is toss it in their bag, and it will deliver location updates via SMS texts or email. One device can be linked to multiple phones and, conversely, one phone can be linked to multiple devices, if needed. Users can also monitor its location in real time from either the Trakdot website or with a free app. With an additional app, the Trakdot will even alert users when their luggage is moving closer to the airport baggage claim.

At the CES Unveiled event, a rep with Globatrac told us the device uses a company-owned GSM frequency to detect its location and has already been approved by the FAA. The rep also noted the Trakdot could also be an effective security measure in case someone grabs your bag from the baggage claim by mistake.

Anyone who has gone through the painful process of recovering their bag after an airline loses it knows how handy Trakdot could be. If an airline loses a bag, for example, the owner usually has to rely on the airline staff to locate it and send it to the correct destination. If they have Trakdot in their bag, however, they can know exactly which city it's in and pass that information along to the airline to speed the recovery process.

Considering the number of features and uses it has, Trakdot is priced surprisingly low. After purchasing the device itself for US$49.95, there's just a one-time activation fee of $8.99 and a service fee of $12.99 per year. As someone who's lost their fair share of luggage while traveling, that seems like a small cost for some real peace of mind.

Trakdot comes bundled with a luggage tag and two batteries and will be available for purchase in March 2013.

Source: Globatrac

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7 comments
Tyson M
Cell phone operation while an aircraft is airborne is against FAA regulations. This device would have to switch itself off on takeoff and on again when landing to meet the regulations.
toolman65
well spotted Tyson M!
My first thought for this unit was not the tracking of luggage, but of people.
Placed inside a vehicle, briefcase, knapsack or gym bag; one could easily track someone. Without their knowledge or consent.
1984 indeed.
professore
Well some airlines are now offering mobile-phone operation while at cruising altitude but not during take-off and landing - this makes it even more complicated. Negotiating an exclusive GSM frequency would have involved contracts with almost every country in the world, so I really wonder if they did that, or only in the limited area of the USA.
Chris Maresca
@Tyson
It has an accelerometer which senses takeoff and shuts it down for 20 minutes. Same at landing, apparently.
Personally, I think it'll just get stolen. Or it won't work in the basement of most airports where your luggage actually gets lost....
AlbertG
I'm thinking it might work to adapt to a dog collar. Current dog tracking systems require monthly contracts,etc... This might be a good, more affordable alternative to finding the wandering dog.
Anne Jeremy
My family have just returned home from a family camping trip at Rainbow Beach Qld, much earlier than planned. Two nights ago, and whilst we slept in our tent, expensive camping gear inclusive of a fridge/freezer was stolen from our campsite. It has been a totally demoralising situation. As we struggled to deal with our loss, the thought occurred how nice it would be to somehow electronically tag such personal items, to enable police to track down stolen items quickly. I could see that would be thieves might even think again when proposing to steal, not knowing whether they could be tracked. Such a technology might be installed in expensive home appliances etc. In this sense, I welcome this type of technology , for crime appears now so rampant now, and imposes much personal pain, and cost on all levels. Perhaps even if the tracking technology could be even further refined to say adhesive strips or chips that are small enough to avoid easy detection. I think as well for the cost involved, this type of technology might be even a cheaper alternative to regular insurance,.
stirwin
Please do not buy this product. I bought two. One doesn't work at all. I have emailed customer support numerous times and get no reply. The email addresses on the GlobalTrak website for PR and corporate contacts do not work at all.
The construction of the product is with cheap plastic. There are no instructions. There is a sticker that reads "warranty void if damaged". It was already split when the units arrived. Indeed it is also damaged in the image on TrakDot's own website at http://blog.trakdot.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Trakdot_codeunder-cover.jpg
Terry