Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Lost and Found! (A TrackR Bravo Review)

Where are my keys?!?!? Can you ring my phone? Did I leave my bag at your place? Just some of the phrases of modern life. What if your phone could help you find all these little things that you frequently misplace?

Enter TrackR Bravo.

The TrackR Bravo is like those little tracing bugs shown in most spy movies. It's about the size of a quarter and runs off Bluetooth. The tag uses Bluetooth LE 4.0 which supposedly has a 100ft range but realistically I'd give it the regular 30ft range. TrackR is meant to find things that are just lying around but can't be found. Like keys that have fallen between couch cushions or the remote that's under a desk.

Now for the real-world evaluation: The tags work. For the most part, I'd say accuracy is down to a building/house level. So if you think you left your bag at a friend's house, TrackR will probably show the locator pin on your friend's house, but not the exact room you left it in. When you get to your friend's house and the app can actually connect to the tag (a meter will show that it's connected) you can trigger the tag to 'chirp' so you can locate it. The 'chirp' is very weak. It's not a loud alarm in any way. You could probably use it inside a library and not really disturb anyone.

The tags are not meant to be a primary device to remember where everything is, but more like an assistant that can kinda-sorta remember where you left your item last. TrackR gives a general map location of where it last logged your tags. Sometimes, it doesn't log tags for a few hours, but for the most part, it keeps a decent log of where my items are. As far as TrackR says, their app can keep track of up to 10 tags.

The app works like a relay beacon, relaying information for ALL TrackR tags that it can detect. No one else can see your tags, but everyone with the app helps your app locate your tags. So the more people use the app (they don't need to have a tag, just install the app) the easier it will be to find your items.

Battery life is about 5-6 months, and that shortens to about 3-4 months during winter when the tag is exposed to colder temperatures. TrackR Bravo uses CR2016 coin batteries. Cheap enough to get from TrackR directly with their battery program or in bulk.

The tags are NOT environmentally sealed so do not get them wet, or leave them outdoors. TrackR does sell a silicone sleeve to help protect against rain but it doesn't make the tags waterproof.

Are they worth it? At the single-piece retail price of $30, I would hesitantly say yes, but it is on the pricey side. But they do have frequent discounts for several tags that can bring the price down to makes it a lot easier to justify the shortcomings of the product. The more people use the app, the better the product performs. Use one on your pet's collar for a cheap locator tag. Place one on your car keys. Hide one inside your car and have a cheap lo-jack or parking reminder. Place one inside your luggage and you'll be able to tell when it's about to come out of the carousel. And if you're on a smaller plane, you can even tell if your luggage is in the cargo hold. At about $12 per tag at their Buy 4 Get 6 Free promo, it's well worth it and a neat gift to give friends.

12 comments:

  1. Sometimes, it doesn't log tags for a few hours, but for the most part, it keeps a decent log of where my items are. Bathroom Remodeler in Dallas

    ReplyDelete
  2. The 'chirp' is very weak. It's not a loud alarm in any way. You could probably use it inside a library and not really disturb anyone. foundation repair contractor in San Francisco CA

    ReplyDelete
  3. Awesome post, this is really helpful to find things easier. Thank you for sharing.
    www.landscapingma.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Interesting. I'm a drywall subcontractor and always missed place my personal belongings. Where can i buy this tracker?

    ReplyDelete
  5. The 'chirp' is very weak. It's not a loud alarm in any way. You could probably use it inside a library and not really disturb anyone. media pennsylvania Crawl Space Encapsulation

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fantastic! I think You put a lot of effort to create this article. I appreciate your work. Appliance Repair

    ReplyDelete
  7. But they do have frequent discounts for several tags that can bring the price down to makes it a lot easier to justify the shortcomings of the product. Lash Blog

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for the detailed review of the TrackR Bravo! It's helpful to know the pros and cons of a product before deciding to buy it. From your review, it seems like the TrackR Bravo is a useful tool for finding misplaced items within a reasonable range, but it's not perfect and has some limitations. The fact that the app relies on other users to help locate lost items is a unique feature that could make it more effective in certain situations. It's also good to know that the battery life is decent and that there are options to protect the tags from the elements. However, the price point may be a deterrent for some people, and the fact that the tags are not waterproof could limit their usefulness in certain scenarios. Overall, your review provides a fair and informative assessment of the TrackR Bravo. Keller Williams

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is such an interesting article. I like to read more

    ReplyDelete
  10. No one else can see your tags, but everyone with the app helps your app locate your tags flooring tile installation

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for sharing this article ! it's really useful
    Topeka Tree Services

    ReplyDelete

Past Tech Gospels

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...