- Jan 29, 2017
- 2
- 0
- 1,510
Hey all,
Thanks for your time and thoughts and thanks Tom for all the work you do.
After miraculously loosing my keys this morning (gremlins, I think) I am ready to pull the trigger on something I have been thinking about for a long time: a smart key finder. The reason I haven't done so sooner is that I haven't found something that I be sure from descriptions or reviews has the combination of features I am after. So I am posting here in case anyone happens to recognize their product by these features or has already done the laborious footwork.
The essential:
1. Works! Consistently, smoothly, all the time, no glitchiness or taking a year to connect or respond
2. Smart phone operation
3. Two way find,
a. able to sound phone even in silent without having to have the app already pulled up,
b. and without massively draining the phone's battery
4. Multiple tag compatible, and able to label and select which tag to beep from phone
5. Smart phone map, with last connected location always saved
6. Virtual tether (by any name) that beeps when separated
7. Reasonably compact
8. Replaceable battery, good performance life and low battery warning
9. Adjustable settings. When I am hunting for it I want to beep until I find it. When the tether is broken I want to beep for short time or be able to dismiss it from my phone so it doesn't haplessly beep the whole when I go for a run with my phone and leave my keys at home on purpose. If it has WiFi I want to be able to disable it so it isn't trying to connect when I am not at home (common complaint that the WiFi ones die an early death from battery drainage)
10. IOS and android compatible at a minimum
The appreciated:
1. Affix-able, not just for key chains but remotes, tablets etc.
2. Actually track-able so I can find it pretty well with the phone's map without sounding the alarm if I want. I've seen products tout this but hear it disappoints.
3. Alternative adjustable settings like LED flash or flashing light on phone during two-way find for silent options, or able to adjust sounds played on either end.
The amazing:
1. Actually smart features: like connecting over WiFi on selected networks but having the phone turn turn the WiFi off on tag over the bluetooth when not on the network and then automatically reactivating when back on the network.
2. Integrates into existing apps like using google maps to find the tag.
3. Button on the phone that is adjustable. Think smart button like clicky or being able to audio dictate or speak through the tag to an activated Siri.
The deal-breakers:
1. App tracks me! I just want something that carries out communication between me and my phone. I don't want something that uses my phone for tracking other peoples tags either or anything like that.
2. Subscription service or account registration required or required for full features even if it is free and especially if it costs.
Thanks!
Thanks for your time and thoughts and thanks Tom for all the work you do.
After miraculously loosing my keys this morning (gremlins, I think) I am ready to pull the trigger on something I have been thinking about for a long time: a smart key finder. The reason I haven't done so sooner is that I haven't found something that I be sure from descriptions or reviews has the combination of features I am after. So I am posting here in case anyone happens to recognize their product by these features or has already done the laborious footwork.
The essential:
1. Works! Consistently, smoothly, all the time, no glitchiness or taking a year to connect or respond
2. Smart phone operation
3. Two way find,
a. able to sound phone even in silent without having to have the app already pulled up,
b. and without massively draining the phone's battery
4. Multiple tag compatible, and able to label and select which tag to beep from phone
5. Smart phone map, with last connected location always saved
6. Virtual tether (by any name) that beeps when separated
7. Reasonably compact
8. Replaceable battery, good performance life and low battery warning
9. Adjustable settings. When I am hunting for it I want to beep until I find it. When the tether is broken I want to beep for short time or be able to dismiss it from my phone so it doesn't haplessly beep the whole when I go for a run with my phone and leave my keys at home on purpose. If it has WiFi I want to be able to disable it so it isn't trying to connect when I am not at home (common complaint that the WiFi ones die an early death from battery drainage)
10. IOS and android compatible at a minimum
The appreciated:
1. Affix-able, not just for key chains but remotes, tablets etc.
2. Actually track-able so I can find it pretty well with the phone's map without sounding the alarm if I want. I've seen products tout this but hear it disappoints.
3. Alternative adjustable settings like LED flash or flashing light on phone during two-way find for silent options, or able to adjust sounds played on either end.
The amazing:
1. Actually smart features: like connecting over WiFi on selected networks but having the phone turn turn the WiFi off on tag over the bluetooth when not on the network and then automatically reactivating when back on the network.
2. Integrates into existing apps like using google maps to find the tag.
3. Button on the phone that is adjustable. Think smart button like clicky or being able to audio dictate or speak through the tag to an activated Siri.
The deal-breakers:
1. App tracks me! I just want something that carries out communication between me and my phone. I don't want something that uses my phone for tracking other peoples tags either or anything like that.
2. Subscription service or account registration required or required for full features even if it is free and especially if it costs.
Thanks!
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