We all know that frustrating feeling of misplacing our cell phones or our car keys. How many times have you heard something along the lines of, “I wish the TV remote had a tracker!”? Have you ever had something important stolen from you, like a bike or your purse? Well collegiettes, the game has changed.
Software and hardware engineers Mike Farley and Nick Evans from Burlingame, Calif. used crowd-funding to create a prototype that has turned into what may be the next big thing – Tile™.
Tile is a Bluetooth Low Energy device that looks to be about the size of a Scrabble piece. It’s stick-able, hang-able and droppable, meaning it can go just about anywhere – on your keychain, on your cell phone and even in your backpack. The possibilities are almost endless!
“We are launching a movement that will revolutionize the way we find lost items, by bringing the entire Tile community together to make the system more robust for everyone,” said Tile co-founder and CEO Nick Evans in a prepared statement.
“So what does it do?” you ask. It’s exactly what we’ve been wishing for for years! Tile is intended to help track our lost or stolen items. Here’s how it works:
1. The Tile App (which unfortunately is only available for iPhones and iPads at this time) lets you register all of your Tiles so that you can track them within an approximate 100 foot radius. What if you’re out of range? There is a “Last Place Seen” feature. You can also mark your item as lost and the app will use phones within range of your item to pinpoint its location and to “discreetly and securely” notify you. The person’s phone who tracked it won’t even know that it happened! Only you can see your personal Tiles unless you choose to share them with friends or family.
2. Since it is Bluetooth technology, it is wireless and you also will never have to worry about a battery. Tiles last for a year and the company will even remind you when it’s time to order new ones.
You can still pre-order your own Tiles which are scheduled to be shipped out this winter. The price of one Tile is currently $18.95 and you can order them The Tile App’s website.
“Losing stuff is no longer a thing.”