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TrackR Announces New Tracking Devices and Home-Mapping Smart Plug

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With CES gearing up in a few days, some companies have begun revealing new products ahead of the show, and today TrackR has unveiled new updates to its range of Bluetooth tracking devices that help users keep tabs on where their most precious items are located (via The Verge).

One of the new additions is the TrackR pixel, which the company is introducing as a cheaper and more colorful entry to the aluminum-cased TrackR bravo that is already on sale. Like the bravo, the pixel can be attached to an important personal item -- such as a key ring -- and with a connected iPhone and Android app, users can find anything lost with a GPS locator that shows when they are getting closer or farther away. When TrackR is far out of range, the company's "crowd GPS network" of users will anonymously help in rediscovery of the item in question.

TrackR-4.jpg

The original TrackR wallet has also been updated to a 2.0 version, making the Bluetooth tracker visually similar to a credit card and the "thinnest item-finder on the market," according to TrackR. Otherwise, the wallet functions the same as the pixel, offering users close-range Bluetooth tracking through a smartphone app, and long-range crowd-sourced discovery. Each TrackR device includes a battery that lasts for about a year, but unlike Tile, users can replace the battery without having to purchase an entirely new tracker.

TrackR-1.jpg

Lastly, TrackR announced an all-new device, the TrackR atlas, a smart plug that's placed in a wall outlet and maps out a user's entire home to pinpoint the location of any connected TrackR down to a specific room. Support for Amazon Alexa-enabled devices means that users can simply ask their Echo for the location of a lost item without needing to take out their smartphone.

TrackR-3-800x697.jpg

The TrackR pixel will be available for $24.99, the TrackR wallet for $29.99, and the TrackR atlas for $39.99 when they go up for pre-order sometime today. As of writing, only the atlas is available for users to pre-order. All three products are expected to launch sometime in the Spring.

Article Link: TrackR Announces New Tracking Devices and Home-Mapping Smart Plug
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/01/02/trackr-new-devices-smart-plug/
I have a few of the Bravos for various items and they've saved my bacon a few times!

The Atlas looks interesting, but at $40, equipping ones entire home could become VERY expensive.
 
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Seems interesting but I've never lost anything (I know others might find this very useful). I am also unsure on the Atlas wording. It says it will "map" your entire house but in the photo next to it, it asks you to move shapes to draw a floor plan? Do you need only one Atlas or one for each room of the house?

I guess for a busy family this is a great product as I am sure things will go missing.
 
AbSoluTc said:
Seems interesting but I've never lost anything (I know others might find this very useful). I am also unsure on the Atlas wording. It says it will "map" your entire house but in the photo next to it, it asks you to move shapes to draw a floor plan? Do you need only one Atlas or one for each room of the house?

I guess for a busy family this is a great product as I am sure things will go missing.
Click to expand...
https://www.thetrackr.com/atlas
 
It seems a stretch to call the plug "home mapping". As far as I can tell, the plug doesn't actually map your house. It looks like it's the user's responsibility to draw the floor plan of their house in the app. Then, the user plugs one of these plugs into an outlet in every major room of their house (which can get to be expensive).

Interesting idea, but the use case for me would be way too limited to justify the hefty expense.
 
avanpelt said:
It seems a stretch to call the plug "home mapping". As far as I can tell, the plug doesn't actually map your house. It looks like it's the user's responsibility to draw the floor plan of their house in the app. Then, the user plugs one of these plugs into an outlet in every major room of their house (which can get to be expensive).

Interesting idea, but the use case for me would be way too limited to justify the hefty expense.
Click to expand...

Definitely interesting. I would love to test this (Because I love Tech), but it serves no purpose for me. I never lose anything to begin with in my house. I think it comes down to this product appealing to those who are complacent and or forgetful, but with a premium mark up.
 
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AngerDanger said:
On a tech rumors site? :eek: Where are the articles about limited access to water, education, and contraceptives that we came here for?!
Click to expand...
I come here for great products that fullfil a useful purpose.
This, on the other hand is trying to solve problems that do not exist or trying to solve small problems with overdimensional applications.
 
Still useless as long as out of home tracking relies solely on other people's use of the app. If your bike gets stolen and end uo in someone's shed, you can put a dozen trackrs on it and will still never recover it.
 
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Kiro said:
I come here for great products that fullfil a useful purpose.
This, on the other hand is trying to solve problems that do not exist or trying to solve small problems with overdimensional applications.
Click to expand...
That's good to know and much less vapid than your original comment, which simply said "First world problems." However, what is "great" or "useful" is entirely subjective; I imagine almost all of your contributions to this site regard things that most would consider a first world problem. The difference is, this product doesn't interest you, so you regurgitated that cliché even though it's equally applicable to things that probably do interest you.
 
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MTShipp said:
Yes but the batteries need replacing so often, is it worth it? I have 10 Bravos and can't keep them fed with batteries.
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Agreed. They said the batteries would last about a year for the Bravo. I bought 8 of them and none of them made it to 6 months.

The first one I used went dead so fast I swapped it out because I thought I had just broken it.
 
AngerDanger said:
That's good to know and much less vapid than your original comment, which simply said "First world problems." However, what is "great" or "useful" is entirely subjective; I imagine almost all of your contributions to this site regard things that most would consider a first world problem. The difference is, this product doesn't interest you, so you regurgitated that cliché even though it's equally applicable to things that probably do interest you.
Click to expand...

Partly correct. Apart from that it does interests me, hence I read the article and commented.
I just can't find it useful. Like someone above mentioned the stolen bike. That would be a useful way to use such a tracker. But since this does not apply to this one here, it has no use for me (and most people I guess). Therefore, my sarcastic remark (yeah, you guessed this) that this is only for first world problems ;)
 
Apple's RFID holdout is the only reason these products exist.

Anyone with an Android device and NFC is better off getting a roll of RFID tags for long range and as an added benefit you won't need to charge them!

I have a couple of things that are important and whilst I know I need to store them away properly it still doesn't change the fact that searching for some things painfully long sometimes has me fed up when I know there's a solution.

Oh and well, I guess the crowd-search is a feature RFID tags wouldn't necessarily provide, but 99% of the tagging I need is for finding things at home.

Glassed Silver:ios
 
AbSoluTc said:
Seems interesting but I've never lost anything (I know others might find this very useful). I am also unsure on the Atlas wording. It says it will "map" your entire house but in the photo next to it, it asks you to move shapes to draw a floor plan? Do you need only one Atlas or one for each room of the house?

I guess for a busy family this is a great product as I am sure things will go missing.
Click to expand...
Our remote controls magically disappear, but I don't fancy paying for lots of tags at that price.
 
JeffyTheQuik said:
TrackR >Tile, just because I can change the battery on the TrackR, instead of throwing it away and having to buy another $25-30 device.
Click to expand...

Which is a good thing, since my TrackRs goes through batteries about once a month. And of the 10 I originally ordered, only 3 are still working at all.

Hopefully they've improved their quality since the initial batch, but I know I'm not buying anything new from them. (Their customer service was also atrocious.)
 
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Hopefully they've improved their quality since the initial batch, but I know I'm not buying anything new from them. [/QUOTE]


First part of the above statement - Doubtful
Second part - agreed.
 
Kiro said:
I come here for great products that fullfil a useful purpose.
This, on the other hand is trying to solve problems that do not exist or trying to solve small problems with overdimensional applications.
Click to expand...

I've had a few "key" finders. Found them very useful... frustrating spending 10 minutes trying to find keys, or wallet etc.

Few years ago I had a Kensington Proximo.. found them very good. Battery life wasn't as good as they claimed.. reality was 3/4.
 
MTShipp said:
Yes but the batteries need replacing so often, is it worth it? I have 10 Bravos and can't keep them fed with batteries.
Click to expand...


Dont buy the trackr worst service ever. and yes the batteries do need replacing, I converted to title due to their poor response time and there is no contact phone number. I contacted them about a return for 3 months straight with no response back
 
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How about introducing a product that works properly Chris at TrackR?

DO NOT BUY these products, I signed up for the launch product which lasted about two weeks before it became non responsive. The app was useless. They have all the right sounding ideas but the product itself is a failure and their customer service was non existent.

I still have all my emails to them trying to get a replacement. This was their response to my return request:

"Unfortunately we cannot send return shipping labels outside of the US. This is a limitation on our system and our policy."
 
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