SpotLoss - bluetooth object tracker

Thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy, we are going to be seeing a lot more of these kinds of proximity beacons (Previous example: StickNFind). One interesting application of the $29 SpotLoss keychain fob is that you can create a computer log that shows when your son or daughter comes home at night.

The range of the device is 50 meters (164 feet) and works through walls and other solids
-- Runs for a year on replaceable watch battery without recharging
-- Uses a free app that allows users to easily customize settings
-- Get texts or emails about proximity events
-- Works with iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPad 3, iPad 4, and iPad Mini
-- Will work with Android Bluetooth 4.0 devices shortly
-- Uses Bluetooth Low Energy (a.k.a. BlueSmart) protocol so the battery use is minimal
-- 5.6 x 3.0 x 1.5 cm carabiner style easily attaches to almost anything
-- Connect up to ten devices to one phone or computer at the same time
-- Connects with cell phones and computers in a many-to-many relationship
-- Fob supports vibrating and variable pitch alerts
-- Printed circuit boards and their enclosures will be assembled in Upstate New York

Spotloss

• [dragonfrog]

  …create a computer log that shows when your son or daughter comes home at night.

  That’s not creepy at all.
  Unless I suppose your son or daughter turns off bluetooth on his or her phone before coming home?  Or the phone’s battery dies, or “dies” every evening, obviously before curfew.  If I began using such an app to track my daughter, I would expect nothing less of her.

  • [KvH]

    they get the key fob and the log is on your computer/phone, not theirs. Doesn’t matter what they do on their phone.

    of course i see many lost key fobs going this route.

    • [max00]

       Or a sudden popularity of programmable bluetooth dinguses.

• [Kevin Pierce]

  $29 is too damn much.  Knock a zero off the price and they’ll have a winner!

  • [Jonathan Slater]

    okay knocked off the invisible zero for ya, it’s still $29 dollars which isn’t that damn much. If that’s too high for you, quit eating junk food then. Kids spend 60 bucks on video games. 29 is nothing. 

    • [Kevin Pierce]

      So you wouldn’t mind depositing $29 (aka “nothing”) into my Paypal account?

• [technosean]

  I’m supposed to applaud another way to spy into people’s lives? We can’t raise kids without surveillance these days? Do unto others. Not cool. Rather it reeks of bad parenting. Two thumbs down.

• [Zhasu]

  StickNFind seems like a better solution to the same problem. To me at least.

• [Marc45]

  If I was compelled to monitor my children’s comings and goings to that degree, I would have to re-examine my parenting skills.

• [Daemonworks]

  This will be all the rage amongst stalkers.

• [joe k.]

  tl;dw. Video/audio production values please?

  • [Ray Perkins]

     Yeah, the video reminded me of the ones where used car salesmen try to do their own TV spots.

• [Glen Seeber]

  Using this might prevent babies in car seats from being left behind in the car — an alarm as you walk away could save the little one’s life!

• [ocker3]

  I had this idea back in 2000, but didn’t have enough motivationt to actually do it *sigh*

• [bcsizemo]

  If I was going to track my kids I would do it via their cell phone gps…  Who cares what time they come home, I want to know where they’ve been.

  And if I wanted to know when people came and went from my house I’d just install a security DVR.

• [TNGMug]

  Monitoring the comings and goings of teenagers, and thus being a gadget of “helicopter parenting” may not exactly be in the best interests of young people that are supposed to be getting ready for self-sufficient adulthood, but what about my 4-year-old who occasionally strays from the yard, or just walks out the front door unannounced?

  • [Adam Coe]

    how about do what um, every single generation before you has done. fucking pay attention.

• [Adam Coe]

  also, what 4 year old carries keys? *

  • [Kevin Pierce]

    Attaching the tracker to the four-year-old is actually a stronger idea.