Phone Halo has launched an Indiegogo campaign today to develop and fund Button TrackR , a new way to find lost and misplaced items using your iOS or Android device.
The company launched a similar project called Wallet TrackR in November last year, which alerted users via a Bluetooth connection whenever their wallet and iPhone were separated. A custom tune would play to alert the user of the problem and also save the relevant geo-location data in case they missed it and moved on.
The only problem was that the technology was focused on a single device and most consumers have more than one object that they would consider ‘valuable’ when they leave the house.
Phone Halo has returned with an updated version today called Button TrackR. It’s tiny, about the size of a button in fact (surprise, surprise) and can fit into just about any nook or cranny. The app can now track up to 10 of these little gadgets at any one time and has also been updated to include a bunch of new features, such as crowd sourced tracking.
It’s pretty clever. If another user is in the vicinity of a lost item, a push notification will be sent to the relevant owner with updated GPS coordinates. It happens automatically and is designed to speed up the process of finding lost items – especially if they happen to be stolen in public and the person responsible moves on.
As before, users can setup an alert so that their phone will ring whenever they leave a designated area without a Button TrackR. The process also works the other way, however, so users can tap the tracker and force their smartphone to ring, notifying them of its location – even when it is set to silent.
The only obvious issue seems to be attaching the blighters to all of your most previous goods. The Button TrackR comes with double-sided tape, which is fine for hardy objects such as a mountain bike or moped. We expect users will be a little reluctant to tape the tracker to more luxurious items though, such as a digital camera or expensive watch.
Phone Halo is trying to raise $15,000 in 30 days and is offering the usual array of perks to its backers, starting at $25 for a single button and rising to $95 for a group special. It’s not the only company operating in this space, however; Bikn is already available and Linquet is offering almost identical functionality through the Linquet Mini .
Phone Halo will therefore need to offer something markedly different if its to hit its funding target next month.
➤ Button TrackR
Nexus Wireless Charger now available on the Google Play Store in the US and Canada for $49.99
Google today launched the Nexus Wireless Charger in the US and Canada. The little gizmo, which works with the Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 4, and Nexus 5, is priced at $49.99 USD and $49.99 CAD, respectively. You can grab it now from Google Play .
At the same time, Google has also brought the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 to Hong Kong and India. Unfortunately, the company wouldn’t say when the Nexus Wireless Charger would come to these two countries, or any others for that matter.
See also: Google’s Nexus 5 ships today: 4.95-inch display, Android 4.4 KitKat, 16GB for $349 and 32GB for $399 and Google unveils thinner, lighter Nexus 7 successor with 1080p display and 5MP camera, starting at $229.99
➤ Google Play Devices
Top Image Credit: Google
This leaked image reportedly shows what Amazon’s first smartphone will look like
After a string of leaks and rumors , Amazon’s long-awaited smartphone appears to have been revealed in a leaked image obtained by BGR .
The photo, which the outlet reports was intended for Amazon’s in-house graphic designers, shows a fairly traditional handset design with curved edges, a rear-facing camera and rectangular home button.
A twin speaker grill is located on the bottom edge, while a power button and volume rocker rest on the side. The smartphone is jet black, with soft-touch sides and the Amazon logo shown prominently on the back.
Almost a month ago, BGR posted a series of photos showing what it claimed to be Amazon’s upcoming flagship. The handset was obscured by an external case though, which made it difficult to verify its authenticity, or draw any significant conclusions about its design.
The smartphone is believed to have multiple front-facing cameras; TechCrunch reports it will have four lenses on the front – one in each corner – to create a 3D representation of various content shown on-screen. BGR suggests the device will have six cameras in total, however – an additional front-facing camera for video calls and a fairly standard shooter on the back.
It’s also said to come with a 4.7-inch 720p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon process and 2GB of RAM. These aren’t cutting edge specs, suggesting that it’ll be an affordable mid-range device similar to its various Kindle Fire tablets.
There’s no way to verify the authenticity of this new image, and it’s possible the design will be altered before its official unveiling. We have reached out to Amazon however, and will update this article with any information we receive.
➤ BGR
Featured image credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images