GPS trackers exist so I can quickly find my misplaced wallet or phone?
September 30, 2015 6:06 AM Subscribe
I am forgetfull and keep misplacing my wallet or cell phone and have to waste a lot of time looking for them. Is there some kind of GPS tracker that I can attach to either of these, and then just go to a website to see specifically where it is? Will they be accurate enough to show me where in my house my wallet is? Thanks. p.s. I already know of "find my phone apps".
If you're trying to narrow it down to "in your house", GPS might not be accurate enough. I use these and they're lifesavers.
posted by Lucinda at 7:14 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by Lucinda at 7:14 AM on September 30, 2015
" Will they be accurate enough to show me where in my house my wallet is?"
I don't think so since the wallet or phone won't have a clear line of sight to multiple gps satellites.
posted by I-baLL at 7:17 AM on September 30, 2015
I don't think so since the wallet or phone won't have a clear line of sight to multiple gps satellites.
posted by I-baLL at 7:17 AM on September 30, 2015
GPS no, but with Tile and the like, bluetooth can tell you how 'hot' or 'cold' you are. It's not useful if you're out of bluetooth range, however.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 7:22 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 7:22 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
TrackR and Tile both make close range GPS locators. You do need a smart phone or tablet to find your items, though.
posted by quince at 8:09 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by quince at 8:09 AM on September 30, 2015
"TrackR and Tile both make close range GPS locators. You do need a smart phone or tablet to find your items, though."
Both Tile and TrackR use bluetooth when indoors since GPS won't work indoors. TrackR uses gps when outside.
posted by I-baLL at 8:58 AM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
Both Tile and TrackR use bluetooth when indoors since GPS won't work indoors. TrackR uses gps when outside.
posted by I-baLL at 8:58 AM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
Not sure if you consider this an app but if you have an Android phone and enable the Android Device Manager, in addition to the usual location and security features, you can google "where is my phone" and a button pops up to make your phone ring at full volume for five minutes. Very handy, and less fiddly than setting up tracking donglemabobbers if you're just trying to find your phone inside the house. Unfortunately it doesn't do much for your wallet, unless you replace it with one of those combined wallet/phone cases.
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:07 AM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:07 AM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
Seconding yeahlikethat's comment re Android Device Manager. My 75-year-old mother (who is losing her hearing) accidentally dropped her phone in her car (that annoying fiddly slot between the seat and the main console) and didn't notice it. I was able to get ADM to ring her phone in Ohio from my desktop in Virginia (she gave me her Google pw, of course) and she was able to hear it in the kitchen through the car door and the mud room door. I think we both could have kissed whoever came up with this feature, that's how happy we were.
posted by longdaysjourney at 10:09 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by longdaysjourney at 10:09 AM on September 30, 2015
yes - bluetooth connection, not gps at all. in addition to the reception issue, there's a basic functional issue.
gps tells the gps-enabled-thing where it is. gps doesn't tell anyone or anything else where the gps-enabled-thing is.
some gps-enabled-things use another mechanism (not gps) to tell other things where it is (e.g. bluetooth, wireless, radio...).
some not-gps-enabled-things (e.g. Tile) use a relationship to a location-aware-thing to infer location. Tile, doesn't tell you *where it is* so much as it tells you *where it was the last time it connected to a thing that knows where it is*.
TrackR uses the word GPS, but doesn't mean it. It doesn't use GPS. it tethers to any nearby phone running the trackr app, that phone's location is sent to you.
All that aside, TrackR or Tile is probably a good match.
ugh. language. i feel like the gps-vs-anything-digital-that-professes-to-provide-an-approximate-location is sorta like the vulva-vagina war. i.e. lost
posted by j_curiouser at 10:14 AM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
gps tells the gps-enabled-thing where it is. gps doesn't tell anyone or anything else where the gps-enabled-thing is.
some gps-enabled-things use another mechanism (not gps) to tell other things where it is (e.g. bluetooth, wireless, radio...).
some not-gps-enabled-things (e.g. Tile) use a relationship to a location-aware-thing to infer location. Tile, doesn't tell you *where it is* so much as it tells you *where it was the last time it connected to a thing that knows where it is*.
TrackR uses the word GPS, but doesn't mean it. It doesn't use GPS. it tethers to any nearby phone running the trackr app, that phone's location is sent to you.
All that aside, TrackR or Tile is probably a good match.
ugh. language. i feel like the gps-vs-anything-digital-that-professes-to-provide-an-approximate-location is sorta like the vulva-vagina war. i.e. lost
posted by j_curiouser at 10:14 AM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
I see ads on Facebook all the time for Tile, linked above. I do not vouch for it, as I have not tried it, but it seems to provide the things you're looking for.
On the other hand, it's been advertised on Facebook, and I haven't seen advertising for it anywhere else, so I'm skeptical.
posted by tckma at 12:08 PM on September 30, 2015
On the other hand, it's been advertised on Facebook, and I haven't seen advertising for it anywhere else, so I'm skeptical.
posted by tckma at 12:08 PM on September 30, 2015
GPS tracking and similar could be affected by being under something, or the batteries could wear down on Bluetooth or similar.
Damned if I can find the reference right now, but it's a good idea to have a "home launchpad". This is a place, maybe a pegboard, or a specific table, where everything lives that you always take with you when you leave the house. Everything is always in the same place - so when you leave the house it's easy to pick everything up, when you return everything has it's place... and if you don't put everything back there's an obviously wallet shaped hole you need to fill.
I see why you're looking for a technological answer, but I think you might be better off doing something simpler.
posted by DancingYear at 2:28 PM on September 30, 2015
Damned if I can find the reference right now, but it's a good idea to have a "home launchpad". This is a place, maybe a pegboard, or a specific table, where everything lives that you always take with you when you leave the house. Everything is always in the same place - so when you leave the house it's easy to pick everything up, when you return everything has it's place... and if you don't put everything back there's an obviously wallet shaped hole you need to fill.
I see why you're looking for a technological answer, but I think you might be better off doing something simpler.
posted by DancingYear at 2:28 PM on September 30, 2015
I got a yum-cha one from Aliexpress for a play. I don't think I'd be able to find an object inside a house with it. I'd look for a bluetooth solution.
posted by pompomtom at 5:49 PM on September 30, 2015
posted by pompomtom at 5:49 PM on September 30, 2015
I have attached Tiles to various things. I have therefore not misplaced any of them. Spending the money and time setting them up seems to have cured me of losing things. YMMV.
posted by Capri at 12:04 PM on October 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Capri at 12:04 PM on October 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
I got a bunch of TrackRs in their latest kickstarter. I wouldn't recommend them. The range is worthlessly small (can't find an item unless you're in the same room as it) and the batteries died within a couple of months.
posted by bink at 11:12 AM on October 2, 2015
posted by bink at 11:12 AM on October 2, 2015
« Older Where to sell my stuff? I'm moving abroad and not... | Which power tools should you wear gloves when... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mikepop at 6:11 AM on September 30, 2015 [6 favorites]