My latest travel gadget

[PPGMD]

So I am packing for my trip to a match and wanted to share a couple of picture of my newest travel gadget:
http://www.teampegleg.com/wp-content/gallery/steelchallengemisc/trakdot1.jpg
http://www.teampegleg.com/wp-content/gallery/steelchallengemisc/trakdot2.jpg

It is a small luggage tracking device. You put it in your bag, and it determines your bag's location via the GSM cellular network. And then texts or emails it to you. It uses accelerometers to know when it the plane is taking off and when it lands, that way it doesn't attempt to transmit in the air. It also has Bluetooth 4.0 based location tracing (just a simple hot/cold left and right meter).

I found out about this device this summer, and purchased it after a trip where my bag was lost for 45 minutes.

I can't really completely endorse it yet, as due to a software issue the updates are delayed in some locations. In one case I was checking in at the hotel and that was when it told me where my bag was. Though in DFW it gave me an update the moment we landed.

They have a software update that is supposed to fix it, but that requires it to spend 4-6 weeks at the company that made it. So I wouldn't have had it for my trips this week and next. And I figure that late updates are better than no updates. So after these trips I will ship it back.

Just a quick peep at the zoomed out map that it produces (you can zoom in, and it will have a marker on the cell tower, or approximate location if it completes a fix).
http://www.teampegleg.com/wp-content/gallery/steelchallengemisc/trakdot3.jpg

[RoyGBiv]

Neat device. I wonder what action the airline would take if your luggage was lost with this device inside.? WifeGBiv had a bag go lost a few years ago. The bag was very clearly marked outside and had easily locatable contact info inside, if anyone cared to open it. She got reimbursed for contents, but the airline would not take any action that deviated from their checklist. Does it become a police matter if the airline says there's nothing they can do, but you can "locate" the bag?

Cost?

[PPGMD]

Neat device. I wonder what action the airline would take if your luggage was lost with this device inside.? WifeGBiv had a bag go lost a few years ago. The bag was very clearly marked outside and had easily locatable contact info inside, if anyone cared to open it. She got reimbursed for contents, but the airline would not take any action that deviated from their checklist. Does it become a police matter if the airline says there's nothing they can do, but you can "locate" the bag?

Cost?

I am honestly not sure if the airline would do anything different if I provided them the location of the bag. Maybe the fact that I only use it for my gun bag might change things. But I would say that it would be hit or miss that they would use the data. Granted I could always call the local luggage office where it is tracked to, they might do something different since it would be local to them. Where as your destination luggage office might just follow procedure.

I bought it when it was $50, but now the device cost has gone up to $60. Also there is a $13 yearly fee for service, and a $9 activation fee. To me it is a small price to pay as the gun in the bag is $500+, and flying to a match costs $1,000+ once everything is factored in.

ETA: I've used the "I'm an amputee and the proprietary charger for my prosthetic leg is in my missing bag" angle more than once to get the luggage office to search harder for my bag. I always neglect to mention that it has a 72 hour battery life.

[LittleLebowski]

Ok, that is AWESOME.

[RoyGBiv]

This sounds similar to a SPOT device, but tailored specifically for baggage. I'm not sure the airline would be happy about an active SPOT in your checked bag, but I'd be surprised to hear it was any real danger. I've borrowed a SPOT from a friend for a solo bike trip. Would be interesting to consider an airport curb-side business renting/collecting these devices. Maybe working with an insurance company to offer lost luggage insurance and tracking.... ??


ETA: I've used the "I'm an amputee and the proprietary charger for my prosthetic leg is in my missing bag" angle more than once to get the luggage office to search harder for my bag. I always neglect to mention that it has a 72 hour battery life.
There's a glass-half-full story :D

Companies like Apple drive me crazy with proprietary connectors.... But I suppose building the charger into the prosthetic would be many bad ideas rolled into one.

[PPGMD]

This sounds similar to a SPOT device, but tailored specifically for baggage. I'm not sure the airline would be happy about an active SPOT in your checked bag, but I'd be surprised to hear it was any real danger. I've borrowed a SPOT from a friend for a solo bike trip. Would be interesting to consider an airport curb-side business renting/collecting these devices. Maybe working with an insurance company to offer lost luggage insurance and tracking.... ??

SPOT uses the satellite tracking, at least for the emergency beacon. Also SPOT is freaking expensive, I actually came to the conclusion that buying a PLB that I have to replace the battery every five years would be better than paying the $100 a year for the SPOT service.

But that is a neat idea about renting the bag trackers.



There's a glass-half-full story :D

Companies like Apple drive me crazy with proprietary connectors.... But I suppose building the charger into the prosthetic would be many bad ideas rolled into one.

I would love for my leg to be charged on something like micro USB, as their charger is big bulky and expensive.

They use an inductive charger to make it water proof. I've tried to tell the companies that you can make standard connectors water proof, but hey what do I know.

Heck one company used USB as the charging source, but the connector was still proprietary. But it also could use standard AA batteries. Unfortunately it wasn't the best designed device, it was made out of plastic and the way it attached to my leg stuck out. I broke it within a couple of days.

ETA: And now I have to head to the airport.

[ToddG]

But I suppose building the charger into the prosthetic would be many bad ideas rolled into one.

Yeah but imagine walking up to the plate racks at Bianchi only to see one of your competitors literally plugged into the wall charging up for the event. Intimidation factor: 10. :cool:

[PPGMD]

Yeah but imagine walking up to the plate racks at Bianchi only to see one of your competitors literally plugged into the wall charging up for the event. Intimidation factor: 10. :cool:

I kid you not, the first thing that Rob Leatham every said to me is "No fair he has extra support."

Anyways an update, on lack of updates. So much for late updates are better than no updates.

No update from where my plane stopped, and then when I hit my destination. I went and got dinner made it to the hotel, checked in, and un packed before I turned the spot off. Over 90 minutes, and no location update. Grrrr.

[cclaxton]

RFID is so ubiquitous these days. I am surprised the Airlines don't use them.

Really cool gadget...I travel enough that I gotta have one...

Thanks,
CC

[Slavex]

I had never heard of, or even thought of a device like this, pretty awesome. Will be watching for how the updates take, and if it becomes a bit more user friendly.

[Jason F]

VERY cool gadget.

I'd love to drop one of those in my bags when I'm flying with expensive gear. That would at least help to give me piece of mind between point A & point B (or point C or however many stops there are).

[SPDGG]

Thank you for sharing, Please keep us posted after you get the current updates.
I saw this before their release, but was waiting till some feedback came of it. I too plan on purchasing one once things gets ironed out.

Thanks again :)

[PPGMD]

Well it worked much better on my return trip.

I got a status update the moment I touched down at Hobby, and another at my destination airport within 45 minutes of arrival.

Now I know that the device was on during my flight down because I could detect the bluetooth beacon. The only difference between my trip down and the return flight was the fact that I turned the tracking device on before I left for the airport on the return flight, while I turned it on at the airport parking lot during my trip down.

I think maybe my less than smooth driving might be activating it.