Samsung Targets Tile Lost And Found Tech With LTE-Enabled SmartThings Tracker
When you were growing up, would your mother often tell you, "Billy, you'd lose your head if it wasn't screwed on!," or something to that effect? Do you have a propensity to misplace things way too frequently? There are solutions out there to help keep track of everyday items, whether your name is Billy or something else, the newest one being Samsung's SmartThings Tracker.
The SmartThings Tracker is a small and lightweight gadget with GPS tracking. It comes on a short lanyard so forgetful types can attach it to their backpacks, set of keys, or whatever else they have a tendency to lost on a regular basis. Maybe Fido, the family dog, likes to dig his way under the fence and be a pup around town. You could attach the tracker to his collar.
This is the same concept as Tile's line of Bluetooth-enabled trackers, and Samsung's version even looks strikingly similar to one of those devices. The difference is that instead of relying on the limited range of Bluetooth, Samsung's SmartThings Tracker connects to LTE cellular networks. Using LTE gives the SmartThings Tracker an advantage as far as that goes.
"When it comes to connected living, we want to give people more meaningful experiences that apply to their everyday life," said SK Kim, Senior Director, IoT Product Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "By combining the coverage of nationwide carrier networks with the expansiveness of the SmartThings ecosystem, we’re helping families keep track of what matters most to them while also continuing to make it easy to control and manage their smart home, all in one device."
The SmartThings Tracker can be tracked in real time through an app available on iOS and Android. Users can also set up an geo-fenced zone and receive alerts when a tracker goes out of bounds.
All of this fancy tracking technology comes at a cost, as you might expect. Whereas Tile's little gadget sells for $20, the SmartThings Tracker will retail for $99 with AT&T service for 12 months, after which the monthly rate is $5, or a discounted $50 per year.
For those who are interested, the SmartThings Tracker will be available starting September 14 at Samsung, select AT&T stores, and other major retailers across the nation.
