GPS Tags to Track Your Belongings

GPS tags promise to quickly revolutionize the way individuals search for missing objects. Instead of wandering aimlessly around their house, they would be able to use an app to direct them to the item’s location.

The Basic Idea

Everyone has suffered the frustrating experience of misplacing keys, a purse, or another necessary item. When the loss is realized, some individuals search frantically, while others try to logically recall where they last saw the item. A company called Tile has developed an idea that could be a much more efficient third option. They offer small white tags that can be attached to important items. Each tag can be tracked via GPS technology to determine its location. Users then download Tile’s app to their phone and use it to locate their missing object. The app has a number of methods to assist in finding the item. It will give indications as the user gets closer to the item, and the user can even trigger the item to “ring” to make finding it even easier.

The Larger Picture

Tile developers are not content with just a simple idea, however. They want to create a Tile community. To make this idea work, users can share GPS tags among family or friends. They can also log in on a friend’s device to locate their GPS tagged item. The most ambitious concept, however, has to do with using other users’ Tile apps to help locate stolen items. If a GPS tagged object is stolen, its owner can register it as lost on the Tile app. Then the devices of all other Tile users will be on the lookout for the item. This action, of course, occurs in the background and is not visible to any user. If a Tile device detects the missing object, it sends a message to the owner with the item’s location, again in the background and not visible to the actual user of the device.

Hesitations

While the concept of Tile is quite innovative and very attractive, there do seem to be a few possible issues, especially with the Tile community concept. The most obvious problem is that the success of the process depends on a large number of users. Since there is a cost associated with the GPS tags and the app is not compatible with Android devices, it is anyone’s guess as to whether the idea will really take off enough to generate a sizeable community. For individual use, however, using GPS tags could be very practical and useful, especially for individuals with a track record of losing items.

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GPS Tags to Track Your Belongings