Let’s face it, at some point or another you’ve misplaced your keys or something else and are in a rush to get out the door and on your way. Our TrackR bravo review takes a look at a device with smartphone integration that helps you easily find your misplaced items.
Specifications
The TrackR bravo has the following features and specifications:
- Easily find items using the app distance indicator
- Beep TrackR to help you find your things
- Crowd GPS updates you on your item’s location
- Separation alert reminds you before you forget your item
- Up to one year battery life under normal use
- Diameter: 31mm
- Thickness: 3.5mm
- Battery Type: CR1616
- Max Battery Life: 1 year
- Bluetooth Type: 4.0
- Bluetooth Range: Up to 100ft
- Crowd GPS Range: World Wide
- Device Ringer Volume: Up to 85dB
- Materials: Anodized Aluminum, Plastic
- Safe for Pets: Yes
- Works World Wide: Yes
Design
The TrackR bravo is a simple device, roughly the size of a Canadian loonie or toonie — which is slightly larger than a quarter. It’s not much thicker either, coming in at around 1/8″ thick. The front and back are made of anodized aluminum, with the TrackR logo and a small button on the front. The middle is black plastic, and features the slide out battery tray which houses a replaceable CR1616 3V battery.
The top of the TrackR bravo is looped around a key ring, which makes it easy to fasten to any number of items, and it also comes with an optional sticker should you choose to stick it directly on an item instead. The TrackR bravo is available in silver, black, blue, or coral/pink.
I attached the TrackR bravo to my keys, and after a couple weeks it did look a little banged up, but nothing that prevents it from functioning properly.
Ease of Use
The TrackR bravo is pretty straightforward and easy to use. Simply download the iOS or Android app to your smartphone, pair the TrackR bravo and away you go. It did take me a couple times to get it paired with two different devices during testing, the trick is to actually hold down the pair button on the TrackR bravo until it is paired, something that isn’t mentioned in the setup process.
If you’ve misplaced the item you’ve attached it to, simply locate it using your smartphone. If you’ve misplaced your smartphone, press the button on your TrackR bravo and your smartphone will ring allowing you to locate it more easily.
Software
Once the TrackR bravo is paired to your smartphone, you can pick what you are tracking from a huge list which includes everything from keys to jacket to headset to camera. It even has a button for your car, dog, or cat. All selecting a category really does is give the TrackR bravo a category and default name for the item you’ve attached it to.
After you’re paired, opening the app will show you your last device, you can switch between TrackRs if you have multiple items you are tracking, as well as enable Crowd GPS, enable Silent Mode, set up Wi-Fi Safe Zones, and even connect it with your Nest device. When Crowd GPS is enabled, you’ll be able to find your items if you aren’t near them and someone else with the TrackR app comes within 100ft of your lost item, you’ll get a GPS update with its approximate location. Silent Mode will disable the alerts on your smartphone, however you can still find your phone in Silent Mode as the TrackR bravo will still ring your device when the button is pressed. Wi-Fi Safe Zones can be set up to to disable separation alerts — an alert that rings when your smartphone gets too far from your TrackR bravo — based on your Wi-Fi connection, and finally setting it up with your Nest will allow you to silence alarms when you are home.
Each TrackR bravo you have paired to your smartphone can also be set to have custom alarm sounds, and you can also choose to enable or disable device and phone separation and alarm length on a per TrackR basis. In addition, checking out the item settings also displays the remaining battery life left on your TrackR bravo.
Performance
The TrackR bravo worked as expected, I had the kids hide my keys in the house (which I might add was a bad idea as it quickly became a bit of a game) and each time I was able to find them fairly quickly. Likewise, when pressing the button on the TrackR bravo, my phone rang even when in Silent Mode making it super easy to find. Wi-Fi Safe Zones worked as expected, and when enabled the separation mode worked like a charm as well.
Unfortunately I don’t have a Nest so I couldn’t test that functionality out, and the same went for the Crowd GPS functionality. Given the performance of the other features and functionality of the TrackR bravo though, I have no doubt those work fine as well, although I’d imagine the Crowd GPS functionality would work better in higher populated urban centres where there are likely to be more users.
Price/Value
Priced at $29.99USD, the TrackR bravo is a bit on the pricier side for what it does — at least for my liking. You can find it for as low as $16.99 on Amazon, which fits more comfortably into my “I’d pay around $20 for one.” If you intend on tracking more than one device, TrackR does have some great package deals as well which brings the price way down, including a buy 3, get 2 free for a cost of $17.99 each or a buy 5 get 5 free option which brings the cost down to $14.99 each.
Wrap-up
If you’re the type who’s constantly misplacing things, wants to track your luggage, or wants a nifty device that you can attach to your pet’s collar, the TrackR bravo is one solution that works well and in our testing worked as advertised.
[rwp-review id=”0″]*We were sent a review sample of the TrackR bravo for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on August 25, 2016.
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