HTC has unveiled a small Bluetooth 4.0 LE-powered accessory, aptly named Fetch, that helps users find their lost phones or prevents them from leaving it behind.
It works via Bluetooth 4.0’s Low Energy protocol, which allows devices to stay paired for months at a time with no battery drain. Fetch itself can attach to a keychain or be slipped in a bag, and has only one button, which sounds an alarm on your phone if it is within 15 metres. It has a six month battery life, with a small user-replaceable battery compartment.
The whole thing sounds like a less network-connected Tile, which we wrote about earlier this year and has since raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fetch does have the advantage of pairing with your HTC phone via NFC, so no fumbling in the Bluetooth settings, but is otherwise a strange product that may not gain much traction.
Fetch also sounds an alarm if you leave an area that your phone is located, and if the device does get lost or stolen, Fetch updates the phone’s last location, which can be pinpointed through HTC’s website.
The keychain accessory is expected to retail for around $35, though no word on whether it is coming to Canada.
[source]HTC[/source]
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