Being an introvert can sometimes be a little challenging. If you're one like me then probably, you must have spent most of your time at your nearest Coffee Shop, facing the most awkward dilemma if you're alone and want to order a coffee. The guilt and insecurity suddenly capture your subconscious mind when you're about order something but couldn't leave your laptop or belongings because of theft. Well, this French IoT company Sense can help you to assuage your paranoid guilt by their latest offering, GuardPeanut Bluetooth Tracker.
It's the second device with sensor technology from Sense's IoT series, with its predecessor ThermoPeanut, a temperature based device. Similarly, as the name suggests, GuardPeanut is all about security and assurance for your belongings. So, without any further talking let's start the review of this smart anti-theft alarm sensor.
I loved it, to be precise, I loved the idea of being too simple in this complex gadgetry age. The device is a small, lightweight pill of plastic, and as the name suggests, it's ambiguously shaped like a peanut. No, it doesn't function when you remove its shell. However, you'll need to open up the device when replacing the button battery, CR2032. The company says that the battery would last for about, months on average usage.
The shipment was delivered to me two weeks before this review, and the box contained an array of mounting accessories and the device itself. There's an attachment clip which you can use to accord GuardPeanut to any bag or coat, a key ring loop for bike keys, some self-adhesive pads, and a "sticky putty" which is effective on uneven surfaces. Moreover, you can always just put the sensor device inside a bag, but It'll increase the chances of false alarm indications.
See also: - ITPRO.TV Review, Features & Pricing (30% Discount Coupon Code)
Wonder how the device works? Well, it simply tracks your movements and alerts you for any high sensitivity, but that's it. All the controlling and tuning features are offered through the app which allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the movement and the alarm noises for the objects you've plugged the device insecure. It comes with a range of around 100 feet (30 m) with the support of Bluetooth 4.0+ and Android 4.3.
You also customize the volumes of the alerts and how ferocious they would depend on your surroundings. One other compelling feature is that you can turn on/off the smartphone notifications when you're not in the state of listening. However, you'll need to be in the Bluetooth range.
Just pull out the plastic from the GuardPeanut, install the official app on your device, it is available for both Android and iOS powered smartphones and search for a new device via Bluetooth. After discovery and pairing, you can name your GuardPeanut sensor, change the default color, and decide whether your phone would ring, or the GuardPeanut or both for sound alerts. There are advanced settings that prioritize the alarm sounds by levels of sensitivity, how quickly an alert is fired to the smartphone and modifying how obnoxious the alarm is.
The device has a dimple which itself is a button which allows you to control the motion alarm on/off in emergency situations. The company is also working to integrated the sensor with IFTTT that'll help you connect the GuardPeanut for other services too.
Firstly, the device was tied up to my laptop bag and then with my bike key-chain for testing purposes. The situations were almost comparable to every being who forgets can key at random place. Sure enough, the default sensitivity level, the GuardPeanut started beeping with a notification on my phone as soon as I picked up the bag.
To use it as a security device at home, I attached the GuardPeanut then to my front door with the sensitivity level set to the highest; the device would ring on even a door knock. A simple but effective usage as the device can be connected to multiple Android and iOS devices as long as they have Bluetooth 4.0. You can also track the alarm notifications and analyze the reports that are saved on the Cloud and can also request a CSV file for god knows, what purposes.
Since the market is flooded with hundreds of similar competitions for Bluetooth Trackers, companies like TrackR also offer crowd searching features, but the flipping feature of using it as a simple tracker with smart sensitivity features differentiates from the crowd.
See Also: - Loop for VOX Review, Features & Pricing (Flat 50% Off Coupon Code)
What am I not so sure about?
The idea behind the execution here is appreciable but the company needs to expand its functionality in order to succeed but that doesn't mean that it does nothing. If it would've been a little more priced, I would simply refuse it but the fact that it only costs few dollars, it's a better option to protect your belongings.
At $29, it's can be more interesting to me as an IoT device rather than a simple tracker. The reassurance that my laptop would shout back whenever it'll feel insecure makes it worth buying. The device has a 90 dB audio output and beeps extravagantly. Just make sure that you respond fast as the range would fall back.
Do share your thoughts and let me how much you've appreciated the idea of using an accelerometer for such purposes. Cheers!
