Cool travel gadget: TrakDot

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jarledb

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Topic # 151041 11-Aug-2014 23:06

Found a new travel gadget today: Trakdot - Its a little unit that lets you know where your luggage is when you are traveling. It also connects to your phone to let you know how close it is via bluetooth while you are waiting for your luggage at the luggage claim.

Could have been useful on our last trip when we just barely managed to get on the connecting flight in Munich, but our luggage didn't.

It works all over the world (Where there is GSM-networks), and the yearly subscription is only $20 USD.

Any other cool travel gadgets I should get? I just ordered the Trakdot at PB Tech :)

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Reply # 1106832 12-Aug-2014 07:47

Just remember to have a balance on the SIM card and roaming is activated (if planning to use overseas).

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jarledb

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Reply # 1106988 12-Aug-2014 12:15

Ah yes, thats true. A good plan to have a working subscription when you use it. The device itself does not require you to get a cell subscription, thats included in the yearly fee from the company providing the service.

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KBilly

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Reply # 1107226 12-Aug-2014 18:47

jarledb:

Any other cool travel gadgets I should get?

goTenna looks like it could be quite useful when travelling overseas.

freitasm

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Reply # 1107230 12-Aug-2014 18:56

KBilly:
jarledb:

Any other cool travel gadgets I should get?

goTenna looks like it could be quite useful when travelling overseas.

Except it doesn't "exist" yet. Only a nice website.

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Technofreak

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Reply # 1107275 12-Aug-2014 20:27

Explain to me how this works with flight mode turned on, or does it not have flight mode.

How do you comply with the requirement to have transmitting devices switched off?

I'm sure some airlines and most Civil Aviation Authorities will be mightily unimpressed about the fact that there might be a multitude of transmitting devices packed into the hold, all trying to tell the world where they are.

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freitasm

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Reply # 1107280 12-Aug-2014 20:45

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Technofreak: I'm sure some airlines and most Civil Aviation Authorities will be mightily unimpressed about the fact that there might be a multitude of transmitting devices packed into the hold, all trying to tell the world where they are.

I am sure there are already a multitude of mobile devices that aren't turned off during flight anyway and they know it.

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Reply # 1107287 12-Aug-2014 21:01

freitasm:
Technofreak: I'm sure some airlines and most Civil Aviation Authorities will be mightily unimpressed about the fact that there might be a multitude of transmitting devices packed into the hold, all trying to tell the world where they are.

I am sure there are already a multitude of mobile devices that aren't turned off during flight anyway and they know it.

No doubt there are some left on by accident. That doesn't make it right for them to be left on on purpose. The greater the number of devices switched on the greater the risk of interference. Hence my post

I know there is plenty of debate around whether or not mobiles cause interference, and there is testing going on to see if new technology deployed in some aircraft is immune to cellphone interference. However there is sufficient evidence to suggest interference can occur particularly when using some types of technology used for approaches in bad weather. Hence the current requirement to have phones switched off for take off and landing.

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LazyDr

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Reply # 1107332 12-Aug-2014 22:37

Reading the information in the link provided in the OP, they state that the device detects that it's in flight and switches off automatically. Not sure on exactly how that's supposed to work, but that's what they claim

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Reply # 1107420 13-Aug-2014 08:11

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The only ways I can think of for knowing it is in flight are either time based, acceleration or pressure. All of these have shortfalls, but I guess if you combined all three you may be able to reduce the likelihood of it failing to operate correctly. However, the most critical part of the flight, approach and landing, would be the most vulnerable to these devices lighting up prematurely if that is how it is sensed. I guess you would at least be able to find your luggage in amongst the wreckage ;-/

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Reply # 1107438 13-Aug-2014 08:20

Interesting device. Curious how well it works in various countries.

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Reply # 1107485 13-Aug-2014 10:17

Air pressure would be the best bet I would imagine.

Stay in airplane mode if above 1000m...

Perhaps with a lockout mode such that once put in standby mode it would remain in airplane mode until it noticed a change in pressure (down then up) suggesting a flight had happened to avoid "beeping" before plane took off.

Not sure how it would cope with refueling stops or transits though...

? How about a timer plus pressure change....stays in hibernation mode until for example 25 hrs passed (flight to UK) then waits for airpresure to be below 1000m then activates..

A.

Still would be surprised if allowed to use it judging by glacial pace of approval for cell phones..

Maybe use for cargo tracking.

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Reply # 1113377 22-Aug-2014 11:10

Got one, and having trouble with the bluetooth pairing with my galaxy S5.

What phone are you using it with?

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Reply # 1113389 22-Aug-2014 11:23

afe66: Air pressure would be the best bet I would imagine.

Stay in airplane mode if above 1000m...

Perhaps with a lockout mode such that once put in standby mode it would remain in airplane mode until it noticed a change in pressure (down then up) suggesting a flight had happened to avoid "beeping" before plane took off.

Not sure how it would cope with refueling stops or transits though...

? How about a timer plus pressure change....stays in hibernation mode until for example 25 hrs passed (flight to UK) then waits for airpresure to be below 1000m then activates..

A.

Still would be surprised if allowed to use it judging by glacial pace of approval for cell phones..

Maybe use for cargo tracking.

Two problems with your pressure idea.

One, on shorter flights many cabin/hold altitudes don't go very high at all, often remaining at sea level or the altitude of the departure airfield due to the pressurisation of the aircraft). The unit wouldn't see a pressure change.

Two, there are plenty of airports with elevations of several thousand feet. Landing at one of these the unit may not see a low enough altitude to complete the descent part of the cycle.

It's a good idea thwarted by technical and regulatory issues.

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Reply # 1113390 22-Aug-2014 11:24

Dingbatt: The only ways I can think of for knowing it is in flight are either time based, acceleration or pressure. All of these have shortfalls, but I guess if you combined all three you may be able to reduce the likelihood of it failing to operate correctly. However, the most critical part of the flight, approach and landing, would be the most vulnerable to these devices lighting up prematurely if that is how it is sensed. I guess you would at least be able to find your luggage in amongst the wreckage ;-/

Agreed

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Reply # 1113417 22-Aug-2014 12:50

Presumably you could produce exactly the same by putting your (spare) cellphone in your bag, with some kind of person-tracker app running.

Maybe it could sense vibration rather than acceleration to figure out when it's in transit in an aircraft?

And, knowing scheduled time of your flight's arrival, you could program the device to sleep until (say) 30 minutes after that?

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