Lost all your things? Maybe Pixie can find them again
Pixie uses a mesh network to act like local GPS for lost items. We can't wait to plaster these all over our possessions.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
These aren't guitar picks, they're smart thing trackers.
Lost things are a huge pain. Luckily, some companies are trying to help.
This four-pack of little guitar pick-like items, called Pixie, are debuting late January. They're location-tracking tags for your things: keys, phones, luggage or maybe your pet. Unlike other item-finding tags, Pixie's tech uses a mesh network that acts like a local GPS. It works up to 150 feet outdoors, or 30-40 feet indoors, according to CEO Amir Bassan Eskenazi, who I met in a crowded CES showfloor in Las Vegas.
Pixie blends right in on a crowded keychain.
One Pixie tracker attaches to your phone (iPhone for now, Android coming soon). The others, up to seven more, can go on anything. Adhesive stickers and keyring loops come included. All devices using Pixies communicate on the same mesh network, meaning the more you add, the easier it might be to find all of them.
Attach it on a bag, why don't you?
An app shows the location of lost items like a little augmented reality game. As you get closer, you can seek out your things and find out what direction they're hiding. A two-pack costs $50 (converts to AU$70, £40), a four-pack $100 (AU$140, £80).
We couldn't try out Pixie on the preshow floor, but we have an early review unit we'll test out this week.