This tiny device creates a giant lost and found network for your missing items

We write about a lot of tiny devices at Electronic Products  — some monitor your health or peek at your eating habits while others can detect people beneath crushed rubble.

The Tile device.

In 2013, the tiny device that was talked about by many tecchies was the Tile, a gadget that can help the forgetful keep track of things they don’t want to lose (like wallets, keys, or bikes). Now the device has made its way to CES 2014 with its founders, Nick Evans and Mike Farley.

 
Stick a Tile to your remote control.

If you lose a lot of your belongings, you could simply stick a Tile to them for tracking. The little Bluetooth LE radio doesn’t work alone; users must download the accompanying app that connects to every other Tile app running in the community.

“A lot of Tile's features also have a big draw to consumers — like the ability to leverage the rest of the Tile network to find lost items,” said CEO Nick Evans.

The Tile device works hand-in-hand with the mobile app to find your lost items.

So when you lose something, the app uses the expanded network of people to help find belongings at greater distances. If someone in the Tile network happens to be near the item you lost, you’ll be alerted.

Currently, the Tile batteries do not have to be recharged or replaced, but after a year, you will need to order new Tiles for your belongings. At the moment, the Tile team is not looking into improvements in battery life extension.

Don't worry about misplacing your keys, just stick on a Tile.

“While we will definitely be looking to improve it in the future, today, we are 100% focused on building and shipping Tile to the thousands of people who have already ordered,” said Evans.

What was so amazing about the device’s story was that when its founders started the crowdfunding campaign over the summer, they raised $2.6 million from nearly 50,000 backers in just 34 days (as opposed to the mere $20,000 they had intended to raise). Tile became the most successful Selfstarter crowdfunding campaign to date.

“Because we have so much support and people have ordered so many Tiles, we were able to secure one of the best manufacturers in the world that will help us build a solid product. It also means that there is an even larger network of Tile users that are helping others find their stuff,” said Evans.

Additional features

Using Tile you can see just how far away from your lost item you are (within a 100 to 150-foot radius) which is ideal for those misplaced keys. You’re able to share Tiles with your family so they can help you find your stuff too, and you can have your tiles ring to reveal their exact location.

If you’re one of those people that lose a lot of items, you may want to check it out. Visit the Tile website.