SwitchBot’s new safety tracker can discreetly trigger a fake phone call

The fake telephone calls could supply a mode retired of suspicious situations. | Image: SwitchBot

SwitchBot is expanding its already divers enactment of astute location offerings with a caller tracking fob that doubles arsenic some a idiosyncratic information instrumentality and a speedy mode to summation introduction to your home.

SwitchBot’s Safety Alarm looks similar a keychain flashlight and adjacent has LEDs erstwhile you request immoderate other illumination and don’t privation to scope for your smartphone. The instrumentality is available starting contiguous for $39.99 successful black, white, and aqua colour options, but you tin prevention 99 cents erstwhile buying a two-pack. Most of the time, it works arsenic an NFC cardinal for SwitchBot’s astute locks and tin nonstop “home arrival” notifications erstwhile you’re successful Bluetooth range, letting household members cognize you’ve safely returned.

In an emergency, however, you tin besides region the Safety Alarm’s abbreviated keychain with a yank, which triggers a fewer things. That LED becomes a flashing strobe airy and is accompanied by a precise large 130dB audible alarm. When a connected telephone is nearby, an alert is besides automatically sent to up to 5 friends and household members that includes the past known determination of the tracker erstwhile the alarm was activated, but not live-tracking.

If you’re not feeling harmless but don’t consciousness the concern is urgent capable to activate the alarm, discreetly double-pressing a fastener connected the Safety Alarm volition trigger a “virtual telephone call” that you tin unreal to answer, which could enactment arsenic a deterrent. It volition ringing adjacent if your smartphone is successful soundless mode, the institution says.

A assortment of idiosyncratic information smartphone apps connection a fake telephone telephone feature, and the SwitchBot Smart Alarm isn’t arsenic compact oregon discreet arsenic alternatives similar Pebblebee’s Clip tracker, which recently added caller idiosyncratic information features. But Switchbot’s volition perchance supply much bid of caput with an alarm that’s implicit 30dB louder than the Pebblebee’s.

Pebblebee’s Clip is more costly astatine $50, but it has the other flexibility of being trackable with either Apple’s Find My web oregon Google’s Android Find Hub, portion SwitchBot’s caller Safety Alarm is lone trackable done Apple’s network. Pebblebee besides offers an optional subscription work ($2.99 / period oregon $24.99 / year) called Alert Alive, which adds other information features similar sharing your real-time determination with a radical of trusted radical erstwhile triggered.

The Safety Alarm is IP65 water- and dust-resistant, truthful a dense downpour won’t beryllium an contented but it whitethorn not past a implicit dunking. It volition tally for astir a twelvemonth connected a brace of user-replaceable CR2032 batteries oregon up to 2 years if not utilizing the Apple Find My functionality.