Tile is a tiny GPS Bluetooth device that fits in the palm of your hand.
It was developed by millennial engineers and entrepreneurs Nick Evans and Mike Farley. This tiny piece of technology attaches to the items that people value most and connects to one’s smartphone via Bluetooth. The purpose is to help people find their valuables when they get misplaced or lost. Through the use of GPS and Bluetooth technology, one can see on his phone where the item was last near his mobile device. The user can even make the Tile play music, so that he can find it if the item is in close range. According to Tile’s co founders, the idea originated from the experiences Mike had with his wife who constantly lost important items such as keys, backpacks, and even a rental car. Mike decided to find a way to help his wife find the things that she was constantly misplacing. Through the usage of crowdfunding, these entrepreneurs quickly realized that the problem Mike’s wife has is one that many people face. This is one of the main reasons why their idea is great. According to their website, “the average person misplaces about 3,000 items a year, and spends upwards of 60 hours each year trying to find them!”
These entrepreneurs inspire me to search for ways that simple technologies such as Bluetooth can be used to deliver innovative solutions for large problems. Although it may seem logical to assume that large problems require complex solutions, Tile is a prime example of how technology can be used to deliver a simple solution to a big problem.
More information regarding Tile can be found here.
I’ve seen this technology at work first hand. A friend of mine ALWAYS lost his keys, so he bought at tile. It was a life saver for him. It is really cool to see how something so small could have such a large impact on day-to-day life for someone. This one of those simple products that can really save someone a lot of time. It’s really awesome to see entrepreneurs solve problems that humans have had for thousands of years with one simple product!