Are you a loser? I don’t mean a pasty geek who spends hours obsessing over mobile phones then writing about them on the internet, I mean someone who misplaces their phone. Well, either of the above may be interested in the HTC Fetch.
It’s basically a keyfob that beeps at you if you move more than 15 metres away from the HTC phone to which it is paired. When I say ‘you’ I mean your keyfob, so if you leave your phone and keys behind then you’re still shafted!
Assuming you’ve got your Fetch, but not your phone then it even has a map feature that helps you locate the escapee.
It can act as a remote shutter trigger for the phone’s camera, which is a nice touch.
One other feature is that if you’re on a date (see above for why this doesn’t apply to me) and you don’t like your suiter then you can fake a call by pressing a button on the Fetch. Handy? You tell me.
One thing HTC aren’t shouting about is how this is a good alert if someone lifts your phone and tries to make off with it. That seems like the best application for it to me.
The only slight confusion is about compatibility, as the HTC site states that it’s for the One Mini, Butterfly S and One Max. Surely they can’t exclude the One owners from this essential add-on?!
We’ve seen other versions of the same thing from the likes of Motorola recently, and I’m sure JML probably do something similar, but if you think you’re going to lose your HTC One Max (somehow) and you want a matching accessory you need look no further.
More details are below in the HTC press release, just click the big blue button.
We’ve all been there – delving the depths of your handbag, frantically checking each pocket and flipping every cushion in sight – and all to no avail…it’s gone!
The loss of a phone can be particularly emotional: you wave goodbye to that special someone’s phone number and those priceless pictures from your last birthday…oh, and that championship winning team you spent months building on Football Manager.
If any of this sounds all too familiar, HTC has the answer – HTC Fetch.
With the simple press of a button, the sleek keychain accessory activates your phone’s ringtone, avoiding an adrenaline-fuelled panic as you turn the house upside down. The device has a working range of 15m* so, unless your home has more than one wing, it should only take a moment to locate your phone.
Conversely, you can also cause the Fetch to beep on demand by using the corresponding app on your phone. That means, you can attach Fetch to whatever you are constantly misplacing, not just your phone. Now you can relax when it’s your keys that decide to disappear at the most inopportune moment.
But that’s not all. By pairing your HTC phone and your Fetch, you can set both devices to alert you if you ever leave one or the other behind (think of them as the Forrest and Bubba of the smartphone world). What’s more, if you lose both, there’s a convenient email notification feature lets you know exactly where your Fetch and phone were last together.
The HTC Fetch is a perfect solution for anyone who has a sizeable forgetful streak. However, there are a host of ‘alternative’ uses, even if you are not prone to losing things. Here are a few not-entirely-serious but not-entirely-joking suggestions:
1. Do you own an unpredictable pet that requires walking?
Simply attach the HTC Fetch to your creature’s collar and you’ll be alerted if it ever strays over 15m from your phone. As Fenton demonstrated back in 2011, dogs are fast and cannot be trusted.
2. Is your child the next Indiana Jones?
Hide and seek is a favourite amongst kids. But the game becomes less appealing the older you get, especially in the fruit and vegetable section of your local supermarket. Simply clip the Fetch to your child’s outfit, listen for the beep and win. Fast.
3. Does your boyfriend have a habit of wandering off when you go shopping?
Everyone knows that men cannot be trusted to ‘heel’ in shopping situations. If your partner has a habit of drifting toward the gadget section when you’re trying to buy gifts for the family, just slip the Fetch in his pocket and keep him in earshot.
4. Does the TV remote ALWAYS go missing?
If it’s not your keys, it’s the TV remote. Whether it’s slipped down the side of the sofa or your girlfriend is hiding it in an attempt to seize televisual control, the HTC Fetch is the answer.
5. Another horrible first date?
If you’ve ever had to ask your friend to call you during an awful first date, just so you can make a phony excuse to leave, then the Fetch is for you. Simply pop the device in your pocket and with a single click your phone will ring, giving you the perfect opportunity to up and go.
For more information on the HTC fetch visit: http://www.htc.com/www/accessories/htc-fetch
* Active range of 15m. Working range may vary depending on operating environment
