Elgato Smart Key, Connect your key to your iPhone (Bluetooth Smart), black

I have been using the Smart Key for about a week now and overall I’m very happy with it. I have it attached to my keychain and am using the app on my iPhone 5 with the latest version of iOS 7.This device is really just a proximity sensor based on Bluetooth 4.0 technology. This means if your iPhone and the Smart Key are within a certain range of each other, they will be connected. When the range becomes too far, they will disconnect. These connect and disconnect "events“ mean you can be reminded when something happens, like leaving your keys behind! It sounds simple enough, but a product I picked up at the Apple Store that cost twice as much was not very good at this. It kept disconnecting at random times, putting me in some pretty emberassing situations. Thankfully, the Smart Key does not seem to suffer from this problem. Here is what you’ll get:Hardware:The Smart Key itself is pretty small and very light. I don’t really notice it on my keychain. There is a blue button on it, which you can push to trigger a sound on your iPhone (when the two are connected). This button can be useful to find your phone laying around the house.App:To use the Smart Key, you have to install a free App from the App Store. Syncng the Smart Key with the App takes about 20 seconds. You are then able to choose from presets for Keys, Luggage, Handbag, Car etc. These presets determine what happens when the Smart Key and your iPhone connect, disconnect, or when you push the button. I found myself customizing all of these settings, so the presets were pretty much irrelevant for me. You can set up so called "Safe Zones“ in the App, which are areas in which no sound will be played if there is a connect / disconnect event. I’d recommend doing this at home or any other place you spend a lot of time and walk around a lot to avoid being annoyed.While the Smart Key works very well, it’s not perfect. I wish the sound it played could be made louder as it’s nearly impossible to hear when you are in a loud environment. I also find the range to be a bit limited. Indoors, I’d say it is 30-40 feet max.All in all, it’s a quality product and if you are forgetful like me, I would recommend it.

Elgato Smart Key, Connect your key to your iPhone (Bluetooth Smart), blackI have been using the Smart Key for about two years and it works as claimed. Overall I’m happy with it, the battery last a long time is easy to set up. The building Quality is great and you can use it on other things, not just keys. I sticked this device on my TV remote control so I don't lose it again.This device is works with proximity sensor based on Bluetooth 4.0 technology. This means if your iPhone and the Smart Key are within a certain range about 30-40' of each other.PROS:The Smart Key itself is pretty small and very lightThe app is super easy to use, it takes like a 30 second to set it up and is really responsiveThe battery last super long time (while not using)Easy to replace batteryCONS:A little more expensive than their competitionI wish the sound it would play could be made a little bit louder, for it's really hard to hear it on a loud envirementThe range from you to your phone could be improvedFINAL THOUGHS:The app is easy to use easy to set it up, the price is reasonable, good quality, and it's easy to replace battery.Give it a shot, you may like it.

I give this a three, because I want to give it both a 1 and a 5. One, because the volume is very soft. If there is no other sound source in a quiet room I can hear this at a distance of two feet from my ear. I don't have 20 year ears, but I'm not hearing deficient for 50. I've tried all the tunes with the same result, and poking a second unit I bought as a gift through the packaging gives the same anemic volume. This means it gets a 1 for the finding your keys scenario. The rest of this works great and it is still useful to keep track of a computer bag or parking location, so I give it a five for these scenarios. Maybe the next generation will have a decent speaker on it, but I wish it was this generation!

I really, REALLY wanted this to work. But, it simply didn't.I bought it for my roommate, because she's always losing her keys. I tested it before giving it to her for Christmas, and it was sooo disappointing, that I returned it.While sitting next to each other, on the same table, it would lose connection and send the warning! Not more than 8" away from each other!So, this is not even counting real world distances between upstairs and down where she would take her phone each night, and leave her keys downstairs. I think the ONLY way a product like this is going to work, is if it, at the very least, has BT 4.0 for the greater range. Maybe even switching to a WiFi signal inside remembered locations. I know this will limit it's appeal with older phone owners that don't have BT 4.0, and possibly raise the price (and engineering) adding possible WiFi to it. But, I just don't see this working any other way, especially in larger homes, which, I would think would be their primary, affluent target audience.Unfortunately, this is a fail. And, I really like Elgato products! I had high hopes. Alas...

So far so good - my only complaint the beeper is not that loud, but it is effective and will make my life better. :)One week later... battery is already at halfway mark. I am starting to think this is a bit of waste of money. It loses it's bluetooth connection A LOT. The range is limited - often have to be in the same room as the keys for it to make a connection. The sound setting changed to 'mute' for some unknown reason. In all honesty - I would not buy this device again. I can be right in front of my keys - and it still may not make a connection or it does make a connection it may not make a sound (after pressing the 'find' button the app). Other times it does. This is really a two for now. If it gets better I will change my rating.