Apple Find My accessories have been developed and added to the Apple ecosystem since the launch of AirTag in 2021. And apparently, Apple is continuing to invest more in it with the addition of new features (allowing you to share item locations with third parties such as airlines) and the rumored AirTag 2nd Gen with a longer range of the UWB chip.
The traditional and most popular form of Find My trackers are tracker tags, which were originally introduced by Tile and later on, Chipolo. Then there is a wave of credit card-shaped/sized trackers that can be hidden in your wallet. And as time evolves, we are seeing more innovations such as the Find My built-in Insta360 3S camera or the TwelveSouth PlugBug charger.
Today I have received a sample of the new FlashFinder Key Keeper, and it’s a flashlight-shaped (and functioning) Find My locator that can be attached to your keychains. I think this is still one-of-its-kind in this increasingly competitive category.
Design
My biggest issue with most of the traditional trackers is that they look like a tracker. And the bigger the brand, the bigger the problem (yeah, I’m talking about Tile and AirTag). Imagine you have lost your item with an AirTag attached or inside, and unfortunately, whoever found it is not planning to return it to lost & found. The moment they see an AirTag, it’s doomed for the trash bin.
That’s why I prefer the form factor of the FlashFinder much more over the traditional design. It looks like nothing but a keychain flashlight or a multi-tool. The evil guys might like it and decide to keep it, which would make it easier for you to track it down.
Taking out the tracking functionality, the mini flashlight itself also looks solid. It has a semi-transparent body which is definitely the come-back trend in 2024. It can be attached to any keychain or metal surface using the magnets at the end of it.
Function
This is made of two parts. Part I is about the Find My tracking feature, and Part II is about its lighting features.
Tracking Features
To be honest, there isn’t much to say about the Find My features. The built-in Bluetooth chip can provide approximate location details based on nearby Apple devices. You can then share the location with family, friends, and now third-party entities. However, all of them would only work if you are an Apple user (Sorry, Android buddies).
Then, when you are nearby and within Bluetooth range of the FlashFinder, you can request it to play an audio alert, which is useful in quieter environments like your home or office.
The biggest surprise comes from the flashlight side. Unlike other tracker tags or cards, it has additional LED bulbs to give you an extra clue. So, while it’s playing an audio alert, the flashlight will light up like a police siren with red and blue lights. This is more helpful if you dropped it on a playground and especially useful at dawn or night.
Lighting Features
As I briefly mentioned the red and blue lights for locating, you can also use them individually for always-on or blinking red/blue light. Additionally, there is an SOS mode built-in with the red light flashing nine times resembling a Morse code SOS signal. I hope nobody will need to use it, but it’s such a great feature to have with you.
The main flash on FlashFinder is also quite bright. Specs show a 50-meter range, which I can confirm is much brighter than my iPhone 16 Pro’s flashlight. Your smartphone might be good enough for an emergency, but this is a proper flashlight that should be on your EDC list.
The main flash also supports different lighting brightness levels and blinking modes for unique occasions.
Power and Charging
Most Find My trackers use CR2032 batteries as a power source, and my experience suggests that they die out pretty fast unless you are using AirTag, which has amazing battery management software that can actually last up to 1 year battery life.
The FlashFinder uses USB-C charging to power both the flashlight and the Find My tracking function, which costs less to charge than replacing a CR2032 battery. It also has more mAh, which should support the functions longer than other finders.
Conclusion
As someone who likes to carry as few items as possible when on the go, my keychain normally stays clean with only my home and car keys. While those keys are essential to me (I don’t even have a backup car key), it adds extra peace of mind to pair them with a multi-function tracking device without adding too much weight. I hope it can pass the test in the long run, but I’m more than happy to add the FlashFinder to my keyring family.
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