SAEM S8 Reperio Bluetooth Alarm Review:
Never misplace your keys again.
Have you ever sat down somewhere for a bit and then made your way back to your vehicle just to realize your keys are no longer with you? Or even worse, your expensive smartphone was left out for the first person with sticky fingers to walk by and pick it up? This is a daily occurrence for many people, so what are we to do?
Fortunately for those who are a bit absent-minded at times like me, technology company, Veho, has come out with a Bluetooth proximity finder for your keychain. The SAEM S8 Reperio is a small proximity alarm/finder that connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Some of its main features include:
- Patented slim, lightweight design – Designed in the UK
- Bluetooth 4.0, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) for longer lasting battery life
- Locate keys & also smartphones with free Android & iOS smartphone app
- Activates an alarm when you leave your keys or smartphone behind or someone takes them away
- Acts as a smartphone camera remote to take photos using the SAEM S8 Reperio
- Track the last known location of the Reperio using the smartphone app, which uses Google Maps to help locate SAEM S8
So, how does this wonder of modern technology work? It’s actually pretty simple. You connect your key fob to your smartphone through an app. Once you do, you will hear an alarm sound when your phone and key fob as too far apart. This distance is set through the app and can be changed as needed. As mentioned in the key features above, the key fob can be tracked using Google Maps if you get separated from it completely. You can use the app to help you locate your Reperio key fob even if you are outside of Bluetooth range.
It’s a pretty cool device and something I was very keen on testing out when I first heard about it.
First Impressions
One of the first things that struck me about the SAEM S8 Reperio was it’s stylish look. I am constantly amazed when a manufacturer takes such care with the style of a product. It really makes a difference to me. The key fob had an interesting look to it. One feature that I was really drawn to was its ability to be recharged. There are a lot of competitive products in the marketplace, but most of them can’t be recharged. This function really sets the S8 Reperio apart from others in its category. The battery takes approximately 2.5 hours to charge and gives users around 320 hours of use.
Veho includes a mini USB charging cable and a multi-lingual user manual in the box along with the key fob itself.
Utility
As I mentioned, in order to use the key fob, you have to first download the mobile app (iOS or Android) to go along with it. This app allows you to track your keys and/or your phone. After you download the iOS app, you then attach the key fob to your keyring and pair it with your smart phone. Run through all of the setup steps via the app and from there on out anytime your phone or keys are out of Bluetooth range of each other both devices emit a loud beeping noise or song if you set it up that way on the iOS app.
The app is free for download. I did find the app to be a bit buggy. This was really only the case after opening it after pausing. I’m positive this is something the developer will improve upon in future releases of the app.
Other than the small issues I had with the app, I found the functionality of the key fob/app worked great. In fact, during my testing of this product, I accidentally left my keys in my truck when running a bank errand. I started to walk away from my vehicle and was promptly reminded that I was out of range from my keys.
The product designers at Veho also built-in a secondary use for the key fob – a Bluetooth camera remote. When in camera mode, you can use the Reperio as a remote control for your smartphone’s camera.
Conclusions
I found the SAEM S8 Reperio to be an invaluable addition to my keychain. I would recommend this to anyone who finds themselves without their keys from time to time. Thanks to the new SAEM S8 Reperio Bluetooth proximity key finder from Veho, you will never misplace or lose your keys again.
The SAEM S8 Reperio retails for $49.95.
For more information, visit veho-world.com.