According to a survey of 3,000 adults conducted by British insurance firm Esure back in 2014, the average person mislays nine items daily – nearly 3,300 items per year. Over an average 60 years of adult life, that adds up to almost 200,000 items going astray, with around 3,680 hours wasted trying to find them again. In Chicago alone, 120,000 phones are lost yearly, just in the back of taxi cabs.
Constantly replacing stuff is wasteful, massively inconvenient and environmentally disrespectful, while the loss of personal possessions can be painful, upsetting and expensive. So Curve, the Smart GPS tracker that can be attached to valuables and can even help people keep in touch with children and dogs, could prove to be a sound investment.
Ahead of the Curve
Connected by the brand’s Smart SIM and managed via the Vodafone Smart App, Curve differs from more standard Bluetooth-only devices by employing four different location technologies (GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular and Bluetooth) to provide a more reliable connection and tracking process.
To explore the concept of positive materialism, the dislocating emotions connected with loss and the unalloyed joy of rediscovery, Vodafone Smart Tech and Wallpaper* have teamed up to produce a new podcast series, Found: Objects with Meaning – launching in June 2021. Hosted by Wallpaper* technology editor Jonathan Bell, the series includes conversations with designers Yves Behar and Nipa Doshi, fashion designer Roksanda Ilinčić, musician Nile Rodgers, ex-pro cyclist David Millar, and artist Polly Morgan. §