3. Using Loc8tor

Figure 9: Opening the Loc8tor Handheld Unit

Press down slightly on the protective LCD cover and slide it upwards until it clicks into position.

Figure 10: Controls Layout on the Loc8tor

For some il-advised reason, none of Loc8tor's buttons have any labels. Pressing any of the buttons will power on the handheld, although technically the documentation states that the gray button (upper left) is the power button.

If you press one of the other buttons instead, Loc8tor will power itself on and jump straight to that menu. For example, if you press the yellow button first, Loc8tor will power itself on and go straight to the "Register a new tag" screen.

Figure 11: Welcome Menu

The first time Loc8tor is powered on, the Welcome menu appears, prompting you to register the first Homing Tag to the handheld (or Panic Tag).

Figure 12: Register Tag Menu

Pressing the yellow button brings up the Register Tag Menu, shown above.

Figure 13: Select Yes to Register A New Tag

Use the 4-way iPod-like joystick to highlight "Yes" and then press the enter button to begin the process of registering a tag with the handheld.

Figure 14: Registering Tag

The Loc8tor handheld begins searching for a Homing Tag or Panic Tag. While the handheld is in the registering mode, touch the handheld with the Homing/Panic Tag you want to pair with the handheld.

Figure 15: Naming the Tag

Each tag can be named (up to 10 characters). Using the 4-way joystick, highlight one letter at a time to spell out the tag name (e.g. "Wallet", "Cat", "Keys", etc.). Highlight and select OK when you've finished entering the name.

Figure 16: Choosing a Tag to Locate

Once the tag has been paired with the handheld and given a name, the device is ready to locate.

Press the gray button to access the Locate menu, shown above, and select the tag you want to find.

Figure 17: Locating a Tag

Locating a Homing/Panic Tag with the Loc8tor handheld is like using a 21st-century divining rod; as you get closer to the tag, the handheld beeps an audible tone faster, and the signal strength increases. As you move further away from the tag, the signal strength decreases, and the rate of beeping tones slows down.

The distance indicator is crude, but works for conveying a general sense of how far away from the tag you are: near, medium, or far.

Once you get within a few inches of the tag, a solid tone is heard from the handheld, indicating you have found the tag.

4. Pros

• Very small homing tags
• Long battery life
• Lightweight
• Menu system is easy to use
• Only have to pair tags to the handheld once (it remembers the pairing even after powering the handheld off)
• Includes a total of 4 tags, including 1 Panic Tag (a tag with an alert button)

5. Cons

• No direction indicator, only signal strength and distance
• Buttons have no labels, so it's hard to know what each button does
• Feels cheaply made
• Expensive
• Alarm not loud enough to be heard in public places

6. Conclusion

Using the Loc8tor is like playing an electronic game of Marco Polo. Audible beeping sounds let you know whether you're getting hotter or colder, as you move about trying to zero in on the missing Tag. There's no direction indicator on the handheld, so you'll have to go through a process of elimination, turning in circles and moving in various directions until the signal strength increases and the beeping noise speeds up.

The Loc8tor handheld unit feels cheaply made -- one good drop and the lightweight plastic will almost certainly shatter. Worse, there's no labels on any of the buttons to let you know what function each button performs. I did appreciate the ultra-small size of Loc8tor's homing tags, as well as the longer-than-average battery life (2-9 months, depending on usage).

It can be somewhat frustrating (and time consuming) hunting down a tag, but it does work eventually for stationary objects such as keys, wallets, etc. However, the Loc8tor Plus system isn't accurate enough for use on people or pets, as it takes too much time to hone in on a missing tag while you search room to room and listen for the faster/slower beeping tone.

Tracking down a stationary object is difficult, but possible with Loc8tor. Tracking down a moving target is mission impossible -- especially without the benefit of an arrow or some other idicator pointing you in the right direction.

You definitely wouldn't want to use Loc8tor to find a missing child at a supermarket or shopping mall. But if you're always misplacing your keys or wallet (or anything else that will remain stationary while you look for it) at home, and don't mind a slow, sonar-like room to room search, Loc8tor will help you track it down. For tracking pets and people, you're better off looking elsewhere.