A new generation of smart suitcases is making it easier for travelers on the go to keep tags on their luggage.
Losing your luggage – especially carry on – can turn a great trip into a disaster zone. Although airlines are increasingly making losing your bags when you fly a thing of the past (or at least trying to) there are other, more sinister players afoot, and with all the precious things we keep in our carry on luggage, from passports to money, cameras, laptops, and medication, it’s imperative that we do everything we can to keep our valuables safe and sound. Fortunately, luggage companies are turning to technology to help us stay charged, underweight, and secure,
Rimowa
A household name in luggage circles, Rimowa’s R&D team has gone a different way. Rather than creating spycraft tracking and charging, the German brand has maintained its iconic corrugated metal look, adding to its newest cases an Electronic Tag (at top), which mimics the plastic and paper tags airline check-in staff collar your bags with.
Using a built-in E Ink Mobius display, travelers beam the flight info from their phone directly to the case, which then displays the luggage tag on the screen, complete with all necessary barcodes and acronyms. The screen is water, heat, shock, and tear-resistant, ensuring that luggage handlers will always know where your case is supposed to be heading.
Bluesmart
The new-and-improved sibling of the Bluesmart One, the project which pioneered smart case innovation (and raised US$2 million in crowdfunding in the process), the Bluesmart Black Edition weighs in at a rather hefty 8.8 pounds (4kg) but also packs plenty of techno-friendly punch.
Measuring 22 x 14 x 9 inches, this slick smart case is dressed in nylon and polyester with a double PR coating, making it water and scratch-resistant, and features GPS and 3G tracking capabilities, Bluetooth-enabled locking, and a built-in weight sensor that works with a Bluesmart app. There’s a vital USB connection rated to charge a smartphone up to six times in one inning, as well as silent wheels and a reinforced bumper for those rough rumbles through the world’s airport concourses.
Trunkster
Another crowdfunded case, Trunkster features a sleek design and zipperless entry for faster access at those security queues. With a full-width handle for easy grab and go, Trunkster is water and shock-resistant and features a removable power bank, global tracking powered by LugLoc, and a digital scale integrated into the handle that helps ensure your luggage is within airlines’ limits. Sturdy TSA locks ensure security, and an external USB means charging on the go is a breeze.
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