Mynt Smart Tracker

Reviewed By: Meredith Kavanagh on February, 17th 2017

Who among us has not angrily searched for their phone while holding it in their hand? Who among us has not screamed at their spouse for moving their keys, only to later realize they were buried in their pocket all along? Until wearable implants become the norm, no one is immune to the irrational rage of forgetting an umbrella at home or misplacing the remote.

Forgetting is a part of the human experience — and MYNT creators Slightech are counting on it.

MYNT Smart Tracker First Impression

As a forgetful, technology-reliant person, I’m pretty much the key target for the MYNT. A small, affordable ($19.99) piece of technology that promises to eliminate daily fits of frustration? Sign me up.

MYNT Smart Tracker Design

Slightech boasts that the MYNT is the world’s thinnest tracker and remote at 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and ? inch thick. It is portable, versatile, and waterproof when paired with a case. The design is attractive enough that I wouldn’t mind having it hang on my keys or attached to my pet’s collar — but I would draw the line at affixing it on my iPhone.

The thin, lightweight design supports the intended versatility of the tracker, but also inhibits precision during use. The button on the MYNT is flush, save for a small divot. So, while it is definitely sleek,  it’s tough to press.

It’s worth noting is that my ring size is 4.5, so I have just about the smallest finger tips this side of Donald Trump — and this narrow, flat button was a nuisance for me. If someone with regular human-sized hands tried to use this, I predict they would have a tough time.

The one-click use couldn’t be easier, but if you’re using the MYNT as a remote rather than a tracking device, you need to customize a function for a single click, double click, triple click, hold, and click and hold. Single click is no problem. Double click was tough. Click and hold? Worked 0/5 tries.

Note: The MYNT won a 2016 Red Dot Award for Product Design, so maybe my impatient hands increased user error.  

MYNT Smart Tracker Software

As soon as I connected the MYNT to my phone, I was immediately bombarded with options and pop-ups before I even knew what I was customizing. I went along with it, but I’m not blown away by the user interface. There are options on options on options — which makes sense when you have a 2-inch piece of metal performing so many different jobs — but it is frustrating nonetheless.

In order for the MYNT to work, you must always allow location settings, have Bluetooth on, and allow notifications for the MYNT. Again, this makes sense given the purpose of the tool, but right off the bat, I was worried it was going to suck up my phone battery. By the end of my week with MYNT, it didn’t have a huge impact on my battery, but the noticeable battery loss and excessive notifications were bothersome.

MYNT Smart Tracker Features

Thing Finder  

 

Pro:

• Will work great for items that you misplace in close proximity, like the TV remote or your keys.

Con:

• Your lost item needs to be in Bluetooth range. The MYNT site says that the Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity allows the MYNT to work up to 150 feet. That would be great! But after placing the MYNT in different rooms of my office, placing it on a ledge outside, attaching it to a pet, and leaving it in my purse — I found the range was closer to 30 feet with no barriers. After closer inspection, I did notice the “open space” disclaimer on the MYNT store page, but given that barriers (walls, doors, counters) are usually between you and your lost item, that’s a pretty big stipulation.
• The alarm on the MYNT isn’t that loud, and you can’t adjust the volume — only the length of the sound and the sensitivity. The idea is that you use the map to narrow down the location and then listen for the alarm — but each time I checked the map, it was nowhere near precise enough. It gave me an accurate address, but since the device doesn’t work further than 30 feet or around walls, that doesn’t help much. If it’s lost in a couch cushion or a jacket pocket, you can probably hear it, but if that jacket is inside a closet with a closed door, you’re probably out of luck. 

Smart Alarm

While in range, the alarm on the MYNT rang about 40% of the time. As detailed below in “Notifications,” sometimes I received a banner notification. Other times, the app simply disconnected, and the alarm only rang aloud while I was on a phone call. 

When attached to my pet’s leash, a co-worker walked in one direction and I walked in the other to test the smart alarm distance. I had the app open the whole time, but there was no sound. It simply disconnected.

Smartphone Remote

Using the MYNT as a smartphone remote was the most consistent use for me. It took photos when the camera app was open, and I was easily able to switch to the next song and lower the volume while the music app was open. 

Presentation Clicker

Okay, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m making an estimated guess about this function because I’m no longer in college, nor do I work in a shmancy enough office where people give PowerPoint presentations. What I can surmise is that MYNT works well enough for the simple one click = next slide use, so it should work well as a presentation clicker.

MYNT Smart Tracker Notifications

Pro

• An alert that goes off when you leave behind the MYNT is extremely helpful.

Cons

• Since the Bluetooth connection only worked in a fraction of the range that Slightech claims it would, I was constantly asked, “Did you forget the purse? Did you forget the pet?” as soon as I was more than 5 feet away.   
• Notifications were inconsistent. Sometimes I received the alert that I was forgetting the MYNT-attached item. Other times, it simply disconnected.
• The only time the audible “alarm” went off to alert me that I was leaving behind my MYNT/child/purse/pet was while I was on the phone. I was in my apartment, and the MYNT was in my purse, but when I walked into another room, music started playing in my ear. This is also when I realized that the MYNT connection wouldn’t last the 6 feet from my couch to behind my kitchen counter — the alarm went off when I knelt down to pick something up.

MYNT Smart Tracker Battery Life

The CR2020 coin battery can last six months with active use or one year on standby. You receive an extra battery with your MYNT. The battery is easily replaceable and can be purchased by standard battery brands like Duracell and Phillips.

You immediately have to install a firmware update when you set up your device. If you opt out of it, you will “limit the use of your MYNT.” I was informed that the update will “take half of the battery, so be sure to have an extra battery on hand.” This was alarming at first, but appeared to be more of a precaution: I performed two separate firmware updates during setup, and the battery was still at 100%.

Final Thoughts

I had high expectations for the MYNT, and while I was impressed with the design, smartphone remote features, and concept — it simply didn’t do what it promised. The main issue was the lackluster Bluetooth connection, but at a $20 price point, I didn’t expect smartphone GPS capabilities. However, I did expect more than 30 feet in open space.

If the MYNT functions were consistent, accurate, and the software was given an overall upgrade — this would be extremely helpful. Unfortunately for MYNT and forgetful techies alike, it isn’t there yet.