Chipolo, a review
Recently I received a Chipolo from Sproutup.co for usability testing and feedback.
My Process
When ever I am testing something it doesn’t matter if it’s a website, a tool or widget I follow the same basic process. I start with a sheet of paper with a score of 10 and for each major flaw or issue I subtract 1 and for minor items 1/2 until I either finish my testing (and that’s the product rating … example: 7.25 out of ten) or I hit 0.
First Impressions
At first glance the packing seems pretty basic but at the very least clean and well put together. On the other hand, it is entirely incorrect. The image as you can see here shows the device and clearly indicates that it should be “Deep Sky Blue” as does the side of the box.
However upon opening the box I was surprised to see the item was actually more of road construction orange. I would assume that if you’re sending out versions to reviewers you’d do your best to make sure it’s the best you do. Minor annoyance minus one point.
(Current score 9).
When you take it out of the box you first need to pair it to your phone by installing the application and “tapping” the device on the screen. The first attempt at pairing failed, the second attempt and third attempt failed too. At this point I decided to open the device and make sure there was actually a batter inside. To my surprise there was however it was taped down inside to hold it still and it was installed upside down. (Minus 1). I removed the tape flipped the battery and replaced the tape.
For those of you following along at home we are now at an 8 without even using the device yet. I should also mention the only reason I can think of to tape the battery down would be the form factor is not as “precise” as it should be and it moves.
The First Test
At this point I was able to pair with the application which as you can see is quite basic. I will say I was pleasantly surprised that the device can show temperature, however I think it probably added to the form factor issues and really isn’t needed (but plus .5).
Current score 8.5
You’ll notice at the bottom of the application an ellipse (the three dots) on one side and three lines on the other. I discovered later that is where the settings were hidden although at that point the device was already defunct but I’m getting ahead of myself here.
My first test was for my wife to “hide” the device somewhere upstairs and I would use the application to locate it. The small dots snaking upward from the large center dot are used to indicate proximity to the device.
Well, they are supposed to at least.
From your phone using the application you can make the device “ring” which in truth is not very loud and as I found out if it is covered in the very least you won’t hear it. This makes the picture on the website where it’s placed inside a ladies wallet assumably not possible unless the wallet has an external bluetooth speaker. I searched for the device with the dots leading me close to it. Finally after not hearing, seeing or detecting it I asked my wife simply, “Where the he** did you put the damn thing?”. Even once I knew where it was standing over it yielded three to four and then down to one “dot” and no I wasn’t moving.. much.
She had covered the device with a thin blanket which must have been lined with lead or some sort of Bluetooth blocking filament I can only assume. (minus 1).
Current score 7.5
Take Two
For the second test I figured it best to leave the device exposed where I could at the very least hear it and knew where it was. Yes, I know that really mitigates the whole reason I’d use it but there you have it.
At this point the locator “dots” were able to bring me close to where it the device sat although again not with a steady location. I took of .5 because really what’s the point of having a finder to find a device you can see.
Current Score 7
How It Got Me In Trouble … aka Test Three
That evening I left the device sitting on my dresser in our master bedroom and I sat across the hall reading. The rooms are maybe 6 feet from door to door and the dresser another 4 feet inside the master bedroom. The chair I was reading in was possibly another 4 feet in the door of the den, so at best SWAG I was 14 feet away from the device.
My wife was laying down in our bedroom (hence me reading across the hall) and out of the blue … pun intended … “BEEEEEP BEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEP” which promptly brought my wife to gently query me as to “what the he** is making that damn sound?”. Yes ironic now in quite house you can hear it. It seems that the device felt I was too far away and needed to be reminded it was nearby and felt unloved. Too needy, minus 2.
Current Score 5
At this point to save my marriage, my wife’s sanity and the police from being called I had to find a way to disable the annoying “beep-a-tron”. Remember those hidden settings that the application didn’t tell you about, the instructions didn’t mention and I didn’t see? Well it seems that’s where you can setup “safe zones” to disable it from checking.
Again this seems to defeat the purpose.
Let’s think about it for a minute (review paused for tangent). I basically tell the device in my home I don’t want you to tell me if you’re not nearby, so when I lose leave the house without my wallet, keys, whatever I won’t know because I told it not to tell me. Do you think that should have points taken away for sheer .. .WTF’ness? I do too. Minus 1.
Current Score 4.
(We now return you to the review already in progress) … so that’s why the duck was there.
At this point all I could think of was to open it again and remove the battery like any good engineer would. This was exactly what I did.
Once the battery was out we all slept well however in the morning when I went to “assemble” the device for further testing I noticed the small plastic pins that hold the shell together were flat and broke.
This is why I can’t have nice things. Minus 1.
Current Score 3.
I will be posting videos of some of the testing on www.sproutup.co … if you’re not a member you really should be.
