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Connected Objects Wallets

The Cashew Smart Wallet drives would-be thieves nuts

One of the worst feelings in the world is misplacing a wallet. Not only is money lost, but time too since all of the cards within need to be reported lost or stolen before waiting a week or two for replacements. In this day and age of connected goodie, Revol Inc. didn’t think all this hassle was necessary, creating the Cashew Smart Wallet as an answer.

The Cashew is a clamshell-like smart wallet made of a scratch and water-resistant polycarbonate that can hold up to eight cards and 30 types of currency. What make it special is that it sports a biometric fingerprint reader and smartphone connectivity, working together to keep its contents secure both from thieves and users themselves. To set it up, a user need simply to open up the companion iOS/Android app, sync the wallet via Bluetooth, and register their fingerprint on the app.

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Connected Objects Wallets

Self-charging Woolet prevents you from losing your wallet

While misplacing a wallet at home is a major inconvenience, losing a wallet in a public place can be a major cause for alarm, especially if it houses credit cards and lots of cash.

The Bluetooth-enabled Woolet is a smart wallet which aims to prevent this type of problem. Woolet notifies its owner when a wallet is misplaced or lost. Woolet is currently Android and iOS compatible, and its makers have plans to perhaps support Windows Phone devices later on down the line.

When in use, Woolet is able to show users where their wallet is within 1.3 feet. Like the similarly designed Where’s Wallet, Woolet can also notify users when they’re separated from their wallet beyond a pre-specified distance. Woolet costs $99 and is slated to ship in May provided its goal of $15,000 can be met by April 2.

Despite an increasingly crowded market for similar products, Woolet holds a lot of promise. One feature that gives it an edge over rival products is that it’s self-charging, which is to say that no battery replacement is needed. Woolet charges itself through a process called electricity harvesting, meaning that when the beacon senses movement, kinetic energy is activated, subsequently building an electrical charge. Notably, its maker is also testing recharging by movement and body heat. Woolet’s makers plan to update Kickstarter backers once a final implementation method is chosen.

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Connected Objects Wallets

Where’s Wallet calls home to your smartphone to avoid being misplaced

Forgetting or misplacing a wallet can be a major inconvenience — especially if it’s left in a public place and has a lot of cash and credit cards in it.

Where’s Wallet is a twist on the increasingly popular Bluetooth item finder that solves that dilemma. It’s a wallet that features a hidden sensor inside. Users just have to download a free Android or iOS app, set a notification range, and their smartphone/wallet will beep to alert them the moment they step beyond that preset distance. Its maker is fielding the product in three versions: a $49 slip model, a $69 bi-fold version and a $99 clutch version. Each will ship in August. Its maker is trying to raise $30,000 through Kickstarter by March 22.

Where’s Wallet is a clever entry in the Bluetooth tracking device category. Applying the technology to a wallet is a no-brainer, and should be especially appealing to consumers with a tendency to misplace their valuables. However, the specific application has a drawback in that some consumers will prefer a small tracking device like TrackR Bravo that can be attached to the object of their choice. For example, folks who are more likely to misplace their keys than their wallet.