Review: Chipolo One

Once you get your hands on a Chipolo, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed by the design. It looks like the kind of pieces that janitors carry around in their big key fobs. Eighties-esque and plastic. Even the colours are utilitarian.

But even if the normcore look doesn’t appeal to us, like in so many other contexts, it’s what’s inside that counts. And here Chipolo One does not disappoint.

Proprietary app

We chose to test Chipolo One because it has its own app, which is available for both Android and iOS. But it’s worth noting that Chipolo also carries a similar product, Chipolo One Spot, which is made exclusively for iOS’ Find app.

It takes a few minutes to get the tag and the app talking to each other, just place them next to each other while the phone searches and connects. We watch the screen while this happens and are reassured that everything is as it should be. Once the connection is made, all we need to do is name the tag and we’re good to go.

Chipolo is born with several of the features that Tile charges for. You can switch notifications on or off if you leave the tag. And if you’re far away, it only takes one click to start directions with, in our case, Apple Maps.

If you’re close, it’s the 120 dB chime that Chipolo uses to reunite with you.

Voice control

We have tested Chipolo with an iPhone and can therefore use the Siri Shortcuts feature to create a command where the assistant makes the tag ring so we can find it. Chipolo itself suggests the command “call the tag’s name”, but Siri misunderstands this and suggests all sorts of different people from the phone book. So it requires a rephrasing of the command, and then it works perfectly.

In a pinch, when the keys are gone and time is running out, a voice assistant would definitely be welcome.

Surprising feature

In the more curious department, Chipolo has added the feature that you can use the tracker as a shutter release for your phone’s camera. This is actually a great idea, because anyone who has tried to take a group photo or a full-figure selfie with the ten-second countdown knows that it can be a tedious and tiresome process.

The only downside to the feature is that the camera has to be opened via Chipolo’s own app, so you can forget about portrait mode or special filters. You can switch the flash on and off, and the rest is up to you in editing.

Conclusion

We really like Chipolo’s version of a smart tag because it’s a no-frills, no-frills approach with creative solutions that actually make your life easier. However, the plastic material and bright colours don’t appeal to us.