Proporta's Freedom key ring GPS receiver stays out of sight, keeps you located

Sure, your phone has GPS capabilities, but who wants to carry around a receiver everywhere you go? Well, what if the receiver were tiny... and your key ring? That's exactly what Proporta is proposing (ha ha) with its latest "world's smallest" (the company's claim, certainly not ours) GPS receiver, the Freedom. The ultra-compact device does in fact function as a key fob, in addition to being a SiRF Star III-equipped receiver which can interface with whatever friendly device you happen to have nearby. The Freedom will last you nine hours on a single charge, connects with up to 20 satellites, and plays nice with Bluetooth devices, making your navigational world slightly more enjoyable. The little guy is available right now for €99.95, or $129.99.

[Via theunwired]

[CJ @ Sep 19th 2007 4:23PM]

Someone make it work with the iPhone and I'm sold

[rtblack @ Sep 19th 2007 5:22PM]

Mega Dittos

[paul34 @ Sep 19th 2007 5:45PM]

definitely a +1 there

[Andrew @ Sep 19th 2007 4:26PM]

I prefer the Holux M-1200 personally. The freedom has the SiRF Star III chipset whereas the M-1200 has the MTK chipset.

I also really feel like the M-1200 is smaller overall. It's a little longer maybe (not much), but it's not as wide, and from the pictures, it looks like the freedom is fatter too.

[Jared @ Sep 19th 2007 4:29PM]

Maybe I could finally find my keys when they are lost!!!

[Andrew @ Sep 19th 2007 5:21PM]

Haha, you say that as a joke, but in the last 2 days that I've had my Holux M-1200 on my keychain, I've had at least 5 people ask me if I can use it to find my keys when they are lost after I told them it was a GPS.

[JeffnLA @ Sep 19th 2007 4:38PM]

This does look nice. I have the Holux M-1200 also. Very small... charges with standard mini-usb like my PPC 6800 phone. Very happy with my Holux M-1200.

[Andrew @ Sep 19th 2007 5:24PM]

Same combo that I have. They work perfect together. Just get in the car and start it, flip the switch on the GPS, put my phone in the free vent holder from buygpsnow.com and turn on Tomtom.

[BDizzleFizzle @ Sep 19th 2007 4:49PM]

I have this unit...works very well with my BlackBerry 8300 and MapQuest Navigator (and Google Maps Mobile)

[pikkoz @ Sep 19th 2007 4:49PM]

What's the bright idea to walk with your phone in your hand and your keys in the other? It's like screaming at robbers "hey i'm hereeee".
And if you use in your auto how it can see clearly the satellites when the keys are plugged?
To be so small it can be useful but the key fob job isn't a key (not a pun) factor.

[Duey Cheatham & Howe @ Sep 19th 2007 4:58PM]

You don't need to have the GPS receiver out of your pocket or "in view" of the satellites. It doesn't need to be exposed to work. It will work the same in or out of your pocket and in or out of the ignition.

[Andrew @ Sep 19th 2007 5:24PM]

Yeah, as I said a couple posts in. I don't know about this Freedom GPS, but my M-1200 works great even without being in perfect clear view. It works in my apartment, it works in my pocket, it works with the keys in the ignition. The only place I've noticed that it doesn't work is at work. That's probably because of all the computers in there and metal commercial building construction.

[tony @ Sep 19th 2007 6:34PM]

I would really just like to know what some of the "friendly devices" are. Anyone?

[elliott @ Sep 19th 2007 4:59PM]

its nice, but i don't really want to have to charge my key chain.

[Jules @ Sep 20th 2007 3:41AM]

This is just another cheapo China branded GPS-receiver.

It is sold for over 2 months as the Freedom Keychain Bluetooth Sirf3 GPS Receiver over here:

http://www.gpsshop.nl/product/44158/freedom-keychain-bluetooth-sirf-iii-gps-receiver.html

[TIMMAH! @ Sep 19th 2007 6:25PM]

Better if it was just part of whatever it is that's going to receive the bluetooth signals. Who wants yet another thing you need to charge? How often do you go to places that you need driving directions? Are you going to charge your keychain every night or week for that one time a month when you might need driving directions?

@Andrew:
"Haha, you say that as a joke, but in the last 2 days that I've had my Holux M-1200 on my keychain, I've had at least 5 people ask me if I can use it to find my keys when they are lost after I told them it was a GPS."

Your keys are located somewhere on 123 Main St...

[unkone @ Sep 19th 2007 6:30PM]

This is Great, I can stick one on my 2 year old when we go to disneyland.

[danieln @ Sep 19th 2007 6:50PM]

I've had it for over a month now and it works great. It is the smallest bluetooth enabled GPS out there and charges via a standard mini USB plug.

[RedBull Runner @ Sep 19th 2007 8:35PM]

"Oh shit... I forgot to charge my keys last night"

[nzjss @ Sep 19th 2007 8:40PM]

Proportia's site today says "The Freedom Keychain GPS SiRF Receiver is currently the world’s most compact GPS receiver available" which is not true because the Freedom is 45.6% larger by volume than the Holux M-1200 (which has 30% more Battery life + 12 more channels + "only" US$95)
You choose!

[Wwhat @ Sep 19th 2007 9:04PM]

Stick it on a 'suspect' and when in BT range you can track him/her? and high power BT can range upto 100 yards/meters..
I wonder what the range of this thing's bluetooth actually is.

[phrank @ Sep 20th 2007 11:26AM]

I have the Freedom GPS keychain receiver version of this. Same exact thing. Works great. The only think better would have been if my phone actually had a gps reciever built in.

[Barney @ Dec 5th 2007 8:18AM]

What do you mean Cheapo China branded, it is the same unit, same branding, same company just being sold by different stores.

I got this for $99 with free shipping and it works great. I was going to get the holex but it is a lot longer and actually less comfortable in my pocket (my wife has the holex and in terms of what they actually do performance is exactly the same).

I did have an N95 with GPS built in but the problem with that was it ate the battery in the phone really quickly. I swapped my N95 for a BlackBerry Curve when I changed jobs but did miss the GPS (you can use it for a lot more then just getting you from one point to another, check out a program called intelligolf for an example ;) ).

Anyway its a cool little receiver and a life saver for someone like me who gets lost on their way to the bathroom :)