iBeacons.Guru » Ideas

iBeacons are getting cheaper, spotted almost 50% OFF (just the beginning of huge discounts?)

ibeacons GURU — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:38:55 +0000

As iBeacons market becomes more and more competitive the prices start to drop. An example for that is the beacon in iblue beacon pack with 9 year battery life and 60 meter range. The high-end beacon was available by now only in limited quantities and for no less than $100 each, very interesting option as it can save a lot of on the maintenance.

We just spotted recently a huge discount available on that beacon, on sale now for only $59.95 offered by BUYibeacons.NET here: http://buyibeacons.net/index.php/9year-battery-ibeacons-long-life-beacons.html

The parameters are also very promising. 9 year iBlue beacon package, Water Resistant, 200 ft Range, SNF beacon, Security Encryption, RM CORTEX MO, TX output calibrated to +I- 1dBM, fully customizable, optional: Buzzer, LED.

There are also few other beacons at BUYibeacons.NET which seems to be the world’s first marketplace for ibeacons but we expect more like that to emerge soon.

MFi sunglasses w/ embedded iBeacon notify you when lost, act as beacons in retail

iBeacons.Guru — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 08:07:39 +0000

act as beacons in retail

The first set of eye glasses with embedded iBeacon Bluetooth LE technology and certified under Apple’s Made-for-iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) program are coming soon. We’ve seen a growing number of companies embracing iBeacons by using the protocol: personalized retail experiences, in-store advertising, audience interaction at events, as well as apps that let you setup your own iBeacons at home and work. Now, a company called Tzukuri is about to launch a crowd funding project for the new eye glasses that use an embedded iBeacon to track lost glasses with accuracy to the nearest foot. They also use solar power, so charging is never an issue, and the company has big plans for using the product as a standalone iBeacon when on store shelves.

While the company behind the project is based in Australia, the glasses will be handmade in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, a region known for producing most of Japan’s handmade eyeglass frames. “Our frames are handmade in Japan by the best artisans in the world. The finest Japanese acetates are put through nearly 100-steps in the product process with 8 quality control checks. Every frame is fitted with the highest quality polarized, anti-scratch lenses with 100% UV protection.”

As for iBeacon features, the companion iOS app will automatically start sending notifications if you leave the glasses behind (at 16ft, then again at 32ft and 50ft). You’ll also be able to track your glasses “if you misplace your Tzurkuris at home, you can track distance to the nearest foot. Alternatively, in wide-open spaces, the app will save the last location you had your glasses and show you on a map.” With iBeacon post iOS 7.1, users won’t even have to open the app to get notified.

The glasses will also function as a standalone iBeacon and the company plans to take advantage of that when the product is on retail store shelves. Retail stores have been installing iBeacons in order to beam offers, product info, and more to shoppers in proximity, but it’s possible the product– in this case the Tzukuri glasses– could talk directly to the customer. The company did confirm there are “big plans on using the embedded iBeacons inside the glasses when our product is sold in retail environment.”

Initially there will be six designs inspired by icons John Lennon, Grace Kelly, Truman Capote, Atticus Finch, John Kennedy, and Tom Ford (pictured right). It’s sun glasses for now, but the company tells us it’s planning prescription glasses and notes “customers can replace the polarised lenses with clear spectacle lenses if they wish in the meantime.”

The glasses will cost $249 AUD (approx. $230 USD) on preorder through the upcoming crowd funding project, but eventually land in stores at $349 AUD suggested retail price. The company plans to ship to preorders by December 2014 – January 2015.

Major League Baseball Parks Begin Rollout of Apple’s iBeacon Technology

iBeacons.Guru — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 09:46:54 +0000

Last year, news of Apple’s iBeacon technology began to hit the street. With iOS 7, the iPad maker included the ability for third-party tech companies to make devices that would connect wirelessly to iOS devices from localized transmitters. The transmitters work using Bluetooth LE (low energy) to conserve energy. It can be used in retail stores to offer discounts to shoppers, large-indoor complexes to track your whereabouts inside, and baseball stadiums to beam relevant information directly to you. Today, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that two of its ballparks are fully equipped with iBeacon technology and are ready for Opening Day.

According to Re/code, MLB has finished installation of 65 iBeacon transmitters at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium and San Diego’s Petco Park. The professional baseball organization plans to have more than 20 parks equipped with the transmitters by Opening Day in late March.

To receive transmissions from the iBeacons, iPhone and iPad owners running iOS 7 can download the MLB At The Park app. The app will provide digital coupons, trigger video clips, and more. The organization plans to implement different features throughout the different parks. “Thirty clubs gives us the opportunity to work with clubs to customize based on their fans,” Adam Ritter, senior vice president of wireless MLB Advanced Media, said in an interview.

The iBeacon promises to open a whole new way to connect to consumers. So far, we’ve seen the technology implemented in Apple Stores, it is now part of Automatic’s Link service and could potentially be used to facilitate automatic payment at parking garages, and one tech company has started a magazine browsing kiosk service where iPad owners can actually read digital versions of magazines when within transmission range of the iBeacon.

MLB’s implementation of the iBeacon is sure to cause a stir and might be a great way to show off what the technology can really do.

Apple to Rollout iBeacon Location Tracking Technology in 254 Retail Stores

iBeacons.Guru — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 09:43:52 +0000

Apple’s near field location identification technology, iBeacon, is starting to get some buzz. We’ve known about the service since Apple demonstrated iOS 7 in June of 2013. Just recently, we heard about BySpace from Exact Editions. The tech company wants to make it possible for magazine companies to offer free editions of their publications within a store, office, or waiting room.

The Associated Press has reported that, today, Apple will roll out iBeacon connectivity across 254 U.S. retail stores. This near field location tracking service makes it possible for Apple to send you notifications about products while you are looking at them in the store.

The Associated Press was recently invited to demonstrate iBeacon technology in Apple’s Fifth Avenue retail store in New York City. Apple has installed 20 iBeacon transmitters throughout the store. As customers browse the showroom floor, they will receive notifications regarding iPhone upgrades, accessory possibilities, and even whether your device is ready to be picked up from the Genius Bar.

Users must have the Apple Store app installed and give permission to track them and receiving notifications. Then, when the user walks into an Apple retail store, the technology will activate.

Services include the ability to notify you when your gadget is ready to be picked up, special offers on in-store purchases, and even the ability to check the status of your iPhone for upgrade availability and to see whether you can get money for trading in your old one.

Once Apple shows off what iBeacon can do, it is sure to catch on with retailers. This near field location tracking works better than GPS because it can zero in more closely with a shopper’s location. GPS doesn’t recognize when you are five feet from the front entrance of a store. Nor does it have the ability to track you inside of buildings.

This technology could be very useful for large scale buildings like airports and malls. It could also be useful for helping students figure out how to get from one part of a college campus to another. Of course, retailers will love being able to offer immediate sales to consumers who happen to be passing by the coat section.

As iBeacon becomes more common, we will be able to see what kinds of services people connect to it.