Cabeau points in a new direction with travel tech launch
Cabeau CEO David Sternlight starts the party at the Cabeau Experience-proving sky's the limit
Cabeau, the neck pillow specialist, unveiled its latest product in glitzy style at an event in Los Angeles – a hi-tech device originally designed for travel emergencies.
Called Track & Shield, the small, TSA-approved device can be carried on a keyring or tagged to luggage to track the whereabouts of lost property, lost children in airports, and has a host of other everyday uses.
Track & Shield is Cabeau's first technology based tracking device that offers endless applications
“Track & Shield is the only device that provides real-time global tracking of anyone or anything,” the company said. “It gives you the incredible ability to send a text message virtually anywhere, and geo- and time-stamps every time it’s opened. Its applications are endless.”
The Track & Shield was unveiled on the second day of the Cabeau Experience which included a yacht trip from Marina del Rey
The weekend-long Cabeau Experience, attended by business associates and the media – including Americas Duty Free – took in a cocktail party at the Erwin Hotel, Venice Beach; a yacht trip from Marina del Rey for the official product launch; and an evening at The Magic Castle, an exclusive, private club in LA.
Sternlight, amongst other team members, shared the passion behind the new Track & Shield innovation
Cabeau, headed by CEO David Sternlight, has invested heavily in the new GPS luggage tracker, which signals a fresh direction for the firm, best known for its unique travel neck pillows.
The company, which now is making its mark as a leader in travel product innovation, has made several hires as it moves into the travel tech category, including Susannah Kim as Vice President of Global Marketing.
The device uniquely uses Narrowband technology, which extends GPS-to-Mobile communication and texting abilities 20 times further than a cell phone and is reliable in hard-to-connect locations. It also uses significantly less battery energy.
Track & Shield can be used in emergencies. By pressing on a button five times, the device sends out a text message with a tracking link to designated people and the emergency services, who can then locate the person. It aims to keep everyone safe and connected, including women traveling alone.
The device retails at US$199.99 with a service fee of US$50 per year or US$6.99 per month to use all of Track & Shield’s functionality via an app on an Apple or Android smartphone.
Pre-order shipments to Cabeau’s VIP customers, including travel retail partners, will start in Q4 2019.
Speaking with Americas Duty Free during the launch event, Sternlight revealed the inspiration for the product: “I was at Hong Kong Airport, where I was told that my luggage had been lost. They said they would bring it later that day, but three days later, it arrived at the hotel. I don’t want this to happen – it’s crazy, with all the tech that we have in the world.
He continued: “Three or four times I’ve checked in luggage and something is missing when I arrived to my destination. I want to put more control in hands of travelers. Travel is extremely stressful and we’re trying to destress the conditions.”
Regarding the US$200 cost, he said there is so much tech involved, it would be difficult to reduce the price. Everyone has a cellphone, making the potential market for the product huge, he believes.
“I think we’ll have great success with it,” he enthused.
Cabeau is launching a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign next month to raise consumer awareness for the product.The campaign will also go live on social media.
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