The new app sounds like a useful one. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that our knowledge of the English language has decayed to the point that the phrase "home in," which came from the use of "homing" pigeons to send messages has been corrupted. Homing in on something made sense. Homing beacons are still around, but they appear to be rare enough that no one understands them anymore.
But now it is common to write "hone in," a phrase apparently invented from the verb "to hone." Honing is what you do to sharpen a knife blade, but I never heard the preposition "in" used with it until people started using it in this erroneous manner. Nor does the image make any sense to me.
The worst part of this is how many reporters, nominally people who care about the quality of their writing, use this erroneous construction. And now, an entire company has been created using this mistake as their name. Sad.
I never go anywhere without my iPhone, it’s become the backbone of both my work and social vitality, connecting me with the world (and the people) around me. Best of all, is that if it’s lost all I need is a second phone and with a quick call and some refined listening skills (or just the “Find my iPhone app) I have it back at my disposal. Alas, if only it was that easy to find my car keys.
A new app and key chain device called Hone, a Kickstarter project by Los Angeles-based product designer Geoffrey Litwack, aims to solve this insanely common frustration. It uses just a simple Bluetooth keychain and an app for your iPhone, enabiling you “hone in” on your lost keys, or any object the the small Bluetooth keychain is attached to.
The 0.6 oz device runs at a range of 150-plus feet and has an included battery that lasts 6 months. When triggered from an iPhone 4S or iPad 3, the device audibly vibrates and lights up, making it easy to find under couch cushions or in lost pockets. The app and device also have built in proximity sensors, letting the user know whether they are getting closer or further away (or in my mind, hotter or colder).
The Kickstarter campaign–I swear a new ingenious idea for a time-saving, potentially life-altering app comes out every week– has already been a wild success, raising nearly double the projects stated $40,000 goal. The project’s publicity keeps growing with fantastic press and its need is evidenced by the more than 1,000 backers. I guess I’m not the only one whose keys (I also want to attach this device to my smaller remotes and wallet) constantly go missing.
The project ends in less then a week, and with a big donation pool will hopefully be available to consumers soon. It’s against all odds, but here’s to hoping my keys don’t disappear between now and then.
