The compasses work best when out with few obstructions. An ideal place to use them is a large, open field; Inside in a city, they will not be so right and they will not have that much range. Each compass has a Peer-to-Peer range of about 1,000 meters, or two-thirds of a mile. But if more totem compasses are around, that range is extended. And these are not limited to mere festival environments – the parents use them to find their children at events, and migrants like them in group excursions.
There is even SOS button that you can press discreetly. An eyelid red light on the back shows you that SOS is activated. And on the side of your friends, they will see your corresponding color blink, meaning they will know that it is time to track you. This can be helpful if you are willing to pick up if you are in a changed mood and need a pal, or if the jaw present before you give you the ICK.
Can you see me?
With all I like about Totem are some disadvantages. The apartment feels a little cheap, light and plastic. I didn’t experience scratches or beetles, but I bet I eventually. It is waterproof, but not waterproof-when it rains heavily, I put it in my backpack to avoid it too wet. It is labeled as a vacuum cleaner, but the product guide says not to expose it to excessive dust, so I wouldn’t take it to a burning person without protection like a waterproof bag or something similar. It also warms when it works hard, such as setting up satellite connection, and heated if the weather is hot. And I want the battery to take longer. On most festival days, I am up and with them in the festival grounds before 1 o’clock, and I stay out until at least 1 o’clock, if not 5 or 6 in the morning. If I want to use VIBE mode and have little dance lights accompanying me, the battery will not last through my schedule.
I like that these are rechargeable, but that also means you will have to sacrifice some of your Power Bank Battery life to keep them stable (if you are at a camp festival without power). Totem says battery life will improve with future software updates. And finally, the device does not feel very intuitive to set. Sometimes it is difficult to calculate what happens, partly due to the fact that there is no screen – just a series of lights and blinks.
Courtesy of Louryn Strampe
