$400 ‘smart’ case, weighs itself, tracks itself & makes sure you won’t miss your flight
The sleek, minimalist design isn’t just stunning, it also hides the embedded technology. There is a 7,800mAh modular battery that powers two USB ports on the exterior of the bag, which can fully recharge a phone roughly four-times over.
The unassuming handle also has a built-in scale that tells you how heavy the bag is after you fill it up. And Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) allows the bag to talk to your phone, and helps you locate it should it get lost.
The “A Series” suitcase comes in two sizes (one for carry-on and one for checking), and is available for purchase online or at Raden’s pop-up shop in Manhattan’s SoHo district. There’s a 22-inch-tall version that should fit in most carry-on bins, weighs 7.5 pounds, and costs $295. There’s also a 28-inch model, which is the kind of luggage you’ll have to check — it weighs 11.2 pounds when empty, and costs $395. (Raden is also selling them together for $595 — cheaper than some of the single options available last year.) Both come in a variety of colors and have a TSA-approved lock, a telescoping handle, and four double-spinner wheels.
Digitaltrends writes: Rechargeable batteries, USB ports, and even integrated scales, in the world of smart bags, aren’t particularly novel (you could say it’s not reinventing any wheels), but from a technology standpoint, the Raden mobile app (iOS only at launch) is perhaps the bag’s killer feature.
Using Public APIs from other services, the app provides pertinent information for a travel itinerary: security check-in wait times, weather, traffic, public transportation, flight details, and Uber hailing. Tell the app the airline you’re flying and it will let you know if your bag is overweight. Raden also has a team that provides customer support, which you can access through the app, when issues like a lost bag arise. The app can pair up to 10 bags.
Raden, based in New York, has financial backing from First Round Capital, which has also backed Uber, and Lerer Hippeau Ventures, with participation from the likes of tycoon Silas Chou and fashion designer Rachel Zoe.The development team includes the designer behind Beats By Dre, while the production team is based in Hong Kong. The case is being sold on Raden’s website and currently only ships to the US and Canada, but the company is planning to open shops in the future.
