Bill Fields, Former Wal-Mart Stores CEO, Joins Finder Technologies
May 4, 2010 - (Poway, Calif.) Finder Technologies, the company behind the Auto-Finder(TM), a patented new family safety product that guides you to your parked vehicle from up to a half mile away, announced today that Bill Fields, former president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Division, has joined its executive team as an advisor to business growth.
"Bill's experience with suppliers and low-cost manufacturers will help us reduce costs, and his retailing expertise will help guide our products to the mass merchant market quickly," said Jim Berntsen, president and CEO of Finder Technologies. "He immediately expressed interest in the Auto-Finder and the future applications of our patented Finder (TM) micro antenna system, and we're pleased he's decided to join our growing team,"
William R. "Bill" Fields is also the former chairman and CEO of Blockbuster Entertainment Group, and former president and CEO of Hudson's Bay Company. He currently sits on the boards of Lexmark and VitaminSpice LLC, and is chairman and founder of Intersource Enterprises, Ltd.
"The Auto-Finder is an exciting product and there is a definite consumer need for this," said Bill Fields. "There are so many uses for this technology and I am delighted to join the Finder Technologies team."
The Auto-Finder is a hand-held key fob size device that helps consumers locate their vehicles in parking lots and multi-story parking structures from up to a half mile away, without needing open sky for GPS signals or having to preset your location every time you park. Finder Technologies, located in Poway, California, envisions a multitude of location assistance products based on their Finder platform, from Child-Finder and Pet-Finder to Asset Trackers and Search & Rescue devices. For more information visit www.findertechnologies.com or www.auto-finder.com.
PRESS CONTACTS: Courtney Pendleton Fleishman Hillard 619.237.7722 office Courtney.pendleton@fleishman.com
If there's one thing that's guaranteed to make me feel like a dope, it's when I can't remember where I parked my car. And based on the number of products that are designed to help in this situation, I'm not the only one with the problem.
You can always find your car if you push the alarm button on your key's remote control, which is found on most contemporary vehicles. But that only works if you're within 10 or 20 yards of your car. How do you find your car when you're really far away, and have no idea where you parked?
One solution is the Auto-Finder, which can locate your car up to a half-mile away. Using two transceivers, a push on the included key fob's button activates a beacon you've affixed to your car's windshield. Then that beacon sends a signal back to the fob, causing the fob to beep like a Geiger counter. By sweeping the fob across a parking lot, you can home in on your car's location by following the direction indicated by the fastest and highest-frequency beeps that the fob emits.
Setup and activation is easy — much easier than the company that makes the product seems to think. While a large note included in the package warns that "This device will not work unless you watch the Auto-Finder training video on the DVD," that's not the case. Not only does the DVD replicate most of the information in the included instruction manual, but also most of that can be figured out by someone who's used a TV remote control.
After inserting the included batteries in both key fob and transmitter, you affix the transmitter to the windshield with the included materials. Then standing still, you sweep the scene with the fob while holding the button down. If you can't remember which floor of a multistory garage you're on, point the fob up and down until you get the strongest signal.
The device does work. After parking my car at the far end of two different lots, I was able to home in on its location without problems, although at times it was necessary to hold the fob above my head to avoid some high-roofed vehicles in my car's line of sight.
The manufacturers suggest you take the Auto-Finder with you, so you can use it in rental cars, which are probably easier to lose. In that case, you'll just place the transmitter on the car's dashboard rather than gluing it to the windshield. That's what I did when testing the product, and it worked just fine.
While the product will most likely solve your lost car problems, if you don't want to spend $80 for one, or $100 for a deluxe version that includes a carrying case, there is a cheaper and easier solution: spend $1 for a pen, and write your location down before you walk away.
The Auto-Finder is the world's most effective hand-held device for locating your parked car in large parking lots and parking structures from over 1/2 mile away!
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Wireless Locating Device Auto-Finder™ to be Sold through Auto Page's Network of Independent Sales Representatives
Finder Technologies and Auto Page Announce Distribution Agreement
Finder Technologies, the company behind the Auto-Finder™, a patented new family safety product that guides you to your parked vehicle from up to ½ mile away, and Auto Page, Inc., one of the most experienced vehicle security companies in the U.S., today announced that the two companies have finalized an agreement for Auto Page to distribute the Auto-Finder to automotive aftermarket accessory retailers and installers through their network of independent sales representatives.
"More than 3,000 distributors and retailers throughout the U.S. to which Auto Page currently markets and sells their automotive security systems is the ideal channel for providing consumers with more retail locations to buy the Auto-Finder," said Jim Berntsen, President and CEO of Finder Technologies, located in Poway, California. "We are very pleased to be working with such a highly respected and well established provider of automotive security products as Auto Page."
Mike Northup, President of Auto Page, of Torrance, California, said, "We expect the Auto-Finder to be an attractive source of new revenue for our sales representatives, distributors, retail stores and installers. We think their customers will be as impressed with the Auto-Finder as we are."
The Auto-Finder is the first of a new category of family safety products featuring Finder Technologies' micro antenna system. The Fynder™ technology platform is superior to GPS because it guides you to your vehicle instantly without the requirement of open sky for satellite signals or having to preset your location every time you park. The Auto-Finder fits on your keychain and helps avoid frustration and embarrassment by indicating the direction of your vehicle in large parking lots or in multi-story parking structures.
Finder Technologies will be featuring the Auto-Finder at ShowStoppers® during CTIA Wireless 2010, March 22, at the Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Auto Page, Inc. is one of the most experienced vehicle security companies in the U.S. and a wholly owned subsidiary of Iwata Electric Co. of Tokyo, Japan. Iwata has been an industry leader over 50 years, establishing a reputation for ingenuity in its engineering capability and innovative communication products.
Courtney Pendleton | Fleishman-Hillard
619.237.7722 office | 714.926.8106 cell www.fleishman.com
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Wireless Locating Device Auto-Finder™ is Amazing and fun! for Initial Customers
The company behind the Auto-Finder™, a patented new family safety product that guides you to your parked vehicle from up to ½ mile away, announced that sales of the product during the Holiday 2009 season exceeded expectations and the initial consumer feedback from customers who purchased the device has been very positive.
Finder Technologies, located in Poway, California, said that the Auto-Finder was just introduced to the market in October 2009, and the Company has received unsolicited comments from customers who attest to the effectiveness of the device and are relieved to not have to worry again about where they parked.
"We have received letters and emails from customers thanking us for inventing such a helpful device," said Jim Berntsen, President and CEO of Finder Technologies. "For instance, we received a letter from Marilynn and Gordon of Ramona, California. They said that they were parked deeply amongst many cars outside the mall and the Auto-Finder brought them right to their car. They said it was '...amazing and fun!' and that 'this gadget is really helpful, especially for folks who are at this forgetful age.' "
Berntsen said they have sold the Auto-Finder through select Radio Shack® retail locations, catalogs such as SkyMall®, and directly through their website at www.auto-finder.com. He said this month they are scheduled to be in more catalogs like FirstStreet® and JC Whitney®, and featured on websites such as CarAccessories.com.
The Auto-Finder is the first of a new category of family safety products featuring Finder Technologies" micro antenna system. The Fynder™ technology platform is superior to GPS or mobile device apps because it guides you to your vehicle instantly without the requirement of open sky for satellite signals or having to preset your location every time you park. The Auto-Finder is the perfect gift of safety and comfort for loved ones who need to find their vehicle quickly in the event of danger, severe weather, snow, forgetfulness or confusion.
Finder Technologies will have more information about the Auto-Finder and the Fynder technology platform available at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 7 - 10, 2010, booth number 1026, in the Location Based Services TechZone section, in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Courtney Pendleton | Fleishman-Hillard
619.237.7722 office | 714.926.8106 cell www.fleishman.com
The Auto-Finder is the first of a new category of family safety products featuring Finder Technologies’ patented micro antenna system. To find your car, simply press and sweep the small hand-held Fynder™ and let it guide you in the right direction. The Auto-Finder helps keep loved ones safe by guiding them to their cars quickly, thereby eliminating time spent searching parking lots and looking like targets to criminals.
Find your way to safety fast with the Auto-Finder™. It guides you to your car, or whatever you want to find, from up to ½ mile away. The Auto-Finder is the first of a new category of family safety products featuring Finder Technologies’ patented micro antenna system. This technology platform is superior to GPS or mobile device apps because it guides you to what you are looking for instantly without the requirement of open sky for satellite signals or having to preset your location every time you park.