That's an ugly superstructure to put inside a Defender. This does the same thing and it's a lot more unobtrusive: Spare Magnetic Charger for Activity Key Wristband (powerfuluk.com) - as a matter of fact you should probably get a spare charger regardless, since they are a very proprietary design and look (and feel) delicate, and if the one supplied with the key breaks or is misplaced it may be challenging to find a replacement quickly.

 

I'm curious why Activity Keys drain quicker than regular keys? I never worry about whether my key is running out of juice -- the car gives me ample advance warning and when I get home I put a new battery in. And that happens about once every two years or more on other brands.

So why does the watch drain so fast? Does it do other things like connect to satellites so LR can track your position if you leave the truck?

 

I’d say it’s due to the activity key having a display with functions such as a clock, different modes etc whereas a regular fob just has buttons that only use battery power when pressed.

 

Well maybe, but how often does the battery in a Casio watch with 150 functions have to be replaced? I don’t have any battery watches but when I last did, 15 years or so ago with that battery tech, seems like I replaced them every 3 years or so. And that was quartz watches with mechanical hands, surely more of a power suck than a digital readout.

 

@NoGaBiker - I think that while both are "watches" / worn on the wrist, the two are entirely different display technologies. Most Casio's use a '7-Digit-Display' of quartz crystals. The power is very minimal and mainly when the numbers "flip". In a static state, they consume almost no power. The hour hand gets a boost once an hour for the display items that "flip" while the day, month, year get them FAR fewer (apologies if I belabored the point, just trying to make sure I'm clear). I believe (I don't have one yet!) that the ActivityKey uses a display similar to my Garmin Fenix: LCD/LEDs. Think of it as a very tiny computer monitor. Comparatively, it's a HOG. It is sending power to each active LED/LCD all the time to light that little light. The Fenix extends the life by only displaying when you touch a button. The ActivityKey doesn't turn off the display, only the touch sensitivity which is another power suck. My Garmin allows you to set it to show all the time but the power lasts a day in that mode. If you do that you get maybe a week. With the GPS on, it's only a long weekend! Not sure if the ActivityKey is always on, but if it is - an ability to turn off the display when not using would greatly save the battery.

 

^ You must be right, birddog -- something's a power hog. I just don't understand why. All I want in this thing is a key that is waterproof and can be securely carried when I'm exercising and have limited pocket space (usually that's cycling, occasionally swimming.) If it has additional features beyond what the ginormous key fob already has, whatever they are they don't outweigh the convenience of replacing batteries every year or two, like the key fob (or a cheap digital watch.) I don't actually know what the thing does -- didn't come with any paperwork, just a thin box, and I haven't bothered to look it up online yet.

The thing is so hideous I would NEVER wear it in any situation other than dripping with sweat while exercising, so the various displays are pointless. Mine has two 2-digit numbers that don't correspond with anything at present, which probably means it wasn't properly "set" by the dealer. But I assume it actually works to run the car -- I haven't tested it yet because I always have the key in my pocket.

 

Oh and for the record, my AK displays for about 3 seconds after a touch then goes dark and remains that way. Just a black screen 99.95% of the day.

 

@NoGaBiker - The most convenient vehicle I had was a truck that had a keypad on the door. I know that they could have broken a window and grabbed the key, but I would sorta hide it and used it ALL the time. I loved it. Then there was the time I went mountain biking, came back after three hours to the public park's parking lot and was frantic because my seat bag was open & no key. After 30 minutes of calling my wife to come get me I walked over to the driver's side and the key was in the door! I didn't have a fob as I was saving space and I was old school using the key back then. There's always the "Purloined Letter" approach to securing the vehicle!

Interestingly, as I've been doing my Googling re: ActivityKey's it looks like the old school ones were just what you/I would have liked: just a plan, waterproof, no display that has the unlock/lock functionality in it. Love! Either let me manage it with an Apple watch or go light and just function as a fob would be my preference.