You ever gotten a product that says it will do ‘thing A’ and then become incredibly disappointed that it doesn’t? Well, that isn’t the case with Auto Catch Reviver Dia Plus from Brook that works directly with Pokémon Go. It’s a device that you wear on your wrist that helps to not only detect Pokémon but also catch them as you go along your merry way playing the game.
Let’s dig right into it.
Functionality comes with an instruction manual that isn’t too bad
Setting it up
Anytime a device looks like it could be one of the more inexpensive Fitbits, I worry that it might have a lot of functionality packed into an anti-HCI engineer design. On the surface, the Dia+ is essentially a small LCD screen in a wristband that keeps it simple with what it does for the typical Pokémon Go player. Its simplicity means a bit more when it comes to how cleverly the hardware works with the software with such ease. I was impressed by the least amount of effort it took to get the device working right out of the box. It was stupidly easy.
Stupidly easy
The Dia+ connects directly with the Pokémon Go App through the Pokémon Go Plus setup option (which is incredibly simple to connect – just click the little crystal on the front of the Dia+ once, click on Pokémon Go Plus under settings in the Pokémon Go App, then connect). Literally, the device asks where the Bluetooth connection is, the phone picks it up, and you are done. It will maintain that connection until you tell it not to maintain that connection, or you close the Pokémon Go App. Whichever comes first.
Once connected, the device simply asks you go into the game and click in the upper right where there is a Pokémon ball icon. After that ball activates, you’re in the game with the Dia+. You can turn off the communication with the device by clicking the same icon. You know the device is working visually when you see a pink/coral icon above a Pokémon or Pokéstop. I was shocked by how easy Brook and the app made this entire process.
Easy freaking setup.
It’s on, so what now?
You catch Pokémon, silly. The Dia+ will vibrate when you’re near a Pokémon, a stop, or when you’re in battle (win or lose). Should you choose to go into battle when the device detects it, you can just sit back and enjoy the rest of whatever the heck you were doing while the device does its thing. The Dia+ does a good job of alerting you of the above things, so much so that I had to turn mine off when I was in a meeting with some students because it kept alerting me of Pokémon and battles. It works well. Those poor students probably thought I was having a heart attack with the way it was going off.
Anyway, once you’re near any of the above, the screen on the Dia+ will change to alert you of the situation that is happening. For example, when I was near a Pokémon, it would go off, show an icon on the screen that there is a potential fight brewing, and allow me to decide whether I wanted to try and capture the Pokémon or not. The decision is made through the button on the device, once pressed the screen goes into action on its own, and lets you know at the end whether it was successful or whether the Pokémon got away. I can tell you more times than not I had a new Pokémon in my stash. That’s important because we all know that purchasing Pokémon balls is a premium and can get expensive if you’re not careful. No one wants to waste them haphazardly.
In addition to working the way it was advertised, the battery life of this device is insane. I charged mine up on Monday and it’s now Sunday and is still functioning. Sure, it’s on the last leg of its life, but that’s impressive. The battery is impressive. The device is set to hold an 18-hour charge and I firmly believe it can do so.
Anyhoo, the device works as advertised. For a Pokémon Go fanatic, like my eight-year-old daughter, it allowed her to go on a walk and not completely be staring at a screen the entire time but alert her when it needed her to pay attention. It was nice to see it in action.
Caveats?
The ease-of-use will be huge for the Dia+, the battery life will keep people using it for a while, but there is a small caveat to this entire device, and not unexpected. As mentioned above, the device will go off like crazy if you walk around as much as I do on a day-to-day basis. I’m in an area of Baltimore that requires me to walk a lot and because of this the device goes nuts because there is a heavy amount of Pokémon Go action all around me (stops, Pokémon – you name it). Having your wrist continually vibrate can get annoying. There were a few times I had to take it off to contain my sanity.
All of that said, Dia+ is meant to alert you of such things and it works in this respect. For hardcore Pokémon Go players, this won’t be annoying. For those not wanting to wear it on their wrist, they can simply take the device out and buy a backpack companion holder for it (which fits on a belt too). There are solutions to this complaint, which is good. Just be aware that the device works incredibly well.
Comfort is key
The Dia+ literally works like a Fitbit in its design. You put the device into a molded rubber wrist holder and you go from there. You can take it out to charge it, which doesn’t take long at all. The folks at Brook did a good job of keeping the design simple and they have executed that perfectly.
That design translates to a comfortable fit that feels good on your skin when you’re wearing it for hours, doesn’t cause you to sweat underneath, and looks good. Yes, it looks good. Everyone thought I had a Fitbit on when I was sporting it, which means that it didn’t stand out. I know, looking pretty is tough when you’re me, but I don’t want something gawdy I have to wear on my wrist all day. I do wish the band came in different colors, though.
In addition to comfort, the device also is waterproof. I do dishes at home, and I sweat a lot when walking. I’m thankful I won’t hurt the Dia+ or get electrocuted from it.
Conclusion
The device is $59.99 on Amazon right now and Brook did a superb job on integrating it with the Pokémon Go App, making the Dia+ work like they said it would, and making it comfortable in the entire process. Those items of interest make this a worthy product for holiday consideration. I highly recommend the Dia+ for that Pokémon Go player in your family.
