When you need help, the Rally smart safety button is your lifeline

By Mark Myerson on Jul 13, 2018, 8:00 am EDT under Product Reviews

When things turn ugly, making an emergency call with your smartphone can be surprisingly difficult. This programmable button offers instant access to help.

When you need help, the Rally smart safety button is your lifeline

What is a smart button? It’s a connected push button that triggers an action of your choosing.
Can you call 911 without speaking? In many places, you can signal to the operator by pressing numbers on your keypad. Check with your local police department for details.
How can I call for help without dialing? The Rally smart safety button lets you call 911 or family with three quick taps.

In the past 20 years, cell phones have evolved beyond recognition. Gone are the Nokia bricks and Motorola clamshells, replaced by sleek slabs of computing muscle. It’s like looking at a new species.

These glass-and-metal machines help us stay connected in new ways. But as regular phones, they are less intuitive than those old push-button devices. To call someone, you need to unlock your phone and open an app before you can even dial. In emergency situations, that’s a problem.

Rally is a neat little accessory that brings back the good old speed dial. This smart safety button lets you call friends, family, and first responders in seconds.

What is a smart safety button?

The idea of a safety button is to provide instant access to help. Many elderly people wear them in case they become unwell or take a tumble.

Although Rally would be great for retirees, it’s aimed at anyone who wants some peace of mind. The device sticks on to the back of your smartphone and connects wirelessly via Bluetooth.

[tweet_box]When things turn ugly, making an emergency call with your smartphone can be surprisingly difficult. This programmable button offers instant access to help.[/tweet_box]

Should you get into a bad situation, you simply tap the button three times to summon help.

Instant access

Smart by design

Any worthwhile safety aid should be small enough to keep with you at all times. In addition, you don’t want a panic button that will be pressed accidentally.

Smart safety button

Rally overcomes both of these issues thanks to some smart design. The button is fairly compact, adding relatively little bulk to your smartphone. It has a battery life of one year, and it’s pretty easy to set up.

Call for help

It also strikes a good balance between being accessible and being too easy to depress. To call for help, you lift the top ring and press three times. These actions are unlikely to happen by accident in your pocket.

Choose your allies

Just as importantly, this smart button gives you full control. The companion app lets you choose who to call when you need help. This could be 911 or nearby family and friends.

Adapting to your needs

The folks behind Rally have also set up a kind of community watch scheme. This means that owners who are traveling will always have a helping hand in the vicinity.

Call 911, family or Allies

It’s even possible to change how the button functions according to the time of day. For instance, you might want to call family in the day but 911 at night. It’s a seriously clever system.

“Emergencies happen. Rally is here to help. Whether you’re walking home late at night, out at a party, facing a medical emergency, or worse, Rally’s got your back. To activate, simply tap the Rally Button 3x to immediately summon help.” — Rally on Kickstarter