| Firstly, (for those of you who are don't know yet!), a | | | | calculators, flashlights, penknives, bottle openers, |
| key fob is a useful item attached to a set of keys to | | | | security tokens, discount cards, and USB flash drives. |
| provide better grip and ease of identification - or to act | | | | A Typical keyring will display a short message or logo |
| as a personal statement! An American man named G | | | | linked to a group affiliation. These messages are well |
| Herluf Johnson from Oregon invented Keyrings in 1922. | | | | thought out and are an efficient way of reaching |
| The patent was issued for a keyring that was | | | | target markets. |
| extremely simple to mass-produce and extremely | | | | As electronic technology continues to become smaller |
| practical in that once your keys were added to the | | | | and cheaper, miniature key-fob versions of previously |
| keyring, they would never fall off! | | | | larger devices are becoming increasingly popular. The |
| Not long after the invention of the key ring, people | | | | modern day keyring is no longer just a piece of plastic |
| began adding other useful accessories to keyrings | | | | with a small message insert. Now digital photo frames, |
| other than just their keys - the key fob was born. | | | | simple video games, USB flash drives and keyless |
| Although the true origin of the word 'fob' is unknown, | | | | entry systems all dominate the keyring world! |
| certain studies show that the word may be linked to | | | | Even in recent years technologies in key fobs have |
| the German word 'fuppe' meaning 'pocket'. Some | | | | come a long way. Take for example early electric key |
| believe the word originated from watch fobs (an | | | | fobs for un-locking cars remotely. Using infrared |
| ornament attached to the pocket-watch chain), which | | | | technology, they required a clear line-of-sight to |
| existed as early as 1888. These days we use the | | | | function and at the time, they could be easily duplicated |
| word fob to describe a variety of items including, key | | | | using a programmable remote control allowing thieves |
| chains, car starters, garage door openers, and keyless | | | | easy entry to your locked vehicle. Recent models now |
| entry devices. | | | | use radio frequencies, which are harder to copy and |
| In the 1950s and 1960s with the improvement of plastic | | | | don't need line-of-sight to operate. Believe it or not, |
| manufacturing techniques, promotional key fobs | | | | modern car key fobs can sometimes be confused as |
| became more and more unique. Businesses could | | | | weapons! Nathan Rau, the proud owner of a 2003 |
| place their names on 3d promotional keyrings for a | | | | Audi A4 found this out in April 2006, when he was |
| fraction of the price of the standard metal keychains. | | | | arrested for possession of a concealed weapon - |
| Fobs vary considerably in size, style and functionality. | | | | police confused his car keys for a switchblade! |
| Most commonly they're simple, small and made from a | | | | Keychains are small and inexpensive enough to |
| smooth metal or plastic. They help you avoid a fruitless | | | | become efficient promotional items for large |
| scramble through your pockets or purse to find a | | | | companies and business' to hand them out by the |
| single key, because the key fob, with its smooth | | | | millions. Key fobs are not fobs arguably tell tales of a |
| ergonomical design is always easy to locate, and | | | | person's life - what shops they shop in, what cars they |
| always easy to grab. | | | | drive, what companies/charities they support and the |
| You may think that all keyrings are simply aesthetic, | | | | type of person they are - organized, messy, clean or |
| but that's not always the case. They're often | | | | dirty! |
| manufactured to work as small tools like compasses, | | | | |