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Ignored facts
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quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Maybe I should get one of these for my wife, who has misplaced her keys on more than one occasion.


I'd Karma you one, but it's paired to my phone, so you don't want that Wink Wink


----------------------
Let's Go Brandon!
 
Posts: 10860 | Location: 45 miles from the Pacific Ocean | Registered: February 28, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Leatherneck
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quote:
Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
Like them better than Tile. However, they scratch very easily. And, they are too thick for wallet use. Tile is not an easy app to use, compared to iPhone and “find my” tracker. Tags are NOT useful without additional expense of keyring holders, wallet holder, etc. These are where the profit is hidden. $19 for a couple of pieces of plastic to encase the tracker, so you can connect it to a key ring. Not good, but what are you gonna do?


I think it’s a bit extreme to say that they are “NOT useful” without a holder. It all depends on your intended use. Yeah if you want to attach it to a keychain you need a holder but you don’t have to buy them from apple. Amazon sells several options, there’s a four pack for ten bucks.

For a laptop bag or a suitcase a holder is entirely unnecessary.




“Everybody wants a Sig in the sheets but a Glock on the streets.” -bionic218 04-02-2014
 
Posts: 15249 | Location: Florida | Registered: May 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by papaac:
I bought 4 of them when they were announced. They do work as designed. I read a story about a guy who put one in a package and mailed it to Europe. He was able to track it the whole way.

When I bought mine they were 4/$100.
I'm surprised because they don't work by using GPS. I guess if enough people with iPhones are around it you could follow it the whole way?

I bought the Tile versions a few years ago. The only real bummer is the battery is not replaceable so they force you to buy a new one every year or so. I'm sure these are the same.

People have been stealing cars using these. Stick one on a car you like and then go find it at night and hope it's parked in a vulnerable spot.
 
Posts: 3872 | Registered: January 25, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Glorious SPAM!
Picture of mbinky
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quote:
Originally posted by 1s1k:
I'm surprised because they don't work by using GPS. I guess if enough people with iPhones are around it?


If they are not GPS do they ping off of towers? Or somehow connect to local (close to them) iPhones and use their tower data to get a location?

Does Apple have a white paper on these things?
 
Posts: 10635 | Registered: June 13, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Save an Elephant
Kill a Poacher
Picture of urbanwarrior238
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I have them hidden in my cars..just in case there stolen. And to use on luggage when traveling, and the dog when out and about.


'I am the danger'...Hiesenberg
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Posts: 1367 | Location: Escaped from Kalifornia to Arizona February 2022! | Registered: March 02, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Leatherneck
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quote:
Originally posted by 1s1k:


I bought the Tile versions a few years ago. The only real bummer is the battery is not replaceable so they force you to buy a new one every year or so. I'm sure these are the same.


You can replace the battery on the AirTag.




“Everybody wants a Sig in the sheets but a Glock on the streets.” -bionic218 04-02-2014
 
Posts: 15249 | Location: Florida | Registered: May 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
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quote:
Originally posted by HRK:

At $29 a pop they are not inexpensive
If you're active military, or veteran, you're eligible for a 10% discount for many (most?) things that you buy from the Apple website. There's also a 3% discount for paying with the Apple card. And, if the item(s) you are looking for are available as Apple re-furbs, there's another 15% saving, so the discounts can add up to a nice little sum.



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30531 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
goodheart
Picture of sjtill
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1. Current Tiles have replaceable batteries—the Pro model also has louder beep and longer range.
2. Has anyone used double-sided foam tape on an Air Tag?


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“ What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass.”— Lord Melbourne
 
Posts: 18007 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Pale Horse:
quote:
Originally posted by 1s1k:


I bought the Tile versions a few years ago. The only real bummer is the battery is not replaceable so they force you to buy a new one every year or so. I'm sure these are the same.


You can replace the battery on the AirTag.
That's a good upgrade them. I guess the new Tiles do as well as per sjtill.
 
Posts: 3872 | Registered: January 25, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Glorious SPAM!
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I couldn't find a specific white paper for these like some of the other Apple stuff but here is an overview of what the 'Air Tags' are.

https://www.apple.com/sg/newsr...e-introduces-airtag/
 
Posts: 10635 | Registered: June 13, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of fwbulldog
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I bought a 4 pack and gave them to my daughter, son, wife and mom. I don’t have one, and have never registered one to my iPhone. We went out shopping the other day, and I got a notification on my iPhone that an AirTag has been following me, and showed my path of travel for the last couple hours on a map.

I think it’s kind of cool they let know. Even if it was my own family’s tags. I’ll definitely hide one in my motorcycle before my next trip.

My mom uses hers all the time to find her keys. My son attached his to his Airpod case.

Not sure if my daughter uses hers yet.


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Posts: 3015 | Location: Round Rock | Registered: February 11, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by 1s1k:
quote:
Originally posted by Pale Horse:
quote:
Originally posted by 1s1k:


I bought the Tile versions a few years ago. The only real bummer is the battery is not replaceable so they force you to buy a new one every year or so. I'm sure these are the same.


You can replace the battery on the AirTag.
That's a good upgrade then. I guess the new Tiles do as well as per sjtill.
 
Posts: 3872 | Registered: January 25, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Originally posted by radioman:
I took a flight in December and put one in my checked luggage. When we arrived at the gate and was allowed to turn my cell phone off of airplane mode I was able to know that my luggage made it on the flight. This surprised me actually.

I was impressed.

I will never again check luggage without one of these devices hidden inside.


i exit airplane mode when the wheels touchdown!!
 
Posts: 2207 | Registered: October 17, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by mbinky:
quote:
Originally posted by 1s1k:
I'm surprised because they don't work by using GPS. I guess if enough people with iPhones are around it?


If they are not GPS do they ping off of towers? Or somehow connect to local (close to them) iPhones and use their tower data to get a location?

Does Apple have a white paper on these things?


The main radio in them is BT. Or to be specific, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). The airtag / Tile uses the location information within the phone that is receiving the BLE signal for location, since the phone knows where it is. The phone then passes this data to the network and it is eventually passed on the the owner of the Airtag / Tile's phone.

ETA: I read that Some tags use NFC for some extra features. But BLE is doing the heavy lifting in terms of their main function.

If they used GPS directly, the batteries wouldn't last the 6 months to a year that they claim and the tags would likely be larger. BLE is known for long battery life, like 6 months to a year on a small button cell, depending.


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Let's Go Brandon!
 
Posts: 10860 | Location: 45 miles from the Pacific Ocean | Registered: February 28, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Glorious SPAM!
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So you pretty much have to have BT enabled for these to work.

I never have BT on. The only time I have BT on is when I am listening to an audiobook on a drive. Then it goes off.
 
Posts: 10635 | Registered: June 13, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Truth Seeker
Picture of StorminNormin
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So I now really like Apple AirTags and have bought several. I am pretty good at not losing things and so far have not had an actual need for them yet, but see their potential.

I keep one well hidden in every vehicle I have. The ones in vehicles I have removed the speaker so if it was stolen, the thief would not be able to find it by activating the sound. Supposedly if an AirTag is following a person without the owner’s phone present it will alert the person and they can activate the sound to find it.

Others I keep in items that I would want to know where they are, or if I left them behind. I keep the speaker on the AirTag on those working so I could locate them. Items like luggage or my camera bag.

I have given a couple away to people to introduce them to them and have two left to see what I put them in/on.

I really like how you can have them notify you that you left it behind. All of my items are set off for letting me know they were left at my house, but you could have it on something you may forget to leave the house with and it will tell you. Otherwise if you had one in your wallet or purse and left that behind at a store, your iPhone will tell you that you left it behind after you get a certain distance from it.

I also keep one in my agency vehicle. I had to lend it out this week to someone in a different division and made sure to tell them it was in the car and I would remove it if they wanted. They were fine with it and it was nice to be able to track it so far this week to see where they went. When I get the car back, I will ask if they got the notifications saying an AirTag seemed to be following them. Overall, a very cool device.




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Posts: 8657 | Location: The Lone Star State | Registered: July 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by YooperSigs:
And how long does the battery last?

A year or so and it's a standard 2032 battery. I have one on my weiner dog. The tracking isn't always so precise, sometimes it updates every 10 mins (will say it on the app), but if you're within bluetooth range you can have the airtag emit a sound.
 
Posts: 21335 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Leatherneck
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quote:
Originally posted by jimmy123x:
quote:
Originally posted by YooperSigs:
And how long does the battery last?

A year or so and it's a standard 2032 battery. I have one on my weiner dog. The tracking isn't always so precise, sometimes it updates every 10 mins (will say it on the app), but if you're within bluetooth range you can have the airtag emit a sound.


I just replaced my first one, it lasted almost 2 years. Replacement was very easy, it took like 5 seconds, and the app showed me well before the battery actually died that it was low.




“Everybody wants a Sig in the sheets but a Glock on the streets.” -bionic218 04-02-2014
 
Posts: 15249 | Location: Florida | Registered: May 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of henryaz
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quote:
Originally posted by mbinky:
So you pretty much have to have BT enabled for these to work.

And location services for the app Find My. I bought one to try out, and found that "Find My" was using location services quite a bit, as it is looking for and keeping track of nearby iPhones (to become part of the worldwide "iPhone network", which is how Find My locates your tag). I would not worry so much about the little battery in your tag, but more so the battery usage on your iPhone.



When in doubt, mumble
 
Posts: 10778 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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As per an earlier question they work great in luggage.I have a strap for mine but I still secure it in my luggage.
Last fall due to my originating flight being delayed I missed my connecting flight and had to wait in Heathrow airport. I could use the app to see that my bag was at the right terminal and then when I got on the plane I could see that it had made it aboard.
That was a real relief as my connecting flight was with a different airline and was a later flight than scheduled.
I was sure that I wouldn't be seeing my bag anytime soon.


"Momma say's the pistol is the Devil's right hand."
 
Posts: 694 | Location: Ontario | Registered: December 06, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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