With its glossy, white plastic front and metal back, the AirTag looks and feels a lot like a pin-back button you might put on a jean jacket or backpack. The diameter is a little larger than a quarter, and the tracker is actually about a millimeter or two thicker than many iPhones, although its curved design makes it feel thinner. You have the option to add custom engraving when you order from Apple, with up to four characters (letters and/or numbers) or selected emoji; if you buy the four-pack, you can get different text on each. Noticeably absent is any sort of attachment mechanism such as a key-ring hole or adhesive back. Instead, you have to buy an extra accessory. Of course, Apple sells a handful of its own, and plenty of third-party companies sell all sorts of designs, as well.
Orbit offers a number of tracker styles, including the Orbit Glasses tracker, which fits on eyeglasses or sunglasses. Unfortunately the Orbit network is just too limited for us to recommend choosing Orbit over Tile. Anecdotally, I lost a pair of sunglasses that were outfitted with the Orbit Glasses tracker in busy and tech-heavy New York City. And despite marking them as lost in the app in hopes of an Orbit user passing by and finding them, I never received a notice that the sunglasses were found.
The most precious things to keep track of? Your people. The Jiobit smart tag (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the most versatile ways I know to do that. It's simply a small tracker, smaller than an Oreo, that connects to an app on your phone and uses a combination of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular, and GPS data to keep track of your pet, child, or elderly parent with dementia wherever they go.
In the competition between Tile and Chipolo for the most ubiquitous tracker, I would not have guessed that Chipolo would be the one to land exclusive collaborations with both Apple and Google (cough, antitrust congressional hearings, cough). Yet here we are. Now Chipolo has three separate product lines: the Chipolo One, card, and bundle that works with the Chipolo app; the ONE Spot, card, and bundle that works with Apple's Find My; and most recently, the ONE Point, card, and bundle that works with Google's Find My.
I would go with the smallest and lightest case size possible with the iPhone SE, but whichever old Apple Watch you have at home is clearly the best one. We also do not recommend smartwatches marketed exclusively for kids, as these tend to have glaring security holes.
As many of my colleagues have noted, the best people-tracker is the device that many of us keep nearby at all times. It's also the one I use the most often. Google Maps, Life360, and Apple's Find My are just three popular ways for people to share their location with close contacts.
Bluetooth and GPS are two types of wireless signals with different strengths and weaknesses:Bluetooth uses a short-range signal that can travel up to 500 feet in ideal conditions\u2014it requires a compatible device nearby to work.Compared to GPS, Bluetooth trackers are usually smaller, more affordable, and don't require a subscription to enable tracking. Long battery life\u2014often a year or more\u2014makes Bluetooth trackers excellent for finding stationary objects like keys and bags.GPS uses a long-range signal that connects to a satellite network. You'll pay a small subscription fee for the GPS tracker to connect to a mobile network to transmit location data to your phone.Compared to Bluetooth, GPS trackers offer greater accuracy and are better for live tracking of moving subjects like pets, vehicles, and people. The batteries on GPS trackers last up to 20 days, depending on the brand." } }, "@type": "Question", "name": "Can Bluetooth track a car? ", "acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer", "text": "Bluetooth's short range makes it a poor choice for tracking vehicles, especially ones in motion. GPS is a better option because it uses a satellite connection. We recommend a GPS vehicle tracker if you want to track cars you own. For other vehicles, you should always ask the owner for permission." , "@type": "Question", "name": "How far can a Bluetooth tracker track? ", "acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer", "text": "The Bluetooth trackers we tested typically dropped their connection from 100 to 290 feet away outdoors with no obstructions, with most models working at least 200 feet away. You can expect around half that range indoors, though it's not an issue in most homes.Here are the results from our line-of-sight tests in a parking lot with no obstructions\u2014your experience may vary:
Tile's durable construction is a nice contrast to the cheap plastic trackers we tested from Nutale and Beauty HAO. We love that Tile Pro's design incorporates a metal plate, which makes it feel sturdy without adding too much weight.
Still, the Tile Pro is the largest Bluetooth tracker we tested at over 2 inches long (partially because it includes a replaceable battery). Fortunately, it's not bigger than the wireless key fobs on most cars and doesn't feel out of place in pockets.
The Tile app offers a great experience on Android with options to share trackers for friends, show a map of recent locations, and assign ringtones to your device. We like that the app says how many Tile users are nearby though it still doesn't compare with Apple AirTag's massive Find My network.
You can use the Tile Network to mark your device lost and report when you find someone else's Tile. We love that Tile includes a QR code on the back of its trackers so non-Tile users can help too. Still, the app often feels like the company is pushing its Tile Premium subscription a bit too much.
Tile offers an optional subscription service called Tile Premium for around $3 a month. Its biggest perk is item reimbursement to help replace lost items attached to your Tile. Depending on your plan, it covers up to $100 or $1,000. Adding a Tile Premium plan makes this the priciest tracker on our list.
As much as we love the item reimbursement in the Tile Premium subscription plan, it's disappointing that Tile locks its Smart Alerts feature behind a subscription. This handy feature triggers an alert when you leave an item behind, so you never leave home without your wallet or bag. The trouble is that other Bluetooth trackers offer the same feature for free.
We think the Tile Pro (2022) is the best Bluetooth tracker for most folks. Its compatibility with Android, iOS, and smart home platforms helps it compete with the elephant in the room: Apple AirTag. We have mixed feelings about Tile Premium, but the item reimbursement is a big plus.
The Apple AirTag is the gold standard for a Bluetooth tracker. It boasts the largest device network, best user experience, and offers Apple's unique brand of attractive product design. The only thing keeping AirTag from our top spot is that you can't use it with Android or smart home platforms.
The massive Find My device network includes every Bluetooth-enabled Apple device: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch, Mac computers, and AirPods. All these devices share location data with you and your family. Plus, you can see all your devices on the map, not just the tracker and your phone.
Likewise, we can't deny that Apple's walled garden approach works for maintaining a high standard of excellence and security on Apple products. But it makes AirTag feel like just another iPhone accessory rather than a bold new direction for Bluetooth trackers in general.
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