Apple AirTags

[Montello]

Just ordered a few, looks a handy gadget.

Thought they could be a good addition when shipping watches to add some tracking. Recipients could easily post them back once the watch had been received.

[M1011]

I really like them and keep one in my car for similar purposes to what you mentioned.

I'm sure you know, but they work via bluetooth so you can't track them unless either your phone is nearish it, or if you report it missing on the 'Find My' app then you can also find it if someone elses apple device is near it. But if you do the latter, bear in mind others may be alerted to the missing device. Also if somewhere along the way the delivery driver is using an iphone, they'll get an alert they're being followed by your airtag as the device does this if it's following someone else and not in the vicinity of your phone. So on balance I'm not sure it's ideal for the purpose of tracking post.

[RobM]

I have a few and they work well. You’re never far from an iPhone or iPad these days, so even when I leave things at home they still update their location due to the neighbours just about getting in range!

I have one in a wallet I use occasionally, one in my work bag, and one on my car keys. I’m tempted to put one in my car too.

[demonloop]

I bought the 4 pack- great for having in the kids rucksacks and will use them in my own bags when travelling

As said above, the one in my girls bag will update at her crèche without being notified as “lost”, I assume the girls working there are providing the iPhone connection for it to update

[prexelor]

I saw a video online yesterday where an airtag was placed within the reflector of their Brompton bike. Alternatively to place inside the luggage block.

[wileeeeeey]

DC Rainmaker put some in his suitcases when going on holiday this summer and the airline lost one or two of his bags. He was following them all around the world on his iPhone and was able to tell the airline where they were to help them find it. They went to about 5 different countries before they made it back to him.

[Montello]

I really like them and keep one in my car for similar purposes to what you mentioned.

I'm sure you know, but they work via bluetooth so you can't track them unless either your phone is nearish it, or if you report it missing on the 'Find My' app then you can also find it if someone elses apple device is near it. But if you do the latter, bear in mind others may be alerted to the missing device. Also if somewhere along the way the delivery driver is using an iphone, they'll get an alert they're being followed by your airtag as the device does this if it's following someone else and not in the vicinity of your phone. So on balance I'm not sure it's ideal for the purpose of tracking post.

The AirTags update position via iPhones without having to enter lost mode. I think it could be a useful addition to parcel security.

[Kingstepper]

Never knew these existed but unfortunately on checking won't work with my XS.

Are older phones like these used in the tracking process?

[Montello]

Note there are a number of videos on YouTube of people posting AirTags and tracings them.

I’d say well worth inserting with a watch to be posted.

[Rory]

Never knew these existed but unfortunately on checking won't work with my XS.

Are older phones like these used in the tracking process?

I’m using one with my iPhone X. You don’t get the super precise tracking but it’s good enough for what I needed it for - checking my son is at school!

Cheers
Rory


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[Kingstepper]

I’m using one with my iPhone X. You don’t get the super precise tracking but it’s good enough for what I needed it for - checking my son is at school!

Cheers
Rory


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Is it? Thanks for that! Looking at Apple website confused by reference to 'Precision Finding', assumed that was the only possibility.

Suppose other iPhones should work if good enough for Track and Trace...

[Rory]

I’ve not seen precision finding in action, so I see it as similar to find my iPhone but without needing to carry a phone. There can be considerable gaps in location updates though, not sure if that improves or not when using a precision finding capable device.

Cheers
Rory


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[David_D]

Oh dear! Another gadget I don’t need that I’m going to have to buy!!

[RobDad]

I thought these sounded like a good idea but in reality I can’t see myself ever using them. I suppose if you leave your keys somewhere (mine live in my jeans pocket) or have small kids (mine are older) they might be useful - the only similar thing I use in the house is pressing a button on the sky q to find the remote, but it seems like a gadget for the sake of a gadget. They also look quite bulky to me?


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[David_D]

They also look quite bulky to me?

You can see in VR!

https://www.apple.com/uk/airtag/

[Montello]

My plan is to attach one to each bike and one in the camper van and one spare for luggage when travelling.

I'll see how useful they are once they arrive ...

[Rory]

You can get AirTag holder which fit under a bottle mount on the bike.

Cheers
Rory


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[Montello]

You can get AirTag holder which fit under a bottle mount on the bike.

Cheers
Rory


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Yeah I have seen those; I plan to fit them under the saddles using the silicon pet holders.

[robcuk]

Have one fitted on each bike now, plus other devices I’m not disclosing

Works really well and alerts when you & bike are separated. Even works in the underground fietstallling at the Train station as I guess other commuter’s iPhones pass it by.

[demonloop]

I thought these sounded like a good idea but in reality I can’t see myself ever using them. I suppose if you leave your keys somewhere (mine live in my jeans pocket) or have small kids (mine are older) they might be useful - the only similar thing I use in the house is pressing a button on the sky q to find the remote, but it seems like a gadget for the sake of a gadget. They also look quite bulky to me?

Pets?
Luggage when travelling?
Back-pack when commuting?
Car if parking somewhere dodgy?

I see endless uses..

They're also about the size of a 10p, and about the thickness of 2x 10p's

[Sweepinghand]

These look a great product
Easy to track any “going’s on” too I’d reckon….


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[M1011]

These look a great product
Easy to track any “going’s on” too I’d reckon….


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If by that you mean people, that's precisely why they have a feature to notify anyone being followed by an AirTag that isn't near the owners phone. So if you put an AirTag in your spouses car for example, if they have an iPhone they'd be notified when driving around with it. If they have an Android you're in the clear, unless of course they're eloping with an iPhone user

[J3w3ll3r]

I’m using one with my iPhone X. You don’t get the super precise tracking but it’s good enough for what I needed it for - checking my son is at school!

Cheers
Rory


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I have looked at these for my mum who has demetia, we have tried other GPS style devices such as Tiles but they have never worked

If I attached one to her keys, bag etc would I be able to remotely see where she is if need be, I could be 50 miles away

We have a iPhone hidden inside her bag with a kids tracker app activated but it tends to go flat pretty quick and we need a back up in case she goes wandering

Thanks


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[Montello]

I have looked at these for my mum who has demetia, we have tried other GPS style devices such as Tiles but they have never worked

If I attached one to her keys, bag etc would I be able to remotely see where she is if need be, I could be 50 miles away

We have a iPhone hidden inside her bag with a kids tracker app activated but it tends to go flat pretty quick and we need a back up in case she goes wandering

Thanks


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That would work but it depends on how often she is in range of another Apple device.

I’d give it a go. They are cheap and you will never be worse off.

[Rory]

I have looked at these for my mum who has demetia, we have tried other GPS style devices such as Tiles but they have never worked

If I attached one to her keys, bag etc would I be able to remotely see where she is if need be, I could be 50 miles away

We have a iPhone hidden inside her bag with a kids tracker app activated but it tends to go flat pretty quick and we need a back up in case she goes wandering

Thanks


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I was keeping an eye on my car from a couple of hundred miles away but not sure I’d rely on it for a vulnerable loved one. There must be a more robust solution out there.

Cheers
Rory


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[J3w3ll3r]

I was keeping an eye on my car from a couple of hundred miles away but not sure I’d rely on it for a vulnerable loved one. There must be a more robust solution out there.

Cheers
Rory


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You would think so, but everything needs charging regularly and that’s where things fall down

Hopefully we will be getting some care in place soon and maybe I can ask the carer to charge things as part of their job but will know more tomorrow

Fortunately it’s not an issue at the min, but we know at some point we are going to have one

The iPhone is the perfect solution, but we can’t go everyday and even if we did it would still not solve the charging issue as that would require 2 visits a day

So at this stage anything is better than nothing and half the time the phone will be charged so these would be a backup


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[Christian]

Airtags sound like a good idea for my run-around bike. That's the main utility I see for them. I've got tile on two sets of my house keys. I think they would be pretty useless if I lost my keys properly, but I'm always leaving them round the house...in pockets etc and the find feature from a direct (not crowdsourced) bluetooth is good enough for that.

[Saint-Just]

I have looked at these for my mum who has demetia, we have tried other GPS style devices such as Tiles but they have never worked

If I attached one to her keys, bag etc would I be able to remotely see where she is if need be, I could be 50 miles away

We have a iPhone hidden inside her bag with a kids tracker app activated but it tends to go flat pretty quick and we need a back up in case she goes wandering

Thanks

Yes it would... to a point.
You would need to leave the iPhone plugged in at her home
Register the Tags to your name.
Then you will know whenever she is at home.
If she goes out she will need to be close to another iPhone to let you know where she is.
The Tag has a long battery life, so that would not be an issue.

[J3w3ll3r]

Yes it would... to a point.
You would need to leave the iPhone plugged in at her home
Register the Tags to your name.
Then you will know whenever she is at home.
If she goes out she will need to be close to another iPhone to let you know where she is.
The Tag has a long battery life, so that would not be an issue.

So for example, she may wander to Asda, and as long as there’s some one in Asda in Close enough proximity we can get a location


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[Saint-Just]

So for example, she may wander to Asda, and as long as there’s some one in Asda in Close enough proximity we can get a location

My understanding is yes.
BTW, the iPhone at home must be a minimum a 6S with a modern iOS

[J3w3ll3r]

Typical she has a 6 lol

But that’s neither here if there we can soon sort that Out

Thank you for your help with this


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[Andyp1973]

I have one on our dogs collar. The only downside is that at the moment you can only pair it to one phone in your family so I’m the only who can see his position if he ran off.


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[David_D]

I have looked at these for my mum who has demetia, we have tried other GPS style devices such as Tiles but they have never worked

If I attached one to her keys, bag etc would I be able to remotely see where she is if need be, I could be 50 miles away

We have a iPhone hidden inside her bag with a kids tracker app activated but it tends to go flat pretty quick and we need a back up in case she goes wandering

Thanks

I googled “dementia tracker” and their are products out there that might be better suited to you and your mum’s needs. This is one:

https://www.trackershop-uk.com/perso...-trackers.html

[J3w3ll3r]

I googled “dementia tracker” and their are products out there that might be better suited to you and your mum’s needs. This is one:

https://www.trackershop-uk.com/perso...-trackers.html

I will double check but for the most part the battery life is 3-7 days, I have tried many different ones


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[Montello]

I will double check but for the most part the battery life is 3-7 days, I have tried many different ones


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Reliable charging is the issue. The AirTag isn’t a perfect solution but it’s simplicity means it may work when other things have run out of charge. Maybe part of a layered system as a final back up. There are enough iPhones around to make the crowd locations better than the other similar devices.

I have mine now and will get a feel for how they work in reality over the next weeks.

[Kingstepper]

If by that you mean people, that's precisely why they have a feature to notify anyone being followed by an AirTag that isn't near the owners phone. So if you put an AirTag in your spouses car for example, if they have an iPhone they'd be notified when driving around with it. If they have an Android you're in the clear, unless of course they're eloping with an iPhone user

Well doesn’t this mean that a thief who steals your bike, package or whatever will be alerted that a tag is present (if he has an iPhone anyway)?

[TheGent]

Well doesn’t this mean that a thief who steals your bike, package or whatever will be alerted that a tag is present (if he has an iPhone anyway)?

That’s a good point!


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[Montello]

Well doesn’t this mean that a thief who steals your bike, package or whatever will be alerted that a tag is present (if he has an iPhone anyway)?

In theory yes, there are a number of YouTube videos that run through this with live tests and any notifications seem limited if at all.

Apple state that after 8 hours separation the airtag will bleep. So you get a window to track your stolen goods. Put the airtag somewhere where where the sound would be muffled you get longer. As for the anti stalking style notifications they seem much more vague on that but seems they are limited. I’ll test by giving one to my wife next time she goes out.

[Kingstepper]

In theory yes, there are a number of YouTube videos that run through this with live tests and any notifications seem limited if at all.

So the feature M1011 mentioned won’t really work?

[Montello]

So the feature M1011 mentioned won’t really work?

What feature?

[Kingstepper]

What feature?

If by that you mean people, that's precisely why they have a feature to notify anyone being followed by an AirTag that isn't near the owners phone. So if you put an AirTag in your spouses car for example, if they have an iPhone they'd be notified when driving around with it. If they have an Android you're in the clear, unless of course they're eloping with an iPhone user

[Montello]

The YouTube video tests report mixed results on the anti stalking notifications. Seems you certainly will get a window before any notifications.

Imagine you leave your bag with an airtag on a bus full of iPhones, seems unlikely they will all get notifications immediately, I suspect the feature will wait a while before reporting. Otherwise they could be a pita.

[M1011]

Well doesn’t this mean that a thief who steals your bike, package or whatever will be alerted that a tag is present (if he has an iPhone anyway)?

So the feature M1011 mentioned won’t really work?

Yes that's right. Bear in mind these are designed to help you locate an item, not to help you track a person. Apple added that feature so that you can't use the AirTags to track people. It was a response to privacy concerns, e.g. to stop you hiding one in your wife/husbands car to keep track of them without their knowledge. So if your AirTag is following someone (e.g. in the car with them) and your phone isn't present for a period of time, they'll get a nudge on their phone letting them know an AirTag is following them.

I'm not sure what feature you mean won't work, perhaps a misunderstanding.

[Rory]

I’ll give that a test over the weekend.

Cheers
Rory


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[Kingstepper]

Yes that's right. Bear in mind these are designed to help you locate an item, not to help you track a person. Apple added that feature so that you can't use the AirTags to track people. It was a response to privacy concerns, e.g. to stop you hiding one in your wife/husbands car to keep track of them without their knowledge. So if your AirTag is following someone (e.g. in the car with them) and your phone isn't present for a period of time, they'll get a nudge on their phone letting them know an AirTag is following them.

I'm not sure what feature you mean won't work, perhaps a misunderstanding.

The feature is exactly what you describe here to prevent tracking of people and someone suggested that it didn’t work very well.
No idea if it works well or not, my point is that IF it works as described it will also alert a thief who has taken something of yours with a tag.

[Montello]

Yes that's right. Bear in mind these are designed to help you locate an item, not to help you track a person. Apple added that feature so that you can't use the AirTags to track people. It was a response to privacy concerns, e.g. to stop you hiding one in your wife/husbands car to keep track of them without their knowledge. So if your AirTag is following someone (e.g. in the car with them) and your phone isn't present for a period of time, they'll get a nudge on their phone letting them know an AirTag is following them.

I'm not sure what feature you mean won't work, perhaps a misunderstanding.

Not entirely, you can track them … it’s just if the person is an iPhone user at some point they may get a notification. Although the tests imply this isn’t always prompt.

[Zimmer]

I will double check but for the most part the battery life is 3-7 days, I have tried many different ones


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If you can hide an iphone in her bag, you should be able to hide something like

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tracker-Wat...3119089&sr=8-6

It would be smaller than an iphone, but about twice as thick. It claims 90 days, but should last a month, if you just want to know exactly where the person is now.

Another option, is something like this.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vodafone-V-...3119516&sr=8-3

battery only lasts two days, but you could use the supplied charging lead to connect to an external "phone charger" battery pack, obviously the larger the pack you can hide, the better.

[David_D]

I will double check but for the most part the battery life is 3-7 days, I have tried many different ones


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Top two on that link I posted said 7-10 days for one and 10-15 for another. Whether that’s achievable in practice and sufficient for your needs, obviously can’t comment, I’m afraid. Hope you get something suitable.

[M1011]

The feature is exactly what you describe here to prevent tracking of people and someone suggested that it didn’t work very well.
No idea if it works well or not, my point is that IF it works as described it will also alert a thief who has taken something of yours with a tag.

See below - I think folk are expecting something other than what it actually is. Although can't comment on testing videos myself as I haven't watched them.

In terms of alerting a thief, yes - it would if they have iOS.

Not entirely, you can track them … it’s just if the person is an iPhone user at some point they may get a notification. Although the tests imply this isn’t always prompt.

It doesn't need to be prompt though, if it happens at all then you're not going to use it to try and track someone as whether it pings in 5 minutes or an hour, it'll still achieve the intended purpose of alerting the person being tracked. So in essence it works perfectly.

[Montello]

See below - I think folk are expecting something other than what it actually is. Although can't comment on testing videos myself as I haven't watched them.

In terms of alerting a thief, yes - it would if they have iOS.



It doesn't need to be prompt though, if it happens at all then you're not going to use it to try and track someone as whether it pings in 5 minutes or an hour, it'll still achieve the intended purpose of alerting the person being tracked. So in essence it works perfectly.

I’m not intending to stalk anyone so that not a issue for me. But if the notifications take a while to be issued that will improve the chances of recovering stolen items. The tests imply the notifications are not prompt as I believe Apple hope these are useful in the context of theft.