Tile tracker - does anyone use them?

I did, but the batteries went flat and can't be replaced in the ones I had, don't think they've changed that idea so not replaced them. By having them attached to the keys also meant I didn't lose them as is the way which makes me think I don't misplace keys and therefore don't need them.

We all know where this is going...

They do one with rechargeable battery but it is a wee bit more expensive...mate at work has several and he seems to use them with semi-regularity!

I use tile trackers on keys and similar items.
Very useful when you need them.
The ones I use are powered by replaceable coin cell batteries, I have a reminder in my diary to check them every month.

Not sure how they would work for tracking luggage that could be in many places not under your control. With keys at least I know that they should be somewhere that I placed them....

I have a rechargeable key holder version you can have if you want - it doesn't fit my new house keys so I've stopped using it but it will sit in suitcase easily enough.

Can an air tag be used with android?

No. Apple only.

I've got a Tile tag for my bike box, it's got a replaceable coin cell battery and the app tells you when you need to replace it (it's maybe once a year). I also bought the same things for my Mum who was constantly losing/misplacing her purse. Tile lives in her purse, she can find it from her phone. At least, that's the theory, the number of times she'd turned off Bluetooth turned to save battery.... 🙄

Where the tag is very useful is checking that the box is on the same plane and you can also get a sense of where it is within the airport, I assume it'd work fine for normal luggage too. I'm not sure how good it would be if the thing is actually lost, I know it relies on a mesh network but where that falls down (compared to AirTag) is it relies on others having both the Tile app AND Bluetooth turned on.

AirTag simply relies on an Apple phone with Bluetooth on being nearby, there's no need for users to be signed into another app.

I did but didn’t find them very reliable in connecting although it was a few years ago I used them.

I actually tried to revive them a few weeks ago as my wife keeps losing he key and then the spare one by putting in new batteries as the ones i have you can replace the battery. However they refused to connect to any device and can’t be reset once paired and tile weren’t interested. I personally wouldn’t get them again but they might have improved.

One thing to consider is do they rely on others having tile app installed, if they do then they will presumably have a relatively low success rate compared to something like AirTag.

I scrounged a bunch of the ones with replaceable batteries that had been produced for promotion purposes for the car retail business I used to work for, someone found a boxful as we were closing the site down.
TBH, I’m really not impressed with them, they just don’t seem to show up on the app, and I couldn’t get any location sound out of the one attached to something I was looking for in my house!

Pretty much the same experience of the disgruntled poster above ☝🏼
The Chipolo ones I’ve got are much better, I get alerts on my phone when I leave the house when it’s items I’ve deliberately left behind, and Chipolo do one that’ll fit inside a wallet. That doesn’t have a replaceable battery, but you get a discount on a replacement. The regular round ones just prise open and take a CR2032 button battery. The Tile ones use CR1632 batteries, with a slide open cover to drop the battery into.
The app’s telling me to activate a Tile, but I had activated several already, so maybe the app just doesn’t work very well on iOS. 🤷🏼
The Chipolo ones, of which I’ve got four, are telling me they’re all near my current location, and what they’re attached to. They often do four-pack promotions with a discount, and sometimes with the flat wallet one as well.
They do the original One tag which works with their app on either Apple or Android, or they do specific Spot tags that work with the native location system on either Apple or Android.
https://chipolo.net/en/

The problem with non-Apple tags is that they rely on users of Android phones having the relevant app installed on their phones. And whilst there are many more Android phones than IPhones, iPhones don't need an app installed (I assume it's baked into iOS).

So, Tiles and Chipolos etc are probably fine for finding your keys or wallet or wandering elderly relative as all those will be relatively local to where they were last seen, luggage at airports is anything but local.

So, they aren't as useful as AirTags.

Having said that, Google are supposed to be introducing their equivalent of the AirTags which uses Android operating system rather than relying on Android phone users having to install a specific app. If/when that happens, I'll be buying some in bulk as Mrs Vlad is useless at remembering where she left her phone/keys/purse/the dog and I'll get one for each of my bikes....

I have the replaceable battery versions attached to our house and car keys and use them ALL the time due to my partner misplacing the keys every day or leaving them in her coat pockets or in one of her many bags etc.

Not sure if they are 100 Samsung only but I have the Galaxy Tags.

Came in super handy when my bike decided to go on a tour of Europe while I went to Lanza and sat around with COVID!

Great for peace of mind and was actually able to correct the airlines when they thought it was in one airport but was actually in another!!

Didn't help with getting over COVID or the fact I missed a week's cycling holiday.

Also have one on the lads bike so we know he's got to school/home safely (somewhat superceded by Life360 now)

With an android phone can't you just log in to the airtag website from the browser? All you need is an apple id.

Tile Pro uses a 2032 coin battery. Or maybe 2025. Either way, its a replacable battery. The range on bluetooth trackers isnt great though. For luggage you could get a small gps tracker. They need a sim card to work though. Have a look at pet gps trackers.

Google are creating some standard for trackers meaning any android phone will ping any device, which tile is meant to be joining. Until then they're super useful if you're a forgetful/person who loses things, I have them on keys, wallet, passport, headphone case etc, but not so good for luggage as you're relying on someone else on tile being near the box.

For luggage tracking I'd just drop an old phone with a roaming SIM card in the bag and track that. Free and doesn't rely on anyone else

We used to have Tiles on all sorts of things since the Kickstarter .

As long as you pay attention to the ‘low battery’ notifications they’re pretty good.

Though since the acquisition by Amazon they’ve pushed more extra cost services.

We got some AirTags the other year. Neater. And likely more trackable because iPhones rather than people who have the Tile app installed and running.

Tile noises are louder and better than AirTags. Tiles can be used to make your phone ring even if silenced. Handy for when it gets left somewhere in the house but you can’t remember where and can’t easily use ‘Find My’ from another device.

Where the tag is very useful is checking that the box is on the same plane

I have a tile on my car key that came with the car. It works quite well for what I’ve used it for: “which jacket are my car keys in” and “I’ve got my keys but where’s my phone”.

If I was buying it I’d buy Apple Air Tags as it’s definitely better for find through other peoples phones.

does that actually provide any real value? It’s not like the cabin crew/pilot are going to pause take off because “the guy in 12B says his box isn’t in the hold”. So you spend the whole flight stresses knowing it’s gone awol rather than just slightly worried it might have?

That situation has not yet arisen, when it does I'll let you know!

For luggage tracking I’d just drop an old phone with a roaming SIM card in the bag and track that. Free and doesn’t rely on anyone else

Fairly sure you're not allowed electrical items in hold luggage and you're definitely not allowed phones that are turned on.

I used one for years as I can lose keys the instant I put them down. It's been replaced with an Apple AirTag that was a gift.

Fairly sure you’re not allowed electrical items in hold luggage and you’re definitely not allowed phones that are turned on.

Technically you're not allowed Airtags and we were explicitly told that once when checking in with one of the budget airlines. Obviously we just lied, as did everyone else. All our luggage and bike boxes have Airtags in them....

https://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/are-airlines-banning-apple-airtags-heres-the-complete-story/

I had the Kickstarter Tile too. I once lost my keys on the way to work. Using the last known connection, the Tile app took me to the place I'd lost them - it was on a road with speed bumps and they'd bounced out of the mesh side panel of my rucksack.
Ah-ha! Trouble is, they weren't there! However, using my powers of deduction I worked out that someone had found them and handed them in. I called the local cop shop and got them back. So the Tile worked even though it had gone out of range.
When the battery went I didn't get new ones though, as that was the one single time it had been useful. 🙂

Technically you’re not allowed Airtags and we were explicitly told that once when checking in with one of the budget airlines

I lock my Tile to the outside, never once had a problem with that at security.
Airtags and Tiles are small and technically they're pretty dumb devices. Having a turned-on mobile phone in a hold bag I reckon would raise all sorts of flags at X-ray.

I have Tiles on all my bunches of keys. I'm always unlocking the bike, shed etc. putting them down on a shelf or ledge and walking off. So the beeper gets used frequently. Also, I have a Samsung one that does all the same stuff as the Airtags, it doesn't really give any benefits over the simple Tiles TBH.

I did put it in my luggage on a few trips, but the times I've lost luggage, you know you have 'cos you've only just made a connecting flight and your bags didn't. They've always turned up the next day with no issues anyway.

Fairly sure you’re not allowed electrical items in hold luggage and you’re definitely not allowed phones that are turned on.

fairly sure you are allowed electrical items in your hold luggage, and that's backed up by airport security. The only things allowed on your person and not in the hold are power banks, lighers/matches and e-cigs.

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You should probably turn a phone off thats in the hold, but the same goes for trackers - they're devices that are sending/receiving radio signals and as such should be in flight-safe mode or powered down during a flight. No-one bothers with most of their devices so I wouldn't (and haven't) worried about stuff in the hold the various times I've used that trick.

As above, it doesn't really help. the airline knows where your bag is from having scanned it in/out at every point. occasionally it'll be missed, but last time BA forgot a bag of mine I had a text on my phone the minute I landed telling me when it would arrive. The tag would have added nothing

Does anyone know how to activate an airtag if you don't have a iphone? Can a friend do it and associate with your apple id?

I've got some Tiles I've had for years - still use them to find the keys, and vice versa use the Tile button to find my phone down the back of the sofa.

However, the Tile 'network' is pretty small, so I also have some Airtags as they're far better for tracking luggage etc.

Horses for courses IMO.

Tile are fine if you daily click / connect it to your phone. If it "loses" it then they just don't work.

Wife was always losing her keys so I got her a Tile and all I get is moans that it's crap and never works.

Once I realised it needs a daily "tile > find phone" mine works OK

I seem to recall they would send you a free 2032 if you emailed them (this was some time ago)

Does anyone know how to activate an airtag if you don’t have a iphone? Can a friend do it and associate with your apple id?

Don't think you can do it. You need an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Google and Apple were agreeing on some standards so both Android and iOS can recognise when a tag not registered to you is near, which would make them less useful for tracking stuff that's gone missing/stolen.

Was tempted to get a Tile to attach to the van key after the key disappeared for four months.

Attached a large red tag that someone pinched off an Airbus A380 and haven't let the GF have the key. Solved the problem.

Judging by the connection issues of the Tile tags in glad we didn't bother.

I've never had a connection issue with the tiles we have in the house. occasionally you have to walk from one end to the other, but works fine otherwise

Same on the Tiles - always been able to find keys/phone using them.

Yep, mine has always connected no problems.

I have some Tiles and some AirTags and a Chipolo wallet thing. The AirTags work best, as you’d expect, but the Tiles have been ok for what I use them for.

I put an AirTag in my hold luggage but it’s just so I can feel happy it’s been loaded. If the bag gets lost there’s naff all I can do about it.

I've got a Chipolo, which is... okay for out of range alerts. It's better than nothing, but sometimes the alerts are so delayed as to be useless. Only works with the phone you have it paired with, so at best you'll only get the last location you had it near your phone.

I'm looking forward to Google/Apple sorting out their tracker specs, so we can have useful AirTag-like things on Android.

I bought a couple of Tiles for us years ago, but I just didn't get on with it, I found it easier just to form a habit of always placing my keys in a single place (okay, a very limited range of places).

I think my OH just used it as an dead/ornamental key fob.

I’m looking forward to Google/Apple sorting out their tracker specs, so we can have useful AirTag-like things on Android.

The problem they need to resolve is the potential for them to be used as a stalker tool.

If you have an iPhone, Airtag will alert you if there's an unknown tag travelling with you after a certain amount of time (to prevent false alarms from using public transport for example).

Tile has similar safeguards with really quite severe legal penalties built into the "contract" (you effectively sign up to a contract if you buy one that it won't be used for anything other than finding your lost keys etc).

Google/Apple need to solve that part of it first before it can be a truly effective tracking tool.

Google/Apple need to solve that part of it first before it can be a truly effective tracking tool.

Google make it sound like it's been solved, but Apple have been dragging their heels over implementation.

https://www.techradar.com/phones/android/google-says-it-cant-release-the-next-big-android-update-because-apple-isnt-ready

“ Fairly sure you’re not allowed electrical items in hold luggage and you’re definitely not allowed phones that are turned on.

Technically you’re not allowed Airtags and we were explicitly told that once when checking in with one of the budget airlines. Obviously we just lied, as did everyone else. All our luggage and bike boxes have Airtags in them….”

There are no restrictions on the use of tracking devices in luggage that goes into the cargo hold, or in carryons, and there’s no restriction on having your phone with you in the cabin, including having to have the phone in ‘airplane mode’. There was some stupidly over the fact that tags have Li-ion batteries in, but there’s no fire hazard with them, because they’re not rechargeable and don’t use the same chemistry as rechargeable Li-ion batteries.
Quite why anyone would want to put their phone in their hold luggage is beyond me, it makes zero sense.
I have close friends who regularly travel BA business class and ALWAYS have AirTags in all of their luggage - it’s just not an issue, and never has been, except in the heads of certain airline officials who just don’t understand consumer electronics.
I’ll try and find all my Tile tags, a bit difficult because, while all of the batteries are ok, I never did the daily reconnect thing, because, why would I? I don’t, and never have with my AirTags or my Chipolo Ones. Once I locate them, anyone here want them they’re well to them, along with a whole bunch of appropriate CR1632 batteries - I have nothing else that takes that size coin cell.

We use Tiles, the ones with replaceable coin batteries. They work well, even in little old sparsely-populated New Zealand.

We got them in the UK when flying back to NZ, it had been in the news that baggage handling at Auckland airport was an absolute shit-show, rooms full of bags ceiling-high etc.

As it happened, our connection in Frankfurt was cutting it fine. We had to sprint through the airport to make it, we figured the bags would have no chance. Sure enough, as we were taxiing out we could see that the bags were still in the terminal. When we transited through Hong Kong we could see that the bags were still in Frankfurt, and again when we got to Auckland.

The benefit to us was that after 30-odd hours of travel with two kids in tow, we didn't have to stand by the luggage carousel for however long it takes to reach the conclusion that your bags have been lost en route. We just went straight to the lost luggage office and told them the bags were still in Frankfurt.

These days the wife uses them for bags on business trips, and we have a couple on the car keys as my wife is forever leaving a set in one of her thousand or so bags/jackets. We can just ping them using our phones so they beep.

The batteries lasted just over a year and we got messages via the app that they were getting low and needed replacing.

Edit - not sure what CounZero is referring to about daily reconnecting, we connected ours on day one and that was it (as you'd expect).

@CountZero, if you find them and willing to split them, I think I'd be keen on 4 if possible to try them out, please?

I can't quite work it out though...I thought they connected via Bluetooth so surely after 6-10m they won't connect and you won't be able to track them as they are out of range?

Hence I'm keen to try them but not keen enough to pay full price.

I can’t quite work it out though…I thought they connected via Bluetooth so surely after 6-10m they won’t connect and you won’t be able to track them as they are out of range?

They're not tracked from your phone but from any running the app, which means as soon as someone walks past it you can see when and where it was last known. This works better inany apple device can pick them up whereas on tile only other people running the tile app can help

Ah ok, ta.

Have to "reconnect" my Tile to my phone every day. Same on wife's phone.

She needs the Tile to work cos she always loses things. Not so great if you haven't re-linked that day as the Tile just becomes a sh!t keyring.

Always surprises me how many Tile users the map in the Tile app claims it has found in a 5 mile radius of me. Pretty rural. 124 tile users it says.