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Trackers

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
13,841
10,764
Anyone use trackers? I'm an Android boi so I'd probably be looking at Tile, but I'm interested in the technology at large.
I think the problem being they rely on very large numbers of others in the same ecosystem - so Apple Airtag takes the lead. Then you've lessers like Tile and the Galaxy SmartTag.

I've certainly read plenty of stories where airtags have helped people locate luggage or be comfortable it's making the journey with them. I've read pretty much nothing about the competitors.

I'm also Android and I'd certainly like to have the option when travelling with bike, but it's needs to be worthwhile. I might give the SmartTag a try as my phone is a Galaxy, but I can't tell if it requires the anonymous phones out there to be running the app also, reviews aren't clear on that.

 
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canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
18,052
16,435
Canaderp
I started to go down the rabbit hole of these things a few months ago.

Lots of the tests out there show that the Samsung tags actually did just as well, if not better, as the Apple Air tags. But you need to have a Samsung phone to make use of it.

I also heard not long ago that Google is perhaps coming out with their own. Don't know more about that though.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
13,841
10,764
I started to go down the rabbit hole of these things a few months ago.

Lots of the tests out there show that the Samsung tags actually did just as well, if not better, as the Apple Air tags. But you need to have a Samsung phone to make use of it.

I also heard not long ago that Google is perhaps coming out with their own. Don't know more about that though.
Sounds like the smarttag+ is comparable to the airtag from an accuracy standpoint, but you need an S21 (ultra?) or newer to make use of that.

I have an S20 FE :/
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
18,052
16,435
Canaderp
Sounds like the smarttag+ is comparable to the airtag from an accuracy standpoint, but you need an S21 (ultra?) or newer to make use of that.

I have an S20 FE :/
Yeah you miss out on the pin point accuracy of the + model, but also sounds like that might not be needed in most cases. If you're using it to find keys or something small like that then maybe...

The smarttag+ is also a more expensive.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
13,841
10,764
Yeah you miss out on the pin point accuracy of the + model, but also sounds like that might not be needed in most cases. If you're using it to find keys or something small like that then maybe...

The smarttag+ is also a more expensive.
But if you're sticking it your luggage/checking a bike to fly, $40 vs $30 isn't much to be concerned by and the accuracy would be desired.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
18,052
16,435
Canaderp
But if you're sticking it your luggage/checking a bike to fly, $40 vs $30 isn't much to be concerned by and the accuracy would be desired.
True thats not much. Would still need the much more expensive phone too. :p

Another thing is that to use the precise location thing - which looks like a triangulated augmented reality thing, you need to already be within 15 meters of the tag. So you're already pretty close.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
18,052
16,435
Canaderp
Also interesting that you can't even buy the Samsung tags from their website anymore. Both the regular and the + one says "not for sale". :confused:
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
13,841
10,764