Latest news with #AirTags
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- North Wales Live
Tech review: UGREEN trackers help you prevent a holiday disaster or a lost wallet
Have a habit of losing your wallet, your keys, or even your luggage? These latest products from UGREEN may just be the answer to your problems. Officially licensed by Apple, these smart finder devices are designed to keep track of your items and make sure you never lose them again. The UGREEN FineTracker is a square but discreet device that comes with an impressive two-year-battery life before you need to replace it. It's a sturdy and compact gadget which links up to your mobile phone to act as a powerful tracking device. It comes with a built in 80db alarm to alert people when lost. One feature I really liked on it was the Bluetooth tracker which basically alerts you if you venture too far from the tracker. The UGREEN FineTracker is currently available from Amazon for £9.99. Also in the range is the UGREEN fine track slim finder which fundamentally works in exactly the same way, but is thin enough to fit inside your wallet or passport holder. That's down to it being just 1.7mm thick, which does contribute to it having a one-year battery life, but it is rechargeable. The unique selling point here is definitely the sleek design and the versatility that it offers. Both devices have clearly been introduced into a marketplace that has seen a meteoric success for Apple's Air Tags. These are really effective competitors and the price is definitely a good selling appeal to liven up the market. What users say "I also use AirTags. But now only use UGREEN. They are compatible with the iPhone and can then be found in the Where is! App. Where is the UGREEN Tracker also suggests a route to the lost object, with the AirTag only suggesting a search function without maps." " It was easy to set up and the tracker was immediately taken over by the iPhone. The search using 'where is' is pretty accurate. Only the beeping sound when searching could be a bit louder. Otherwise happy with it"
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Wales Online
Tech review: UGREEN trackers help you prevent a holiday disaster or a lost wallet
Tech review: UGREEN trackers help you prevent a holiday disaster or a lost wallet Now you have even more help not losing your personal belongings UGREEN Smart Finder Have a habit of losing your wallet, your keys, or even your luggage? These latest products from UGREEN may just be the answer to your problems. Officially licensed by Apple, these smart finder devices are designed to keep track of your items and make sure you never lose them again. The UGREEN FineTracker is a square but discreet device that comes with an impressive two-year-battery life before you need to replace it. It's a sturdy and compact gadget which links up to your mobile phone to act as a powerful tracking device. It comes with a built in 80db alarm to alert people when lost. One feature I really liked on it was the Bluetooth tracker which basically alerts you if you venture too far from the tracker. The UGREEN FineTracker is currently available from Amazon for £9.99. UGREEN Smart Finder Also in the range is the UGREEN fine track slim finder which fundamentally works in exactly the same way, but is thin enough to fit inside your wallet or passport holder. That's down to it being just 1.7mm thick, which does contribute to it having a one-year battery life, but it is rechargeable. The unique selling point here is definitely the sleek design and the versatility that it offers. Both devices have clearly been introduced into a marketplace that has seen a meteoric success for Apple's Air Tags. These are really effective competitors and the price is definitely a good selling appeal to liven up the market. The UGREEN fine track slim finder is available via Amazon for £17.99. What users say "I also use AirTags. But now only use UGREEN. They are compatible with the iPhone and can then be found in the Where is! App. Where is the UGREEN Tracker also suggests a route to the lost object, with the AirTag only suggesting a search function without maps." "It was easy to set up and the tracker was immediately taken over by the iPhone. The search using 'where is' is pretty accurate. Only the beeping sound when searching could be a bit louder. Otherwise happy with it" Alternatives Article continues below Apple AirTag Air Tag tracker
CNET
4 days ago
- CNET
Why I Use Apple AirTags to Track Everything From My Luggage to My Car
Not long ago, as I waited at baggage claim after a trip to Paris, I became increasingly nervous as bag after bag dropped onto the carousel -- none of them mine. I knew there was no need to panic though. Back at Charles de Gaulle airport, I had dropped a sophisticated little tracking device into my trusty rolling suitcase before handing it over and heading to my gate. So, I pulled out my iPhone and, with just a few taps, I could see that my bag had never left the City of Light. (Merde!) Over the years, I've come to depend on Apple's AirTags to keep track of many types of easy-to-lose valuables. They're not only good for luggage. I also use them to track wallets, bikes, keys and even my car. I tell everyone who will listen that you can never have too many of these handy devices. That's why I think it's worth taking advantage of the current deal at Amazon that slashes the price of a four-pack of AirTags down to $75. Here's how the Apple AirTag that was in my suitcase on that fateful trip works. It uses an ingenious method of tracking itself, detecting its location from nearby iPhones and using them to anonymously piggyback the coordinates to a secure server where I could look it up on my iPhone. Until just a few years ago, this would have seemed like a scene straight out of a spy movie. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Instead of wondering if my belongings were stuck on an abandoned luggage cart or strewn across the tarmac, I could see in almost real time that my suitcase was still chilling at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. I was able to calmly tell the airline my bag didn't make the flight, and it made arrangements to have it delivered to me a few days later. Apple AirTags are all about peace of mind By itself, an AirTag isn't much. A 1.26-inch smooth round puck that looks like a glossy white breath mint, it sinks to the bottom of a bag or dangles from a key chain (with a compatible key ring, sold separately). It's meant to disappear. CNET Activating the AirTag was a simple process of pairing with my iPhone. And then, because it obviously doesn't really do anything out of the box, I forgot about it. But the next time I couldn't find my keys? Sorcery. My iPhone didn't just tell me they were somewhere nearby -- it walked me directly to them, thanks to the AirTag's built-in Ultra Wideband chip. Suddenly, all that time I'd spent retracing my steps and overturning couch cushions in the past felt like ancient history. Now I have AirTags in or attached to every significant item I'd want to keep track of: My everyday laptop bag, my camera backpack, the suitcase I use most when traveling, my key chain, my car and a smaller sling bag I take on walks. I can pull up the Find My app on any of my Apple devices (or sign in to iCloud on any web browser) and see where my items are and the last time the AirTags registered their locations. Clip an AirTag onto a bag or bury it in the depths. Sarah Tew/CNET AirTags aren't just for my everyday items. People I know in the movie business tell me that AirTags are tossed into nearly every bag and Pelican crate, not solely to ensure that the valuable equipment inside doesn't walk away but to quickly differentiate equipment amid similar looking containers. Some of my friends also attach AirTags to their pets' collars (though experts say there are better ways to track pets). AirTags are also useful for things that you want to keep close by Being able to detect my luggage a continent away provided a sense of relief, to be sure. But at the local level, my AirTags will also trigger an alert when I get too far away from them. For example, if I accidentally forget my camera bag in the car when I stop somewhere for lunch, a Find My notification appears telling me I've left it behind. It works the same for newer AirPods models as well. Sharing is now a big part of AirTag tracking My family has two cars, and I wanted to be able to track them both. But it used to be inconvenient to pair the AirTag in the car my wife drives to her iPhone (and the one in my car to my iPhone). To guard against unwanted tracking, an AirTag will notify nearby iPhones of its existence, so whenever I drove my wife's car without her in it, I got a notification that an AirTag was traveling with me. (If the owner is near the AirTag, the alert does not appear.) However, ever since the release of iOS 17, AirTags are shareable, which solves this problem. I shared my AirTag with my wife, and she with me, so regardless of which car I'm driving, I can find it more easily in a crowded parking lot without getting constant, unnecessary alerts. Share an AirTag's location with someone you trust. Screenshots by CNET A more recent feature to AirTags that arrived with iOS 18.2 is the ability to temporarily share an AirTag's location with someone I trust. In my luggage example above, if the suitcase was in the airport with me, but the airport's staff hadn't yet been able to locate it (not uncommon during peak travel times), I could share its location with an attendant who could quickly retrieve it from areas inaccessible to the public. Apple Apple AirTag specs Diameter: 1.26 inches (31.9 mm) 1.26 inches (31.9 mm) Height: 0.31 inches (8 mm) 0.31 inches (8 mm) Weight: 0.39 ounces (11 g) 0.39 ounces (11 g) Splash, water and dust resistance: Rated IP67 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes) Rated IP67 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes) Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.0 Battery: Replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery The only minor annoyance about AirTags An AirTag includes Bluetooth, the U1 Ultra Wideband chip and an NFC chip to share basic details when it's in Lost Mode. That's all powered by a CR2032 coin cell battery, which in my experience lasts roughly a year before I need to replace it. I get notified when a battery is starting to get low, although there's no gauge to see how much is left until it goes into the red. And it's easy to change batteries. But my small fleet of AirTags means I need to swap multiple ones each year. I buy them in packs of 20 that I slowly work through. The CR2032 battery in an AirTag can easily be replaced. Patrick Holland/CNET AirTags also make great gifts Apple AirTags consistently appear in our gift guides throughout the year because you can always find another use for one. They're often reduced in price when sold in packs of four. And there's an ever-growing ecosystem of ways to mount them, from sturdy vaults that adhere to a car to discrete fabric holders that will keep your favorite classic bomber jacket from flying away. Whenever I show someone how I use AirTags on a bag or keychain, I kind of wish I had a pocket full of AirTags to hand out because once someone sees how it works, they're sold. When will this deal expire? We don't know how long this deal will last. We see four-packs available at this discounted price pretty frequently throughout the year, but it could expire at any time without notice. I recommend placing your order while you can be sure to get this price because I'm confident you'll find new uses for them once you have a few.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
The Telegraph readers who did the police's job themselves
When Mia Forbes Pirie and her husband Mark Simpson found their Jaguar E-Pace had been stolen from outside their house in west London, they used the AirTag it was fitted with to discover it was now parked less than three miles away. Keen to act as quickly as possible, they contacted the police – who gave no indication as to whether they could help or not. In the end, the couple was forced to retrieve the stolen car themselves. We covered this story earlier in the week, and outrage followed – as did, rather tellingly, an outpouring of weary recognition. Hundreds of Telegraph readers got in touch to say: us too. When our things are stolen – be it bikes, laptops, mobile phones or cars – we no longer expect the cavalry. Instead, we find ourselves playing detective with AirTags, GPS tracking and doorbell cameras. In other words, doing the police's job for them. It is vigilante justice via the apps on our phones. And, given how few thefts result in a charge and how many cases are closed almost as soon as they are opened, it seems increasingly like the best tool at our disposal. John Devaney, a 48-year-old property maintenance worker from the Thames Valley, is still haunted by the memory of waking up to discover his beloved Triumph Stag, a 1970s classic worth £10,000, had vanished from his garage. He turned to the tracker app on his phone. There it was: parked on a driveway 25 miles away. He called the police and gave them the address. 'They said they would send someone at some point in time,' he recalls. 'That it wouldn't be long.' Frustrated and anxious, Devaney drove there himself, hoping to meet the police. After half an hour of waiting, he decided to investigate alone. Under a tarpaulin in the driveway, he thought he could see a shape that looked suspiciously like his car – and when he lifted it to confirm, a man inside the house came out. 'He said he had bought it in a pub last night,' says Devaney. 'I said, 'No, you nicked it from my garage.'' The man then jumped in the car, mowed through the neighbour's hedge and sped off. Devaney followed. Eventually, he found the car abandoned at an industrial park. He rang the police again and waited an hour for them to arrive. There were fingerprints. There was photographic evidence. There was an address. There was even an identity: Devaney says police told him the man was 'known to them'. Still, it was a month before he was interviewed. When the car, which Devaney has now sold, was returned three months later, he was told no further action would be taken. 'I couldn't have handed it to them any better,' he says. 'There was not much more I could have done for them.' According to the police, officers received a report of the theft of a vehicle from a residential property. Detectives carried out a thorough investigation in which a man in his 40s was arrested. Following further enquiries, the case did not meet the threshold for criminal charges. Another Telegraph reader, pest controller Chris Johnson, 59, and his wife Paula, 57, were struck not once but twice at their house in Kent. The first time, a white Jeep Wrangler – worth £45,000 – vanished without a trace. The police issued a crime number, and not much else. Six months later, it happened again. A £39,000 Ford Ranger disappeared from the same spot. This time, however, they had learnt their lesson and fitted it with two trackers. The Johnsons were watching football at home when it happened. 'Someone must have walked straight up and driven off,' Chris says. The tracker showed it heading towards Eltham, and they immediately called the police. No answer. They jumped into Paula's Mini and followed the signal. 'We eventually tracked it to a housing estate in Eltham,' says Chris. 'We tried the police again, but still nothing. We sat there for 10 minutes watching the car, not knowing what we were walking into. I told Paula to get ready. If anything kicked off when I went to get the vehicle, she was to drive off and leave me.' Chris cautiously approached his car, tried his key, and to his relief, it unlocked. The thieves had ripped out most of the interior in an attempt to locate the trackers, successfully finding and disabling the manufacturer's system. But Chris's secondary tracker had gone undetected; he drove it home. The police got back to them hours later. The response? 'Well, you've got it back now.' Paula recalls explaining to the police that they had wanted them there while they rescued their car because they were scared of what they might find. 'He replied that they were overstretched, even having to work on Sundays, and that was that. We never heard anything more.' Since then, the Johnsons have doubled down on security: ghost immobilisers, steering locks, the works. 'If Sadiq Khan is putting up all these cameras and charging us more to drive, then why not use them to track down stolen vehicles?' says Chris. 'Imagine how many cars could be recovered. He might even look like a hero.' A Metropolitan Police spokesman says: 'Every incident of vehicle theft is carefully assessed to identify and pursue possible lines of enquiry, including forensic evidence and available footage. We advise victims to report crimes via appropriate channels.' Sadly, these are far from isolated cases. Ashley Sollit tells us about the night four electric vehicles were stolen from one street in Brent. His son-in-law – who was one of the victims – had an AirTag in his car and traced it to a council estate nearby, where he later found his and his neighbours' cars. He phoned the police, who advised that he should drive his own vehicle home and tell the neighbours to get theirs. This was, apparently, standard practice, as thieves often leave stolen cars out for a week to see which ones have trackers. When it was suggested to the police that the cars should be left in place to try to catch the criminals, the response from the police was short, but clear. 'We don't have the time.' Similarly, Ian Smith writes in with a story about his granddaughter, who had her car stolen from the hospital car park where she works. CCTV captured the crime, but when Smith's granddaughter suggested the police watch the footage, as it clearly showed the make and model of the car that the thieves arrived in, she was rebuffed. Luckily, the car was fitted with an insurance tracker; when it pinged with a location, the police told her to collect it herself. There is something rather depressing about these remarkably similar stories that speak to our new normal. We know, of course, that resources are stretched – but the message felt by many Britons is a stark one: if something is stolen, you're probably on your own. The result? Where we once relied on the police, now we depend on Bluetooth and Apple to keep us safe. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
CNET
13-06-2025
- CNET
Traveling This Summer? An AirTag Can Give You Peace of Mind
Summer is here, delivering soaring temperatures, bright sunny days and the temptation to take off for a vacation. Summer is peak travel season for a reason, with camping trips and beach weekends being popular getaways. However, traveling anywhere also comes with stress. Keeping track of your luggage during flights, or remembering where you set up your tent can leave you feeling overwhelmed when you're supposed to be relaxing. Thankfully, Apple AirTags are here to help. These tiny gadgets are small enough to be discreet, but they're powerful enough to help you keep track of items like a bag, purse, suitcase or a set of keys. They're fairly easy to set up, and once they're connected to your phone, you don't have to do much else. Here are some ways to get the most out of AirTags. Sarah Tew/CNET How do AirTags work? Generally, you need to be within Bluetooth range to find your AirTag, but you can use Apple's Find My service to locate Apple's tiny tracker if it's farther away, as long as it's still in range of another Apple device. (Here's how the Find My network works.) To do so, just put your AirTag into Lost Mode and you'll get a notification once it's within range of the Find My network. For more details, here's how to tell if an AirTag is tracking your location on Android and a deep dive into AirTags. 5 uncommon places to put your AirTags 🏕️ Put an AirTag in your tent for camping If you're setting up camp in a location you've never visited, it could be useful to place an AirTag inside your tent so you can easily find your campsite. For instance, if you decide to hike several miles one day, you can use Find My to look up the AirTag's last location (your tent) and get directions back to the campsite. Remember, it'll need to be within range of someone else's device, so don't rely on this out in the wilderness. (This is also why Apple advises you not to use AirTags on pets.) Read more: AirTags Are Not the Best Way to Find Lost Pets 🧥 Put a tracker in your jacket pocket How often have you left your coat behind in a restaurant, bar or friend's house? Forgetting to grab your jacket when you head out is easy to do, especially if the weather is warmer than you expected or your hands are full of leftovers and to-go cups. If you know you'll be hanging your jacket on a coat rack or the back of a chair when you arrive, place an AirTag inside the pocket so you know where you left it. This can help prevent yet another favorite jacket from getting lost, and less money out of your wallet to replace it. 🧳 Stash an AirTag inside your luggage Airports can be tricky to navigate, and can be especially difficult when you're trying to find the correct luggage pickup. Sometimes you wait 30 minutes until your bags finally roll out on the conveyor belt, and sometimes they get lost. To relieve the stress of trying to locate your suitcase, you can put an AirTag tracker inside so you can track its whereabouts. This can help you find out if your bags were left on the airplane, if they're on the conveyor belt but you haven't spotted them yet or if someone mistakenly grabbed your luggage. Once you find out where your bags are, you can remedy the situation and continue on to where you're going. Don't worry, AirTags are TSA-approved so there's shouldn't be any issues with placing them in your luggage. Read more: 7 Google Maps Travel Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Experience Place an AirTag inside your laptop bag so you stop misplacing it. Sarah Tew/CNET 🎒 Stick a tracker inside your laptop bag Laptop bags can be easily left behind at a cafe when you're picking up coffee for everyone at the office. When your hands are full and you're distracted wondering how you're going to open your car door, it's hard to remember to grab your bag from the booth you were sitting in. That's why it's a good idea to place an AirTag inside one of the pockets. You will be able to locate your expensive laptop and save any confidential company or personal information in your bag. 🚲 Hide an AirTag on your bicycle If it hasn't happened to you, you probably know someone who has had this experience. You get home from a bike ride, go inside to grab water and something to eat and completely forget about the bike you left outside. Or maybe you went to the store, didn't lock your bike up and when you came back it was gone. If you place an AirTag in a hidden place on the bike, you can easily locate it. We don't recommend tracking the bicycle down on your own. It's best to notify the police and let them retrieve your bike so you can avoid any dangerous situations. This method also works on your car if it's been stolen or towed, or if you can't remember where you parked it. If you have an iPhone and it's connected to your car via Bluetooth, your phone can locate where you last left it. Your iPhone can find your AirTag. Sarah Tew/CNET More common areas to put an AirTag AirTag is commonly used to locate these items. Your keychain. Your purse or wallet. Your phone or tablet. The remote to your TV. Anything valuable that you leave outside your home. For more Apple information, read how to make Siri glow and turn off Apple Intelligence.
