Best non apple tracker/airtag knockoff

[luckyluck]

Google's network is useless. Requires opt-in.

All android phones are opted in by default to detect compatible trackers in high traffic areas.
You need to opt in manually if you want your phone to detect trackers in low traffic areas.

[aygart]

What trackers use android's netork?

[Yo ssi]

Google's network is useless. Requires opt-in.

-1

IMHO it's only a matter of time

[Dan]

-1

IMHO it's only a matter of time

OK? Still useless for now.

[TzviR]

Kind of off topic but the biggest problem with airtags in my opinion is that they only help with lost items but not so much for theft.

If the thief has an iphone he will be alerted that there is an unrecognized airtag with him and it will help him find it so that he can disable it/ get rid of it.

[Yo ssi]

OK? Still useless for now.

This is how it started

It's only a matter of time before the android trackers beat it IMHO (especially out of USA) but alas apples is the strongest at the moment.

[Yehudaa]

Kind of off topic but the biggest problem with airtags in my opinion is that they only help with lost items but not so much for theft.

If the thief has an iphone he will be alerted that there is an unrecognized airtag with him and it will help him find it so that he can disable it/ get rid of it.

Agreed. I've thought about that before.

Not that it's a solution, but two thoughts:

1. You can easily remove the speaker from the airtag to make it a tiny bit harder for the thief to find it. For example, if your airtag is busied deep in your luggage, or under the upholstery of your car, not having the tag beeping means that the thief is gonna have to rummage around to find it. Hopefully at that point he may give up and abandon the theft, and leave your airtag where it is.

2. It's a two-way street- if the thief has an iphone, at least you'll have accurate data on exactly where it was until the airtag was until he found it, as the thief's own phone will have been reporting its location. If the item is important enough, you could then try to find video footage or other evidence from wherever it was dumped.

Even more OT, but this reminds me of this amazing story:

Wow. @Dan I feel like this belongs in the DDMS post for AirTags.

Such cheap tech, and it successfully brought down a whole operation for stealing these compressors, in less than 24 hours.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nachi-rubin-083891164_hvac-theft-update-2-yesssssssss-ugcPost-7217272456787410944-51NB

[aygart]

Am I correct that one advantage of Tile is that with a subscription, it gives a history while airtags do not?

[TzviR]

Am I correct that one advantage of Tile is that with a subscription, it gives a history while airtags do not?

I cant talk about Tile but Airtag does not give any history

[Dan]

Am I correct that one advantage of Tile is that with a subscription, it gives a history while airtags do not?

Yes

[yuneeq]

Kind of off topic but the biggest problem with airtags in my opinion is that they only help with lost items but not so much for theft.

If the thief has an iphone he will be alerted that there is an unrecognized airtag with him and it will help him find it so that he can disable it/ get rid of it.

This feature is deliberate, to prevent it from being used for stalking. I don't think there are any simple solutions for this.

Some friends worried about toolbox getting stolen hide the tag deep inside a tool.

[Dan]

Kind of off topic but the biggest problem with airtags in my opinion is that they only help with lost items but not so much for theft.

If the thief has an iphone he will be alerted that there is an unrecognized airtag with him and it will help him find it so that he can disable it/ get rid of it.

So use Tile.

[Chuchum Ainer]

Some sales on tile right now.
Googling tile vs Samsung tag turns up a mix of outdated info, affiliate-link-heavy posts with zero substance, etc.

What I gather is that the tile network is still bigger, and the device itself is smaller and lighter. While smart tag is more accurate and doesn't charge for any features. The draw backs for tile is many features (including history) are paid. While Samsung interestingly cannot be used at all if your device isn't connected to the internet, even if you are within Bluetooth range of your own tracker.

I'm leaning toward Samsung smart tag

[aygart]

Some sales on tile right now.
Googling tile vs Samsung tag turns up a mix of outdated info, affiliate-link-heavy posts with zero substance, etc.

What I gather is that the tile network is still bigger, and the device itself is smaller and lighter. While smart tag is more accurate and doesn't charge for any features. The draw backs for tile is many features (including history) are paid. While Samsung interestingly cannot be used at all if your device isn't connected to the internet, even if you are within Bluetooth range of your own tracker.

I'm leaning toward Samsung smart tag

Samsung offers history?

[Chuchum Ainer]

Samsung offers history?

7 days