Airtags

[jckent]

Can't find any reference to these so has anyone used them for keeping tabs on their boat?

Although it is unclear from what I have read they seem fine for finding things but if leaving the boat for an extended time I see that they emit a noise after 3 days should they be moved.

Anyone have experience of this?

 

[MtB]

Maybe an explanation of what an "airtag" is, would be a courtesy to those of us who are mystified (and CBA to google!)

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, MtB said:

Maybe an explanation of what an "airtag" is, would be a courtesy to those of us who are mystified (and CBA to google!)

 

it seems it is an Apple gadget to allow tracking, but having read "Apple" I stopped reading.

[philjw]

It looks like these are similar to Tiles
https://uk.tile.com/
 

OK for wallets and keys but as Tiles are bluetooth I doubt they would be useful for finding a missing boat.  There are others on here that have solutions involving SMS

[jckent]

They are indeed Apple items!  Similar to tiles as they use Bluetooth but with the much larger Iphone population they are more efficient at finding items, or so they say.

It seems a cheap way of checking that an item is not stolen or if it is, where it is now.  They are really meant for luggage, wallets, handbags etc but are also useful for cars - if you forget where you have parked it can lead you there for example.  Just thought someone might have used one on their boat.

[dmr]

They are not super accurate but still pretty good resolution, and I expect if your loose your keys out in the sticks that will really struggle. They do make a sound to help you find things if you are nearby tbut its not loud.

A friend had a major success when she left her coat and keys on a bus and the bus company denied all knowledge, she was able to tell them it was in their store room (not in the lost property room where they should have put it and couldn't find it)

My wife has one on our car keys and when I use the car my iPhone tells me that somebody is stalking me (a tracking device is travelling close to your phone)

[MtB]

23 minutes ago, dmr said:

They are not super accurate but still pretty good resolution, and I expect if your loose your keys out in the sticks that will really struggle. They do make a sound to help you find things if you are nearby tbut its not loud.

A friend had a major success when she left her coat and keys on a bus and the bus company denied all knowledge, she was able to tell them it was in their store room (not in the lost property room where they should have put it and couldn't find it)

My wife has one on our car keys and when I use the car my iPhone tells me that somebody is stalking me (a tracking device is travelling close to your phone)

 

So are they only any use when your phone (or other excellent Apple device) is within the Bluetooth range of the Airtag?

 

Or does anyone's Apple report back the missing or lost Airtag location if within range? 

 

Presumably the latter or the OP wouldn't be considering using one to find his boat! 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by MtB

[dmr]

25 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

So are they only any use when your phone (or other excellent Apple device) is within the Bluetooth range of the Airtag?

 

Or does anyone's Apple report back the missing or lost Airtag location if within range? 

 

Presumably the latter or the OP wouldn't be considering using one to find his boat! 

 

 

 

Learning how these things work and doing a couple of experiments is on the todo list.  I think they use a sort of secret network made up of all iPhones, and possible Android phones too, so as long a a mobile phone passes near to it there will be info about its location.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, dmr said:

 

Learning how these things work and doing a couple of experiments is on the todo list.  I think they use a sort of secret network made up of all iPhones, and possible Android phones too, so as long a a mobile phone passes near to it there will be info about its location.

 

Thanks.

 

I have one still in its box I was blagged into buying last time I got a phone upgrade. Perhaps I'll dig it out and see what it can do then! 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

Learning how these things work and doing a couple of experiments is on the todo list.  I think they use a sort of secret network made up of all iPhones, and possible Android phones too, so as long a a mobile phone passes near to it there will be info about its location.

 

They don't work with Android devices as in typical Apple fashion they are locked down to their overpriced 'ecosystem'.

 

However similar products are available that will work on Android phones and because Android is Android you don't have to have a phone from a specific manufacturer, as long as you have the matching app. you are fine.

 

https://www.howtogeek.com/724198/the-best-airtag-alternative-for-android/

 

 

[Chris Lowe]

I use the Samsung ones as they connect to the already loaded Samsung Smart Things App.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, buccaneer66 said:

I use the Samsung ones as they connect to the already loaded Samsung Smart Things App.

 

Im guessing they are locked down to Samsung devices? In the same way as air tags are locked down to Apple?

 

A generic Android tag like tile would be better covered?

[Chris Lowe]

I checked the Samsung website it's not really clear if it only works with Samsung Galaxy phones, you could read the statement below either way.

 

Galaxy devices(smartphones,tablets) with Android OS 8 (O OS) or higher

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, buccaneer66 said:

I checked the Samsung website it's not really clear if it only works with Samsung Galaxy phones, you could read the statement below either way.

 

Galaxy devices(smartphones,tablets) with Android OS 8 (O OS) or higher

 

A quick google suggests that Smart Things only works with Samsung devices, which sort of fits with the tendency for Samsung to emulate Apple's business model of locking things down to their own devices.

[Chris Lowe]

It does work well

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, dmr said:

They are not super accurate but still pretty good resolution, and I expect if your loose your keys out in the sticks that will really struggle. They do make a sound to help you find things if you are nearby tbut its not loud.

A friend had a major success when she left her coat and keys on a bus and the bus company denied all knowledge, she was able to tell them it was in their store room (not in the lost property room where they should have put it and couldn't find it)

My wife has one on our car keys and when I use the car my iPhone tells me that somebody is stalking me (a tracking device is travelling close to your phone)

So if you had one on the boat, and the toerag who stole your boat has an Iphone it will hell him someone is stalking him down the canal?

[MtB]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

So if you had one on the boat, and the toerag who stole your boat has an Iphone it will hell him someone is stalking him down the canal?

 

 

More helpfully when I go out weekend cruising in summer and ride mebike back to get the van, I'm forever going back the following weekend to the place-before-last I left the boat - and finding it not there!

 

An Airtag might fix this.

[Chris Lowe]

My Samsung tag tells me where my keys are, and you can make the tag buzz.

[dmr]

38 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

So if you had one on the boat, and the toerag who stole your boat has an Iphone it will hell him someone is stalking him down the canal?

Yes, so this rather defeats the objective of a secret tag. However I suspect that most toerags use Android rather than iPhone 😀

[ditchcrawler]

53 minutes ago, dmr said:

Yes, so this rather defeats the objective of a secret tag. However I suspect that most toerags use Android rather than iPhone 😀

I do, but I thought that was just old cheap skates, not young hip toerags, I am sure if you are going to lift a boat you would probably have lifted the odd phone or two

[George and Dragon]

On 15/02/2023 at 12:30, Tony Brooks said:

 

it seems it is an Apple gadget to allow tracking, but having read "Apple" I stopped reading.

 

I have the same reaction when I see the word Microsoft.

 

On 15/02/2023 at 14:16, M_JG said:

They don't work with Android devices as in typical Apple fashion they are locked down to their overpriced 'ecosystem'.

 

 

I'm afraid you get what you pay for. My last Apple laptop lasted 8 years before I needed to replace the battery and it would still support the then current version of MacOS. Not bad for £999.

 

On 15/02/2023 at 16:18, ditchcrawler said:

So if you had one on the boat, and the toerag who stole your boat has an Iphone it will hell him someone is stalking him down the canal?

 

That would seem to be a potential disadvantage.

 

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, George and Dragon said:

I have the same reaction when I see the word Microsoft.

 

Me too, that is why I run Linux. I got fed up with "new" operating systems every couple of years or so that cost loads and often won't run your existing software, so that involves even more expense. Then they started their "rent your software" scam, that w as the end for me.

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

I'm afraid you get what you pay for. My last Apple laptop lasted 8 years before I needed to replace the battery and it would still support the then current version of MacOS. Not bad for £999.

 

My daughters mac book mini lasted less time than the Acer Notebook I had at the time and my iPhone 5 suffered from the common problem they had of a detached screen after about 6 months. Put me off paying for over priced devices.

 

I'm afraid I don't buy (literally) into the whole 'Apple things are the best mantra'.

 

Pound for pound in my experience and opinion they do not offer VFM, but to their credit that are a marketing triumph.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2023 by M_JG

[George and Dragon]

1 hour ago, M_JG said:

 

My daughters mac book mini lasted less time than the Acer Notebook I had at the time and my iPhone 5 suffered from the common problem they had of a detached screen after about 6 months. Put me off paying for over priced devices.

 

I'm afraid I don't buy (literally) into the whole 'Apple things are the best mantra'.

 

Pound for pound in my experience and opinion they do not offer VFM, but to their credit that are a marketing triumph.

 

Mac book mini? Not a model I've heard of. Your phone would have still been under warranty - did you not bother getting it mended?

 

Like you I can only speak from personal experience and I've not had a lemon yet. Mind you, I am wearing out the battery on my phone quite rapidly due to running a VPN all the time.

The other advantage I find is if you have a problem then you can see a 'genius' in person and they'll sort it out even long after the warranty has expired. Best one was I took my 92 yr old neighbour's iPad2 in for some reason (she uses Facetime to talk to her children who are all in Oz) and left an hour later with all issues sorted. No charge. 3 years ago, I cannot remember what the issue was.

[Jim Riley]

On 15/02/2023 at 12:26, MtB said:

Maybe an explanation of what an "airtag" is, would be a courtesy to those of us who are mystified (and CBA to google!)

You can just untie the string from one of your new fangled 2 tins and string communication device, tie that end to your boat and you'll get a tug if it moves. Or, set a pigeon trap in reverse, so the pigeon is released to come and alert you when the boat moves. 

Edited February 17, 2023 by Jim Riley