"Compact and easy to attach to anything, Tile Mate goes wherever you go. Small, durable and lightweight, it's perfect for attaching to keys, luggage, backpacks and more."
Mod Note: This is the model without replaceable battery. Replaceable version can be found here - Credits to potplanty
Not having a choice but to throw it away to landfill after 12-13 months because the battery dies is just terrible. That's a no from me
Apparently they have a "reTile" program which means they'll sell you a new one at a discounted price and take the old one back to recycle (they claim 99% of the Tiles are recyclable). Besides, this model does have a replaceable battery.
Thanks for the correction. I was reading the JB hifi reviews.
Should of googled :)
https://support.thetileapp.com/hc/en-us/articles/36000944683…
Actually I was wrong. As Domingo pointed out below, only the 2018 model has a replaceable battery which this is not. This is the earlier version and does not have a replaceable battery.
Should've*
It's not too hard to replace the battery in this non battery replaceable model. I managed to open mine up by giving it a small whack with a tiny screw driver and hammer on all 4 sides and it popped open. Inside is a CR2025 that is glued in but can be popped out and replaced.
I did that but I couldn't get the Tile Mate to re-connect. Also the piezo speaker doesn't work when you press the button. Dunno if it was because I screwed it up when popping it apart or if there's inbuilt coding to prevent you from replacing the battery in certain generations.
The new model of the Tile Mate has a replaceable battery, however it's unclear from the website if these are the new or old model. Given that it doesn't mention the replaceable battery which is a selling point, I'm guessing old model.
Yeah you're right. Item code shows this is the old model without replaceable.
Also the model with the replaceable battery has a dark grey line around the edge of the circle for the key ring. The picture definitely shows the old model.
They have a separate item page for one with replaceable battery so I'm guessing this is the old one that doesn't have a replaceable battery?
Correct.
They'll last a little more than a year. have used these ones in the past.
Is this still trackable if it's not within bluetooth range?
No
Unless it's near someone else with the Tile App and uses the 'Tile Community' feature
Ok, thanks
Looks like there is an old Tile Mate and a new Tile Mate. The old Tile Mate did not have a replaceable battery, whereas the new one does.
This may be the old Tile Mate without a replaceable battery (looking at reviews, the replaceable battery version appears to have a darker grey circle around the logo).
Edit: heh, in the time it took me to look this up, numerous people already posted with the same information above!
I saw a review on those cheapo bluetooth tracker.
Apparently can ring ur phone if u lose it or make a beeping sound if you lose your keys - seems quite good for home.
It Seems useless for longer term tracking….
BUT I could (and hopefully) are wrong….
Anyone every use these?
it WONT ALLOW you to replace the battery.
Yeah I read a review in store and found that this was the one without the replaceable battery after buying… I've already bought it now, so OK whatever. That's what I get for not doing my research..
I guess I'll see how much i use it over a year and attempt to replace the battery myself as it looks simple enough or might consider buying a pro if I use it a lot.
I’ve had the old pro style for about a month or so, nice hardware, good functionality.. Software’s pretty invasive though but I spose you have to expect that. Still useful if you shut off all the cruft.
I have the new Pro with replaceable battery… I put it in my suitcase when I fly with checked luggage. It's handy. You get an alert when you're on the plane saying its nearby (when they loading it onto the plane) and I get an alert when I'm waiting for the bags to come out before I even see it saying its nearby :)
This is a fantastic idea
Don't buy without replaceable battery. Money down the toilet.
What do folks use these for out of interest?
For me I quite commonly leave my keys somewhere around the house that I can't find/see so playing a sound would be good.
The other thing is it can also ring my phone if I have my keys which I also leave around the house.
I imagine the app kills your battery pretty bad, with Bluetooth on and searching for your (and other ppls) tiles?
It's BTLE so it's very low consumption.
I have a Tile I bought in April 2017 and it's still going strong, so that's what 3 cents a day?
Bluetooth 5.1 looks like it's going to make these sort of things really useful, multiple antennas for better directional location tracking.
i know it says its not replaceable but can solder a new one or something
It doesn't need to be soldered, but glued in..
Can i use this on my old man when he wanders around in the mall? i keep losing sight of him
Let him enjoy a bit.
This one would be 30M, the 2018 version is 45M.
Are these waterproof? I want to put a tracker on my bin so I can get a reminder in the morning of bin day if it has not been put out.
(ie, monitor BLE power level in HA)
How many people actually have the app installed? It depends entirely on enough people in your region participating in crowdsourcing their location. So you need the app, and give the app permission to constantly track your location and scan for other people's tiles. Not good for battery life.
They need to make one that can go on glasses somehow either within the glasses or some really easy screw on that is unnoticeable because I keep losing my glasses all the the time and forget where to find them.
For mobiles and wallets and even keys I am good but glasses I seem to always forget them and I am wearing some $200 aud glasses so don't wanna lose these.
As these devices need a battery, they aren't ever going to be so small that they will be "unnoticeable". The devices are only slightly larger than the battery.
The best that can be achieved is to use a neck cord of the sort that stops you from dropping your glasses, and attach the tile to the cord so it dangles at the back of your neck, perhaps below your collar line if the cord is long enough.
That is actually pretty genius. Like some sort of string but with a weight.
Beware though: if you're driving a car, the tile may be pinned between the car seat and your body. If you turn your head, the cord might dislodge your glasses. Try it in a parked car first.
4 Pack w/replaceable batteries on Amazon (using Prime): $77
4x w/replaceable batteries on JBhifi: $159.80
https://www.amazon.com.au/Tile-Mate-Replaceable-Battery-Pack…
Might as well get the Pro version if you're looking to buy 4x locally, since it's $154 on Amazon and has twice the range (95m vs 45m).
Comparison chart:
https://support.thetileapp.com/hc/article_attachments/360014…
This guy did a distance test on an open field using Tile Pro and it still connected from 500ft (154m) distance, pretty impressive for Bluetooth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tfhgDsdP4
I bought 4 for $99 at Officeworks earlier this week.
https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/tile-mate-…
Thanks OP.
It's good that I know where my phone is.
For bike, I assume an embedded device would be more practical.
So can you replace the battery on this model or not? I'm not spending $20 on a piece of plastic that's useless after a year or whatever.
EDIT: Tile Mate and Tile Pro have replaceable batteries. However only the 2018 model of the Mate has a replaceable battery and this is NOT that version, hence non-replaceable.
Version with the replaceable battery is $39.95 and can be found here.