Airtag Alternative for Android on a Budget

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  nowlan on 14/10/2021 - 17:28

  Samsung have their version.

  I think zoneoftech on youtube has a good shootout.
  The tiles and Samsung dont call home often enough from memory.

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  JimmyF on 14/10/2021 - 17:45

  Could I go for the super cheap offerings on Aliexpress?

  Go either Tile or the Samsung version. You need the 'network' of devices to detect the bluetooth tracker.

  So while all these aliexpress ones are mega cheap, unless other uses are using them there will be no devices around to 'find' the tag if lost, making them cheap but useless.

  Tile can be picked up by any iphone/android device with the tile app installed.

  I have a tile in my luggage, there is always someone at the airport with the tile app on their device, so if my luggage went to the wrong location, I have a rough idea of where it went! Not that we travel any more, but you get the idea.

  I was really hoping Google would buy Tile and merge it into Android, so every android device becomes a locator like Apple did with the iPhone.

  The best tracker isn't always the cheapest one, but the one that has the network so it can be found.

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    No on 14/10/2021 - 17:47

    Thanks, I am leaning towards the tile.

    Which one do you have?

    Is it reliable calling it from the phone?

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      JimmyF on 14/10/2021 - 19:33

      Being in luggage, I went the slightly thicker one with a replaceable battery. Range like all bluetooth devices is nowhere near what they claim, more like 10-15m, it depends on what is between you and the tile, but yes pushing either the button on the device or locating the tile from my phone within that range works ok.

      I guess it comes down more to what will you be tracking?

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        No on 14/10/2021 - 19:37

        Mostly just my keys and things like that.

        I have bought 2 of the tile 2020 stickers with the jbhifi / latitude deal so Ill find out if they work for me pretty soon.

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          dualcore on 10/09/2023 - 13:33

          @No: They’re great. Not as good as AirTag but definitely happy camper.

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      safrane on 15/10/2021 - 20:50

      When you're buying the more expensive trackers (like the Tile) you're buying the software, not the hardware. Tile is generally the best, the cheap ones just cause endless grief when you need them to work.

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  BLAIL on 14/10/2021 - 20:00

  I bought these ones https://mytag.com.au/pages/mytag-bluetooth-trackers

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  No on 14/10/2021 - 21:31

  +1

  Ended up buying a whole bunch of tiles from the Latitude deal, thanks for everyones help.

  Jbhifi 2 x Tile sticker $45
  Harvey Norman 1 x Tile Pro, 1 x Tile Slim, 1 x TIle Mate, 2 x Tile Sticker $110

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    taradavey on 29/08/2023 - 15:10

    Hey! What do you think of your Tile trackers? Is there many tiles on the network? And if there is, are you regional or city?
    Thanks :)

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      No on 29/08/2023 - 16:14

      Hey, for finding in my house or for letting me know when my bag is about to appear at the airport baggage carousel they work great. I haven't had to rely on the network yet and I suspect it'll be very poor. Im going to replace them with the google ones when they come out.

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  taradavey on 31/08/2023 - 11:20

  Thank you for that response, and is the bluetooth range far?

  I'm thinking about getting them for my pets because I am android as well and airtag wont work, but obviously worried about the lack of network.

  Thanks :)

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    No on 31/08/2023 - 11:32

    I'm really not sure to be honest. It works throughout my small house and I'll see a bag arriving on the tile app very shortly before I see the bag at the airport so I would say the range is minimal. For your pets I really don't think Tile would have the range and are more suited to finding your keys in your house.

    Google's find my network is coming soon so I'd be looking at those if you can wait: https://9to5google.com/2023/05/10/android-find-my-device-tra…

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      taradavey on 31/08/2023 - 14:14

      Sure, thank you! That definitely answers my question about Tile.

      I already use google Find My Device for my phone, smart watch, and headphones, so that's amazing.
      Thanks for linking that! I've somehow missed that in my googling haha.

      That article has linked some cool looking trackers, too!

      Thanks again :)