Apple AirTags help track your lost items
Gadget can find bunnies, other things that hop away
When you’re a parent, it’s easy to lose things: your keys, your wallet, or Buttons.
The Buttons in this case don’t refer to fasteners for our clothes, but a stuffed bunny that has become a treasure in my household.
On occasion, bedtimes have been postponed because Buttons is missing, requiring a family manhunt (or bunny hunt).
So, clearly, I was curious when a stuffed animal popped up during Apple’s event introducing AirTags, a tiny device similar to Tile or Samsung’s Galaxy Smart Tags that could save its owners the stress of lost keys or sleep due to a missing stuffed animal.
I’ve been trying out AirTags for about a week, and for the most part, they are effective at keeping track of your items, stuffed or not.
Each AirTag costs $29, or you can buy a four-pack at retailers or Apple’s website for $99. You also can purchase a holders or key rings from $13 and $39.
The setup is pretty straightforward: Once you pull the plastic tab to activate the AirTags, you’ll get a prompt on your iPhone to connect. Then you can label them, with options such as keys, backpack, or whichever item you choose.
There are a couple of ways to keep the AirTag attached to your stuff. For backpacks or a wallet, you can just slip the AirTag inside.
Each AirTag is powered by a CR2032 replaceable coin cell battery. A quick twist of the back of your AirTag with both thumbs opens up the device to where the battery sits.
There’s the option to buy an AirTag loop. You slip the AirTag inside the holder then loop it around the strap of a backpack, for example.
AirTags are tracked using the iPhone’s Find My app. Next to Devices, where you can view the whereabouts of your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple products, there’s Items. The display will show a map and location of where your AirTagged item can be found.
The nice addition is AirTags include a Precision Finding option. Once you reached a certain distance from the item, the Find My app will shift from directions to Find. The device works within Bluetooth range. According to an Apple support page, your iPhone must be within 33 feet of the Bluetooth device.
When Find is on, you’ll see a green display pop up with an arrow and approximate distance away from your tagged item. As you get closer, the iPhone starts buzzing more strongly until you come right next to the AirTag. It proves useful if you lose something in between a couch cushion or under a blanket. The AirTag also lets users play a sound to alert them to its presence.
In one test, I left a set of keys with AirTag outside and walked away. With Find in use, I was able to reach roughly 40 to 50 feet before it lost a connection.
If you do lose something like keys, you can go to Find My and place it into Lost Mode. You’ll get notifications about the approximate location.
The AirTags also have features to prevent unwanted tracking. You get an alert saying an AirTag is traveling with you once you reach a significant location such as your home. However, reports suggest the Airtags could be too easily used for tracking or stalking.
For now, Buttons roams without an AirTag. Funny thing about stuffed animals: They don’t typically have pockets.