Tile, the company famous for its Bluetooth tracking gadgets, is selling itself to Life360 for $205 million. The move comes just six months after Tile was forced to face its toughest competition yet — Apple’s popular AirTag.
Life360, which offers a family safety service, said the Tile acquisition will allow it to “provide a unique and all-encompassing solution for finding the people, pets and things.” The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022.
Apple is offering customers up to $200 back in Apple Store gift cards when they buy eligible products this Black Friday. Its four-day shopping event runs from November 26, and you can enjoy in in-store, online, and over the phone.
Find out what you’ll get back on certain products right here.
Apple’s new iOS 15.2 beta gives iPhone and iPad users the option to scan for nearby AirTags and Find My devices that may be tracking their movements.
The beta adds a new “Items That Can Track Me” button to the Find My app. Tapping it will display a list of “Unknown Items” — if there are any nearby. The app then provide users with instructions on how to disable anything that shows up.
The new generation of Tile trackers for 2021 offer sleeker new designs, increased range, a louder ring and a new way for lost items to be found and returned.
Tile has had to step up its game now that it faces competition from Apple AirTag.
iPhone users should install the latest system software update because it fixes a collection of bugs. Monday’s release of iOS 15.0.2 takes care of images that couldn’t be deleted, problems with AirTag and iPhone Leather Wallet, and more. More significantly, it (and a related iPadOS update) deals with a device restore/update issue with iPhone 13 and the new iPad mini. If you’re unsure whether your AirTag is up to date, you can check the current AirTag firmware version to stay on track.
Tablet users can install iPadOS 15.0.2, which also came out Monday.
Apple’s AirTag trackers are great. With one little device, suddenly you don’t have to worry about your lost wallet or misplaced keys.
However, these circular devices are just about useless for most applications unless you add an AirTag accessory that holds the tracker in place. You could always duct-tape one to your backpack and claim it’s shabby chic, but … yeah, no. Luckily, we have some fun cases and accessories specially made for AirTags on sale right now, and you should take a look.
If you’d like a distinctively cute case for your favorite earbuds and an extra layer of security, you might try the new Elago Snapshot Cover for AirPods Pro. It makes the case look like a tiny camera with an AirTag for a lens.
SwitchEasy recently kicked off its big Back to School sale, giving you 15% off its wide range of cases for iPhone and iPad, new MagSafe mounts, and lots more. Prices start at just $11.04, but the discount ends soon.
Enjoy it today before it disappears!
If you have a dog that runs away or just doesn’t listen, this week’s giveaway is for you. The CollarTrek dog collar securely holds an AirTag in place, making sure Fido’s location is easily trackable at all times.
Keep your dog safe and sound by entering this week’s giveaway. Enter and you could win one of four CollarTrek Leather AirTag dog collars.
UPDATE 7/8/21: Elago’s brilliant AirTag keychain is now available in new colors — stone, lavender and dark gray — and its price tag has been lowered from $15.99 to $11.99.
Make your AirTag infinitely more useful by combining it with an Elago Case keychain and attaching it to almost anything.
Made from sturdy silicone that keeps your AirTag protected at all times, the case also features a built-in clip that can be easily attached to any bag, coat, bicycle, and more. It’s also affordable at under $12.
The Cult of Mac Store just kicked off its big Fourth of July sale, offering 15% off all items when you spend $50 or more.
Take your pick from some of the best iPhone, iPad and AirPods cases, stands, Apple Watch bands and more — all hand-picked and approved by members of the Cult of Mac team.
The offer ends today, so enjoy it while you can!
The beauty of Apple AirTags is that the tracking tags attach to your valuables and allow you to find them with your iPhone, from anywhere. But that also means your AirTags are constantly on the move — and vulnerable to damage.
That’s why anyone who invested in an AirTag needs a solid case to keep it protected. One of the best is this Apple AirTag Protector Case, which is on sale right now for just $14.95. That’s a 50% discount off the regular price of $29.
Apple moved to address many of the privacy concerns raised after the release of AirTags. The item trackers launched with anti-stalking features, but a new firmware update is tightening them up further.
AirTags will start more quickly warning people if they’re being used to follow someone. And an Android app that can detect these trackers is in development.
Keep your AirTag protected and secured to almost anything with the simple, stylish and affordable SwitchEasy Skin.
Made from sturdy silicone, the Skin is non-toxic and environmentally friendly. It shows off both sides of your AirTag while allowing you to easily attach it to backpacks, purses, suitcases and more.
Bag yours today for as little as $12.99.
The Chipolo One Spot is the strongest rival for Apple’s new AirTag. Both can access the Apple Find My network for locating lost objects. But the One Spot has better range, and is easier to attach. And there’s more.
I’ve tested both these trackers. Here’s why I prefer Chipolo’s over Apple’s.
Snapback Slim Air is a slender leather wallet with a pocket on the side that holds an AirTag. If you want to keep tabs on your credit cards and cash with one of Apple’s new wireless trackers, it provides an elegant-looking solution.
“It’s handcrafted in the USA, made from premium Italian leather, and stays slim with the unique design/cutout for the AirTag,” said Nick Augeri, who launched the project Monday on Kickstarter, in an email to Cult of Mac.
Apple products have always cost a premium, but they’re also some of the best-made devices and products that you’ll find. Most of the time, at least.
9to5Mac points out that all three of Apple’s Hermès AirTag Key Rings and Luggage Tags are listed as “Currently Unavailable” on Apple’s website, regardless of which option users try to select. It also cites a reader who suggests a quality issue could be to blame.
Of all the items that get misplaced regularly in my home, the TV remote has got to rank up there as number one. Other items, such as keys and wallet, may have a smaller footprint, but for whatever reason it’s the TV remote which constantly winds up going MIA.
With Apple redesigning the hated Siri Remote for its 2021 Apple TV 4K, you’d think it would be the perfect time to add some kind of tracking functionality to the device. After all, Apple’s just introduced AirTag, its location-tracking smart tech which promises to help you locate those hard-to-find with impressive accuracy.
Surely Apple could have squeezed its U1 Precision Tracking tech into the revamped Siri Remote? Apparently not. And according to a somewhat cryptic comment by Tim Twerdahl, Apple’s vice president of product marketing for home and audio, it’s to do with it being too thick. Or something.
AirTag’s diminutive size and lack of ability to attach to anything out of the box means that it’s ironically easy to lose. Locating one that goes missing shouldn’t be too difficult, but if yours is proving hard to find, you might want to put it into Lost Mode.
If your AirTag is found by someone else, it will be possible for them to contact you and return your device — and anything it might be attached to — if it’s in Lost Mode. We’ll show you how to use it.
The Apple AirTag tracker will be a huge hit, if a new survey of iPhone and iPad users is correct. More than 60% of respondents said they planned to buy the accessory.
Most people in the survey said they were satisfied with AirTag’s $29.99 price. But they were mostly drawn to the item tracker because it’s tied into Apple’s global Find My network.
A Florida man allegedly used an iPhone as a makeshift tracking device, attaching it with magnets to the car of a man he intended to rob, then using it to follow him to a party at a nearby apartment. Suspect Derrick Maurice Herlong and an unnamed accomplice then robbed the man and fatally shot another person, Orlando police said.
An intrepid do-it-yourselfer disassembled Apple’s new AirTag and rebuilt it into something slim enough to fit into a wallet.
Watch his video with step-by-step instructions for following in his footsteps — if you dare.
AirTag owners have discovered a hidden debug mode inside the Find My app on iPhone. It offers more detailed information on your tracker and allows you to customize the Precision Finding interface.
We’ll show you how to enable it on iOS 14.5 or later.
AirTag, like many Apple devices, is automatically linked to your Apple ID when you set it up for the first time. If you plan to sell one or give it away, you will first need to remove it from your account with a factory reset.
We’ll show you how.
It it “frighteningly easy” to use Apple’s location-tracking AirTag to stalk somebody, a new report suggests.
While Apple says it’s been careful to incorporate anti-stalking measures to stop the AirTags from being used in this way, a Washington Post columnist says Apple’s countermeasures are not effective.