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Apple Introduces AirTag

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Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#751

Post by angry_octet »

function_seven wrote: post #647
angry_octet wrote: post #642

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But you don't permanently see them, because the ID rolls over quite often to prevent tracking the beacon. Conceivably the beacons co-operate in preventing tracking by conversing with iPhones nearby to store a random code supplied by the phone for a period of time, and allowing any iDevice to ask for the list. If your iDevice sees the same random code it transmitted to a stranger beacon appear in multiple time periods…

My guess was simpler. If the phone sees a random tag for 30 minutes, then coincidentally that tag disappears but a new one shows up--for 30 minutes--and this keeps happening, then it's probably the same tag that's following you around. Especially if it's always about X meters away, or whatever. Random tags passing by wouldn't maintain the same distance or RSSI, and they wouldn't be spaced perfectly apart in time eith…

I can see how that might work, but signal reception is always noisy. I doubt RSSI would be a reliable measure. You could partially wrap the AirTag in a scrunch of alfoil and it would mean every movement of the phone would massively change the reception, it would look like a variable distance.

Also, I wonder if it is a fixed time with no overlap? Because you could certainly track someone, eg through a shopping centre, by seeing when a beacon turns off and then listening to new beacons. Correlation would be trivial. And if the e.g. 30m clock is accurate then you could reidentify hours later by just listening to the rollover time, so they would have to vary the rollover at least.

I wonder about false alarms, because you can easily sit on commuter train for an hour and have someone next to you, even more so for long distance travel.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#752

Post by stunt »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #267
crazygringo wrote: post #71

I thought one of the big use cases for this was to track stolen items, like a backpack or maybe even a bicycle. But the "anti-stalking" feature will notify someone if an AirTag they don't own appears to be traveling with them. Does this render it useless for anti-theft, then? Since it will just notify a thief that the bike they just stole is being tracked, and they can look for the AirTag and throw it in the nearest…

Not all thieves are smart. In fact I would hazard to say most are not.

They don't all have to be smart.

A few smart thieves will share the tricks. Probably many smart peoples are even going to try building detector devices.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#754

Post by maaaaattttt »

calsy wrote: post #513
habibur wrote: post #16

> AirTag is designed for over a year’s worth of battery life with everyday use. The CR2032 battery is user-replaceable and widely available. Replacement batteries are sold separately. That's the piece of information I wanted to know first. Devices like this can be built, but those can't run on batteries for a reasonable time frame. Apple made it practical.

In Australia roughly 20 kids per week present to emergency having swallowed or inserted a button battery and in several cases many have tragically died. It is an agonising death over a period of days/weeks for the child and horrible for the parents to witness. Many times both the parents and medical professionals don't realise what is actually happening to the child until it is too late. There is growing support for…

I wonder if (and I wish) battery producers could use the same "coating" as the Nintendo Switch cartridges. They taste disgusting and greatly reduce the risk of having a child swallowing them.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#756

Post by yarcob »

Spivak wrote: post #496
eli wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tile has been complaining for some time that their products are flaky because new iOS privacy measures prevent them from accessing location data while running in the background, even if the user sets the app permission to "always allow." https://9to5mac.com/2020/04/02/apple-breaking-promises/

I mean this doesn't seem that bad? I share my location with my SO with Google Maps and every so often my phone pops up a thing that's like "hey you wanna keep doing that?", I tap yes, and move on. I do the same with Tile. I've never had flakiness with Google's implementaion on iOS. What does Tile need in the background that keeps it from working?

Apple's own apps don't ask if you want to keep letting them access your location.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#757

Post by chid »

sydd wrote: post #724
dghlsakjg wrote: post #465

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A CR2032 (disposable) has 2x-4x (200 mah under ideal conditions, compared to 40 mah) the capacity of the same sized LR2032 (rechargeable), and is more stable over a long period of time. In addition there is the necessity of additional charging circuitry, and I'm not sure how small they can physically make the charging antenna. Lithium rechargeable would mean higher price, larger size for equivalent specs, with an add…

Instead now we get millions of CR2032 batteries thrown into the garbage each day :/ Anything with non-chargeable batteries is a no go from sustainability perspective

you could get them as a re-chargeable (though it would likely be more waste to buy a recharger) - but I mean even rechargeable batteries are also consumables

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#759

Post by CraneWorm »

OkGoDoIt wrote: post #215
crazygringo wrote: post #71

I thought one of the big use cases for this was to track stolen items, like a backpack or maybe even a bicycle. But the "anti-stalking" feature will notify someone if an AirTag they don't own appears to be traveling with them. Does this render it useless for anti-theft, then? Since it will just notify a thief that the bike they just stole is being tracked, and they can look for the AirTag and throw it in the nearest…

I wonder how this works in practice? My main use for an AirTag would be to put on my cat’s collar. But if it starts beeping randomly that’s going to be a problem.

please, just keep your cat at home
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