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Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

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Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#111

Post by ribosometronome »

TuringNYC wrote: post #52
rootusrootus wrote: post #8

I guess I don't get it. For the price of an AirTag, you can buy a more capable tracker with GPS and mobile data. And it won't be notifying the trackee that it's there. The AirTag seems like a downgrade.

Can you name some alternatives with a decent network? If the item has its own mobile network, i'm expecting an extra $20/mo for a phone plan (at which point, comparing to a fixed cost of an AirTag isnt valid.) If it doesnt have a mobile network and relies on the mesh, then, is there any mesh available? Apple's mesh is global and pervasive. And if it provides neither mobile support nor mesh, it isnt useful for anythin…

Yeah, looking on Amazon now, the ones referenced that are $29.99 or lower all seem to require an additional subscription. Obviously, AirTags require an Apple device, but still function with phones as old as the 6s, which can be had for under $100. So even assuming you want an AirTag and need to acquire a phone, the AirTags come out considerably cheaper after just a few months.

Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#112

Post by thebean11 »

errcorrectcode wrote: post #71

Anecdotal regional issue: I had an AirTag on my AirPod Pro's case that was stolen. I immediately notified Austin's police (APD) as I could see where it was going. Unfortunately, due to understaffing of 100-200 police officers and detectives, most calls unrelated to imminent threats of injury or death aren't being handle for days or ever. So, it's open-season on packages and property because APD can't or won't do its…

> ATX has the security measures of a third-world country

That's a pretty dramatic way to describe police not wanting to spend resources to get your $200 headphones back..

Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#114

Post by downrightmike »

tharne wrote: post #106
errcorrectcode wrote: post #71

Anecdotal regional issue: I had an AirTag on my AirPod Pro's case that was stolen. I immediately notified Austin's police (APD) as I could see where it was going. Unfortunately, due to understaffing of 100-200 police officers and detectives, most calls unrelated to imminent threats of injury or death aren't being handle for days or ever. So, it's open-season on packages and property because APD can't or won't do its…

Quoted post unavailable.

I wonder if we'll see higher civil asset forfeiture by police to make up for the funding loss.

Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#115

Post by ribosometronome »

aaomidi wrote: post #41
ribosometronome wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple gets a lot of focus on it that other companies do not. Ex. Headlines often focus on Apple when revealing some of Foxconn's worst labor practices. But stories about Foxconn using child labor to build Alexa devices, and the person who blew the whistle on that being tortured and put in jail for revealing it, went fairly under the radar in comparison. It's definitely a good thin that unethical labor practices being…

With more power, comes more responsibility. Apple is going to always be under the magnifying glass because they are just so much "bigger".

For sure. I meant to add that sort of sentiment but spaced. There is definitely a level of "poor Apple, lets break out the tiniest violin for them". It's hard to cry over the world's largest public corporation getting more scrutiny than some others.

Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#116

Post by chimeracoder »

everdrive wrote: post #107
errcorrectcode wrote: post #71

Anecdotal regional issue: I had an AirTag on my AirPod Pro's case that was stolen. I immediately notified Austin's police (APD) as I could see where it was going. Unfortunately, due to understaffing of 100-200 police officers and detectives, most calls unrelated to imminent threats of injury or death aren't being handle for days or ever. So, it's open-season on packages and property because APD can't or won't do its…

Quoted post unavailable.

> I wonder why they’re understaffed? Perhaps someone defunded them.

This meme keeps popping up without basis. No major city in the US actually decreased funding for the police overall in the last two years.

In this case, the APD budget for 2021-2022 was increased from $309.7 million (2020-2021) to $443 million, a whopping 43% increase.

Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#118

Post by alfalfasprout »

tharne wrote: post #106
errcorrectcode wrote: post #71

Anecdotal regional issue: I had an AirTag on my AirPod Pro's case that was stolen. I immediately notified Austin's police (APD) as I could see where it was going. Unfortunately, due to understaffing of 100-200 police officers and detectives, most calls unrelated to imminent threats of injury or death aren't being handle for days or ever. So, it's open-season on packages and property because APD can't or won't do its…

Quoted post unavailable.

Yeah, and notice how a good chunk of the people asking to defund the police are from already very safe neighborhoods or very young and never had to live through lots of crime. I'm all for police reforms (eg; body-cam requirements, more training) but the whole defund the police movement is downright dangerous.

Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#119

Post by duxup »

rootusrootus wrote: post #103
duxup wrote: post #60

Not a big surprise. I can buy a lot of things and modify it to do bad things. AirTag is an interesting choice as if you want to REALLY track someone I think an AirTag is a wonky choice. Very much a cheap-o 'best effort' kind of tracking.

I think AirTags are only the right choice for casual stalkers who haven't really thought their plan all the way through. Anybody who is properly motivated will easily find better options.

That and parents who only kinda want to track their kids bags ... mostly ... I guess.

Re: Silenced AirTags with disabled speakers are popping up for sale online

#120

Post by Tr3nton »

errcorrectcode wrote: post #71

Anecdotal regional issue: I had an AirTag on my AirPod Pro's case that was stolen. I immediately notified Austin's police (APD) as I could see where it was going. Unfortunately, due to understaffing of 100-200 police officers and detectives, most calls unrelated to imminent threats of injury or death aren't being handle for days or ever. So, it's open-season on packages and property because APD can't or won't do its…

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