Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Find My Device on Android

blog.google

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 332 posts

Re: Find My Device on Android

#61

Post by daghamm »

ryandvm wrote: post #27
MarkusWandel wrote: post #19

Ironically, yesterday my wife couldn't find her phone while we were at a restaurant. Is it at home? Well, let's try this. Google it, go to http://android.com/find Ah, but it only shows devices logged into my account. Well, let's log into hers. Which required 2FA from... her device. Sooo useful.

Yeah, this seems like such an incredibly obvious oversight. Like... I know how it goes with fuzzy requirements, but who didn't nail down the acceptance criteria that the user should be able to trigger Find My Phone without 2FA.

Please don't. If you have 2FA, it should always be active. No exceptions.

Hackers were able to steal private photos of half of Hollywood in 2014 because someone at Apple decided that 2FA is not needed for one particular iCloud function.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#62

Post by ianburrell »

wolverine876 wrote: post #52
CobrastanJorji wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same question here. I have to assume this would either work by the device sending out a last gasp "I'm about to die" GPS location call home (for finding it when it's far away), or else there's a mostly passive RFID-like thing in the phone that makes it findable by nearby devices (for finding it when it's somewhere in the house/car/office with you).

How much energy would be needed to power a minimal wireless network node, of some sufficient capability, for let's say 1 day? Any IoT devs out there?

If it is using a similar technology to AirTags, then it could broadcast signal for a long time on remaining battery. Even Bluetooth can do months on coin cell battery.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#63

Post by sudosysgen »

modeless wrote: post #26
sudosysgen wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see why UWB should have anything to do with the Find My network. It's something the tag manufacturer would add separately. Since UWB range is lower than BLE range, the Find My network would get you close enough and then the manufacturer's app would enable you to use UWB. So the answer is, whenever a manufacturer thinks it's worth including in the tag.

According to this article you use Google's "Find My Device" app to find tags, not the manufacturer's app. Google's app needs to support UWB tags and display appropriate direction finding UI. Like Apple's has for years.

It doesn't have to, and you don't have to. There is zero reason why you can't just have the UWB direction finding UI in a different app, even should they not add the hook. The UI/UX change between map oriented passive direction finding from anywhere in the world and camera oriented UWB direction finding only when you're within range is very sharp.

If it could eventually do it within the app that could be pretty neat, but even if it doesn't and just has a button to open the manufacturer's app - just like it currently does to open the maps app - it would be basically as good.

Alternatively, the manufacturer's app can just show a notification to get you into the UWB UI when active proximity mode is enabled and when you are within UWB range.

Apple isn't the only manufacturer to do UWB, and Samsung's UX is pretty similar to this and works just as well.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#64

Post by progbits »

MarkusWandel wrote: post #19

Ironically, yesterday my wife couldn't find her phone while we were at a restaurant. Is it at home? Well, let's try this. Google it, go to http://android.com/find Ah, but it only shows devices logged into my account. Well, let's log into hers. Which required 2FA from... her device. Sooo useful.

I understand your frustration, and device sharing is obviously a missing useful feature.

But I absolutely don't want it to work without 2FA, and if your only 2FA is your phone you have other problems.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#65

Post by topherclay »

someplaceguy wrote: post #38
otachack wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One way is to support orgs like EFF that push for policy change to force Google and other powers-that-be to give you fine grain control.

So you're saying that it's not possible to do what I asked, currently. And judging by the other comments in this thread ATM (with one possible exception), nobody seems to care...

These seems like the most interesting thing to come from the post and every time you refresh the comments you will see more people asking about this feature.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#66

Post by saurik »

thebruce87m wrote: post #44
saurik wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AirTags only come in a single size and shape that only makes sense for larger container objects. Tile makes a flat credit-card sized variant that you can slide in your wallet, and the adapters required to put an AirTag on a keychain is pretty ridiculous in comparison to the tiny variants you can get from Tile with a built-in hole for this purpose. (Also: AFAIK the "large"--not really, in comparison to the AirTag + ad…

While technically true, there are non-AirTag third-party devices you can buy that still work with Find My: https://www.macrumors.com/guide/find-my-network-accessory-pr... Both variants you list are supported by Chipolo: https://chipolo.net/en/products/category/chipolo-spot

That's cool! I am looking at this and seeing another issue with AirTag: I actively use the feature on Tile where I can use the Tile on my keychain to find my phone by pushing the button, and I guess AirTags is entirely missing that feature.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#67

Post by bnc319 »

Scene_Cast2 wrote: post #11

Would anyone have details on how Pixels can be found even when out of battery?

I'm guessing this works exactly the same way as Apple's "Findable After Power Off" feature [1]. If the phone "dies" the battery still has some reserve to display the "charging needed" screen when the power button is pushed, along with sending location. Additionally, it can use the Find My network [2] where other devices that are powered on can relay the proximity device's location using their own location.

1. https://www.theverge.com/22697218/iphone-apple-ios-15-find-m... 2. https://developer.apple.com/find-my/

Re: Find My Device on Android

#69

Post by saurik »

madeofpalk wrote: post #40
saurik wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AirTags only come in a single size and shape that only makes sense for larger container objects. Tile makes a flat credit-card sized variant that you can slide in your wallet, and the adapters required to put an AirTag on a keychain is pretty ridiculous in comparison to the tiny variants you can get from Tile with a built-in hole for this purpose. (Also: AFAIK the "large"--not really, in comparison to the AirTag + ad…

Kind of. Apple's Find My network is open to third party accessory makers. Here's a card-shaped one https://chipolo.net/en/products/chipolo-card-spot I don't believe third party accessories support the compass-style precision finding though.

Thanks! For the card-shaped one I might actually try that one out and switch. I actually was just adding a thing to my comment about how the location finding thing is certainly useful but not as good as a loud speaker as it doesn't support a Z axis for some silly reason, so I don't really care. But, honestly, the flat versions of the Tile have an issue where the speaker wires can get broken slightly by flexing in the wallet (I took one apart to diagnose this once) and so I could see trying a competitor, as this is the same thickness!!

Re: Find My Device on Android

#70

Post by flotzam »

wolverine876 wrote: post #46

> thanks to specialized Pixel hardware, Pixel 8 and 8 Pro owners will also be able to find their devices if they’re powered off or the battery is dead. This suggests there is separate hardware with its own power and network capabilities, designed for location tracking, designed to be always on. Is there a way to disable it?

FWIW, "It won't be supported by GrapheneOS. (...) Bluetooth still has to be configured and enabled by the OS to make it work that way."

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/11520-android-find-my-devic...

Post reply on HN