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Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

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Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#461

Post by lynndotpy »

singularity2001 wrote: post #117
kwanbix wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can see it in AirTags, but, haven't used AirPods myself, what is so "magical" about them? Also, my understanding is that AirTags are only usable if you have an iPhone, am I wrong?

That just work. I know it sounds simple but if you have been burned by Bluetooth devices before again and again get unburned by AirPods. Also, they stick in my ear even though all other headsets with cable fell out. I don´t know how

This is the opposite of my experience. AirPods refusing to connect, randomly disconnecting, pressing "pause" on my phone only to have "play" instead invoke Apple Music on my Mac, and so forth. There are tons of "smart" features built into these that make the experience worse than I've had on normal, bluetooth headphones.

When it works, they at least connect with little friction. That's nice. The real value is in the very good noise-cancellation and battery life.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#462

Post by tkcranny »

Lwrless wrote: post #457

I'm kind of the opposite use case: I own four AirTags, keep them in different bags and suitcases, and I've literally never needed them. I don't lose any luggage or bags, so most of the time they just sit there quietly burning those CR2032s. For me they've ended up feeling more like they are preventing me from anxiety than doing something that actually changes my life day to day...

I don’t lose bags either, but airlines do. The AirTag let me tell United which building in Houston in ended up in (after getting lost at SFO), and refute their gaslighting multiple times that it was heading my way. Worth its weight in gold, literally.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#463

Post by tshaddox »

blazarquasar wrote: post #305
tshaddox wrote: post #288

It sounds like the external dimensions are going to be exactly the same or nearly so. I'm hoping the battery compartment is also identical so that third-party mounting and extended battery packs continue to work. I recently picked up a few of these extended battery packs and it would be nice to eventually upgrade the AirTag if the extended range turns out to be meaningful. They're pretty neat, you remove the battery…

Their description does say “Works with AirTag generation 1 & 2.” Thanks for putting me on to these. Really clever products. I always feel stupid with my airtag dangling off of my camera.

Great! I scanned the page when I posted that comment, so I either missed it or they were just about to update it.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#464

Post by internet2000 »

jsheard wrote: post #10
logicalfails wrote: post #6

> The new AirTag is designed with the environment in mind, with 85 percent recycled plastic in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled gold plating in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards. The paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based and can be easily recycled. I'm no material scientist, but this seems pretty impressive to me that Apple's economy of scal…

Building an attachment point into the tag itself is still beyond current technology though. We just don't know how to do it.

You're getting a ton of jokey replies, in true internet fashion, but the real answer is acoustics. For it to sound as loud as it can with no visible speaker grille, it needs to be that shape with no keyring holes.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#465

Post by thomc »

djoldman wrote: post #448
tdb7893 wrote: post #436

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My experience with large police departments in the US is that they either don’t have the time or the inclination to deal with small property claims. Some people tried to steal cars (including mine) in my neighborhood in Chicago, we had them on video and they were still in the area and the police didn't do anything. Large police departments also generally won't really do much. Though my friend in Houston did have the…

Next time, try reporting that a crime is currently in progress. Emphasize that it is happening as you speak . Also say that you're thinking of intervening personally. That usually gets them going.

My one and only experience of dealing with the police in the US was when I was visiting NYC. A tourist was being attacked on the subway because he was taking pictures and since we were still at the platform I jumped out and told 2 officers further down the platform what was going on. I expected them to sprint into action, but they could not have cared less and casually strolled along towards the carriage!

In a similar vain I was the first on the scene of a car crash in the UK, where the driver had exited the vehicle through the window (no seat belt) and was bleeding in the road. When the police turned up they casually and slowly walked up the road towards the scene.

It made me wonder if there was a good reason for this, like to control adrenaline, make better decisions, have time to assess the situation. Or if they were just jaded from seeing it a lot.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#466

Post by whateveracct »

aikinai wrote: post #394
JKCalhoun wrote: post #366

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lived in the Bay Area for over two decades. Yeah, leaving a visible item in your car is just bait for the smash-and-grab crowd. It sucks but once you know it, it would be like thinking you can just leave your wallet sitting on a counter.

You can also do that in high-functioning societies. In Japan people leave their purses, phones, etc to hold their seat before ordering in a café, going to the bathroom, etc.

In Japan, they also had to segregate subways by sex to deter groping. And the men just got on the woman cars anyways.

High-functioning society lol.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#467

Post by exabrial »

fartfeatures wrote: post #428
JoshTko wrote: post #420

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The challenge is how you prevent such features being abused by like stalkers

Whitelisting law enforcement so when the owner of the air tag declares it stolen nobody other than a whitelisted law enforcement org could view its location and when they did that creates an audit log?

^ exactly.

And since the user has the original key, it'd have to be voluntary surrender. After you turn your key in, you lose access.

The best part is the whole thing could be reviewable and added to a public immutable ledger, encrypted, to make the whole process, transition, and access transparent for courts later. Wouldn't it be great if more investigations happened that way?

And if you don't trust law enforcement, thats your prerogative, no need to use the feature.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#468

Post by jval43 »

Brajeshwar wrote: post #107
ishtanbul wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this is the smallest attachment loop i've found. It's rock solid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CPTS8JG?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_...

I use quite a few varieties, including Apple's, and I have found Belkin’s to be an ideal one — small, secure, with a minimal footprint, and available with a keyring or a lanyard. https://www.belkin.com/p/secure-holder-with-key-ring-for-air...

Yes, these are the best of the bunch. Sturdy too, have had one on my keychain for years now.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#469

Post by bruckie »

port11 wrote: post #265
ahoka wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is just green washing on the level of “93.65% natural ingredients”.

What level of materials recycling would be required for you to not consider it green washing? It’s a genuine question, since I don’t like Apple and agree that we buy tons of stuff we don’t really need. That said, our bicycles can’t be insured anymore, but having AirTags at least alleviates some of the angst over leaving them in public places.

If you believe Hank Green (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=325HdQe4WM4), a lot of recycled plastics aren't recycled the way I used to think they were (by shredding them, melting them down, and extruding them into new shapes). Rather, they're chemically decomposed into what's essentially raw feedstock, purified, and then re-synthesized into new polymers.

That's pretty energy intensive, to the point that it may be better to just use new feedstock (which is produced as a byproduct of oil and gas extraction). There are obviously higher-order effects to think about, but for me, plastic recycling isn't an obvious win for the environment.

Re: Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findability

#470

Post by DeathArrow »

pnw wrote: post #318

Unfortunately the anti-stalking features have made Airtag mostly useless for theft prevention. You have less than an hour to retrieve your item before the tag alerts the thief they are being tracked. I've seen it trigger as quickly as 30 minutes.

It is morally wrong to stalk the thieves.
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