My Apple AirTags Are a Luggage Saver, and the Trackers Are 26% Off for Cyber Monday | Global News Avenue

When I returned from a trip to France this year, my travel bag had an extra day in Paris. How do I know? Thanks to the trusty Apple AirTags, I can see it on my iPhone. You can find lots of deals on these helpful little trackers for Cyber ​​Monday – Four-pack of AirTags now only $73.

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Until a few years ago, this seemed like a spy movie. The Apple AirTag in my suitcase uses a clever self-tracking method to detect its location from nearby iPhones and uses them to anonymously transmit the coordinates to a secure server where I can look it up on my iPhone.

Instead of wondering if my belongings were scattered on the tarmac or stuck on an abandoned luggage trolley, I could see in almost real time that my suitcase was still refrigerated at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. I calmly told the airline that my luggage didn’t make it for the flight, and the airline arranged for it to be delivered to me a few days later.

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Apple AirTags give you peace of mind

AirTags themselves are nothing. A 1.26-inch smooth round puck that looks like a glossy white mint that sinks into the bottom of a bag or hangs from a keychain (with a Keychain compatiblesold separately). It is destined to disappear.

Activating the AirTag was a simple process of pairing it with my iPhone. Then, since it obviously didn’t really do anything out of the box, I forgot about it.

But what if I can’t find my key next time? witchcraft. Not only did my iPhone tell me they were somewhere nearby, but it took me directly to them thanks to AirTag’s built-in ultra-wideband chip. Suddenly, all the time I used to spend retracing my steps and flipping over couch cushions felt like ancient history.

I now add AirTags to every important item I want to track: my everyday laptop bag, my camera backpack, my most used suitcase when traveling, my keychain, my car and A smaller sling bag that I take for walks. I can open the Find My app on any Apple device (or sign into iCloud on any web browser) and see where my items are and when the AirTags last registered their location.

AirTags aren’t just for my everyday items. People I know in the film industry tell me that AirTags are thrown into nearly every bag and Pelican crate, not only to ensure that the valuable equipment inside doesn’t get away, but to quickly differentiate equipment among similar-looking containers . Some of my friends also put AirTags on their pets’ collars (although Some experts say there are better ways to track pets).

AirTags are also useful for items you want to carry with you

To be sure, it was a relief to have my luggage detected a continent away. But on a local level, AirTags also trigger alerts when I get too far away. For example, if I accidentally leave my camera bag in the car while stopping somewhere for lunch, a “Find My” notification will appear telling me that I left my camera bag in the car. Works equally well for newer products AirPods The same goes for models.

Sharing is now an important part of AirTag tracking

I have two cars at home, but pairing the AirTags in the car my wife drives to her iPhone (and pairing the AirTags in my car to my iPhone) has proven to be inconvenient.

To prevent unnecessary tracking, AirTags notify nearby iPhones of their presence, which means every time I drive my wife’s car and she’s not in the car, I get a notification that the AirTag is traveling with me. (If the owner is near the AirTag, the alert will not appear.)

However, starting with iOS 17, AirTags are shareable. I share my AirTag with her and she shares it with me, so I can find it easier in crowded parking lots no matter which car I drive.

AirTags launches a new feature iOS 18.2, currently in betais ability Temporarily share AirTag location And people I trust. In the luggage example above, if my suitcase is at the airport but airport staff haven’t found it yet (not uncommon during peak travel times), I can share its location with an attendant who can quickly retrieve it from an area inaccessible to the public .

The only minor annoyance about AirTags

AirTags contain Bluetooth, U1 Ultra-Wideband chip, and NFC chip to share basic details in lost mode. This is all powered by a CR2032 coin cell battery, which in my experience lasts about a year before I need to replace it.

I get notifications when the battery starts to get low, although there’s no meter to show how much charge is left before the battery turns red. And replacing the battery is easy. But I have a very small number of AirTags, which means I need to replace several every year. I bought a pack of 20 pieces I worked through it slowly.

Why AirTags make great gifts

Apple AirTags always appear in our best gift guides because you can always find another use for them. When sold in packs of four, they are often marked down in price. and there is a growing ecosystem How to install themfrom sturdy vaults that adhere to your car to discrete fabric braces that keep your favorite classic bomber jacket from flying away. Every time I show someone how to use AirTags on a bag or keychain, I wish I had a bag of AirTags to hand out because someone would be sold if they saw how it worked.

To get more Cyber ​​Week sales, here are our favorites There are still deals under $50 available this Cyber ​​Monday. In fact, I think it’s time for me to peruse All the best Cyber ​​Monday deals you can still find For more items I can attach AirTags, and CNET’s picks of the best AirTag accessories of 2024.