Irony - TILE Device

Tech Talk Hardware
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I spent something like 45 minutes looking for my keys in my condo a few weeks ago. So, I finally decided to buy a bluetooth tracker to put on my keys. I’ve been meaning to get one for a couple of years now…

I looked at some reviews, and I saw that The Wire Cutter recommended “Tile.”

So, I ordered one.

Well, it’s been stuck somewhere in the delivery black hole. I have been getting various packages delivered several times a week - while I am stuck, working from home.

I am working in front of a window, so I can see when the delivery people go by or come to the door… No packages have been lost up until now…

I just think it is ironic that my 1 item lost is a tracking device :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Anyway, I will say that Tile’s customer service is great. I did an online chat - and I expected them to tell me to give it more time. But, they are shipping me a new device in an expedited manner.

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I finally got this in. It’s pretty cool. Now, I won’t lose my keys. And, you can use the Tile to find your phone, if needed.

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Do you remember whistling key rings? You whistle and it beeps? We’ve come a long way :grinning:

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No, I don’t remember that one :stuck_out_tongue:

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Guess it depends on how old you are :grinning:

Was a piece of tat that was fairly common in the 1980s for when you lose your keys. Was even in on of the Bond movies!

EDIT: Wow, you can still get them!

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I was around in the 80s as a teen, but I do not remember that one.

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I got a Tile for my wife to find her keys or phone, or purse, and she regularly had problems with it working and gave up on it. Worked fine from my phone, but I hardly lose my keys so was not worth the money for me.

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Well, long term, we shall see. It works now, but yea… We’ll see in few months. I looked at the various brands, and this one was ranked the best. So, fingers crossed…

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The proof will be when you actually need to use it as intended :grinning:

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I got a Tile, but the battery died and they wanted me to pay for a whole new Tile instead of making the battery replaceable…so I never bought a replacement and never plan to buy a Tile again.

The one time I seriously tried to use it, I had it on my luggage. (I had lost my bag on the previous flight and figured that if I lost it again and it was anywhere near me at the airport baggage claim office, at least I’d know.) …so when I was in baggage claim, I figured it would alert me when my bag was coming on the belt. Nope. I noticed my bag and the Tile app did nothing even when it was 2 feet in front of me.

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The old ones had non replaceable batteries at 1 point. Then, they could be replaced, but they were glued together. I watched some youtube videos on how to change the batteries.

Now, you just open the battery area and swap it out like nothing. It is the 2020 model. So, things have changed

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This is 100% the truth.

I tried to find my phone with the Tile last night - but it wouldn’t work because I leave Bluetooth off on my phone all the time. I never use Bluetooth. I figured I would turn it on when/if I need to find the keys. But, that means the device doesn’t work to locate my phone inside…

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I set IFTTT stuff on my phone so when I leave the house it turns off Wifi and turns on bluetooth and NFC and vise versa. You could look around and possibly find something that might reenable bluetooth when using the tile function. Just a thought I have never used tile so this is just speculation.

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That is interesting. A good idea. I may look into that. Thanks.

In my case - I lose the keys or house IN my house :smiley: :slight_smile:

If you pay the monthly subscription - you can get a feature in the app to beep if the keys and phone separate from each other… Assuming you leave bluetooth on.

However - I sometimes take my phone and not my keys, or vice versa. So, that isn’t a feature I would want.

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Yeah, not all of the IFTTT is location based though. I’m sure there could be some other way of Bluetooth sensing as it were for it to be activated when the tile calls for it maybe. I’m going to look into it some tonight and I will let you know if I find anything.
Or maybe set it to turn Bluetooth on at certain times then back off, maybe there is an option for it to turn it on after it setting idle for so long. I don’t know just spit balling.

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Thanks for the ideas…

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No problem at all!!!

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A few years ago I bought several TrackR devices (cough, a TWiT sponsor, cough). They were totally useless. I put one on a key ring and the app on my phone saw nothing until I was within 2 feet. I put another in a checked bag when I flew on vacation and the app never saw it at all. I still have three unopened devices and if anyone wants to pay the postage they are welcome to them.

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I remembered they were a sponsor. I was going to buy that brand, until I read reviews. Tile was supposedly better. We’ll see.

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I have now gone through 7+ Tiles and when i remembered to use them they worked really well at telling me my keys and wallet were where i’d left them. After 3 rounds of replacements i gave up on them right when they started offering recycling of dead units with replaceable battery versions. if only they done that at the start!!

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