Keeping track of small personal items is an age-old problem, one made both harder and easier by modern technology. Most of us carry around a number of tech gadgets today (and some expensive Apple tech, at that) for work and communication – laptops, iPads, iPhones, and MacBooks, not to mention critical non-tech stuff like car keys and wallets – and we’ve all had one of these go missing at some point or another. Losing something like your iPhone or keys can be pretty devastating, and it’s not always easy to find those things once they’re lost.
It’s no surprise, then, that Bluetooth item trackers like the excellent Tile series — Buy at Tile , March 10 — have become such hot items lately. The idea behind them is pretty basic: Simply pair a Tile tracker with an item of yours, such as a phone or computer, and the Tile serves as a wireless remote beacon to help you find your stuff if it gets lost or has been misplaced.
The current Tile models are the Mate, Slim, and Pro. The keychain-sized Tile Mate ranks high among the best Bluetooth item trackers thanks to its small footprint, ease of use, and large support network. This community network is one of the innovative ways the tracker helps you find your stuff: If the lost item is out of your own phone’s Bluetooth range, the Tile will automatically be detected by any other Tile user within range and you’ll be instantly notified of its current location.
Yet as handy as the Mate is, the newer Tile Pro is even better. Compared to the earlier Tiles, the Pro features an internal beacon that is twice as powerful, providing an effective Bluetooth connectivity range of 200 feet between the tracker and the device (be it iPhone, laptop, or another device) that you’re using to track your things via the Tile app. This app is compatible with iOS 11 or newer, as well as a wide variety of Android operating systems. That means you can keep track of all of your Apple tech, even if you misplace them.
The appropriately named Tile Slim is larger in length and width than its counterparts, but at only 2.4mm in width, it’s the leanest item tracker in the lineup. Whereas the Mate and Pro are ideal for keychains and smaller items like smartphones, the super-thin Tile Slim is a perfect choice for larger carryables like tablets, laptops, and bags.
Tile is currently offering sitewide discounts on its lineup of Bluetooth item trackers through Sunday, March 10. Pro bundles are on sale for $50 for a 2-pack ($20 off).
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