© Mark Ollig
There have been times when we have found ourselves searching for lost keys, wallets, or the car we parked somewhere.
In the American Wild West era, human trackers were skilled at finding people lost, missing, or on the run from the law.
I recently purchased an electronic digital tracker, a smart tag called the Samsung SmartTag+, which is compatible with my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G phone.
Other smart tag makers include Tile Inc., an American company owned by Life360, and AirTag, owned by Apple, Inc.
Smart tags can be fastened to things you want to be able to track on a map or find if they are lost.
They are commonly attached to luggage, electronics, car keys or keyless fobs (frequency-operated buttons), pets, and, yes, kids.
One can also leave a smart tag in the car to make it easier to find, especially in those huge parking lots.
SmartTag+ came with a simple-to-use Quick Response (QR) Code to install the SmartThings app on my phone. The app can manage up to 200 SmartTags. Your phone needs to have at least the Android 11 operating system.
My phone uses the Android 14 operating system.
The SmartTag+ includes 512KB of flash memory, measures 1.54 inches long by 1.54 inches wide, and weighs 0.46 ounces.
It operates using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology for tracking and does not require a Wi-Fi connection.
BLE was developed to exchange data over short distances between devices and uses little energy because it stays in sleep mode until it needs to connect.
Depending on the environment, the BLE SmartTag+ nominal range is up to several hundred feet from the attached device to your phone.
However, suppose your SmartTag+ Bluetooth signal gets too far away from your phone.
In that case, the SmartThings Find network will help you find it, tracing your tagged items location through other attached devices using the SmartThings Find network service, which employs other Samsung Galaxy devices to relay your SmartTag+ location securely and anonymously.
So, when your SmartTag+ tracked item is lost, it can still be located even if it’s out of your phone’s Bluetooth range, thanks to the SmartThings Find network. Other Samsung users with compatible Galaxy devices might unknowingly help you find your item by simply being near it.
Items tagged with Apple’s AirTag can also be found if they are out of Bluetooth range using other Apple devices connected to their Find My network.
UWB is a type of short-range wireless communication (usually around 30 to 60 feet) using extremely high frequencies for precise location tracking within a shorter range.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) created IP (Ingress Protection) ratings in 1989 to classify the level of protection of an electronic device casing or housing enclosure. Of course, at first, I thought IP meant Internet Protocol.
The SmartTag+ has an IP52 rating, meaning it offers decent protection against dust and light splashes of water but is not suitable for harsh environments or being submerged in water.
In 1994, Sweden’s telecommunications company, Ericsson, created Bluetooth for short-range wireless mobile phone communication with a headset, computer, or other devices using the 2.4 GHz frequency band.
The name Bluetooth was inspired by King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, a 10th-century Danish king.
In my car, I synchronize my Android phone to my laptop using an app called Phone Link. Bluetooth connects my phone to the car’s infotainment display screen.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) has a superior tracking range to Bluetooth because the GPS network of earth-orbiting satellites tracks items in real time over long distances worldwide.
GPS uses satellite radio signals designated for commercial/civilian GPS devices. Its other signals are used with the military’s extremely accurate GPS network.
Even if your car has a GPS, a Bluetooth tracker can be helpful; if your car’s GPS becomes disabled or you are in an area with weak GPS signals, a Bluetooth tracking device’s location could still be determined.
Bluetooth trackers are much more affordable than GPS tracking devices. I paid $22 for my Samsung SmartTag+, and various Bluetooth tracking tags were priced from $20 to $50.
Bluetooth trackers use batteries that need to be replaced periodically, on average, every one to two years. The SmartTag+ CR2032 battery will last up to 500 days. The SmartThings app allows you to check the battery’s level.
Bluetooth’s accuracy is reliant on signal strength and proximity.
KeySmart, a Los Angeles company, created the thin tracker called the KeySmart Card, which one can put in a billfold.
Its Bluetooth technology is designed to work exclusively with Apple iOS devices. The card can be tracked using Apple’s Find My network from iOS devices.
The Orbit Bluetooth Tracker is a small device that can attach to your glasses frame and works with Apple’s Find My network through the “Orbit app” on your iOS device. It is priced at around $45 and is not compatible with Android.
Tile, Inc., is releasing new versions of its Bluetooth trackers, including Tile Mate, Tile Slim, and Tile Sticker. These trackers can be securely attached to various surfaces (including eyeglass frames) and work with the Tile app on iPhones and Android phones.
As for the SmartTag+, I keep one in my car.
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Samsung SmartTag+, a digital tracking smart tag compared to the size of a quarter. (photo by Mark Ollig) |