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The best Bluetooth tracker
By Nick Guy This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full Bluetooth tracker guide here. After 30 hours of research and 40 hours testing the top contenders over the past four years, we've found the Tile Pro is the best Bluetooth tracker for keeping tabs on your stuff. It has longer range, a louder alarm, and a larger crowd-finding network than anything else we tested, and unlike previous Tile models, it even has a replaceable battery. Bluetooth trackers let you use a smartphone app to monitor the location of whatever they're attached to, and the Tile models have the best Bluetooth range by far, letting you find stuff that's farther away. You can also remotely trigger a sound on the tracker to locate it when you're nearby (say, when you've misplaced your keys in your house), and the Tile trackers are the loudest and easiest to hear. When the tracker is out of Bluetooth range, a crowd-finding feature lets other people help you locate your item, and Tile has the largest crowd-finding network of its kind. Tile's trackers also look better than most. The Bluetooth range of the Tile Mate is shorter than that of the Pro and its alarm isn't as loud, but it's still better than the trackers from any other company, and it's fine for finding your keys around the house. It's a good choice if you're looking to spend a little less money, and like the Pro, it has a user-replaceable battery. The Tile Slim has the shortest range and quietest alarm of Tile's trackers, and its battery isn't replaceable. But it still performs well compared to other company's trackers, and because it's the thickness of about three credit cards, it can fit places where other Tile models might not, such as in your wallet or stuck to the top of a portable hard drive. It's also the only slim tracker that benefits from Tile's crowd-finding reach.
Tile's new Bluetooth trackers come with replaceable batteries
Tile has been a household name in Bluetooth trackers for awhile now, with over 15 million Tiles sold over the past six years. But the one complaint that many customers have had about Tile trackers is that you couldn't replace the battery; instead, you had to swap in new Tiles every year or so when they ran out of juice. Today, however, Tile is announcing its latest line of trackers will finally have replaceable batteries. Plus, the company is rolling out a new Premium service that promises, among other features, free battery replacements every year.
Comcast makes ‘sizable’ investment in Tile
Comcast has made a significant investment in Tile, TechCrunch reports, and the two companies will work together on products and marketing going forward. Though numbers aren't being disclosed, someone with knowledge of the deal told TechCrunch the investment was "sizable." The deal follows a move earlier this year that made Tile's tracking technology accessible through Xfinity Home.
Use this app to find your keys like you find your Pokémon
We've seen Bluetooth item trackers before, like Tile and Protag's Duet, but they're usually pretty dull. Pixie, on the other hand, will curb the anxiety of losing something by turning it into a game. Like other trackers, Pixie uses Bluetooth, but it also adds augmented reality into the mix, so your phone will actually show you where the general area where your device is. Once you get in real close, it'll start pointing you left and right like a good old-fashioned game of hot and cold. You could also use it to cheat at hide and seek with your kids.
