Not the best price but also not the worst.
Save an extra 9% when you buy 2.
SmartTag+ in Black - $60.56 (Buy 2 - $55.11 each)
SmartTag in Oatmeal - $43.46 (Buy 2 = $39.55 each)
SmartTag in Black - $41.77 (Buy 2 = $38.01 each)
CamelCamelCamel.
Samsung's have longer range , louder speaker, log of previous positions and in tests I've seen Samsung's tend to ping more frequently.
Samsung and Apple both have a large amounts of devices for a better mesh.
Ultimately it sucks that you are locked into an ecosystem with one vendor.
Recently I got the plus tag in primeday and a 4 pack from a USA based eBay seller. Annoying that Samsung Australia isn't pushing these as an airtag competitor, one upside to these is they have a loop built into them.
I have both the Samsung Tag and the Apple SmartTag
I find them to be both pretty much the same in terms of tracking/locating. The Samsung app is way better than the Apple app though. The Apple app is so basic and doesn't allow for manual refreshes.
Exactly the extra features on the samsung side wins, but there are alot of fan boys
@DaTa: The main thing for me is the ability to manually refresh. I have both in my suitcase and I travel at least every 2 weeks for work. The first thing I do when I get to the luggage carousel is open up both phones and check where my bag is. The airtag is usually at least 5 minutes out of date and I need to wait for it to refresh. The Smarttag can be refreshed straight away.
Also Apple maps suck
Amazon and Google both are launching their own mesh network.
Apple didn't event the concept - despite what the sheep and marketing would have you believe
https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-reviews/car-tracking-apple-…
Samsung wins in Australia compared to Apple.
Just noting that was using a SmartTag+, incase people are deciding which to buy based on this (although not sure the extra + features came into play in this test).
I bought 4 of the smarttag+ recently and they work really well - one for each car and a couple for the kids school bags. When we go away I plan on chucking one in each suitcase.
After reading this review I was sold on them - https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-reviews/car-tracking-apple-…
Smart Tag has a button so the phone can be called/found via the tag (plus only)… whereas airtag can't.
would this still work as well if it's not paired with a samsung phone?
https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/accessories/galaxy-smart…
They don't work at all, while you can install the Smart Things app on a non-Samsung device, you'll get the error if you try to add the tag:
Galaxy SmartTag is only supported on Galaxy devices running Android 26 or higher (Error code: 00-002).
I bought a Smart Tag+ for my S21 last year and it is terrible. I need to have the Smartthings app running for it to maybe work. Sounds like a great product on paper but it's been very unreliable. Would not recommend.
Why would you turn off smart things anyway
I need to have the Smartthings app running for it to maybe work. Sounds like a great product on paper but it's been very unreliable.
How do you expect to search for an item without opening the app? Has it been very unreliable because you don't run the SmartThings app? ;)
Just used mine on a trip. Worked fine for me. No complaints.
No problems with the + ones in Europe last month
Are these rechargeable
Replace batteries every 6 months
Does anyone has a problem with battery draining fast? I bought a SmartTag+ recently. After 1 day, I get a notification that its battery is very low. I already tried 2 new Energizer batteries, and they have the same issue.
Not me, both of mine are as expected. Can you measure the battery voltage?
How do you do measure it?
A battery meter or multimeter with appropriate load.
Also, do you remember what battery brand you're using?
Duracell from Bunnings, although I've just switched to Renata.
I did for a couple of mine, however despite the fact they were new tags they were nearly 12 months old already when checking the date of manufacture….hence why. the battery's didn't last long.
yep, I bought a + tag. 2 weeks later low battery, 3 weeks and it was dead. probably will return mine if its a problem.
What's an option for users of non-Samsung Android phones?
Tile is probably best for non-samsung. There are a few other options but the significantly smaller userbase means they won't track as well.
I tried tile pro.
Found them not good. Wouldn't have an update from them for HOURS. despite using them at Disney on ice at the Qudos bank Arena.
I don't think tile community is large enough in Australia.
Switched to Samsung, couldnt be happier.
Depends on your location. Inner city they are everywhere. Certainly common enough to he useful.
I don't think tile community is large enough in Australia.
Probably depends on your use case. I have read comments saying there is enough people using Tile at airports for it to be effective for bag tracking, but perhaps for other 'everyday' type situations it is unlikely to have many people using it.
I don't think there are great options outside of Samsung and Apple. As djkelly says, Tile is probably the pick, but I think it's questionable as to whether it's worth the price of admission.
A noob question :what does it do? What's the typical use case?
Same question here. I fail to understand the need for one. Do we have to tag them to our check in baggages to ensure they travel safely?
You can have them on your: keys, car, bicycle and luggage etc. All good use cases.
I have them on my keys and dog
If I can't find my keys I just make it beep and there ya go, keys.
Dog runs away? Find dog
Also connected the button to my smart lights for lights on and off.
I lose my stuff all the time. Not lose-lose, but I sometimes can't see it even if it's right in front of me. I've got one on my wallet, and one on my keys. Great for when I'm in a rush and I can't my things. They've helped stop me from flying into a screaming rage when I'm late for work.
Throw them into your suitcase. Can track if lost. Could be useful in many ways. The reason I'm thinking of getting one, is to track my car, in case it's stolen.
The best one's I've heard are
- bicycle/scooter tracking if they get stolen
- cars/motorcycle/etc
- luggage (although what are you going to do?)
- kids bags/toys
- pets
Honestly they're a bit of a gimmick.
- luggage (although what are you going to do?)
https://youtu.be/wxsEVaAbfp0?t=43 (also very important flying Qantas lol)
Alternatively… https://youtu.be/W8SER24F0U8
Oh yeah, it's nice to know where it is, but good luck a) finding anyone, especially at Qantas to tell and b) convincing them to give a shit & actually use the information you give them.
@M00Cow: There are plenty of recent articles (about Heathrow for example) where people have been let in to the lost luggage office or whatever and have been able to locate and retrieve their bags.
If you can't think of a use case you're probably not a demographic who needs them. Personally i have 1 on my keys (which i can also use to find my phone) and one on the family car. It's pretty useful and saves me a lot of time when i inevitably lose things.
Thank you. Well you can be unaware of something useful. That's why you ask question. Some devices are not obvious to people.
True true. Using them to find your misplaced phone in your house (through the button) is probably the main non obvious feature.
I'm envious of people who don't lose stuff enough for these to be useful.
@Ezuku: I honestly don't get the hostility towards these. They serve a purpose for those that need them, and for those that don't… What exactly does their existence do that makes your life worse? It's like getting mad that gardening tools exist because you don't have a garden.
@TheRealCJ: I think for people who don't need them the thought that other people might is kind of hard to understand - "why don't you just remember where you put it?"
Anyway, these are great. Those batteries don't last too long though.
It's essentially a way of locating and/or tracking an item that has a decent potential of getting lost or stolen. These tags basically ping off any Samsung device which comes within range of them so they work best in higher density areas where there are potentially lots of compatible devices around.
Thank you. I can see how it might be useful. Esp for luggage and keys
Is there any different with distance between the two
The only "different" between the two is the Plus has Ultra-Wide Band, allowing a lot more accurate directions to where the device is located, whereas the standard one just uses Bluetooth, which can only approximate a rough distance based on signal strength. The UWB is implemented more as a gimmick compared to AirTags. (Samsung's uses some AR crap, which looks janky af in their own marketing, whereas apple has a big arrow pointing you in the right direction, much more helpful) That being said, the range of connecting to your phone is basically the same, because the Bluetooth connection is much further reaching than the UWB. If you are considering the Plus, double check that your specific model has UWB built-in, because they almost seem to be trying to phase it out (last year's base S21 had it, but the S22 does not, only the Plus and Ultra)
(Samsung's uses some AR crap, which looks janky af in their own marketing, whereas apple has a big arrow pointing you in the right direction, much more helpful)
Have you actually used it? Samsung has arrows to point you in the right direction as well as AR. If you don't like AR just look at the arrows.
I don't think the s21 base model had uwb. Only the plus and ultra, which is identical to the situation with the s22. Tbh uwb is an extremely niche feature that's really only used for smart tags and certain high end cars at present.
I use Airtags with my iPhone and I am not a fan of the Find My app. I can't even get the big arrow to point me in the right direction when my keys with the airtag are at home. I have to use the sound function, which is not that loud anyway.
I now have a Galaxy phone as well, so will be trying this Smart Tag+ out.
That's strange they dropped out of the base 22
Note not all Samsung phones have UWB. Is there a list of compatible devices? My S10 isn't supported
Found this on wikipedia, not sure if it's a definitive list or not - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UWB-enabled_mobile_dev…
How ridiculous the base S22 isn't supported!
Thanks for the warning. My 2020 Note 10+ does not have uwb. So buying plus doesn't make sense for me.
It can also be used in reverse. My dad sometimes misplaces his phone around the house. Double-clicking the button on the smart tag can make the phone ring.
Can use google home to say find my phone as well
My Ticwatch pro watch does the same as well!!
Can use for track me cat?
Does your cat use a samsung or apple phone?
There is dog and cat collars for it Silicone Case for Galaxy SmartTag for Dog, Slim Sleeve for Samsung Smarttag+Plus Finder Tracker for cat pet Collar Necklace Dropper, Secure Holder for Kids (Black,Green,Pink,Blue,4Pack) https://amzn.asia/d/exevrHg
My cat uses a Nokia as that also has 9 lives
Theoretically yes. But not a great option.
Use a real GPS tracker like tractive, well worth it imo.
What? There's gps trackers that small in size? I thought it's all Bluetooth for tag sized?
Check these out.
Tractive GPS CAT 4. Cat tracker. Follow every step in real-time. Unlimited Range. Activity Monitoring (w/ midnight blue collar attachment) https://amzn.asia/d/avJcrRH
@CauseNEffect: You may as well tie a brick onto your cat's collar with those GPS 'solutions', I'd hate to be a cat wearing one of those things. And it isn't much use if the battery life is under 1 day, and the positioning is very inaccurate. I think we'll have to wait for technology to improve before animal tracking in real-time is a consumer proposition.
@redler: No idea what you are talking about as that is not the experience i see.
Battery life is 3 days plus between charges as home is considered a zone that no longer tracks gps saving power. They also activate gps when the animal leaves the safe zone. They have rechargeable batteries so if you want active 24/7 tracking on then the usage will drain the battery the same as every other battery operated device.
No problem with tracking either it is the same as your phone using cellular data (not just Bluetooth).. they also have live tracking which is precise within 3M..
Theres also tonnes of other interesting data that can provide insights into your animals habits and health.
Have you actually used a tractive?
As it does not sound like you have.
Spend your $7/month subscription on keeping you cat within your property boundaries instead of roaming around killing wildlife. Wish all councils rolled out the 24/7 curfew
Cats are social creatures. They often visit neighbours without killing wildlife - particularly in inner city locations. I've got several friendly cats in my street that spend most their day snoozing in the sun that appear to head inside for dinner and stay there.
There is fairly limited wildlife around here for any cats to hunt to begin with due to urbananisation.
I bought a couple of them recently - they were like $60 for 2 during Amazon Prime days.
Pretty happy so far, precision and speed of reporting is good enough for me.
Strange that you can't buy it directly from Samsung AU.
The Samsung store in Sydney said they had it in the past but haven't seen it in a long time. Maybe it's a worldwide stock problem. The package has an RCM mark on it so they did plan on selling it here.
Can you still use the plus with a s21 even tho Uwb isn't supported or just better to get non plus version
Yes you can still use it but you will just not be able to access the UWB search feature on your phone if it does not support it… essentially it will behave like a non plus for you until you get a phone in the future that supports uwb then you can use the extra feature to narrow down it's location further…
Bought two of the Plus versions for my kids. Maybe will be useful one day
I hope that you don't have to use it for your kids! but I'm thinking I might do the same too
The tags or the kids
I desperately need for my ebike, but the cheapest Samsung UWB phone is $700+ refurbished or $1200 new. Way more than I'd ever spend on a phone.
With google exposing a UWB API, it looks like we'll eventually get tags that work with all android phones, with a bigger mesh, but that's probably years away.
For large items like bikes, the standard Bluetooth one might be fine since you just have to roughly know where it is, then you can just look visually.
If it was a small item like a set of keys that you dropped on a beach or park, UWB would be great as it'd help you hone in on the item which might be obscured by grass or something.
The + doesn't cost too much more though, so maybe it's worth future-proofing your purchase. Battery life is shorter than the Bluetooth one though.
For large items I don't the UWB has any real benefit. It's more useful for something small that might be hidden under stuff, for example.
What's the difference between a SmartTag and SmartTag+ ?
Plus has UWB for phones that support it.
Thanks
Do these track as good as Airtags and better than Tile?