What is your favorite tracker for Android? 🛒 Buy the Chipolo One Point: amzn.to/3YnZtet 🛒 Buy the Pebblebee: amzn.to/4e9dWRb 🧐 Read our written review: www.androidauthority.com/hands-on-chipolos-one-card-point-3446378/ [Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases]
I find it strange that the default setting in find my device is "find devices only in crowded places like airports". So 90 percent people who will not change any settings won't be contributing to finding trackers outside of the crowded areas... like..why??
@@fixnorm If I change the setting from the default "crowded places" to the setting for "isolated area", would anyone other than perhaps the carrier/Google know it was specifically me? I guess I don't understand the difference. How would I be spied on with the "isolated area" setting? Thanks for any explanation!!
@@waltmarine they can't know it's you. They would just know someone was there. It's overkill to not work all the time like Tile. First setting I changed... Until they make this normal I'll probably just stick with tile for devices I need to depend on
Thanks for actually using them for a week before the review, way better the people who used them for like two hours then rush out a review to be first. You should do a follow up in like 1 month and 6 months to see how it is as more phones get the find my device updates. I'm on a pixel 7 pro and I barely got it, and you know how slow people with locked phones updates can be through carriers, which is most people here in the U.S. at least.
About usb-c rechargeable vs battery cell replaceable, wouldn't the second one be more convenient since the battery won't deteriorate over time with charges?
For the tag itself, I totally agree. I don't see a problem with replacing a battery every year or so. But for the card I like having the idea of recharging it when I need because the other one doesn't have a replaceable battery.... As for the degradation of the battery at Multiple charges. It would take 100+ charges before there would be a degradation. Due to charging. The website says it'll last eight months in between charges, even if we bring that down to four months. We're talking many many years Before the battery would degrade because of the multiple charges. It'll probably be obsolete by that time anyway.
No ultra wide band is a move to include any android phone including cheap ones without UWB. Google's in house tracker will likely have UWB and be released in the next year.
@@mrj.juneau i was thinking about that wood not be to hard to add in to the app just need`s to be tested how far they get from your phone befor it lets you know
You did not mention one of the biggest differences between apple and Google. Apples airtag Network was default as opt in, whereas Google is doing it as a default opt out. I don't think Google will ever have as big of a fmd network
With the launch of Moto Tags that have UWB with a similar price and given the general inoperability of Google's Find My Device network, what's even the point of these trackers from Pebblebee and Chipolo? It seems that they rushed things to better appeal to the public, starting to sell a bunch of them and waiting for Google's network to improve. On top of that, the choice of some OEMs to put non-removable or even non-replaceable batteries is a clear indicator that they just wanted to jump on the bandwagon of this initial hype around the FMD network. Personally, the USB-C rechargeable tracker is good and all, but the convenience of just swapping a battery when needed and not having to trash the entire piece if something happens to the battery is also a valid point. No wonder why even Apple uses this method.
Still, the moto tag is out there now but, at least in Italy, very bad reviews on Amazon: everybody is returning them because they simply don't work: if the participation in the FMD network is voluntary nobody will activate it. So the device is pointless and can be found only in Bluetooth range. What a pity! No good alternative to owning an Apple or Samsung device yet. Wondering why participation is optional for Google. Why Apple/Samsung could activate it and google not?
Question, Pebblebee website states their trackers work on Google's and also Apple's network. Can both be enabled simultaneously? Meaning, when out of BT range any Apple or Android device could report the tracker's location correct? Sorry I'm confused. Thanks for such a great review.
thoughts, with a samsung s22u ... for luggage, and possibly other things, are the Galaxy SmartTag2possibly a better choice ?? (this would be my first tracker purchase, looking at the 4 pack)
The Galaxy Smart Tags are definitely a better choice. Used them for quite some time now and they work perfectly on my S22+. I can't say the same about he Pebblebees. They do not work at all with the Google Find My device app. So, save yourself some $$ and go for the Samsung Tags only.
I had to cancel my PB tags order because they never shipped. So annoying. Then again, maybe that's a good thing since I've kinda lost confidence with the Google network rollout...or lack thereof. Google needs to change the default setting so that more devices are automatically on the network.
@@waltmarine yea took a long while to ship, I have a few of them and I'm not happy at all. They have never ever pinged when I'm not close with my phone and I've had them for a little over a month now
So it seems like im forced to buy an old iphone 6 (minimal compatibility) and just use the airtags which are superior. Thank you very much for this review
Thank you for these excellent videos. Do you think the Android are take would be suitable to use as a vehicle tracker? For example something like LoJack please let me know your thoughts, thank you.
You'll get over them. I tried many of them and each of them failed when I needed them and what their job is. The battery will always fail at the wrong time.
I was wondering if it's worth using pebblebee app over FMD app. Do you know if the pebblebee app offer any features that make it stand out over the FMD app or is basically the same thing. Also I was wondering when you think you might upload your test from your trip, because i will wait to buy after seeing what your test from your trip shows. Also I think the Moto version is coming out so will have one more option by the time your review from your trip comes out.
Typical Goole they choose the middle middle & less useful location option, the default should be in High areas gblet users change that if they want otherwise the Find my device network is way less useful for the majority of us they would misplace items in non HIGH traffic areas.
I bought some .. coming from having the tile brand, it just performs like a tile oh well. moto tag is coming in august with uwb hopefully google has the tech ready, but im not counting my chickens til they hatch.
No Ultra wide band is kinda silly. Samsung tag is something id trust more. Plus Samsung is more likely to stay around long term. These 2 new brands i can see fizzling out in a few years
Chipolo and Pebblebee aren't "new" brands by any means, they've been making trackers for years now. Doesn't really matter anyway, since you're not committed to them or using their software; once you link these to Google's Find My, it's Google you have to trust to stick around, not the 2 companies. But, yes, Samsung is more likely to stay around long term, even than Google.
Very interested to see the update to this video with your testing. It would be good to see updated testing on the new devices coming out in a few weeks as well. Though I don't think they will be as good as the Apple offerings for now, it will be a step in the right direction. Great video and explanation and do keep us posted.
@@markharwood That makes no sense whatsoever. EVERY Android phone running Android 9 or higher automatically gets the FMD app installed. Do you really think there are that many old Android phones out there running Android 8, when the current version is Android 14?
Tille's ecosystem is very small. The only pings you will get from a tracker. Some somebody else who has the tile app installed on their phone, so it's not the same kind of comparison.
@@mrj.juneau you're right. I didn't get that they aren't offering (yet?) compatibility with the Find My network of Android. Hope they will. Competition is what makes Android a much nicer option than Apple (for me at least)
@BriefNerdOriginal Agreed. I hope more companies will make a device for the network. But if they don't, I'm sure they will be left behind. My problem is from what I understand is if you have A tracker for tile, it's not compatible with the new network. They'll probably have to make another tile, That's compatible with the network which will annoy me too cause, I have quite a few tile trackers already. And would rather just switch them over.
@@BriefNerdOriginal As far as I know, Tile said they don't want to offer compatibility with Find My and are focusing on their own network now. A big loss, imo.
Motorola’s here to answer Android user’s praises. The tech firm has announced a Bluetooth tracker of its own, and it’s filled with the ultra-wideband smarts that many Android users were hoping for. Essentially working like an AirTag for Android devices, you’ll be able to track down your lost items with precise turn-by-turn directions thanks to the inclusion of ultra-wideband in the Moto Tag (if your phone has a UWB chip). Even designed like the AirTag, Motorola says it will be fit with third-party cases already on the market, presumably meaning AirTag accessories. There are more features on the Moto Tag that even better Apple’s version, such as reverse finding. Soon Android users won’t have to feel left out when they see their iPhone friends pinging their wallets from across the room
@@BradT Wrong, Tile does NOT have any required monthly fees unless you want advanced options and/or lost item replacement protection. But Tile's crowdsourcing network will still be miniscule compared to Google's one billion+ Android phones.
@@richardhartnett2886 Correct if you want the tracking feature you have to pay for it. Otherwise it doesn't give you this information. I know because I paid for it and it works just like my Apple Tag. The free service did not.
Every Android phone running Android 9 or above gets the Find My Network automatically pushed and installed. Do you really think there are many Android 8 phones still out there?
bro they all still suck bought an airtag for my mum but she switched to android, now its a paper weight pebble sounds good but 56aud is insane chipolo is also expensive af cheap amazon no names have awful reviews bro i just want a 20 dollar rechargable tag that works well, for both android and ios. why the hell is that impossible. we have xr glasses but not an affordable tracker. wtf
I bought an mototag to throw in my car in case it ever gets stolen and its literally been sitting in an apartment parking lot and the mototag hasn't reported back in 3 days. Its useless, this android find my network is useless.
@@MrBradyR It's never gonna happen. Police will not go because of a tracker. What if the tracker was in a apartment building? Or even in a populated housing area. You might have some luck if it was found on a farm.
Good video. Thanks. Suggestion: Consider spending some time to improve your speaking skills. Some words were undecipherable, mostly when you garbled three words into one as you rushed your explanation.. Fortunately I could look at the transcript for help. I understand that in radio announcers' school they start by making you speak with a mouthful of marbles. In each subsequent lesson you remove one marble. When you have lost all your marbles, you have become a radio announcer.
What is your favorite tracker for Android?
🛒 Buy the Chipolo One Point: amzn.to/3YnZtet
🛒 Buy the Pebblebee: amzn.to/4e9dWRb
🧐 Read our written review: www.androidauthority.com/hands-on-chipolos-one-card-point-3446378/
[Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases]
I find it strange that the default setting in find my device is "find devices only in crowded places like airports". So 90 percent people who will not change any settings won't be contributing to finding trackers outside of the crowded areas... like..why??
You could leave a tracker in an isolated place and know when someone passes by there... It's another way to spy on people.
@@fixnorm If I change the setting from the default "crowded places" to the setting for "isolated area", would anyone other than perhaps the carrier/Google know it was specifically me? I guess I don't understand the difference. How would I be spied on with the "isolated area" setting? Thanks for any explanation!!
Deal breaker.. Google fu-cked up again
Say someone sticks it behind a crack at your back door. Now they know whenever you arrive home.
@@waltmarine they can't know it's you. They would just know someone was there. It's overkill to not work all the time like Tile. First setting I changed... Until they make this normal I'll probably just stick with tile for devices I need to depend on
Thanks for actually using them for a week before the review, way better the people who used them for like two hours then rush out a review to be first.
You should do a follow up in like 1 month and 6 months to see how it is as more phones get the find my device updates. I'm on a pixel 7 pro and I barely got it, and you know how slow people with locked phones updates can be through carriers, which is most people here in the U.S. at least.
Yeah, I'm planning a bit of long-term testing against the Apple Airtags, Galaxy SmartTag 2, and Tile trackers too.
I would love to see your Tile review as it relates to the Find Your Device network and compared to the other choices. @@RitaElKhoury-AA
About usb-c rechargeable vs battery cell replaceable, wouldn't the second one be more convenient since the battery won't deteriorate over time with charges?
For the tag itself, I totally agree. I don't see a problem with replacing a battery every year or so. But for the card I like having the idea of recharging it when I need because the other one doesn't have a replaceable battery.... As for the degradation of the battery at Multiple charges. It would take 100+ charges before there would be a degradation. Due to charging. The website says it'll last eight months in between charges, even if we bring that down to four months. We're talking many many years Before the battery would degrade because of the multiple charges. It'll probably be obsolete by that time anyway.
All In hear is Chipotle every time you say the tracker’s brand😂
No ultra wide band is a move to include any android phone including cheap ones without UWB. Google's in house tracker will likely have UWB and be released in the next year.
I hope "Grogu" materialises. It's why I'm holding out on buying any trackers just yet
I mean, they always could have had them with the current BT tech as a fallback
Why? If your phone doesn't have UWB, you will just use Bluetooth. I think they just didn't want to make them too expensive
@@viv12348 , that's EXACTLY what I was thinking.
Do these locators have a "Notify When Left Behind" option like AirTag?
No, not yet.
@@mrj.juneau i was thinking about that wood not be to hard to add in to the app just need`s to be tested how far they get from your phone befor it lets you know
no they do not let you know you left is behind
So they do not have have a function that the Amazon Tile has, of pressing a button on the trackers to find a potentially lost phone?
Which one is good for car tracking?
You did not mention one of the biggest differences between apple and Google. Apples airtag Network was default as opt in, whereas Google is doing it as a default opt out. I don't think Google will ever have as big of a fmd network
Great point
Great point about Google's habit of killing off apps and services.
I reckon Find My Device' will persist but who really knows?
No UWB is baffling... That's 99% of what I use an airtag for
Motorola Tag has it but google still has to implement it 😂
Does it help with replacement costs like Tile tracker if you lose your items?
I would assume rechargeable battery (lithium) is not allowed in checked luggage
But button battery allowed in checked luggage
I like that tracker with the USB-C.
02:00 the Tag works great with pet collars as well
I'm researching which company tag would be best at the moment for our 2 cats. Have you found it reliable and accurate?
With the launch of Moto Tags that have UWB with a similar price and given the general inoperability of Google's Find My Device network, what's even the point of these trackers from Pebblebee and Chipolo?
It seems that they rushed things to better appeal to the public, starting to sell a bunch of them and waiting for Google's network to improve. On top of that, the choice of some OEMs to put non-removable or even non-replaceable batteries is a clear indicator that they just wanted to jump on the bandwagon of this initial hype around the FMD network.
Personally, the USB-C rechargeable tracker is good and all, but the convenience of just swapping a battery when needed and not having to trash the entire piece if something happens to the battery is also a valid point. No wonder why even Apple uses this method.
Still, the moto tag is out there now but, at least in Italy, very bad reviews on Amazon: everybody is returning them because they simply don't work: if the participation in the FMD network is voluntary nobody will activate it. So the device is pointless and can be found only in Bluetooth range.
What a pity! No good alternative to owning an Apple or Samsung device yet. Wondering why participation is optional for Google. Why Apple/Samsung could activate it and google not?
Can that be used with any android phone?
Question, Pebblebee website states their trackers work on Google's and also Apple's network. Can both be enabled simultaneously? Meaning, when out of BT range any Apple or Android device could report the tracker's location correct? Sorry I'm confused. Thanks for such a great review.
Have any better alternatives come out since this review? I find a ton for the iOS devices but nothing for Android users
thoughts, with a samsung s22u ... for luggage, and possibly other things, are the Galaxy SmartTag2possibly a better choice ?? (this would be my first tracker purchase, looking at the 4 pack)
Yes, for now, I think the Galaxy Tag is a better buy if you already have a Samsung phone. Many more features too.
The Galaxy Smart Tags are definitely a better choice. Used them for quite some time now and they work perfectly on my S22+. I can't say the same about he Pebblebees. They do not work at all with the Google Find My device app. So, save yourself some $$ and go for the Samsung Tags only.
@@RitaElKhoury-AA But samsung tags r so expensive, compared to tile and chipolo
My PebbleBee tags are arriving today!
They never ship
Did they arrive? What has your experience been with them?
I had to cancel my PB tags order because they never shipped. So annoying. Then again, maybe that's a good thing since I've kinda lost confidence with the Google network rollout...or lack thereof. Google needs to change the default setting so that more devices are automatically on the network.
@@waltmarine yea took a long while to ship, I have a few of them and I'm not happy at all. They have never ever pinged when I'm not close with my phone and I've had them for a little over a month now
I already got the location tracking with my soundcore earbuds with my galaxy s21 but googles network isn't that huge for now compared to apple
So it seems like im forced to buy an old iphone 6 (minimal compatibility) and just use the airtags which are superior. Thank you very much for this review
"It has a proprietary 2-pin charging cable, but it does come in the box"
Well, thank god.
Don't rechargeable battery have less idle time? ie need to charge it often vs replace battery after a year or so?
The Pebblebee batteries last up to 8-18 months on a charge depending on the model.
Thank you for these excellent videos. Do you think the Android are take would be suitable to use as a vehicle tracker? For example something like LoJack please let me know your thoughts, thank you.
Does anyone know if these would be good to use for cats?
You'll get over them. I tried many of them and each of them failed when I needed them and what their job is. The battery will always fail at the wrong time.
Literally my experience except ONE time that it happened to not be dead.
Pebblebee not available in Europe 😥
just received the Chipolo today
..in Italy
@@FrankP83 Not the Pebblebee
1:34 that's dope as hell
I was wondering if it's worth using pebblebee app over FMD app. Do you know if the pebblebee app offer any features that make it stand out over the FMD app or is basically the same thing. Also I was wondering when you think you might upload your test from your trip, because i will wait to buy after seeing what your test from your trip shows. Also I think the Moto version is coming out so will have one more option by the time your review from your trip comes out.
Typical Goole they choose the middle middle & less useful location option, the default should be in High areas gblet users change that if they want otherwise the Find my device network is way less useful for the majority of us they would misplace items in non HIGH traffic areas.
I bought some .. coming from having the tile brand, it just performs like a tile oh well. moto tag is coming in august with uwb hopefully google has the tech ready, but im not counting my chickens til they hatch.
No Ultra wide band is kinda silly. Samsung tag is something id trust more. Plus Samsung is more likely to stay around long term. These 2 new brands i can see fizzling out in a few years
Different purposes
Chipolo and Pebblebee aren't "new" brands by any means, they've been making trackers for years now. Doesn't really matter anyway, since you're not committed to them or using their software; once you link these to Google's Find My, it's Google you have to trust to stick around, not the 2 companies. But, yes, Samsung is more likely to stay around long term, even than Google.
@@RitaElKhoury-AA Samsung only works with Samsung, though. So you must have a Samsung phone to use it.
Is it just me or does that Pixel Watch that the presenter is wearing look like the Pixel Watch 3 XL??
It does to me as well , looks a lot larger than my Pixel watch 2
It's the Pixel Watch 2.
I'm concerned that because they use bluetooth, they won't last very long battery wise
What an amazing review, this was just what I needed to know, thank you!!!!
ألف شكر !!!
reupload?
This hit all the things I needed to know, thanks!
I have had chipolo trackers for a couple of years... will the old models work on Find my network or do we need to buy new ones?
You'll need a new one
Very interested to see the update to this video with your testing. It would be good to see updated testing on the new devices coming out in a few weeks as well. Though I don't think they will be as good as the Apple offerings for now, it will be a step in the right direction. Great video and explanation and do keep us posted.
Great video! Too bad pebblebee isn't sold on amazon NL
no ultra band
Interesting. I'll definitely be sticking with the Samsung one. I dont see any real benefits to these
The network is exponentially bigger. Higher chance of finding your device
Yes the google network will remain much smaller as so few phones will ever get the latest android updates required to join as trackers.
@@markharwood You are confused. Samsung device network compared to Google find my device network is tiny.
@@markharwood That makes no sense whatsoever. EVERY Android phone running Android 9 or higher automatically gets the FMD app installed. Do you really think there are that many old Android phones out there running Android 8, when the current version is Android 14?
What about Tile?
Tille's ecosystem is very small. The only pings you will get from a tracker. Some somebody else who has the tile app installed on their phone, so it's not the same kind of comparison.
@@mrj.juneau you're right. I didn't get that they aren't offering (yet?) compatibility with the Find My network of Android. Hope they will. Competition is what makes Android a much nicer option than Apple (for me at least)
@BriefNerdOriginal Agreed. I hope more companies will make a device for the network. But if they don't, I'm sure they will be left behind. My problem is from what I understand is if you have A tracker for tile, it's not compatible with the new network. They'll probably have to make another tile, That's compatible with the network which will annoy me too cause, I have quite a few tile trackers already. And would rather just switch them over.
@@BriefNerdOriginal As far as I know, Tile said they don't want to offer compatibility with Find My and are focusing on their own network now. A big loss, imo.
@@mrj.juneau I can see my two new Tile devices with both the Find My network and Tile.
2025 update?
Motorola’s here to answer Android user’s praises. The tech firm has announced a Bluetooth tracker of its own, and it’s filled with the ultra-wideband smarts that many Android users were hoping for. Essentially working like an AirTag for Android devices, you’ll be able to track down your lost items with precise turn-by-turn directions thanks to the inclusion of ultra-wideband in the Moto Tag (if your phone has a UWB chip).
Even designed like the AirTag, Motorola says it will be fit with third-party cases already on the market, presumably meaning AirTag accessories. There are more features on the Moto Tag that even better Apple’s version, such as reverse finding. Soon Android users won’t have to feel left out when they see their iPhone friends pinging their wallets from across the room
But when release in Europe and price?
Good video 👍
Proprietary charging and lack of UWB are deal breakers for me
oh
Did this notify your husband's phone that it's picked up a chipolo or pebblebee tracker nearby
The Chipolo ONE is way cheaper than Clip Universal
Tile?
7:19
Tile costs $30 annually; this is free, and my Pebblebee works great.
@@BradT Wrong, Tile does NOT have any required monthly fees unless you want advanced options and/or lost item replacement protection. But Tile's crowdsourcing network will still be miniscule compared to Google's one billion+ Android phones.
@@richardhartnett2886 Correct if you want the tracking feature you have to pay for it. Otherwise it doesn't give you this information. I know because I paid for it and it works just like my Apple Tag. The free service did not.
"sent some with my husband" ;P keeping tabs on him?
Waiting for the update!
It would be except that so few google phones will get the necessary software update to be able to take part in the tracking network
Every Android phone running Android 9 or above gets the Find My Network automatically pushed and installed. Do you really think there are many Android 8 phones still out there?
bro they all still suck
bought an airtag for my mum but she switched to android, now its a paper weight
pebble sounds good but 56aud is insane
chipolo is also expensive af
cheap amazon no names have awful reviews
bro i just want a 20 dollar rechargable tag that works well, for both android and ios. why the hell is that impossible. we have xr glasses but not an affordable tracker. wtf
I bought an mototag to throw in my car in case it ever gets stolen and its literally been sitting in an apartment parking lot and the mototag hasn't reported back in 3 days. Its useless, this android find my network is useless.
Can we have tile join the conversation?
No. Tile does not use Google find my device.
your weird background "music" is quite irritating.
This is the worst product ever.. it stopped working in 1 month and community is full of these issues
Which one ?
Do you really want to ask a thief to hand back your wallet?
You can use the location to have the police get it back/track it if someone stole it.
@@MrBradyR It's never gonna happen. Police will not go because of a tracker. What if the tracker was in a apartment building? Or even in a populated housing area. You might have some luck if it was found on a farm.
all those hand movements and gestures, and that hair flip 🙃😪
Good video. Thanks. Suggestion: Consider spending some time to improve your speaking skills. Some words were undecipherable, mostly when you garbled three words into one as you rushed your explanation.. Fortunately I could look at the transcript for help. I understand that in radio announcers' school they start by making you speak with a mouthful of marbles. In each subsequent lesson you remove one marble. When you have lost all your marbles, you have become a radio announcer.