Not a bad price, but it does require an existing Airtag.
Ten years is a very long time in tech. I wouldn't be confident that the Airtag protocol will be functioning in 2035, and there are already rumors of a new Airtag and possibly a newer protocol coming up.
AirTags use the same Find My protocol that's been out for years before them, I doubt Apple will cut them off. They also get regular software updates, so the hardware should last that.
Cool idea for a product but you either have to be a serious airhead or just lazy to miss or ignore all the low battery notifications. Also, that case should have a spot to store the back plate.
But these don’t exist in a vacuum. Replacing one battery a year is not a big deal. But I’m also replacing the 8-10 door sensor batteries yearly, 3 water leak sensors, etc. In a set it and forget it product that you may not use for weeks or months at a time, but also really need to work the one time you do need it, increasing the lifespan by an order of magnitude can have real value.
It's a cool hack, but a terrible idea for a product. There are more components than the battery that will fail over a 10 year period (both in hardware and in software) - which is why ignoring notifications, and assuming that this product solves your problem is a big issue.
This seems incredibly pessimistic to me. Do you really not expect things to last for over ten years?
In my experience most electronic things - and especially things that are simple and solid with no wear and tear like an AirTag - easily last 10 years. I’d expect an AirTag to work for, at least, decades.
But when you have 4 -- and I bet people have more -- it does get a bit boring having to switch them out. It's no longer an annual event, it's now quarterly.
I mean, first-world problem. But if it could be less frequent, of course I'd take it.
I have about 8. They used to run low at the same-ish time frame, but over time they drift apart due to frequency of moving around. (e.g.: the AirTag in my luggage runs out months after the one in my wallet)
I'm OK with the One-Year-ish battery life and happy to change them yearly. I try to do them in batches (the fours usually die together within about a month).
The irritating ones are in the bags/check-ins I stashed/stored snugly, and now I have to take them out to replace the battery. Of course, the bearable thing is that the battery lasts for about a month after the warning, so there is that.
I think I'm complaining about something which is not a big deal.
I’m not sure if this much bigger device is any benefit just to make it last 10-years and forget about it.
Really neat idea and at that price I’ll probably get some for luggage and my backpacks, where I have AirTags that stay there the whole time.
One thing I’m curious about battery leakage. Many of the batteries of my remotes and similar devices seem to leak after a while (including one I heard pop and got very warm). These are devices that do get frequent usage, so they aren’t just sitting without any discharge (but also the drain for a remote would be very minimal).
Would this device experience the same, given how little power the AirTag needs?
Any chance that the AirTag could have a software memory leak that would normally be masked by cutting power once a year? Its possible right? The code must be written in something low level like C.
Would be kinda funny if 10 years from now the author gets his stuff stolen again and then discovers said memory leak crashed the Airtag 9 years ago. As Elon Musk likes to say: "The most ironic outcome is the most likely" . (OP I hope your stuff does not get stolen again, its just a joke)
Camera bag design seems to have moved on from that, and a sling design seems to be more popular.
The sling lets you swing the bag from your back under your arm to in front of you. There is a zipper towards the side that lets you securely access the camera and accessories.
So pretty easily you can get your camera out, or later put it back without removing the backpack.
That’s fair. And thanks for the thoughtful reply! I was thinking more for travel / safe storage. I’m often flying on small planes and to throw it in my duffle.
My solution is I have a PD 30L as with dslr, 200-400, macro, 24-74 lens two straps are nice to have purely due to weight vs sling. The side access is clutch.
Brilliant, I just ordered a couple. But I bet that case muffles the sound when the AirTag decides to sing you the song of its people. This might be a boon to AirTag stalkers who are too lazy or unskilled to disable the sound and upgrade the battery life.
Why is that nonsensical? Airtags are very nice little bits of technology, a marvel really. But examples of abuse are not theoretical. Increasing the battery life by years and placing the airtag in a waterproof case are totally valid things a legitimate user might wish to do, but it also enhances their nefarious or unethical use potential. That is not nonsense.
Or for the comment's theoretical "too lazy or unskilled to disable the sound" stalker, wrap the airtag in a sock and stick it in a tupperware container.
"Put the airtag in a box" is not really an exclusive invention here.
Most criminals are dumb. Anything that makes their job easier can increase the crime rate/efficiency of their criminal activities. I'm pretty sure stalking with devices increased after the Airtag was released.
This solution makes the AirTag bigger. Might be okay for a photo bag, it's quite cumbersome for car keys and dogs. Besides, your phone will warn you when the battery is getting low. I always keep a couple of 2032 batteries on hand and soon as I get the low battery warning I just pop a new one in.
Lithium batteries (like the 1.5V energizer suggested) have extremely low self discharge. The reason why lithium batteries are used for long life is because you can actually reliably count on them to not self discharge after 20 years. As long as the mAh is 10x the coin cells they use, I’d totally believe the 10 year statement.
Here [0] is the datasheet for the batteries used. 25 year shelf life is spec'd.
I have personally run these cells buried underground, and gotten 4.5 years out of 4 of them, though my application is just for fun and likely not as power conservative as an AirTag.
No more waking up in the middle of the night and crawling up a ladder to find out which of your smoke alarms decided it was too cold and decided to sing its low battery chirp.
Not a bad price, but it does require an existing Airtag.
Ten years is a very long time in tech. I wouldn't be confident that the Airtag protocol will be functioning in 2035, and there are already rumors of a new Airtag and possibly a newer protocol coming up.
AirTags use the same Find My protocol that's been out for years before them, I doubt Apple will cut them off. They also get regular software updates, so the hardware should last that.
If Apple kills existing Airtags any time soon they effectively kill the product line. So they won’t.
This might underestimate Apple consumerism (I include myself in that).
Cool idea for a product but you either have to be a serious airhead or just lazy to miss or ignore all the low battery notifications. Also, that case should have a spot to store the back plate.
> Just discard the AirTag's back plate
But these don’t exist in a vacuum. Replacing one battery a year is not a big deal. But I’m also replacing the 8-10 door sensor batteries yearly, 3 water leak sensors, etc. In a set it and forget it product that you may not use for weeks or months at a time, but also really need to work the one time you do need it, increasing the lifespan by an order of magnitude can have real value.
It's a cool hack, but a terrible idea for a product. There are more components than the battery that will fail over a 10 year period (both in hardware and in software) - which is why ignoring notifications, and assuming that this product solves your problem is a big issue.
I've got a 10 year old Bluetooth headset that works fine with a 2024 iPhone so why would something even simpler so obviously not?
This seems incredibly pessimistic to me. Do you really not expect things to last for over ten years?
In my experience most electronic things - and especially things that are simple and solid with no wear and tear like an AirTag - easily last 10 years. I’d expect an AirTag to work for, at least, decades.
My amplifier and speakers date from the 70s.
Do they run a proprietary Apple software, and have NFC and UWB inside them?
This guy replaces his garage door opener every 2 years...
its not about missing the notifications, its about not needing to worry about it.
But when you have 4 -- and I bet people have more -- it does get a bit boring having to switch them out. It's no longer an annual event, it's now quarterly.
I mean, first-world problem. But if it could be less frequent, of course I'd take it.
I have about 8. They used to run low at the same-ish time frame, but over time they drift apart due to frequency of moving around. (e.g.: the AirTag in my luggage runs out months after the one in my wallet)
I'm OK with the One-Year-ish battery life and happy to change them yearly. I try to do them in batches (the fours usually die together within about a month).
The irritating ones are in the bags/check-ins I stashed/stored snugly, and now I have to take them out to replace the battery. Of course, the bearable thing is that the battery lasts for about a month after the warning, so there is that.
I think I'm complaining about something which is not a big deal.
I’m not sure if this much bigger device is any benefit just to make it last 10-years and forget about it.
Really neat idea and at that price I’ll probably get some for luggage and my backpacks, where I have AirTags that stay there the whole time.
One thing I’m curious about battery leakage. Many of the batteries of my remotes and similar devices seem to leak after a while (including one I heard pop and got very warm). These are devices that do get frequent usage, so they aren’t just sitting without any discharge (but also the drain for a remote would be very minimal).
Would this device experience the same, given how little power the AirTag needs?
This appears to be intended to be used with lithium primary cells.
Lithium primary cells tend not to get all leaky with age like alkalines do. (They'll keep your remote working approximately forever, too.)
Project Farm did a test for the best battery and lithium batteries smoked all the alkalines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efDTP5SEdlo
Any chance that the AirTag could have a software memory leak that would normally be masked by cutting power once a year? Its possible right? The code must be written in something low level like C.
Would be kinda funny if 10 years from now the author gets his stuff stolen again and then discovers said memory leak crashed the Airtag 9 years ago. As Elon Musk likes to say: "The most ironic outcome is the most likely" . (OP I hope your stuff does not get stolen again, its just a joke)
AirTags get updates regularly, so they'd probably get power-cycled sooner than that.
Does anyone know what camera bag that is on that website. Peak design? Looks perfect for my usual load out.
I'm pretty sure it is the DSLR Pro Pack by Incase.
https://www.incase.com/products/dslr-pro-pack?srsltid=AfmBOo...
Looks like any number of generic camera bags.
Camera bag design seems to have moved on from that, and a sling design seems to be more popular.
The sling lets you swing the bag from your back under your arm to in front of you. There is a zipper towards the side that lets you securely access the camera and accessories.
So pretty easily you can get your camera out, or later put it back without removing the backpack.
That’s fair. And thanks for the thoughtful reply! I was thinking more for travel / safe storage. I’m often flying on small planes and to throw it in my duffle.
My solution is I have a PD 30L as with dslr, 200-400, macro, 24-74 lens two straps are nice to have purely due to weight vs sling. The side access is clutch.
I was hoping to see a betavoltaic battery here.
Brilliant, I just ordered a couple. But I bet that case muffles the sound when the AirTag decides to sing you the song of its people. This might be a boon to AirTag stalkers who are too lazy or unskilled to disable the sound and upgrade the battery life.
> This might be a boon to AirTag stalkers who are too lazy or unskilled to disable the sound and upgrade the battery life.
What a nonsensical fear to have.
Why is that nonsensical? Airtags are very nice little bits of technology, a marvel really. But examples of abuse are not theoretical. Increasing the battery life by years and placing the airtag in a waterproof case are totally valid things a legitimate user might wish to do, but it also enhances their nefarious or unethical use potential. That is not nonsense.
that's not the part that seems nonsensical. it's the idea that a stalker wouldn't just pull out the speaker.
Or for the comment's theoretical "too lazy or unskilled to disable the sound" stalker, wrap the airtag in a sock and stick it in a tupperware container.
"Put the airtag in a box" is not really an exclusive invention here.
Most criminals are dumb. Anything that makes their job easier can increase the crime rate/efficiency of their criminal activities. I'm pretty sure stalking with devices increased after the Airtag was released.
double the battery & double the size would be the sweet spot for me.
this is a bit big and heavy.
> With premium CNC machined screws
Uhhh? Premium? That sounds like just wasting money
It’s good marketing for fasteners they would likely spec by default due to tolerances dictated by product size and smaller production runs.
Needed to be waterproof?
This solution makes the AirTag bigger. Might be okay for a photo bag, it's quite cumbersome for car keys and dogs. Besides, your phone will warn you when the battery is getting low. I always keep a couple of 2032 batteries on hand and soon as I get the low battery warning I just pop a new one in.
>Might be okay for a photo bag
Yes that's what its for
They talked about this in the article. It is for bigger items like RVs and camera bags that you also don't interact a lot on a daily basis.
That is not how batteries work. Batteries drain even under minimal usage.
My bet is that in 2/3 years this device will stop working already.
Just change the batteries if you AirTag once a year. Especially if you are using an AirTag to keep watch over 10.000 dollar equipment.
Lithium batteries (like the 1.5V energizer suggested) have extremely low self discharge. The reason why lithium batteries are used for long life is because you can actually reliably count on them to not self discharge after 20 years. As long as the mAh is 10x the coin cells they use, I’d totally believe the 10 year statement.
Here [0] is the datasheet for the batteries used. 25 year shelf life is spec'd.
I have personally run these cells buried underground, and gotten 4.5 years out of 4 of them, though my application is just for fun and likely not as power conservative as an AirTag.
[0] https://data.energizer.com/pdfs/l91.pdf
Lots of smoke alarms now have 10 year batteries.
Now mandated in California.
No more waking up in the middle of the night and crawling up a ladder to find out which of your smoke alarms decided it was too cold and decided to sing its low battery chirp.