This is really useful if, like me, you tend to switch your Bluetooth trackers between items as you use them. If you attach the Pebblebee clip to your luggage, you can take it out and put it in your pocket when eating dinner alone while traveling. Pebblebee works with both Apple Find My and Google Find Hub. If you’re nervous about the siren going off, you can also grab a Pebble Bee 5 Card ($35)It is the same price and does not have the siren.
Tips and tricks for finding your luggage
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Photo: Adrian So
I’ve lost my luggage since I was four years old, being sent on planes around the world. Here are some of the ways I’ve learned to keep track of my belongings (and how to deal with the disappointment when I inevitably don’t).
Insert your tracker into the inner pocket. You don’t want to place it loosely in your belongings. Maybe it will slip into the middle of your clothing, where the Bluetooth signal will be blocked, or you or a negligent TSA employee might accidentally knock it out on the floor. Some of my favorite carry-ons, like the Peak Design Roller Pro ($600), have AirTag pockets built into the bag, so you don’t have to worry about them falling out.
Label your individual trackers. It’s very easy to change the name and emoji of your trackers in Find My or Find Hub, and you should do it! It’s hard to track down a lost item when you have six air tags, all marked “Adrienne’s Luggage.”
Check the battery before you leave. If you don’t travel a lot, it’s easy to leave your Bluetooth luggage trackers unused for months.
What about GPS trackers? GPS trackers use satellites, while AirTags and other similar tracking devices use Bluetooth and a crowdsourced network of compatible devices to which they can connect, such as phones. Although you may encounter small gaps in coverage with Bluetooth trackers when locating your luggage – for example, your bag is loaded onto the cart and you’re not within 30 feet of your iPhone as it heads to baggage claim – you’re pretty much guaranteed to have plenty of devices on the airport’s Find My or Find Hub network to help locate a tracker. GPS trackers usually require a subscription, so I wouldn’t recommend using them to track luggage if you’ll only be using them a few times a year.
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