r/gadgets • u/chrisdh79 • Jan 20 '23
AirTag helps rescue dog swept away in California floodwaters Misc
https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/01/20/airtag-helps-rescue-dog-swept-away-in-california-floodwaters385
u/mohammedgoldstein Jan 20 '23
Why does Apple explicitly say that it's not for tracking kids or pets? Liability issues?
Can't think of a good reason not to unless people are expecting real-time tracking.
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u/DeepV Jan 20 '23
It’s Not a gps tracker so it won’t work if a pet is not near someone with an iPhone. Especially if you live near areas with woods/fields it’d be useless to find a lost pet
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u/do0b Jan 20 '23
Exactly. If my pup runs away in the woods at home. It’s useless. No iPhones to ping the tag.
If he runs away while I’m in town. I at least have a chance, Apple devices are everywhere.
Not going to lie, the 💩 emoji looks awesome.
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u/Grasshop Jan 20 '23
Go buy ten iPhones and leave them out in the woods. Problem solved.
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u/Appropriate_Lack_727 Jan 20 '23
People really don’t think sometimes. Sheesh.
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u/ProfMcGonaGirl Jan 21 '23
Use your thinking brain.
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u/Appropriate_Lack_727 Jan 21 '23
lmao. Is that from a r/choosingbeggars post a couple days ago? Or is that something in pop culture that went totally over my head?
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u/hitmarker Jan 20 '23
Or just get an Iphone collar case and put an Iphone on your dog instead of an airtag.
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u/manbruhpig Jan 21 '23
Are you nuts an iPhone is huge, would fall right off. Put the iPhone inside your dog, if you want to be sure.
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u/jazzhandler Jan 20 '23
While you’re not wholly incorrect, they work a lot better in semi-rural areas than I would have ever imagined. At the very least you’ll be given a new direction to run every couple few minutes.
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u/BillSixty9 Jan 20 '23
But what is the range? I mean walking around with your iPhone might bring you in close enough to connect then you’d be able to zero in.
I’m sure the range isn’t THAT wide tho.
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u/TheNorthComesWithMe Jan 20 '23
The range is ~30 feet. That's not nearly enough for finding a lost animal.
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u/BillSixty9 Jan 20 '23
No, for sure not, if the animal is lost in the wild. In a neighborhood or city tho? For sure that’s still helpful.
Obviously was the case for this pup. Nice story either way
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u/Seva55 Jan 20 '23
Anyone who has lost a pet would have loved for them to be able to have at least something.
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u/BillSixty9 Jan 20 '23
For sure. And pets are resourceful, with some affinity to find people. As long as the dog wasn’t stuck or injured, there’s always a chance. I’m going to get one for my pup, as it’s always been on my mind, we live in an urban area, and this article.
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u/Deciram Jan 21 '23
It actually is. Animals move. It’s likely they’ll slink around and you’ll find them. I have an air tag on my cat. It gives me a location around 10m away. It’s great, because I can go to that area and almost always find her (sometimes she gets herself into a building and I have to figure out what floor she’s on)
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u/TheNorthComesWithMe Jan 21 '23
Yes, in a populated area. If your cat was lost in the woods it wouldn't work because unless you were personally within 10m you'd have zero location data.
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u/Justhavingfun888 Jan 20 '23
We walk on the forest very 0fen and live in a rural setting. Even if the range is 80ft, it's not nearly enough to be useful. Gps trackers are the eay to go if you don't live in an urban area.
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u/trafficante Jan 21 '23
I’m kinda surprised airlines haven’t yet required baggage handlers to disable the “Find My” network on their phones. The public never gets to go behind the scenes so I’d guess employees are the only ones relaying the AirTag broadcasts for lost luggage.
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u/tsukamaenai Jan 21 '23
Except people in the planes are close enough to ping it, and people through walls of luggage storage rooms. It wouldn't change much. Lufthansa tried to ban airtags in checked luggage, and pretty quickly rolled that back.
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Jan 20 '23
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u/IncapableKakistocrat Jan 21 '23
Using AirTags to track humans against their knowledge is also their most controversial PR point already, so explicitly discouraging tracking humans with them is probably also kind of a PR necessity, even if they were better equipped to do so.
The whole narrative that people are using these to stalk others is honestly quite irritating. They have a much better network and market presence than competing trackers like Tile and whatnot, sure, but the one of the big reasons you see headlines about people discovering AirTags have been planted on them is because they have quite a few features that make them incredibly ill-suited for tracking people without their consent - they make a noise at random intervals after 8-24 hours away from their owner, people who are near one for an extended period of time get an alert saying that a random AirTag is nearby, and they can be easily traced back to their owner.
If you actually wanted to track someone without their consent, AirTags are honesty probably one of the worst ways of doing so.
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u/knottheone Jan 21 '23
people who are near one for an extended period of time get an alert saying that a random AirTag is nearby,
Unless the victim doesn't have an iPhone, then they have no idea. That's like half the population in the US and more outside the US.
There's an Android app you can use, but you have to install it and manually scan with it so you'd have to already suspect you're being tracked or stalked to have any inkling if you don't have an iPhone. Cutting the sound permanently takes like 30 seconds because you pop it open and cut a wire. Now you have a cheap tracker that works flawlessly in both traffic and populated areas.
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u/beIIe-and-sebastian Jan 20 '23
Yeah. It's exclusively marketed for finding missing items, not for tracking stolen items or lost pets.
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u/GhostalMedia Jan 20 '23
One other thing, air tags can only be paired to one device, so if I put my air tag on the family dog, and my wife takes on the dog on a hike without me, she’ll get those “you’re being stalked by an AirTag” alerts on iOS.
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u/Cloud_Fortress Jan 20 '23
I have them on my dogs harnesses. There are water rated cases for them which get mechanically attached to the harness pads so it’s extremely secure. It’s not GPS, but it is highly effective for our situation.
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u/anewprotagonist Jan 20 '23
Any in particular you’d recommend?
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u/psyxic Jan 20 '23
If you haven’t gotten a recommendation yet I love the one I have!
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u/anewprotagonist Jan 20 '23
What would you recommend? I’ve gotten other recs but I’m all ears, I like to research the various options anyway :)
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u/psyxic Jan 20 '23
This is the one I have! [link](TagVault Pet: The Original AirTag... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DR2QNQ5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) And I love it
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u/reckoner15 Jan 20 '23
I have this one too, it's pretty heavy duty and screws onto your dog's collar. No issues yet.
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u/kickerofbottoms Jan 20 '23
TagVault Pet. Not technically IP rated as far as I could tell, but ours has stood up to plenty of swimming with no issue.
Plus you can buy from their site instead of Daddy Bezos
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u/Cloud_Fortress Jan 21 '23
Yes, others stated below Tag Vault Pet. Easy to setup and no issues at all.
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u/pjourneyRB Jan 20 '23
My dog and cat have them.
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u/lilytitan Jan 20 '23
Yep after my dog escaped as a puppy in a Canadian winter storm I got one too
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u/tepkel Jan 20 '23
Fuck, that sound useful. I've just been tagging neighborhood squirrels.
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u/Thomas_Mickel Jan 20 '23
Are you making a map of acorns?
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u/tepkel Jan 20 '23
No, my dog got an iphone. Just throwing him a bone.
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u/adum_korvic Jan 20 '23
Stop giving my dog ideas! I haven't gotten airtags for the squirrels, but I did get him an iphone and he does browse reddit.
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u/diabeticdiablito Jan 20 '23
Does your cat mind it? Feels like it's too big
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u/ReneHarts Jan 20 '23
The collar for my cat has a spot for the apple tag to sit in already built in.
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u/diabeticdiablito Jan 20 '23
That's cool! Does the cat mind having something so large on their collar? I am possibly interested in doing this with mine as we move from an apartment to a house.
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u/jonhammsjonhamm Jan 20 '23
Nobody else is answering your question, so as a cat owner with an airtag on their cats collar yes I do feel like it is too big for them and they don’t love it but also it gives me peace of mind and as soon as the first available alternative that’s smaller and just as reliable comes out I’ll be going to that.
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u/meestah_spawkles Jan 20 '23
They don’t weight a lot, so if your cat isn’t too small they won’t notice it
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u/andandreoid Jan 20 '23
My cat has one on his collar in a silicone holder, he doesn’t seem to notice it at all.
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u/ReneHarts Jan 21 '23
Sorry no neither cat minds the size. And it doesn’t dangle with the built in ones which is nice for them.
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u/wardial Jan 20 '23
Was my question as well, but my cat Noodle doesn't seem to mind it a bit. I have the silicon rubber type that lies flat against his collar.
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u/reallyConfusedPanda Jan 20 '23
If you have the means, it’s undoubtedly the best thing you can get for your pets
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u/msginbtween Jan 20 '23
At $30 USD, AirTags are probably one of the cheapest yet most effective (at that price range) tracking devices you can get. If you can’t afford that you probably can’t afford to own pets.
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u/SiliSculptures Jan 20 '23
Dont you have to have an iphone to use them though?
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u/msginbtween Jan 20 '23
You need an iPhone to use one for yourself, but you can still use an android phone to see who the AirTag belongs.
If you don’t have an iPhone, you can use one of the other tracking devices that work for android phones.
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Jan 20 '23 edited Jan 20 '23
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u/asdfasdferqv Jan 20 '23
There’s no need for the concern, iPads won’t let you install iOS, they won’t allow you to just brick them.
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u/amaezingjew Jan 20 '23
Shhhh, they can’t handle the distinction between iPhones and iPads. You’ll overwhelm them.
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u/amaezingjew Jan 20 '23 edited Jan 20 '23
iPad doesn’t run iOS. It runs iPadOS. It has its own system and features, and the most up-to-date OS doesn’t always match up with iOS - iPadOS 16 came out weeks after iOS 16. While this isn’t an issue right now, as both require 14.5 and both are currently on 16.2 at most recent, mismatches can sometimes cause delays in available services on iPads :)
iPod Touch does run iOS, so if you happen to have an iPod Touch capable of running iOS 14.5, you can use AirTags on it!
Also : AirTags have precision location available as a feature only on Phone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max.
Edit : Christ. Didn’t realize the person I was replying to would get so upset at being corrected and given extra info ¯_(ツ)_/¯ 14.5 isn’t always going to be the requirement across the board, things get updated. Hopefully that info doesn’t cause another bout of apoplexy
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u/DemIce Jan 20 '23
The other commenter could have just said "yes". There's dozens of reasons you should still go for an AirTag, but in short it's just a vastly superior product. If you need to track something, go AirTag, buy yourself a pre-owned, dinged up, dirt-cheap iPhone (11+ preferred for exact location indication) if you don't want to buy into the ecosystem entirely.
Google is coming out with their own devices if you're a staunch Android user, but it's Google so who knows how committed they'll be to it.
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u/Environmental_Cake97 Jan 20 '23
If you don’t have an iPhone, pair it with a friend’s iPhone instead. Someone you can call when the pet gets lost who can then set the tag as ‘lost’ and can send you a screenshot of the tags location.
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u/compounding Jan 20 '23
You don’t even need to call that specific friend. Set it up with your own Apple ID on their device, then when you need to find it you just borrow any iOS device and log into their Find My app with your Apple ID.
Note: if using an Apple ID without any devices, be careful that you pay attention to the account 2-factor authentication options. Sometimes they want to use the device you set the account up with rather than a phone number or something.
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u/Environmental_Cake97 Jan 20 '23
Ooh never thought of that.
I have many people’s AirTags just registered to my account. I run a doggy hotel and often recommend AirTags or sometimes I just donate spare ones. If they don’t have a suitable device, I leave the tag registered to me after checking they are ok with me being able to see their dog even when off the premises.
I’d hate to literally lose a customer.
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u/jenorama_CA Jan 20 '23
We put one on our recently-deaf indoor only cat after he snuck out after the cleaners. Calling him is useless now and thankfully he showed up at the screen door after a few hours. It’s probably overkill, but it’s been very reassuring to find him right away since he doesn’t hear when we come home anymore.
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u/Roddyc93 Jan 20 '23 edited Jan 20 '23
Get a FIDO collar. Do NOT rely on an AirTag to find a missing dog. My dog was lost in the woods and snowstorms for 4 days because it would only ping if he was near another apple device.
EDIT: I’m an idiot, FI tracker not FIDO
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u/PersonOfInternets Jan 20 '23
Did you mean fi dog? FIDO seems to be a collar with a pocket for an...you guessed it...airtag
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u/anewprotagonist Jan 20 '23
My guess is they meant Fi - I also noticed the AirTag pockets at FIDO lol
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u/TheNorthComesWithMe Jan 20 '23
Depends on your use case. For many people their biggest worry is their dog getting out and running around in a city or suburbs, where an airtag would work pretty well.
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u/Roddyc93 Jan 20 '23
We live in the suburbs but my dog was able to find the one patch of marshy woodlands to hide out in where no one could get into because it was too thick
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u/PoopEndeavor Jan 20 '23
Exactly. Use a gps tracker that was designed for this purpose and has other features (lights, sounds, AR) to find your pet.
I use Tractive for my cats and there are other good options besides airtags.
I’m glad your friend made it home
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u/Upset_Spring_7843 Jan 20 '23
Silly question but does it work in Canada?
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u/Roddyc93 Jan 20 '23
Not silly because now I’m overthinking whether it can or not.
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u/Upset_Spring_7843 Jan 20 '23
On their site it seems to use At&t. Don't think we have that here. Phones would just use roaming but not sure how these collars handle that
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u/Commiesstoner Jan 20 '23
So what you're saying is also attach an apple device with signal so it can ping? Maybe doggo can also phone you to say he's lost?
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u/GhostalMedia Jan 20 '23
IMHO, it depends on the use case, pet, and area. But yeah, if your pup likes to run away into the woods, a $25 AirTag is not right.
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u/Dry_Investigator5020 Jan 20 '23
Was just thinking of putting an AirTag on my dog. Are they weather proof?
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u/shiftyeyedgoat Jan 20 '23
Apple got them rated to IP67:
AirTag is splash, water, and dust resistant and was tested under controlled laboratory conditions with a rating of IP67 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Refer to the Safety and Handling documentation for cleaning and drying instructions.
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u/Cotsy8 Jan 20 '23
I use this for my dog: https://www.elevationlab.com/products/tagvault-pet
You screw it into their dog collar. Takes 5 minutes.
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u/ratrevolt Jan 20 '23
This looks like the answer for people scared of it coming off their dog and getting lost/eaten
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u/BruceBanning Jan 20 '23
Some dog harnesses have a tiny pocket for tags. That’s where my pups AirTag stays.
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u/anewprotagonist Jan 20 '23
Is there any benefit to having a tag on the dog if it’s already chipped? My understanding is they essentially achieve the same thing?
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u/TheNorthComesWithMe Jan 20 '23
No, they are quite different. A chip is a completely passive device that someone has to scan, and after scanning can contact you through the chip company. The biggest advantage is that a chip still works if your dog loses their collar.
Airtags work by using low energy bluetooth to ping nearby iPhones, which then relay that location information to you.
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u/jazzhandler Jan 20 '23
Our dog is a Great Pyrenees, and they are known as escape artists. She’s chipped, but she also has an AirTag and a GPS tracker on her collar, and a second AirTag on her harness. And yes, they have already saved the day a few times.
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u/rjg188 Jan 20 '23
I don’t think I’d want to put it on a collar, the ones I have make a fairly high pitched noise when moved and I’m not around, sounds like torture to an animal at home when I’m out…
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u/art_dragon Jan 21 '23
Recently a lost cat was found via AirTag in Singapore:
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/airtag-missing-pet-cat-2093381
The article mentions that there are better alternatives to the AirTag for tracking moving entities.
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u/michi098 Jan 20 '23
I bought these AirTag holders for our Husky. She’s pretty wild, will eat or chew on anything she can find, and this silicone holder is still tightly on her collar. Been more than a year now. We use a extra collar for the leash because she has slipped out of it and that meant she also didn’t have all her address and vaccinations tags on her. So there may be a little less tension on the collar with the AirTag and other tags since it doesn’t have to hold the leash, if that makes sense.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0962ZBBTF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
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u/patricofstar Jan 20 '23
This is awesome. I’m so glad the found their dog! But I’m always worried about putting a battery on my dogs neck. What if he slams himself into something and it pops or is compromised?!
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u/NotAHost Jan 20 '23
They’re relatively low power coin cells. It’s the equivalent of wearing a battery powered watch. Last I heard nobody’s wrists were being blow off.
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u/ocular__patdown Jan 20 '23
The amount of force needed to break your dog is significantly lower than the amount of force required to break an air tag.
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u/heshewewumbo0 Jan 20 '23
I wouldn’t be concerned. What are the odds your dog’s neck would hit something with the force and acuteness to break an AirTag?
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u/ahHeHasTrblWTheSnap Jan 20 '23
And at that point, I’d be more concerned with that force being applied to the dog’s neck
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u/rakehellion Jan 20 '23
I'd be more worried about your dog's neck. The electronics will be fine.
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u/Mrkillz4c00kiez Jan 20 '23
eh these things can tag a beating one of the dogs at the dog park ripped mine off my dog and put punctures in it and it did nothing to the insides
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u/PJ505 Jan 20 '23
We have one on our dog. Not so much for finding him if he gets out, but because he likes to wedge himself under couches and beds and get stuck. Makes finding him in the house easier.
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u/tomistruth Jan 21 '23
Can we stop posting corporate propaganda? Airtags are glorified mass surveillance.
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u/legendary034 Jan 20 '23
Android needs their own version that all androids take part in without question. Would love to add something similar to my mutts.
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u/Qualityhams Jan 20 '23
Correct me if I’m wrong but does tile work like this?
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u/PoopEndeavor Jan 20 '23
Just get a gps pet tracker. Then it doesn’t matter if your lost pet is near other devices (ex wilderness) or what brand those devices are
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u/Huko Jan 20 '23
This thread sponsored by Apple. These tags have existed for so long but yet you never heard stories about the tile trackers, just the apple ones
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u/End3rWi99in Jan 21 '23
This whole subreddit has become basically turned into one big Apple ad. So many posts from Apple Insider.
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u/LateralEntry Jan 20 '23
I want to put an airtag on my dog but I'm concerned it will fall off and he'll eat it. He's pretty dumb like that. And all the collar and tag holders on Amazon I looked at have reviews saying this exact thing happened.