How Can I Use An Airtag Without An iPhone?

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

What are my options here? My girlfriend has a Macbook but it's probably 6 years old, will it work with that? Can I set it up with a friend's iPhone and somehow track it with a web interface or do I need the phone with which it was set up?

Is there an alternative to Airtags that work just as well?

[Tulpa | 3,537]

AFAIK, you can't set up Airtags on a Mac without an i(device) setup first.

But there are alternatives.

https://www.androidauthority.com/apple-airtags-alternatives-1222793/

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

33 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

AFAIK, you can't set up Airtags on a Mac without an i(device) setup first.

But there are alternatives.

https://www.androidauthority.com/apple-airtags-alternatives-1222793/

None of those work like an Airtag.

[a3quit4s | 4,127]

iPhone or iPad required 

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP840?locale=en_US

What specific functionality of an AirTag do you need because it seems like @Tulpas list would be exactly what you are looking for. 
 

I believe you need to be using the Find My all on an iPhone or iPad to track the tag but could be wrong. 

Edited March 10, 2023 by a3quit4s

[phart010 | 1,708]

You could get a tile. They’re kind of similar 

[a3quit4s | 4,127]

12 minutes ago, phart010 said:

You could get a tile. They’re kind of similar 

Tile was on Tulpas list which is why I asked what features is he looking for specifically

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

6 hours ago, a3quit4s said:

iPhone or iPad required 

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP840?locale=en_US

What specific functionality of an AirTag do you need because it seems like @Tulpas list would be exactly what you are looking for. 
 

I believe you need to be using the Find My all on an iPhone or iPad to track the tag but could be wrong. 

I may be about to get schooled here but here's my understanding of how an Airtag works from my limited knowledge of Apple products.

The Airtag is battery powered and will connect to any passing iPhone, there's no additional authentication required and the iPhone doesn't require a special application downloaded. The passing iPhone will upload the device's location so long as the Airtag is near any iPhone (or iPod Touch).

The other devices posted require an application to be downloaded and can only really report back to the owner's phone. So once the Tile leaves the area near my specific phone, it will never report its location until I get within communication distance again.

I'm going to be shipping something across the country and want to track its movement.

[a3quit4s | 4,127]

18 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

I may be about to get schooled here but here's my understanding of how an Airtag works from my limited knowledge of Apple products.

The Airtag is battery powered and will connect to any passing iPhone, there's no additional authentication required and the iPhone doesn't require a special application downloaded. The passing iPhone will upload the device's location so long as the Airtag is near any iPhone (or iPod Touch).

The other devices posted require an application to be downloaded and can only really report back to the owner's phone. So once the Tile leaves the area near my specific phone, it will never report its location until I get within communication distance again.

I'm going to be shipping something across the country and want to track its movement.

You are correct that the AirTag communicates with other devices via Bluetooth and in that case I’m not sure there is another product on the market that does that or has that number of products pinging it. If you don’t own an I device your best bet is to buy it and give it to someone that does and let them connect to to their Find My app and give it back to you. You’ll also need them in order to track it since it can only be done via their find my app. 

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

Maybe I just need to buy a cheap iPod Touch and use that.

[RH | 4,980]

2 hours ago, Code Monkey said:

Maybe I just need to buy a cheap iPod Touch and use that.

Make sure it's compatible.  If your Apple device is too old, it won't connect to the Apple shop, or might not be compatible.  To be clear, it has to be a really, really old iDevice to no longer support the app store, but I wouldn't buy some $25 device for this purpose if it's 10+ years old.

[phart010 | 1,708]

3 hours ago, Code Monkey said:

I may be about to get schooled here but here's my understanding of how an Airtag works from my limited knowledge of Apple products.

The Airtag is battery powered and will connect to any passing iPhone, there's no additional authentication required and the iPhone doesn't require a special application downloaded. The passing iPhone will upload the device's location so long as the Airtag is near any iPhone (or iPod Touch).

The other devices posted require an application to be downloaded and can only really report back to the owner's phone. So once the Tile leaves the area near my specific phone, it will never report its location until I get within communication distance again.

I'm going to be shipping something across the country and want to track its movement.

The Tile will ping its location to anyone who has the Tile app installed on their phone. Since Tile has a large user base (it’s sold in retail stores like Target and Walmart), chances are if you are within city limits, it will ping off of plenty of phones. I would guess several times a day as long as it is within range of any moderately trafficked street

[phart010 | 1,708]

According to TechCrunch in 2021:

To date, Tile has sold more than 40 million devices and has over 425,000 paying customers — a metric it’s revealing for the first time. It doesn’t disclose its total number of users, both free and paid combined, however.
 

Likely  even more users today. 

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

4 hours ago, phart010 said:

The Tile will ping its location to anyone who has the Tile app installed on their phone. Since Tile has a large user base (it’s sold in retail stores like Target and Walmart), chances are if you are within city limits, it will ping off of plenty of phones. I would guess several times a day as long as it is within range of any moderately trafficked street

This is actually very interesting, thanks. This might work. And also to Tulpa for suggesting it.

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

9 hours ago, Code Monkey said:

I'm going to be shipping something across the country and want to track its movement.

I usually just use a tracking number, you can usually get one when shipping with USPS or UPS.

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

2 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

I usually just use a tracking number, you can usually get one when shipping with USPS or UPS.

That only works if / when they scan it.

Watch Doug DeMuro's video of how he tracked his $2,000,000 car purchase as it was shipped from the seller, it's an interesting video.

[AirVillain | 491]

I find this interesting.

Would be cool to track literally every movement a shipment makes. 

Never needed to ship anything THAT expensive. 

If I was going to have a 2,000,000 car delivered (I would never do this, that's dumb) I'd fly to the car and go with the driver. Road trip!

Edited March 18, 2023 by AirVillain

[Link | 2,737]

55 minutes ago, AirVillain said:

I find this interesting.

Would be cool to track literally every movement a shipment makes. 

Never needed to ship anything THAT expensive. 

If I was going to have a 2,000,000 car delivered (I would never do this, that's dumb) I'd fly to the car and go with the driver. Road trip!

$2million? I've known multiple people  do that for 2000. 

[AirVillain | 491]

20 minutes ago, Link said:

$2million? I've known multiple people  do that for 2000. 

Depends how far the round trip is. I'd drive if close enough.

Otherwise, I'd assume the person shipping would do a proper job if the item with 2k, so I'd make sure of that.... but yeah, I'm not driving across the country for a 2k item. 

If I was rich enough to throw away 2k on it, I can afford to lose it/pay for shipping insurance...?

[Link | 2,737]

3 hours ago, AirVillain said:

Depends how far the round trip is. I'd drive if close enough.

Otherwise, I'd assume the person shipping would do a proper job if the item with 2k, so I'd make sure of that.... but yeah, I'm not driving across the country for a 2k item. 

If I was rich enough to throw away 2k on it, I can afford to lose it/pay for shipping insurance...?

Well, you said a $2M car . I don't see that being practical to ship by other means than plane ticket + road trip. At this point though I'm going to assume that was a typo and you meant cart(ridge) or something else. 

[Link | 2,737]

Just now, Link said:

I'm going to assume that was a typo

Wait no you did mean car. 

 

4 hours ago, AirVillain said:

If I was going to have a 2,000,000 car delivered (I would never do this, that's dumb) I'd fly to the car and go with the driver. Road trip!

Explain yourself!

[AirVillain | 491]

16 hours ago, Link said:

Wait no you did mean car. 

 

Explain yourself!

Hahaha.... I didn't say car.... that was the example given by Code Monkey.

But aside.... Given the completely ridiculous and dumb example of "Putting an air tag in a 2M car or flying to meet the driver and driving with them" what I meant was I would fly to be with the car and ride with the driver of whatever truck is doing the hauling. But I was being sarcastic.

Of course.... this would be in the case that I couldn't DRIVE the car myself. Too far? Winter time and it's too nice of a car? I don't know, it's just a stupid example.

But if I paid 2M for something..... actually.... wait.... wait one second here.

If I'm rich enough to buy a 2M car, then I don't give a fuck about it, and the shipping company can handle it.

I'll have me people look the car over when it gets here to check for damage. 

Edited March 19, 2023 by AirVillain

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

22 hours ago, Link said:

Well, you said a $2M car . I don't see that being practical to ship by other means than plane ticket + road trip. At this point though I'm going to assume that was a typo and you meant cart(ridge) or something else. 

I wrote car and I meant car.

 

6 hours ago, AirVillain said:

Hahaha.... I didn't say car.... that was the example given by Code Monkey.

But aside.... Given the completely ridiculous and dumb example of "Putting an air tag in a 2M car or flying to meet the driver and driving with them" what I meant was I would fly to be with the car and ride with the driver of whatever truck is doing the hauling. But I was being sarcastic.

Of course.... this would be in the case that I couldn't DRIVE the car myself. Too far? Winter time and it's too nice of a car? I don't know, it's just a stupid example.

But if I paid 2M for something..... actually.... wait.... wait one second here.

If I'm rich enough to buy a 2M car, then I don't give a fuck about it, and the shipping company can handle it.

I'll have me people look the car over when it gets here to check for damage. 

The shipping company's insurance wouldn't cover you being in the truck and therefore you would not be allowed to ride. Besides, the truck holds 8-10 cars and they're not going to let you ride along for 14 days while they travel all over the country before going to your house. Multiple other cars are picked up and dropped off along the way.

[AirVillain | 491]

3 hours ago, Code Monkey said:

I wrote car and I meant car.

 

The shipping company's insurance wouldn't cover you being in the truck and therefore you would not be allowed to ride. Besides, the truck holds 8-10 cars and they're not going to let you ride along for 14 days while they travel all over the country before going to your house. Multiple other cars are picked up and dropped off along the way.

If it's a 2M car, and I wanted to, I'm coming along for the ride. 

[Link | 2,737]

3 hours ago, Code Monkey said:

I wrote car and I meant car.

I was talking to AirVillain about what he said. And I agree with him, if I bought a $2M car, no better way to celebrate than by driving it from location to home on a beautiful journey. I would also like to meet the seller and enjoy our connection as often happens with big dollar purchases of things like original VG art. If one can't for some reason obviously that's another story. 

[Code Monkey | 2,014]

23 minutes ago, AirVillain said:

If it's a 2M car, and I wanted to, I'm coming along for the ride. 

No, you aren't. No trucker is going to risk their job allowing you to ride along uninsured.

They also pick up and drop off much more expensive cars than that, specific shipping companies are widely trusted with high value cars. Obviously he flew out to look at the car but then loaded it onto a truck, flew home and waited for it to arrive.