Samsung recently announced a pair of tiny, battery-powered dongles called SmartTags that you can use to keep track of your important items.
These keychain-like devices have months of battery life and communicate with Samsung phones via Bluetooth. Clip them to a keychain, pet collar, backpack, purse – anything that you can clip a keychain to. If it’s ever lost, you can use it Samsung’s SmartThings Find app to track them down. This even works when you are disconnected from the SmartTag. The tags ring via encrypted connections from nearby Samsung devices and anonymously inform the SmartThings Find app where they are. They can even make sounds to help you pinpoint their location.
Samsung announced two types of SmarTags: the SmartTag and the SmartTag Plus. Both can help you track and find items, but they have different functions.
- SmartTag: The basic SmartTag uses Bluetooth Low Energy. These are the same type of bluetooth wireless headphones that are used to sync with your phone. This means that you can connect your SmartTag to any Galaxy smartphone and that any Samsung device in the vicinity can be used to triangulate the location. However, you can only view the approximate distance of the tag in the SmartThings Find app. it won’t lead you straight to your missing things.
- SmartTag Plus: The more advanced SmartTag Plus communicates using ultra-broadband signals (UWB). The only Samsung devices that support UWB connections are the Note 20 Ultra and the upcoming Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Ultra. However, users can see exactly where the SmartTag Plus is located. The SmartThings Find app even includes AR-based instructions to help you find a missing SmartTag Plus – similar to a waypoint marker in a video game.
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In addition to the differences in technical support and device support, the two SmartTags differ in price and availability.
The Bluetooth Low Energy SmartTag is available now. It costs $ 30 for one, or you can buy them in packs of two (for $ 50) or four (for $ 85) for a slight discount. Samsung is also bundling a free SmartTag with all Galaxy S21 smartphones for a limited time.
The SmartTag Plus will hit the market a little later in 2021 and cost $ 40 for one or $ 65 for two.
The new SmartTags could be a handy addition for Galaxy phone users. However, those on iOS or non-Samsung Android phones should take care of that Tile tags If you are looking for a similar product that is compatible with your device.
[CNET]
