This is the small, inexpensive device that I always recommend so as not to lose my suitcase when I go on a trip.

Summer is the favorite time for many Spaniards to go on vacation and, in many cases, they travel by plane, with the classic inconveniences that airports can present. One of them is the risk of losing or having our suitcase with all our belongings stolen.

This is something that does not usually happen, but it is not impossible either, so it is always good to be careful so that it does not happen to us. However, we can all have an oversight or a moment when we lose sight of our things, and it is during these moments that they tend to get lost.

However, there are devices capable of warning us where our suitcase is and even help us find it at the airport or elsewhere. These are location tags, and they can be the best method to avoid losing the suitcase when we go on a trip. Apple’s AirTags are perhaps the most popular, but if users have an Android phone, they will not be able to use it, although there are other options.

How it works

Location beacons are one of the most useful mobile accessories out there. Although, truth be told, these They are not designed to accompany the smartphonebut rather to work with it. Its function is to indicate its relative position to the phone, allowing you to find the object to which it is attached.

For example, it is possible to keep one of these tags inside your wallet or even put it on your key ring next to your keys. If at any time we do not find said object, with take out the cell phone to start tracking the tag signal. When it finds it, it will tell you its relative position to you, as if it were a compass.

Their operation is very curious, since they do not have any type of locator, GPS or anything similar, but rather work through their own networks. Each brand uses its own, such as AirTags, which use Apple’s; and Smart Tags, which use Samsung’s, just like Tile, which uses theirs. Now, in all these cases, Cell phones or tablets nearby let us know where they are.. Therefore, the more populated the place where they are used, the more precise the indications will be.

Some, like the Tile, run on a rechargeable battery that, in many available models, lasts about a yearwhich is more than enough to work properly if we lose it. The idea is to leave one of these devices stored in your suitcase, although it is possible to take several with you and leave another in your wallet, or on your keys. The important thing is to know which ones are which and to rename them when setting them up.

If at any time we move away from this object, a warning will appear in the application associated with these locators, and it can be used to receive directions to your locationThe good news is that to do this you just need to have smartphones around you through which you can transmit your signal.

Which one to buy?

The truth is that when buying one of these location tags, it is very important to take into account the brand of cell phone that we use daily. And the Samsung and Apple models, for example, They only work with their own brand mobile phoneswhich significantly limits the experience that users with mobile phones from other manufacturers can get.

The Samsung SmartTag 2 is shaped like a pill and is easy to put on a keychain or attach to any object. It has an IP67 waterproof rating and its autonomy, according to the brand, is about 500 days in normal mode. It is capable of locating objects within a radius of 120 meters, although if there are Samsung mobile phones in the area, they will be able to locate the device even if we are further away.

For its part, Apple’s AirTag works in a similar way. In this case, it has a circular shape, and to be able to attach it to other objects or a key ring, an accessory will be necessary. Any Apple device works as a repeater in order to be able to offer its location. Of course, it can only be configured with an iPhone.

However, if you have another Android mobile, you will have to use other solutions. Tile is one of them. The company offers several models, such as the Tile Mate, which has a search radius of 60 m; the Tile Pro (2022) which increases this distance to 120 m. Thanks to their size, they can also be inserted into objects such as keys or wallets. Its instructions are a little more vague when the device is far away, and its autonomy is about a year.

Eufy has a card and a locator keychain that work in the same way and have a perforation to facilitate their attachment to other devices. In this case, they use the Google device network to operate, activated last May.