To some extent, that was to be expected: nothing else hit the AirTags, and there are several that have started tinkering, experimenting and testing these new devices. The projects are very diverse in terms of objectives, such as reducing the thickness of the AirTag to carry it in your wallet or modifying the content of the transmitted signal using the included NFC chip.
A card-shaped AirTag, ideal for thin wallets
One of the first uses that many of us surely think of when listening to AirTag is in the wallet. Being able to get such an important item to be tracked is definitely a useful feature of these tracking tags. And the truth is, it’s a great idea, unless, as Pedro Aznar says in the full AirTags analysis, we use an ultra-thin and no space for parts.
In this context, the truth is that any thickness seems excessive, and while it is true that AirTags are really small and manageable, there are those who still find them too thick to fit into their wallets. In this situation, Andrew Ngai found himself who decided to dismantle his AirTag to turn it into something more like a map.
As seen in the video, Nagai’s idea was to separate the battery and the main circuit to put them side by side. Not on top of each other, as they are placed inside the AirTag, but separate, connecting the battery to the power terminals with a pair of cables. With this system got an AirTag that was only 3.8mm thick It fits into a 3D printed card for more stability.
As can be seen in the pictures, this mount certainly won’t be waterproof, but it will allow you to fit the AirTag into a really thin wallet without significantly increasing its thickness. It goes without saying from Applesfera, we don’t recommend trying to do this with our AirTags, not to mention the warranty, well, there’s no need to comment.
An AirTag with a personalized URL on the NFC chip
AirTags have an NFC chip that contains a link so that if someone finds the device and it is not theirs, they can scan it and access the URL issued by the NFC. In this URL, in addition to the serial number of the device, we can see if it is in lost mode and contact the owner of the object using whatever phone number or email address you have left.
Create a quick demo: AirTag with modified NFC URL 😎
(Cables used only for power) pic.twitter.com/DrMIK49Tu0
– stack overwrite (@ghidraninja) May 8, 2021
This project, however, succeeded in changing the behavior of the NFC to emit a different URL. A URL which, as we see in the Twitter demo thread above these lines, can lead us to any website. A more curious than practical use, but it’s still interesting.
And from what it seems, it’s only just getting started. AirTags are a relatively new product that is still delivered to customers who ordered them on the day of opening reservations, so we can expect more projects and curiosities from these small devices.
