For years, I thought about getting Apple Airtags to track my wallet and keys, but never made the purchase.
Sometimes you think long and hard about technology before spending money on it. And this time the technology came to me as my mother’s last gift. She likes to give me new wallets that are supposed to keep your credit cards from being scanned. But I often end up screwing them up and the tiny plastic fasteners that keep them closed were the first things to go. every time. So I had a rubber band on my wallet for years. It works.
This year, in advance of my birthday, my mom gave me an Elzama bag where the cards go in and when you want to use them, a small but sturdy lever pulls them out of the bag. A tight fit means there are more options for keeping ID and other cards in triplicate while the cards are in a secure position. The compact front pocket has strong magnets to keep it triple-closed. Despite its small size, at 4 inches by 2.5 inches, the Elzama Smart Earthag Wallet has plenty of room. And, more tech-wise, it has an Apple AirTag wallet. The company says the wallet can store up to eight cards, ID and cash, rather than a standard folding wallet. The wallet costs about $25 and there are many variations, including those with a money clip. It comes in Carbon Leather, Faux Leather, Genuine Leather and Aluminum.
“This wallet is made of high-quality carbon fiber laser, high-grade aluminum alloy box, equipped with powerful magnets, you can open and close the Airtag wallet easily and conveniently,” the company reported. “Our card holder is equipped with advanced RFID technology to protect your cards from card reading devices.”
Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch
Apple AirTags are typically $29, sold separately. Recently, Best Buy is offering the AirTag with six months of free Apple Music, six months of free Apple News+ and three months of free Apple TV+ along with original series and movies. Target Air Tag has the option to try Apple Music for free with Target Club for four months.
The Elzama bag also comes with an Apple AirTag key fob. Some people use Apple AirTags on laptop cases, keys, bags, purses, or even wristbands to keep track of kids in public.
I know that Airtags have been out for a while so the technique is not a new gadget. But this week, I actually got to try it myself. After the wallet was hidden in the newsroom, it took a couple of minutes to find it using my iPhone. Using the Find My app, the phone quickly pointed me in the right direction. If I went the wrong way, he urged me to go in a different direction and used an arrow to point the right way. When I got within 30 feet, the screen turned from black to green with the distance count. If in doubt, I could press a button on the phone to make the Airtag beep and help narrow down the hiding place. You can just ask Siri to find your wallet. Apple says that the accuracy search is compatible with iPhone 11 through iPhone 13.
“Just like your other Apple devices, AirTag can go into a disabled mode,” Apple reports. “Then you’ll be notified immediately when it’s detected by a device on the network. You can also set it up so that someone taps your AirTag on an NFC-capable smartphone to get your contact information — that’s the same technology that allows people to pay for things with their phones.”
Apple reports that privacy is built in.
“Only you can see where your AirTag is. Your location data and history are never stored on the AirTag itself. Devices transmitting your AirTag location also remain anonymous, and location information is encrypted at every level. So even Apple can’t track your AirTag location or He doesn’t know the identity of the device that helps him find it.
Apple describes AirTag’s use process by sending the small disk “a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network.” These devices will send your AirTag location to iCloud – then you can go to the My app and see it on the map. The entire process is anonymous and encrypted to protect your privacy. And it’s efficient, so there’s no need to worry about battery life or data usage.
Now, when I’m in the process of moving, chaos is a constant experience with boxes and bins. Nothing in the usual place. AirTag brings peace of mind to quickly find where the wallet is now.
Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch
For those who never put their keys in a bowl on their entryway table or always keep their wallet in the same place, Air Tags can seem like an extra gadget without much gain. For others, it can be a way to quickly and easily find a misplaced item. I was at a party once when a stranger decided my keys were in the way and, with a word, shoved them out of sight behind other items. If he had an air tag then, he would have saved over an hour of searching and gnashing of teeth. And the panic that comes when you lose your wallet is much smaller than when you finally remember it.
Running along with repetition becomes easier for days. That could add to the uncertainty of where the wallet was last seen — while paying bills at the counter? Are you left in the car? Still at work? Or are they really lost or left in the shopping cart? With AirTag, a quick scan of the iPhone determines where the wallet is on a map, just like a family member’s iPhone or your AirPods or iPad. The Find My app can then navigate to where the item is hiding, in plain sight, hanging over the bed or falling behind something. A moment’s search and you’re back on your way. This is a valuable thing.
Renee Richardson, Managing Editor, at 218-855-5852 or
renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com
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