6 hours ago
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ZDNET's key takeaways
- The Spigen Tag Me Bluetooth trackers are available for $44 for a four-pack
- These trackers perform as well as the AirTag yet are half the price; they have a small loop to attach to items without purchasing separate accessories
- Unfortunately, they only work with the Apple Find My network.
I've learned to add Bluetooth trackers to my frequently lost items the hard way. My husband is forgetful, and we have three little kids who are still learning to look after their stuff and ours. After permanently losing two car keys to my trash-can-obsessed toddler, I added Apple AirTags and other Bluetooth trackers to anything I never want to lose -- even my kids when we go out.
Also: If you own an AirTag, you need these accessories to maximize its potential
I've tested other Bluetooth trackers, like the SwitchBot Wallet Tracker Card, in addition to AirTags. But the most annoying thing about AirTags and some other trackers is that they're not easily attached to things. AirTags can be slipped into a pocket, but you'll need an accessory to attach them to a keyring or wallet. This is where the Spigen Tag Me immediately one-ups the AirTag.
The Spigen Tag Me is a Bluetooth tracker that uses the Apple Find My network, so it's like a third-party AirTag. It has many similarities with the AirTag, like the use of a CR2032 lithium battery. However, the Tag Me is square instead of round. The device also has a small lanyard with a keyring to attach it easily to anything you want to track.
The Tag Me comes in a four-pack, and I put each one on a different item on the morning of a trip to the zoo. One went into my kid's hair, who was traveling with her school on the bus, another went on my toddler's shoe, one stayed in the car so I could find my parking spot, and I attached the last one to my backpack.
Connecting the Tag Me trackers to my iPhone was as easy as adding an AirTag to my account. I just had to open the Find My app and pull off the plastic tab under the battery. My iPhone's Find My app immediately found the tracker, and I just had to give each one a name to be ready to go.
Also: This is the best AirTag alternative for Android users, and I love its safety features
The Spigen Tag Me has worked as well as my AirTags perform when it matters: they've consistently alerted me each time I've left them behind. As I arrived at the zoo, I could track the location of my kid's bus as it made its way there and then keep tabs on my little ones during a tiring field trip spent exploring a crowded zoo. Afterwards, the Tag Me in my car made it as easy to find my parking spot as if I were looking for a pair of keys.
I've experienced issues with AirTag battery life that have been remedied by wiping off the bitter coating on the CR2032 battery. But I haven't found that the battery issue happens with the Spigen Tag Me tracker.
Also: I tested a smart tracker that's thinner than Apple AirTags - and they're even more versatile
Since the initial zoo trip, I've reached for the Spigen Tag Me trackers to put on easily lost things that I can't attach an AirTag to without an accessory. I've added the device to bags, wallets, and even some of my kids' things, like backpacks, lunch bags, and school jackets.
These trackers are highly dependable, but you can trigger a ping if you lose one. The Tag Me has a speaker that reaches up to 87.6 dB, so you can easily hear it when you trigger the audible tracking sound.
ZDNET's buying advice
The fact that the Spigen Tag Me works pretty much as well as an AirTag with the Find My network makes it an easy pick over the twice-as-expensive AirTag. But the lanyard and keychain on the Tag Me are probably my favorite feature. It's easy to glide over the performance when the device poses zero issues, but I love that I can reach for these tiny trackers to attach to pretty much anything I can tie a thread to.
Also: 10 tiny gadgets I never leave home without - and AirTags are not on the list
The Spigen Tag Me 4-pack is available for $44, which is half the list price of the Apple AirTag 4-pack. Therefore, it's certainly an ideal alternative to Apple's Bluetooth tracker.
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