Why you should choose a Chipolo One Point Tracker over Apple’s AirTag for Prime Day

I lost my keys (forgot I threw them between the cushions of my couch) and my wallet, still in the back pocket of the pants I threw in my hamper. I have a remarkable ability to lose most small things. But thanks to Bluetooth trackers, I don’t actually lose anything anymore. Or if I do, I can find it easily.

The One point ($28)Chipolo released earlier this year is a Bluetooth tracker that uses Google’s relatively new crowdsourced Find My Device network of more than 1 billion Android devices to help you easily find your tagged keys, wallet, luggage, backpack, and other items. find something you might lose. You can do that the day before October’s Prime Day sale receive a three tracker bundle at 15% discount the price for purchasing two key fobs and one card separately.

Taking advantage of Google’s tracking network means that in addition to using your own phone to locate the One Point (with the Find My Device app), you can also take advantage of all the other Android devices around you, friends and strangers alike ( completely private), to Track your item better, no matter where it is or how far you are from the item.

For more, check out October’s best Prime Day deals and the best Prime Day deals under $50.

How does the Chipolo One Point tracker work?

The small plastic tracker, which weighs relatively nothing, is about an inch and a half in diameter, about the size of those old Eisenhower dollar coins (I’m showing my age). Unlike the Apple AirTag, the One Point also has a built-in keyring hole, so you don’t have to buy an accessory to attach the tracker to your item; you just need a key ring.

Once your One Point is connected to your phone, you can check the location of your tracked item using Google’s Find My Device app. You can easily see on a map where the tracker is located and how far away you are. If you can’t find the tracker with your eyes, you can always force it to make a fairly loud sound (120db) so that you can clearly hear where it is, even if it is under a pile of clothes.

The battery life is about a year, but you can easily open the tracker (there is a small hole on the side) to replace the CR2032 battery. That’s possible buy a pack of 10 CR2032 batteries for less than $6and apparently that should last ten years.

And if you place your tracker on something that’s shared, like a large piece of checked luggage for you and your family, you can share the information with a loved one so you can both keep an eye on the tracker from separate Android devices. devices.

Why should you get the Chipolo One Point via the AirTag?

There’s really only one reason why you should get the Chipolo One Point tracker, and that’s if you own an Android device. The Chipolo One Point is specially made for Android phones and tablets and works with Google’s Find My Device app. If you own an Android, you definitely don’t want an AirTag, especially because there is no way to pair an AirTag to an Android device.

If you have both an Apple and Android device, there are a few other reasons to choose the Chipolo One over an AirTag:

• The Chipolo One is cheaper than the AirTag. Only a dollar, but still.
• The Chipolo One has a built-in keychain hole. The AirTag doesn’t have a keyring hole, so you’ll have to buy an accessory, which ultimately makes the AirTag a more expensive purchase.
• There is a card version of the Chipolo. The Card Point is a card tracker designed specifically for your wallet. There is currently no AirTag card tracker.

How to set up your Chipolo One Point tracker

All you have to do right out of the box is press your Chipolo One Point (you’ll hear a pretty loud noise from the little device) and then place the tracker next to your phone. Your Android device will automatically detect the tracker, as long as you have downloaded the Find My Device app.

The pop-up on your screen will walk you through all the setup instructions, including linking the device to your email account, agreeing to join Google’s Find My Device network, and enabling recent locations for offline devices.

All in all, setup takes less than a minute. And then you can easily track your item from your phone.

Make sure you don’t lose your phone.

While you’re here, check out AirTag vs. Tile and SmartTag and Apple and Google both have ways to find your lost devices, but here’s the winner.