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Bluetooth merchandise trackers have ramped up in reputation in recent times, and it got here as no shock when Apple launched a model of its personal within the type of AirTag. However, since Apple additionally opened up the Discover My app to third-party distributors, different units are beginning to come to market with this integration.

Design

If you happen to’ve seen another Chipolo tracker, be it the ONE or the Ocean Version, you’ve got principally seen the One Spot. It seems an identical with a spherical form, a keyhole for attaching to luggage or keychains, and a emblem stamped on the entrance.

The battery is replaceable, in order that when it will definitely dies, you are in a position to swap it out reasonably than trash the tracker as an entire. It sports activities IPX5 water resistance, which is sufficient to maintain again the rain however prevents the tracker from being submerged.

The middle is a button used for the first-time configuration. It is also a chime, to audibly help you as you get close to your system.

Discover My help

Chipolo has a variety of different Bluetooth merchandise trackers, however the One Spot stands out by being the one different tracker than AirTag to help the Discover My app and benefit from the Discover My community.

By tapping into the large military of iPhones, iPads, and Macs, there are numerous hundreds of thousands of units around the globe which can be in a position to report again your tracker’s location. For instance, when you go away your keys within the cushion of a restaurant, the situation can be despatched again to the tracker’s proprietor fully within the background, every time a supporting Apple system passes by..

As an alternative of counting on a third-party Chipolo app, every little thing is managed in Discover My — from setup to monitoring.

To pair the Chipolo One Spot:

• Open the Discover My app and head to the brand new Gadgets tab
• Faucet on “Add New Merchandise”
• Select “Different Assist Merchandise” on the popup card
• Then press the middle of the One Spot after which you will hear a chime
• Faucet “join” as soon as it seems
• Assign a reputation and emoji to your tracker

As soon as added to the Discover My app, your Chipolo One Spot will present alongside any AirTags you could have, or another Discover My-enabled merchandise. You’ll be able to see its location on the map the place it was final seen, in addition to when that was.

If you happen to faucet on the merchandise within the record, it exhibits all the required info on your tracker. You’ll be able to view the battery life, see when it was final on-line, can get instructions to the place it’s, allow notifications and misplaced mode, or play a sound.

On the event you need to reattach a tracker used on a keychain to your bicycle, you may rename the tracker to extra simply acknowledge what’s being tracked. There’s additionally an choice to take away the tracker fully.

Exterior of Discover My, you are in a position to ask Siri to help you too. Whenever you ask Siri to search out your tracker it is going to instantly begin taking part in the chime if close by.

Throughout our testing, it was all the time dependable. We had been even in a position to invoke the chime utilizing our HomePod which was very useful whereas round the home.

One Spot or AirTag?

The most typical question that arises is how the Chipolo One Spot compares to Apple’s personal AirTag. There are three major ways in which the units differ.

For AirTag, Apple is utilizing its personal U1 ultra-wideband chip to allow precision monitoring throughout the Discover My app. It will probably present an actual heading in your iPhone, in addition to the gap to the system you’re searching for.

Chipolo as a substitute makes use of Bluetooth to present you a basic thought of the place your object is, and largely depends on the audible tone to assist discover your merchandise.

That stated, Chipolo does have a a lot louder speaker than AirTag so it’s simpler to search out. Chipolo approaches 120dB, whereas AirTag was roughly 86dB in our assessments.

One other main differentiator is the NFC chip present in AirTag. When in misplaced mode, any iPhone or Android person can faucet on a discovered AirTag to see a message in regards to the proprietor and how one can return the merchandise.

Chipolo lacks this characteristic fully, although gadgets can nonetheless be put into misplaced mode.

Lastly, there’s the worth. AirTag runs you $29 for a single tag whereas Chipolo One Spot prices $28 — a slight undercut. Moreover, a four-pack of AirTag prices $99 and a four-pack of One Spot prices $90.

There’s further financial savings in equipment as Chipolo’s built-in key ring reduces the necessity to purchase a loop or holder if it is being connected to your bag or keychain.

Out there now

Each AirTag and Chipolo One Spot are stable system trackers. Whereas Apple’s should still have the sting within the type of the U1, Chipolo’s lower cost tag and rugged design make it a stable possibility for a lot of customers. It was straightforward to arrange, dependable, and may be discovered by nearly any Apple product worldwide.

If you’d like one thing aside from AirTag, Chipolo One Spot is your greatest guess.

Execs

• Assist for Discover My app
• Simply as more likely to be discovered as AirTag when misplaced
• Rugged plastic shell
• Constructed-in keyhole
• Replacable battery
• Simple setup

Cons

• Solely is available in black
• No NFC or ultra-wideband
• Solely slight financial savings over AirTag

Ranking: 4 out of 5

The place to purchase

The Chipolo One Spot is scheduled to start delivery in June 2021, whereas AirTags can be found now from Apple resellers.