The True Tracking Distance of Apple AirTags

Apple launched its AirTag accessory designed for finding misplaced or lost belongings in 2021. There are speculations about a forthcoming AirTag 2 version anticipated in late 2025, but the initial AirTag continues to be an exceptional tool. You can attach it to items such as keys, a purse, luggage, or a wallet, or you may place it in your car, on a pet collar, or in a child’s backpack.

When the item is within reach, like keys in an unexamined pocket or a wallet tucked under the car seat, you can utilize Siri or the Find My app to trigger the AirTag to play a sound. With Precision Finding, you can obtain navigational guidance directly to it via the app.

AirTags can function from even greater distances, for instance, if you left your keys on a patio table at the local coffee shop or in a gym locker. By utilizing the expansive Find My network globally, you could even track your luggage if it accidentally ended up in another country. Essentially, you can locate AirTags up to roughly 30 feet away using Bluetooth (potentially more outdoors), but virtually limitless distances leveraging the network of Apple device users.

Using an AirTag to locate nearby items

It’s crucial to set up Apple’s Find My network when you acquire an iPhone so you can track both the phone and potentially dozens of items by signing into the app on any other Apple device. Ringtone a misplaced iPhone, show a message on the screen for it to be returned, or even remotely lock or erase a lost or stolen iPhone through Find My.

Connect items to the Find My app, including AirTags and third-party accessories utilizing the Find My network. For instance, I have a Satechi Passport Cover linked to my Find My network, ensuring I never misplace that vital document. I once inadvertently left it at an airport counter and managed to recover it!

If the item is within the 30-foot Bluetooth range, you can view its location and use sounds for assistance. While using an iPhone 11 or later, Precision Finding (which employs Ultra Wideband technology from the U1 chip) can direct you right to it, offering turn-by-turn navigation. It utilizes the phone’s camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope to guide you to the AirTag’s location like a treasure hunt.

Apple AirTag’s nearly infinite range

How does it function if the AirTag is located miles away? Apple’s Find My network, consisting of over 2.35 billion active Apple devices globally, collaborates with those devices to locate yours. When someone with an iPhone or other Apple device (with Bluetooth enabled) comes within at least 30 feet of your AirTag, it will “ping” the device with its location. You can then view its approximate position via the app’s map.

The individual who encounters the AirTag can tap their iPhone or any NFC-enabled device against the AirTag, and it will open a webpage displaying your contact phone number if you included it during Lost Mode setup. From there, the good Samaritan can call or text you to inform you they have found your item and make plans for its safe return. The process is secured by end-to-end encryption, ensuring it remains private and protected.

The anticipated AirTag 2 is expected to feature enhancements such as a sleeker design, an improved Ultra-wideband chip for increased Precision Finding range, and better privacy. Thus, you might want to hold off to see what the new iteration brings.

Apple Streamlines iPhone 18 Camera Management for Surprising Causes

Weibo insider Instant Digital indicates that the company intends to eliminate the capacitive sensing layer of the Camera Control, retaining only pressure sensing functionality.

This modification would align Apple with other smartphone manufacturers, such as Oppo and Vivo, which utilize a single-sensor method capable of detecting taps, presses, and even sliding motions. While this might suggest that Apple is preparing to discontinue the Camera Control, given the mixed reactions from users, it could also imply that the company is exploring ways to reduce expenses.

Thus, even if Apple simplifies the Camera Control, it would still possess the capability to detect various pressure levels and sliding gestures. Notably, for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary, Apple may implement piezoelectric ceramics for haptic feedback, as there are rumors about the company finally transitioning to solid-state buttons.

How to Efficiently Utilize Your iPad as a Substitute for a Laptop: 10 Key Suggestions

**10 Strategies For Utilizing Your iPad As A Laptop Substitute**

When Apple launched the original iPad in 2010, it was perceived as a gadget positioned between a smartphone and a laptop, perfect for media viewing and basic tasks. With time, due to enhancements in hardware and software, the iPad has developed into a robust device that can effectively replace a laptop for many users. Here’s how to maximize your iPad as a laptop substitute:

1. **Pair it with a Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard Folio**: A physical keyboard is crucial for productive tasks. Apple’s Magic Keyboard delivers a high-end experience with a trackpad and backlit keys, while the Smart Keyboard Folio offers greater portability.

2. **Utilize a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad**: For tasks requiring precision, such as photo editing or managing spreadsheets, a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad can significantly boost your productivity.

3. **Master windowed apps, Split View, and Stage Manager**: iPadOS provides multitasking features such as windowed apps and Split View, enabling you to operate multiple apps at once and efficiently organize your workspace.

4. **Store files using iCloud Drive and external storage**: iCloud Drive ensures your files are accessible on all devices, while external storage solutions like SSDs offer extra space for sizable files.

5. **Download desktop-level applications**: The iPad now accommodates powerful software like Microsoft 365, Adobe Photoshop, and Final Cut Pro, providing functionalities comparable to their desktop counterparts.

6. **Consider a power bank for prolonged battery life**: A power bank can sustain your iPad during lengthy work sessions, helping you remain productive while on the move.

7. **Use the Apple Pencil for taking notes and editing**: The Apple Pencil serves as a multifunctional tool for note-taking, sketching, and editing, making it an invaluable accessory for creative endeavors.

8. **Leverage Universal Control and Sidecar**: If you possess a Mac, features such as Universal Control and Sidecar enable smooth integration between devices, enhancing your overall workflow.

9. **Optimize battery and performance settings**: Minor tweaks like activating Low Power Mode and lowering screen brightness can improve battery longevity and enhance performance.

10. **Hook up to an external display for a desktop-like experience**: Connecting to an external monitor can convert your iPad into a desktop setup, offering more screen space for multitasking.

By applying these strategies, you can convert your iPad into a flexible and powerful laptop substitute, equipped to manage a diverse array of tasks from productivity to creative projects.

Free Application Allows Steam Deck Users to Play Xbox Games from a Distance

non-Steam games on the Steam Deck perform well for Epic Games, but they aren’t as effective for Xbox titles. If you’re looking to utilize the Xbox Cloud Gaming service, you have several choices. You can install Microsoft Edge on your Steam Deck, providing access to the Xbox Cloud Gaming service through the browser, though it lacks some features. Alternatively, you can opt for Better xCloud, an open-source solution aimed at addressing the shortcomings of the default Edge experience.

One of the standout features that Better xCloud offers, which isn’t present through Edge alone, is the capability to play your Xbox games remotely using other browsers like Google Chrome. Beyond alternative browsers, Better xCloud minimizes lag and enables 1080p streaming resolution for games. You can even stream while connected to a different network, making it an excellent way to access your library of Xbox games while traveling.

Gamers can also modify numerous settings that aren’t available through the standard Xbox Cloud Gaming experience in the Edge browser. Subscribers to Game Pass can change the bitrate of their stream, adjust the renderer being used, and experiment with various clarity enhancement features.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Anticipated to Feature Anti-Crease Hinge Technology Comparable to iPhone Fold

Apple may need to postpone the release of the foldable iPhone. The Korean news outlet DealSite reports that Samsung aims to be ready for both scenarios by introducing the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which will come with a new hinge designed to help avert creasing. Samsung plans to utilize laser drilling technology to manufacture micro-structures in the metal plate that encases the hinge, moving away from traditional chemical etching methods.

This isn’t the first instance we’ve encountered this production technique regarding foldable devices that demonstrate less creasing after extensive folding and unfolding. Earlier this year, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned that the iPhone Fold would incorporate a more costly hinge. The metal plate located between the hinge and the OLED display would be equipped with micro-structures developed through laser drilling, enhancing the screen’s resilience against stress and minimizing crease visibility. Kuo remarked at the time that Samsung Display employs chemical etching, while Apple required more stringent specifications for the foldable iPhone. The analyst also noted that laser drilling is more costly.