- Timothy Torres, PC MagazineThe second-generation Tile improves upon the first with support for Android devices and the ability to find your lost phone, in addition to any other belongings you attach it to.
- Florence Ion , The WirecutterThis Bluetooth tracker has the best features and range—and is the only one worth purchasing.
Specs / Features
Buy More, Save More: Just $17.50 per Tile when you buy a 4-pack. | Tile is a tiny Bluetooth tracker and easy-to-use app that finds your phone, keys, and anything you don't want to lose-in seconds. | Attach a Tile to an item and locate it by sound, by seeing its last known location on a map, or by marking it as "lost" and getting an alert when it's found. | Find your phone! Simply press Tile to make your lost phone ring-even if it's on silent. | Keep track of phones, tablets, keys, wallets, luggage, purses, backpacks, cameras, remote controls, kids toys, and more.
Buy More, Save More: Just $17.50 per Tile when you buy a 4-pack. | Tile is a tiny Bluetooth tracker and easy-to-use app that finds your phone, keys, and anything you don't want to lose-in seconds. | Attach a Tile to an item and locate it by sound, by seeing its last known location on a map, or by marking it as "lost" and getting an alert when it's found. | Find your phone! Simply press Tile to make your lost phone ring-even if it's on silent. | Keep track of phones, tablets, keys, wallets, luggage, purses, backpacks, cameras, remote controls, kids toys, and more.
Less| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Weight | N/A |
| Size | 3 x 3 cm (1.2 x 1.2 in) |
| Sound | 88 decibel melody |
| Water Resistant | Yes |
| Battery Life | One year from shipment |
| Warranty (Months) | - |
What's good
- Loud speaker (90 decibels)
- Great range (150 feet)
- Phone finder
- Quick signal finding
- Water-resistant IP5 rating
What's bad
- Non-replaceable battery
- Bluetooth range limitations compared to GPS
- Lack of proximity or direction notifications in finder interface
The first generation Tile was a smashing success in both its crowdfunding efforts and reviews. Now Tile is back with an updated version of its Bluetooth tracker with support for both Android and iOS devices.
Is it worth the price and, more importantly, does it work well? We scoured the best reviews on the Internet to find a verdict.
You won’t find a ton of bells and whistles on the Tile. It is a simple white square with the Tile logo across the front and a small hole to attach to your keychain. Tech Advisor noted, “It's not too big to attach to a keyring, but at around 5.5mm it's twice the thickness of an average key and wider than most car key fobs.”
Reviewers loved the design of the fob, with PC Magazine calling it “sleek and well-designed.” GeekDad described it as, “thoughtfully styled to be modern, yet unobtrusive.”
The only remotely negative comment we could find on the looks and design of the Tile (Gen 2) was from Android and Me. They stated, “The Tile unit itself feels well made; it’s sleek and pretty. I wish there was a black Tile, because my white unit got dirty pretty fast.”
Fortunately, with its IP5 water-resistance rating, you could likely give it a quick wipe down with a damp cloth if the appearance bothered you.
Reviews on performance were equally positive. Everyone loved the app’s straight-forward interface and simple pairing. Most commented on the range being the best of many Bluetooth devices they had tried. PC Magazine praised how loud the speaker was on the fob, noting that it was surprising for such a small device. Android and Me said, “I wish more things could be as simple as Tile and work as well.”
One area of question in most reviews was the Tile’s Community Find feature. Typically, the Tile uses Bluetooth to find your Tile. However, if you’ve lost your item away from your home or office, the Community Find uses other people’s phones to help you find your device.
Many reviews were quick to point out that this feature will only work well if you live in an area with many Tile owners.
Finally, a lack of replaceable battery means you’ll need to completely replace your Tile after roughly one year of use. This was the trade-off for the water-resistant design. Fortunately, Tile offers special upgrade pricing if you send your old Tile in and most reviews agreed that prices were fair.
Overall, reviews of the new Tile are positive. Tech Advisor summed up opinions well, stating, “If you're the sort of person who's always losing their keys around the house, Tile is ideal. For keeping tabs on your child (if that's what you want to do), a GPS tracker makes more sense.”
Critic Reviews
Worth the price of admission for the forgetful
8/10
The Tile's non-removable battery is said to last a year, and it will send you reminder when it runs low. At that point, you will be offered the chance to order a new Tile. I wish it were possible to simply replace the battery like you can with any old wristwatch, but $25 a year doesn't seem like...More
The Tile's non-removable battery is said to last a year, and it will send you reminder when it runs low. At that point, you will be offered the chance to order a new Tile. I wish it were possible to simply replace the battery like you can with any old wristwatch, but $25 a year doesn't seem like too steep a price if you've ever lost your phone before.
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Sleek look and feel, audible alert signal, improved range
8/10
Tile still uses a battery that's not replaceable, forcing you to upgrade to a new Tile after about a year when the battery gives out. However, since our initial review, Tile has solidified its upgrade program. It notifies users 11 months after they activate their device, offering them a chance to...More
Tile still uses a battery that's not replaceable, forcing you to upgrade to a new Tile after about a year when the battery gives out. However, since our initial review, Tile has solidified its upgrade program. It notifies users 11 months after they activate their device, offering them a chance to buy the newest model at a steep discount. (As of this writing, you can upgrade for $13; by contrast, a two-pack of CR2016 batteries like the ones used in key finders like Protag's Duet will cost you $4. Not being able to replace the battery on your own may be a hassle, but at least you have the chance to upgrade to a new Tile that, if it follows the lead of this edition, introduces welcome improvements.
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The Bluetooth tag that helps you find lost items
As Tile freely admits on its website, small tracking devices are nothing new. What's different about Tile is that it uses Bluetooth, and is less accurate than a GPS tracker. Most GPS trackers, of course, are more expensive than a Tile and will require regular recharging. If you're the sort of per...More
As Tile freely admits on its website, small tracking devices are nothing new. What's different about Tile is that it uses Bluetooth, and is less accurate than a GPS tracker. Most GPS trackers, of course, are more expensive than a Tile and will require regular recharging. If you're the sort of person who's always losing their keys around the house, Tile is ideal. For keeping tabs on your child (if that's what you want to do), a GPS tracker makes more sense.
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Makes finding lost keys, dog, or iPhone easier than ever
You can use Tile to keep tabs on anything that’s important to you like your keys, carry-on suitcase, bicycle, iPad, or even your pets. By being limited to Bluetooth coverage, Tile isn’t a long-range GPS tracker, but it is a good solution for finding lost items within your home or offi...More
You can use Tile to keep tabs on anything that’s important to you like your keys, carry-on suitcase, bicycle, iPad, or even your pets. By being limited to Bluetooth coverage, Tile isn’t a long-range GPS tracker, but it is a good solution for finding lost items within your home or office. I appreciated the peace-of-mind Tile afforded me knowing that my keys and pets were nearby. Even though the second generation Tile is by far louder than the original version, its tone still gets lost outdoors or when there’s serious background noise. The ability to ping your mobile device is also super handy. I would recommend Tile to anyone looking for a short range item tracker as long as your OK with having to go through the battery replacement program every year.
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Well made, it’s sleek and pretty
Tile is really simple, and that’s one of the things I like the most about it. It’s flexible, and people have found really cool things to do with their Tile, but I just wanted to make sure I didn’t lose my keys. Integrating it into my life took virtually zero effort on my end. Fa...More
Tile is really simple, and that’s one of the things I like the most about it. It’s flexible, and people have found really cool things to do with their Tile, but I just wanted to make sure I didn’t lose my keys. Integrating it into my life took virtually zero effort on my end. Far too often, technology products require you to rearrange some aspect of your life or routine to reap the benefits. All I did was install an app and attach a new keychain to my keys. I wish more things could be as simple as Tile and work as well.
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It’s worth it to never again having to worry about going on a key hunt
The best thing I can say about Tile is that it stayed out of my way until I needed it. Its hardware is thoughtfully styled to be modern, yet unobtrusive. Being that it’s a powered Bluetooth device, it won’t last forever; but according to Tile’s FAQ, it should last at least a yea...More
The best thing I can say about Tile is that it stayed out of my way until I needed it. Its hardware is thoughtfully styled to be modern, yet unobtrusive. Being that it’s a powered Bluetooth device, it won’t last forever; but according to Tile’s FAQ, it should last at least a year, at which time you can ship the dead Tile back and buy a fresh one at a discount. The battery is non-replaceable to maintain the water-resistant qualities. It’s a fair trade off; considering the abuse I put my keys through, I doubt Tile would last anywhere near a year in my pocket without being ruggedized.
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The only Bluetooth tracker you should buy
No other tracker has the range or utility of the Tile, making it the only one worth purchasing—in this case, we wouldn’t recommend you even consider spending your money on any of its competitors.
Read full reviewNo other tracker has the range or utility of the Tile, making it the only one worth purchasing—in this case, we wouldn’t recommend you even consider spending your money on any of its competitors.
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Resources
Review Sources and Citations
The Wirecutter, GeekDad, Android and Me, 9to5Mac, Tech Advisor, Tom's Guide, PC Magazine
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Q&A Forum
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