ZDNET’s key takeaways
- KeySmart’s SmartCard is out there on Amazon for $40 (3-pack for $90).
- It is tremendous skinny, has a wi-fi rechargeable battery, and is IPX7-rated.
- It must be recharged each 5 months or so.
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Apple AirTags have modified my life, saving me numerous hours on the lookout for keys and different objects that I absent-mindedly misplaced.
However AirTags have a number of design flaws. First, the replaceable battery means you are chucking away handfuls of CR2032s yearly. Then there’s the form and measurement. These tiny UFO-shaped units haven’t got a lanyard gap and are too cumbersome to be positioned in a pockets with out providing you with a ache within the rear.
Additionally: My search for the ultimate USB-C charger for traveling is finally over
Sure, some wallets have little holders for AirTags, however in my expertise, they’re all too cumbersome.
However there is a third-party AirTag-like product that takes every little thing that the unique Apple AirTag has to supply and solves all the above issues and extra. That tag is the KeySmart SmartCard.
The very first thing I like in regards to the SmartCard is the thickness, or extra particularly, its thinness!
The SmartCard is lower than 2mm skinny!
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Whereas Apple’s AirTag is 8mm thick, the SmartCard is lower than 2 mm, or the thickness of two bank cards. This makes it good to be used in a pockets. The tip has a baggage tag gap for attaching the SmartCard to your suitcase.
The SmartCard is way thinner than the AirTag.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
KeySmart made this card so skinny by eliminating the cumbersome CR2032 coin cell and changing it with a chargeable battery. This battery is recharged utilizing a wi-fi charger each 5 months or so.
Whereas testing this card, I believed it might be nice if KeySmart had constructed MagSafe tech into the cardboard to permit it to connect to my angled MagSafe iPhone charger. Effectively, KeySmart considered every little thing — this card attaches itself to wi-fi MagSafe chargers!
Additionally: I never travel without this AirTag accessory – and it’s saved me hundreds of dollars
As a result of there are not any battery compartment covers, the tag is strong, has an IPX7 ranking for dustproofing and water resistance, and might survive as much as half-hour of immersion in 3 toes of water. Regardless of being skinny, this stuff are powerful and might stand up to fairly a little bit of bending and squeezing, making them appropriate for all times in wallets.
Along with these enhancements, this gadget features equally to an AirTag. It is activated utilizing the Discover My app, and you’ll seek for it whenever you’ve misplaced your pockets.
That is the AirTag that Apple ought to have made.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
AirTags are nice, however they’ve first-generation limitations that I am positive Apple will at some point remedy with a next-generation wave of AirTags. For now, the KeySmart SmartCard is the most effective AirTag for individuals who need a skinny resolution for his or her pockets or as a baggage tag.
