One obvious feature AirTags need

Small tweak would make trackers way more useful

Author

Leander Kahney
October 26, 2023

Presented by

AirTags are awesome.

I used to have a problem with forgetting things, like my keys.

Not so long ago, I lost my wallet. Actually, I knew I hadn’t lost it, but I couldn't find it anywhere.

It was a pickle. I knew in my bones it was somewhere around, but the longer I waited to cancel my credit cards, driver’s license, etc., the worse the outcome might be.

I spent hours searching for it, and it was driving me crazy. I kept searching the same places, convinced that I’d somehow missed it the last time, because I knew it was around the house somewhere.

After a couple of weeks, just as I was about to give up, I accidentally found the darn thing on the dashboard of my car — it had slipped just out of sight. Of course, as soon as I found it, I instantly remembered putting it there a fortnight before.

I immediately went into the house and bought this AirTag-compatible wallet on Amazon. And although I’ve displaced my wallet several times since (keys too), the AirTag led me straight to it.

As great as they are, there’s one obvious missing feature that Apple could easily add, as our writer Ed Hardy explains in our top post today.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • watchOS 10.1 has just been released, and if you have one of the latest Apple Watch models, you can get the double-tap gesture for hands-free use. Too bad the feature is getting panned.

  • Apple has dropped its leather iPhone cases, but the Mujjo Full Leather Wallet Case with MagSafe is a brilliant alternative.

  • The new Video Reactions feature in macOS Sonoma triggers effects like playful fireworks when you give a double thumbs-up in front of the camera — which has already led to some embarrassing situations on non-frivolous calls. Here’s how to turn it off (it’s not obvious).

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Adding one feature would make AirTag way more useful

Enabling AirTags to set off an alarm when one moves away from the user would be a welcome improvement, despite the drawbacks.

watchOS 10.1 update brings new double-tap gesture for hands-free use

It allows Series 9 and Ultra 2 users to tap their finger and thumb together twice to launch a function without touching the wearable.

'Definitive' new John Lennon murder doc on Apple TV+ reveals 'shocking' details

The streaming service said the three-part series is the "most comprehensive" look at the beloved musician's shooting death in 1980.

A message from the Cult of Mac deals team

Only a few days left to get this awesome USB-C mic for $30

Babbl is a USB-C plug-and-play microphone with an aesthetic that looks straight out of the Apple design lab. For a few days more, you can get this awesome mic for an exclusive low price, just $29.97.

BMW’s wireless charging will screw up your iPhone 15

Apple has acknowledged the charging pad of certain BWM and Toyota Supra vehicles can break the iPhone 15's NFC chip.

AirPods 4 could deliver active noise cancellation

AirPods 4 will be the first in Apple's budget line of wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation when they launch in 2024.

A message from Ryse

The Next Smart Home Staple

Where were you when Amazon acquired Ring for $1B? Or when Google bought Nest for a cool $3.2B?

Hopefully, you were invested in those promising startups. But for those that missed out, the next groundbreaking Smart Home innovation has arrived 一 RYSE.

Their automated window shade tech is now launching in Best Buy stores, and is poised to dominate the fast-growing Smart Shades market. They’ve also just launched a new investment round and their share price has already grown 25% from their last round!

The Smart Shades race is on, and RYSE is in pole position due to their:

Unmatched Features: RYSE has the only retrofit design to motorize existing window shades, and can be seamlessly controlled by voice, smartphone, or schedule.

Smart Price: Priced at $169 vs. competitors’ pricing of up to $1,000 per window, RYSE is uniquely positioned to bring luxury window shades to every home and business.

Your iPhone needs this luxurious leather wallet case [Review] ★★★★½

Apple dropped its leather iPhone cases, but the Mujjo Full Leather Wallet Case with MagSafe is a brilliant alternative.

How to turn off Mac webcam video reactions in macOS Sonoma

During video calls, giving thumbs-up can trigger fireworks, which made a good demo when it was introduced, but has since confused many people who trigger it accidentally in serious situations. And the Off button isn’t where you would expect.

Basketball fans can now jump into the action in NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition

"NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition," the latest addition to the long-running, feature-packed esports games franchise, is now out for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.

Today in Apple history: iPod Photo brings color display to music machine

October 26, 2004: Apple debuts its iPod Photo, a device capable of putting not just 15,000 songs in your pocket, but also 25,000 photographs. It is the

Tweetz o’ the day

One more thing ...

❝

My vision was to create the first fully packaged computer. We were no longer aiming for the handful of hobbyists who liked to assemble their own computers, who knew how to buy transformers and keyboards. For every one of them there were a thousand people who would want the machine to be ready to run.

— Steve Jobs, 2008.

Today’s poll

Have AirTags saved your bacon?

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