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Although there’s a lot to like about Apple’s AirTags, the design can be limited and often requires you to purchase an accessory to properly attach to most things. Chipolo is looking to work around these limited glitches with the $35 Spot Card, which has nearly all of AirTag’s tracking rights in a functional, credit-card-sized tracker that slides easily into a wallet.
This is one of our favorite announcements from CES 2022, and a finalist as the best accessory to come from the show. Card Spot is ready to order from Nomadic goods, so let’s break down this pint-sized flat item tracker to help you decide if it’s for you.
Chipolo not reinventing the wheel here – there have been countless other credit card shaped Bluetooth trackers, such as Chipolo’s original Card and Tile’s Slim.
The difference is that Card Spot is the first tracker of its kind to connect to Apple’s Find My network. This network includes iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs, and lets you keep track of supported gadgets if you lose or misplace them. Once set up, Tag Scores will be in the Find My app under the “Devices” tab on your iPhone, just like your AirTag or AirPods. Find My is also available on iPad, Mac, and iCloud.com.
Search Assist gives Card Scores almost all of them AirTag features that we like, allowing you to see it clearly on the map. And since it pings loads of connected devices in your area, it proved to be pretty accurate in our testing. The more crowded the place, the more up-to-date information you’ll find on location and accuracy.
What’s even more interesting is that you can choose to receive notifications if you forget to bring your tracker with you. And if you ever lose your wallet, you can mark your Card Points as lost and even include a contact form if someone happens to find it.
Score card It’s IPX5 water resistant (meaning it can be submerged in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes) and has a speaker that lets out noises when you ping.
Card Spot doesn’t have an ultra-wideband connection, which means it can’t be tracked using the Exact Find feature found on AirTags. This feature basically prompts you with specific arrows and distances to find the tag, but requires iPhone 11 or later.
Chipolo promises Score card will last for two years, but the battery cannot be replaced by the user. This is in contrast to the user-replaceable and relatively popular CR2032 battery that powers the AirTag. However, once the tracker dies, you’ll be able to send it back to Chipolo with a 50% discount on a new device.
We think $35 spot card is one of the best gadgets to be announced at CES 2022. It’s purpose-built to last in your wallet and help you find it if it ever gets lost. Card Spot is a great on-the-go feature compared to AirTag, as you don’t need to buy an accessory to use it.
Chipolo Card Points are now available for pre-order at Nomadic goods, which also makes some great wallets for trackers.
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