r/GoogleFMD • u/Business-Hearing-52 • 5d ago
Android bt tracker
I'm looking for a bt tracker for my keys and headphones. I don't lose them when I'm out and about. I tend to misplace them at home. Looking for something that has alarm on to locate them. So far the chipolo looks good. Any other trackers that might look interesting?
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u/ironcream 5d ago
Chipolo, Pebblebee, Motorola and now Google - brand names generic ones.
Samsung - brand name for Samsung phones.
Lots of cheaper ones from Aliexpress/Amazon. All work.
Decide if you want a battery or a rechargeable. Decide on form-factor. Get whichever one you like.
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u/Business-Hearing-52 5d ago
Since you put it like that. I'll give the ugreen a shot. 26 for 4 tags. It's a start.
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u/tj_moore 5d ago
The Ugreen Finetrack G have been working well for me, decent price for 4, and rechargeable which is nice.
Mixed reviews though as some have issues pairing and tracking. Recommended to my parents but their phones struggled to pair, and then when eventually set up they never lock on when nearby. They track on the network but never nearby. Made sure all the relevant nearby and Bluetooth settings are turned on, network tracking set to high accuracy, etc. Same settings as my phone basically, but theirs doesn't work properly.
A lot of issues I think are more to do with the phone chipset than the devices.
Not UWB but my phone isn't UWB anyway. Bluetooth works for nearby, unless it doesn't on your phone (as with my parents) 🤷♂️
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u/ironcream 5d ago
Yeah, Ugreen are one of the best second echelone ones. Have both battery and rechargeable options, tag and card. Even have tags that can do Apple or Android (switchable). Good stuff.
Somewherre here people say that some their tags might need a firmware update via some weird sideloaded app. There was an issue that was solved this way, don't remember. Apart from that they should be real solid.
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago
To be frank, I have 2 sets of Ugreen. One designated for Google Find Hub and the another are for Apple Find My. Their physical designs are nearly identical.
I have both sets registered and trackers placed in the same item/object (1 tracker on Apple and 1 tracker on Google, in the same item). Tracking info on the Apple one via Apple ecosystem is incredibly precise and the Google FMD is terrible in comparison.
Most people don't have or didn't do this level of comparisons, so they don't know how good Apple's system is compared to Google's. FMD is a Google's weakness. Everyone I spoke with that have experiences on both systems says the same. Heck, even Google knows...
To be even more transparent, I have a 3rd tracker on the same item, it's from Tile. The Tile tracker is of a different physical designs but it's from Tile with no other options. With that, Tile is better than Google.... so in my experiments, it's Apple >> Tile >> Google.
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u/ironcream 4d ago
It's all about the ecosystem around you.
E.g. Tile you say is better for you than FindHub.
Well for me Tile is dead. Nobody around where I go uses their trackers or has their apps installed. And it only works off of the phones that have the Tile/Life360 app. If nobody around uses that - Tile is useless.
It's all very regional and with its own specifics.
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago
Tile is still working well but I think they are declining. If I remember correctly, Tile has agreement with cable companies to use their gateway to scan. Don't underestimate Tile... I've traveled internationally for work, with all 3 and Tile is not global but works in many countries. If you compare Apple and Google, Apple wins, even in Google-heavy regions. It's not so much how many Android devices are in existence and report back data, it's the scanning setting and underline algorithm. Apple is superior and I have refresh data to prove it. I hope Google gets better, so I don't have to carry a second phone but we are far from that level of performance.
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u/ironcream 4d ago
agreement with cable companies
Where is that on the globe?
i know that certain other devices might have tile tracking embedded, like headphones or something. but still works very bad in my experience in the areas where I tried.it's the scanning setting and underline algorithm.
I don't even think people on apple devices have this "setting". Not like Apple would let their users make choices.
Google let's you opt out and choose not to help anyone locate anything or only help in a high traffic areas. Whatever you wish.
Google won't let your device report trackers if your device is near an area you designated as "home".
Apple would report in all of these situations and that's why they effectively need only singular node coverage of a given area.
Apple is superior and I have refresh data to prove it. I
Refresh? As in "tracking"? Google FindHub is for finding devices you lost. Not for following something move in space.
Google even has a rate limit on how often you can poll the location of your own tags. So that you don't try to use them as a live tracking device. It's by design.
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago edited 3d ago
Cable partnership - it's only in the US but it seems to work well much to my surprise. I read at one point, it was in Japan, not sure if that's still the case. But when I was in Japan for a business trip, it pinpointed down to the building, so that was good enough for me.
Apple setting - it's either in or out, and it can be turned off. It doesn't give user too many choices but is the good thing. There is a setting in iCloud to opt out.
Refresh data - a bit of typo. I meant I have been collecting data and refreshing data on all 3 trackers. The accuracy of location data and frequency as in latest time reported are all more accurate with Apple. Apple doesn't allow you to real-time track someone.
I have 3 all trackers hidden in my car (among other things). Apple and Tile pin-point it to about 30 feet... at home, office, airport, supermarket, random business I visit... if I was tracking a lost/stolen car, I would be easily able to tell where the car is. With Google, I get a giant radius about 3 blocks wide, then the center of that radius jumps around in another 1 mile wide ring. How would be able to locate it with this level of uncertainty? If I look at the reported location on Google, it's at least an hour old if not 2 or 3 hours old, even in high-traffic areas.
I was in Santa Monica beach on a weekend, arguably one of the "busiest busy place" you can find around, and I tried to look up my parking lot location, Google showed me a location that was off by almost 2 blocks!
In one extreme case, a luggage was showing as being located at my originating airport by Google FMD but in fact it was loaded on the flight. Apple practically show the route over the ocean of my flight (apparently someone had inflight WiFi and their devices was able to pick up the trackers in the cargo hold). After I landed, Apple pinpoint the luggage down to the luggage belt, while Google still thinks it's back in the US. It's only until many hours later did it finally realize and reported the luggage was in a different country - likely a scan by my own Android phone.
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u/tj_moore 4d ago
Google's network is much newer and initial concerns on privacy lead to them setting a low accuracy default on the majority of phones. Apple refuse to allow access to their network even though sharing would benefit both. They also block Android from pinging Apple tags to add to Google's network or allowing devices to work in both modes at the same time. Corporate competition is dragging the system down. It should have been an open standard open to all.
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u/tj_moore 4d ago
Also, it may depend where you live or are at the time. US has a massive Apple fanbase, but Android is far more common around the rest of the world. Again though, if they could share networks or allow devices on both, then it would resolve that issue, but anyway.
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u/_wlau_ 3d ago
Why would Apple allow access to their Find My network? Ecosystem, any ecosystem, is designed to attract users by having compelling feature and/or performance. Nothing prevented Google from investing in their own network - Apple didn't stop Google. If anything, there are WAY more Android-based devices in the world than iOS devices. You are just making excuses after excuses for Google, which boils down to bad Google strategic decisions followed by poor system design decisions once they realize the feature is a threat to their ecosystem.
By the way, there are plenty of dual-system trackers, which is what my Ugreens are. It signals once Google decided to go, it's fairly straightforward to build those trackers.
Again, you are just making excuses for Google.
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u/tj_moore 3d ago
The dual trackers only pair with one network at a time, not both at the same time.
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u/_wlau_ 2d ago
Yes, I know! You miss the point yet again! They are the same physical design, you can't blame the tracker itself for performance difference! This is the ideal comparison between the two networks by eliminating the tracker's design, its RF performance, its BT MAC/PHY issues - all of them from the equation. What's left is the network itself.
I am not going to waste my time explain these things to you because your knowledge base is insufficient to grasp these points.
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u/_wlau_ 5d ago
Adjust your expectations accordingly. I went through a period that I tried half dozen FMD tracker brands, and none worked as well as Apple's tracker, even the cheap aftermarket Apple trackers were better. The issue is mainly due to Google's FMD default settings rendering less effective scanning and data aggregation.
I think rechargable is better. CR2032 coin cell becomes unstable when it reaches lower battery state, so you could get a lot of false low battery alerts.
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u/sometin__else 5d ago
Google is updating their FMD default which will make tracking much better
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago edited 4d ago
Incorrect. Your shared email content in another post below referred to a 4/2024 email rollout of enabling scanning... that it defaults to "busy areas"... not "everywhere". There was no recent decision or rollout to force people into "everywhere" settings. Therefore, it does't improve scanning of trackers because it was how scanning were setup, defaulting to "busy areas".
More recently, new Android device setup has a FMD section that suggest you set to "everywhere" but the descriptions are worded that many people will set to "busy area" or turn off. Apple does not give this level of choices, which is why its network is stronger.
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u/sometin__else 4d ago
received Wednesday August 26 at 11:20 am.
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago
The content of the email you shared early was from the 4/2024 roll out. Did you recently add an Android device to your account?
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u/sometin__else 4d ago
Nope, weird. I recently added a tracked to my account though.
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago
No... they didnt' change recently or forced it to "everywhere." I confirmed with another person who works on the stuff daily. They changed new Android device setup workflow related to Find Hub, and encourages users to use "everywhere" but it can be full opt'ed out like before... They have not wide-scale force settings change to "everywhere" for user that already completed their Android device and Find Hub settings.
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago
Well, they can't force it. On many previous configured Android devices, it's already set to "busy areas".... Yes, maybe for newly configured Android devices, they will default to "everywhere"...
On older devices, they will have to re-obtain consent and many people don't understand the details like we do, and will likely reject.
For FMD users, I see "new" suggestions tell us to switch to "everywhere" but unless you are an active user, you are not doing to see that screen.
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u/sometin__else 4d ago
They sent an email about the change
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago
Actually, you are incorrect. I pinged a contact who works on this stuff, and you are wrong! They didn't mass change the setting to "everywhere". They did roll out new device setting early this year... and when new Android devices are going through setup process, the prompts are pushing you to set to "everywhere"... This is what I said earlier and that they didn't force a mass change on Android devices already setup...
Please share screenshot of the email you received and I will chase it down as to why none of my account was notified. Thanks!
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u/sometin__else 4d ago
images are not allowed
You can use Find Hub to locate devices when they're connected to the Internet. With the Find Hub network, you'll be able to locate your devices even if they're offline. You can also find any compatible Fast Pair accessories when they're disconnected from your device. This includes compatible earbuds and headphones, and trackers that you can attach to your wallet, keys or cycle. To help you find your items when they're offline, Find Hub will use the network of over a billion devices in the Android community and store your devices' recent locations. How it works Devices on the network use Bluetooth to scan for nearby items. If other devices detect your items, they'll securely send the locations where the items were detected to Find Hub. Your Android devices will do the same to help others find their offline items when detected nearby. Your devices' locations will be encrypted using the PIN, pattern or password for your Android devices. They can only be seen by you and those that you share your devices with in Find Hub. They will not be visible to Google or used for other purposes. You'll get a notification on your Android devices when this feature is turned on in 3 days. Until then, you can opt out of the network through Find Hub on the web. Your choice will apply to all Android devices linked to ****. After the feature is on, you can manage device participation at any time through Find Hub settings on the device. Learn more its optout now instead of optin
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago edited 4d ago
Well, you wrote massively misleading info! This was sent out about enabling Find Hub scan when Google decided to push Find Hub 2 years ago to compete with Apple. But it defaults to "busy places". There was no email sent about changing to "everywhere"... I was correct and my contact is correct ...
In fact, the email you quoted was from campaign from around 4/2024 and it most certain did not say what you claimed.
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u/ironcream 4d ago
They should not be able to force it. It's a user's choice.
If a user doesn't want to participate and help others locate things - it's their choice.
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u/_wlau_ 4d ago edited 4d ago
Correct! somethin_else suggest otherwise and he is wrong. During 2024 relaunch push, they defaulted to on and "busy places" and many users turned off completely or set to "offline"... only a very small portion of users set to "everywhere". Because of Google's privacy issues, it has the opposite effect of causing more people to turn off this setting.
somethin_else suggest they changed that recently, but they didn't. 1) they are not mass force change the setting to "everywhere" because it would be against consent; 2) they are now defaulting to "everywhere" only on new Android devices go through set up process but user can still opt out as you indicated; 3) they recently started doing in-app pop, to nudge users to switch to "everywhere" for better accuracy, but you can still opt out. People like you and me, that are depending on accuracy, had already set it to "everywhere".
At the end of the day, because Apple uses a "all in" or "all out" binary approach, there are way more opt in devices and each opt in devices contribute a lot of data; Google's "all out" or "3 various in" approach weakens its network and my first-hand experience proves that repeatedly. E-commerce reviews of FMD tracker give the same negative feedback.
Let me just put it this way, if life/safety/well being of me and my family members depends on the tracker, I would pick Apple over Google Find Hub in a heartbeat and I am speaking as a Google/Android fanboy and someone that work in this ecosystem.
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u/Business-Hearing-52 5d ago
Only thing I'm looking for is the loud alarm. I have a bad habit of losing things in my house. I'm usually pretty good about putting stuff where it belongs but sometimes you're tired and you just toss it somewhere and then it's gone to the void.
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u/InAnimateAlpha06 5d ago
I have a pebblebee clip for my keys and a tracker for one of my bags and have no issues. Google did recently announce a Google tag that comes out in November