Gadget Weekly
Be a part of Namerah Saud Fatmi as she explores the cool, quirky, and typically downright odd world of smartphone equipment, devices, and different nerdy toys each week.
Motorola launched the Moto Tag on the tail finish of June 2024, and gross sales went stay a few month in the past. I put it to the check as quickly as I obtained my palms on the Bluetooth tracker, which was about one and a half weeks in the past.
I’ve examined actually all the finest Bluetooth trackers that can be purchased immediately, so I simply had to check the Moto Tag. I am not going to lie although, it was fairly underwhelming at first. Probably the most fascinating a part of a Bluetooth tracker, past its means to trace, is the additional bits. Motorola did not promote something that I hadn’t already seen in different trackers, so I used to be fearful.
Each different tracker from Tile, Pebblebee, Samsung, and Chipolo can observe your stuff when inside vary. All of them value roughly the identical, priced between $20 to $30. The important thing elements that differ are the battery replaceability, the Bluetooth vary, the IP ranking, the loudness of the ringer, the shape issue, and, in fact, assist for Android and iOS. The Moto Tag will get lots proper, however sadly, it fails to innovate and is not adequate to beat the very best from Tile or Pebblebee. You may perceive why in a bit.
With the Moto Tag, it is all concerning the design at first look. It is rather trendy and is available in two colours: Starlight Blue and Sage Inexperienced. In contrast to most different manufacturers, you do not have black-and-white shade variants to select from. This round disc is small and nearly precisely the identical dimension because the Apple AirTag, measuring 32mm x 32mm x 8mm, just like the AirTag’s 31.9mm x 31.9mm x 8mm dimensions.
One thing that is totally different and considerably questionable concerning the Moto Tag is the shortage of a keyring gap. I imagine this was intentional as a result of all Apple AirTag equipment, like keyring holders, match the Moto Tag, which is a reasonably vital profit. Oddly sufficient, Motorola does not promote its personal Tag holders, so that you’re pressured to buy third-party equipment made for the AirTag. That is already extra cash you have to spend simply to have the ability to use the tracker for many use circumstances. In distinction, opponents just like the Tile Professional and Pebblebee Clip include a keyring gap.
Picture 1 of 2
When you’re finished ogling the gorgeous however impractically made Moto Tag, you possibly can go forward and set it up. I did this twice, as soon as on a OnePlus 12R and the second time on a Pixel 8 for testing functions. Because the Tag is suitable with the Google Discover My System community, it units up in a matter of seconds. What’s not so breezy is the resetting course of, one thing I by no means struggled with earlier than on trackers from Tile, Chipolo, or Pebblebee.
The Moto Tag has an enormous button within the middle. All trackers have this so you possibly can find your telephone, as does the Moto Tag, or use additional options. In case you have a Motorola telephone, this button can help you remotely click on photos in your digicam app. However you may also use this button to manufacturing unit reset the Tag. Sadly, the button on the Moto Tag is just not very tactile, and it is very arduous to press. The press is not audible, and there is hardly any tactile suggestions, so typically you possibly can’t even inform if the button was pressed or not.
Picture 1 of 2
Very like the Tile Professional, the Moto Tag has a replaceable CR2032 battery, which ought to final for a few yr. The Pebblebee Clip has a USB-C port built-in, which is much more user-friendly and sustainable. In contrast to the Pebblebee Clip’s IPX6 waterproofing, the Moto Tag sports activities a sturdy IP67 water and dust-resistant ranking, and you may customise the loudness of the ringer by the companion app. In contrast to Tile or Chipolo, you possibly can’t change the ringtone itself, although.
I’ve examined all the most recent trackers from Chipolo, Tile, and Pebblebee, so I can confidently say that the Moto Tag is not the loudest tracker round. Chipolo and Tile dominate that enviornment. Each Pebblebee and Motorola’s trackers sound roughly the identical by way of loudness.
As for the Bluetooth vary, the Moto Tag has one in all 100m, which is absolutely good and higher than the Tile Mate’s 76m and Chipolo One’s 60m ranges. The Pebblebee Clip beats everybody with its 152m vary, with the Tile Professional coming in second with a 121m vary. On prime of that, telephones with UWB (ultra-wide bandwidth) get much more exact location-finding options. That is just like the Galaxy SmartTag, however that solely works with Samsung’s UWB-compatible telephones.
Very like most different Bluetooth trackers, the Moto Tag works with each Android and iOS. Nonetheless, it doesn’t work with Apple’s Discover My System community. However, the Pebblebee Clip provides you two variants, one with the choice to make use of Apple’s community and the opposite with Google’s networks. In the meantime, Tile allows common assist for Android and iOS with its trackers however you aren’t getting Google Discover My System assist.
To summarize. the Moto Tag prices $29.99, which is roughly the identical as each different first rate Bluetooth tracker. Whereas the Moto Tag gives one or two bonus options, these are restricted to Motorola gadgets or telephones with UWB. You solely profit when you have both a kind of otherwise you care concerning the further mud resistance.
Motorola did not actually do something new or totally different, so it is not adequate for anybody to need to select it over extra well-known gamers within the recreation. A really small phase of customers will profit from the Moto Tag’s additional options. Everybody else will in all probability simply get one thing from Tile or Pebblebee. And why should not they?
Not adequate
The Moto Tag seems to be very nice, and it has all the same old run-of-the-mill options that different trackers do. Nonetheless, the shortage of novelty makes it arduous for Motorola to face out and differentiate as a Bluetooth tracker value shopping for — for non-Motorola customers at any fee.
