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Comment by Springtime | Hacker News Reader

I wasn't aware they operated as baseline Bluetooth headphones by default on other devices, so even having read the readme it wasn't obvious.

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How else did you think they worked

I assumed, like Apple's Airtags (which use Bluetooth LE), that they used some proprietary pairing that's incompatible with non-Apple devices.

Airtags can be scanned with your non-Apple smartphone's NFC reader which gives you contact info for the owner.

Beyond that, all tracker devices are proprietary. The Tile/Chipolo network only works with Tile/Chipolo; Samsung's SmartTag only works with the SmartThings app which is exclusive to Samsung phones; etc.

I just don't think the comparison is apt

New chipolos work in both Apple Find My and Android Find Hub. Most third-party tags seem to support multiple platforms now.

Warning: many don't support both at the same time (setting up for one disables the other until reset)

Ugreen tags work with both Google's Find network and Apple's FindMy network.

Do they work with the network or with the app?

If it's the first, that seems like they would be a vastly superior offering to AirTags, especially outside America, where people aren't so Apple-crazy.

I don't know, I have an android phone. I just know it says it's compatible with the airtag network on the box, so I suspect it's the first. Ugreen doesn't even have any specific app for these, so I assume it goes through the primary setup method.

Well there you go. I guess its not so proprietary after all.

Loads of 3rd party tags that work on the other networks though.

That was the point they were making, not that they had some NFC extra-functionality

What are some examples of 3rd party tags? I know the Find My network itself has been hacked around with for a 3rd party tag. I've always dreamed of an open-source tag that integrates with all the major networks so I can put a little tag on my cat's collar and track his travels.

But its still what he thought...

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