Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag.
Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the TimeCapsule, which provides power instead of the coin cell battery.
The enclosure then screws shut, and it can be tucked away in a vehicle, luggage, camera bag, or other expensive item. The case has IP69 waterproofing that's able to withstand exposure to water and dust in harsh environments, so it can be used outdoors.
TimeCapsule does add additional weight and size to the AirTag because it needs to house AA batteries, but it's still slim enough to fit well in bags without adding too much bulk. The setup measures in at 4.45 inches by 1.57 inches, and it's 0.75 inches thick. The enclosure is nondescript, though, so if something containing the TimeCapsule is stolen, the thief isn't likely to know what it is.
Apple's AirTag item tracker turns five years old today, with the $29 accessory having spent half a decade as the best-selling item tracker in the world.
The AirTag launched on April 30, 2021, alongside the M1 iMac, a new iPad Pro, and a new Apple TV 4K. The coin-shaped accessory has a polished stainless steel back, IP67 water resistance, and a U1 Ultra Wideband chip that powers Precision...
Apple is facing over 30 lawsuits from people who claim to have been stalked using Apple AirTags. The filings come after an AirTag lawsuit from 2022 (Hughes v. Apple) failed to get class certification.
In each filing, Apple is accused of releasing the AirTag while being aware that it could be "purchased and used by abusive, dangerous individuals, to track, coerce, control, and otherwise...
Energizer today announced the launch of new Energizer Ultimate Child Shield coin lithium batteries that are available in the 2032 size used in Apple's AirTags.
The Child Shield batteries do not cause ingestion burns if swallowed, and they also include an element that turns the mouth blue when exposed to saliva. Energizer says this will allow caregivers to be alerted when ingestion has...
Isn't the point of Airtags that it's small and easy to attach to keyrings, luggage, and the like?
Why would you need to add an enormous case like that? I can only see a few uses where it would be perhaps a good idea. One would be for vehicle tracking.
This extends the AirTags to use cases where the longer battery life is more important than the portability. It looks like a great product.
The AirTag design doesn't change so people who don't need the extra runtime that this affords don't have to use this product.
This might actually disrupt the asset tracking market, because usually you pay $50 for the tracker that is rectangular like that, and then its $20/month for a data plan to use it, and its through a clunky 2000's era web portal UI, and the battery life is usually in weeks, not years.
Only issue of course, is airtags are inherently useless for asset tracking because it beeps loudly when it doesnt see your phone for more than 3 days. For professional use (delivery vans, equipment rental, etc) it won't work
