Tile review: Would you pay $25 a year to find your keys (maybe)?

Tile $20.00

After its battery dies, I'm not sure I will still be so worried about where my stuff is that I'd pay for Tile all over again.

Im always excited when a product that was previously only compatible with iOS devices finally makes its way to Android. But with Tile, a pocket-sized, Bluetooth-enabled gadget that keeps track of your stuff, the wait may not have been worth it.

The Tile fits on your key ring or sticks to your wallet with an additional adhesive pad.

Lets start from the beginning: Tile was crowdfunded back in 2013 by thousands of backers who felt that this was the kind of device that could properly track their stuff. The gadget eventually arrived last summer for iOS devices.

Tile costs $25 a piece (with discounts for mutli-tile packs) and is about as big as a matchbook. You will have to buy more than one Tile if you plan to track multiple things. It has a keyring hole so you can easily attach it to your keys, or you can stick it to things with the included adhesive square. It's a tad on the thick sideabout as thick as two quarters stacked up on top of one anotherand though it isnt bulky, its still a significant addition to your keychain, or wherever you put it. Its also water resistant and constructed out of durable material, so you dont have to worry about it falling apart.

Tile isnt too thick, but its still a significant addition on your keychain.

Tile is helpful for people who tend to misplace common things, like keys or a wallet. If you do lose something with a Tile attached to it, you can ping it via Bluetooth and it will play an adorable chiptune melody until youve confirmed that you found it. If its too far out of range, you can then use the Community Find feature available within the app to locate it. Since Tile doesnt have GPS tracking built-in, it relies on other users with the Tile app to locate your missing square. That location information is then registered as the last place it was seen. Its like a virtual lost and found and you dont have to be a Tile user to help out others.

Put Tile on your keys and never lose them again. If you have Bluetooth on, of course. And if the battery inside the Tile still works. And if youre within range.

The good news is that all of Tile features work well, save for a few awkward times that the Tile app couldnt figure out that my keys were right next to my phone. Tiles Bluetooth range extends up to 100 feet, and as long as other Tile users have Bluetooth on, youll be able to track where you stuff is. The tunes that Tile emits are loud enough to hear in a noisy house, too.

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Tile review: Would you pay $25 a year to find your keys (maybe)?