11 hours ago
9
pros and cons
Pros
- Tough polycarbonate operation built to past successful a wallet oregon purse.
- 5-month artillery beingness with wireless recharging.
- Simple to use, nary third-party app needed
Cons
- High terms (but connected par with akin tracker cards).
- I wouldn't usage this arsenic a luggage tag.
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Once again, I'm waxing lyrical astir Apple AirTags. I perfectly emotion them. They've been the 1 portion of tech that has genuinely transformed my life.
But arsenic overmuch arsenic I adore them, they're not perfect. One happening that hasn't changed successful the astir 5 years since their merchandise is their shape. No substance however large a instrumentality I americium -- and I see myself their No. 1 instrumentality -- adjacent I person to admit that their small UFO-like plan doesn't acceptable good into a wallet oregon purse.
Also: This AirTag alternate with a 130dB siren and strobe airy has my sanction written each implicit it
I've tried each sorts of solutions to marque AirTags enactment for wallets, adjacent going truthful acold arsenic to instrumentality 1 isolated and retrofit it into a 3D-printed recognition paper shell. But, successful the end, the champion enactment I've recovered is the clip that Ridge uses connected its wallets -- and adjacent that is acold from ideal.
Thankfully, third-party tags person entered the market, and galore of them are cleanable for slipping into a wallet oregon purse. Even better, immoderate connection a fewer improvements implicit Apple's AirTag.
One tag I've been investigating precocious is the UAG Metropolis by Urban Armor Gear, a institution known for its pugnacious smartphone cases. The Metropolis ticks each the boxes for maine and is present my tag of prime for my wallet.
Why it works for wallets
The Metropolis is designed to acceptable perfectly alongside your recognition cards. It measures 3.4 x 2.2 x 0.1 inches (85.8 × 53.6 × 3.0 mm), making it astir the thickness of 4 recognition cards.
Also: This Bluetooth tracker has efficaciously replaced my AirTag with its enhanced durability alone
The paper is made of a pugnacious polycarbonate shell, ultrasonically welded on the edges. It's IPX4-rated, meaning it's not dust-resistant and tin grip splashes. I adjacent immersed the paper aggregate times, and it kept moving flawlessly.
Water is nary occupation for the Metropolis tracker card.
Durability: Can it grip mundane use?
A communal interest with slim tracker cards is their durability. Wallets and purses thin to acquisition a batch of bending and flexing, which tin perchance harm thing containing a rechargeable battery.
To trial this, I carried the Metropolis tag successful my backmost pouch without a wallet for implicit a week. Despite each the bending and flexing, the tag remained unaffected.
Battery beingness and charging
Inside the Metropolis is simply a 110 mAh artillery that lasts astir 5 months nether mean use. When it's clip to recharge, you tin simply spot it connected a Qi oregon MagSafe wireless charger for a mates of hours.
Wireless charging is accelerated and convenient, and it means nary batteries to propulsion distant and nary USB ports to capable with pouch schmoo.
According to UAG, the artillery is designed to past done 300 recharge cycles. That equates to implicit 100 years of usage based connected the battery's lifespan, truthful it's harmless to accidental the artillery is built to last.
The Metropolis works with some Apple's Find My and Google's Find Hub networks. During setup, you take which web you want, and you tin reset the paper aboriginal if needed.
The Bluetooth detection scope is astir 200 feet (60 meters) successful perfect conditions, dropping to astir 100 feet (30 meters) indoors. These ranges are emblematic for Bluetooth trackers.
A question I've been asked a batch is whether RFID-blocking wallets bounds the scope of tracker cards. After investigating respective cards and wallets, I tin confidently accidental that they don't person immoderate important effect.
However, metallic wallets, similar Ridge wallets, tin artifact the signal. If this happens, you tin descent the tracker down the wealth strap, which is Ridge's recommended workaround.
One standout diagnostic of the UAG Metropolis is its 95 dB speaker. This is astir arsenic large arsenic a powerfulness instrumentality and importantly louder than the first-generation AirTags. It's connected par with the second-gen AirTags, making it cleanable for uncovering a wallet mislaid successful a heap of clothes, heavy successful a sofa, oregon adjacent successful a car.
Also: This AirTag-like paper tracker is my apical prime for Android and iOS users - and it's rechargeable
The Metropolis has a slot chopped into it truthful it tin treble arsenic a luggage tag. However, I'm not a instrumentality of utilizing tracker tags for aerial question due to the fact that I've seen galore get bent oregon damaged. Instead, I urge placing the tag wrong your luggage oregon utilizing a rugged tag holder for other protection.
It bends, but won't interruption successful mean use.
ZDNET's buying proposal
I truly similar the UAG Metropolis card. It's functional, stylish, and works seamlessly with some Apple and Google's tracking networks. Plus, it doesn't necessitate a third-party app to operate.
You tin besides remainder assured that nary 1 volition usage it to way you surreptitiously -- it volition trigger an chartless tracker alert if that happens.
The paper besides pairs nicely with UAG's slim Kevlar magnetic wallet, which adds a interaction of benignant and practicality.
Also: The champion Bluetooth trackers of 2026: Our apical picks to support tabs connected your stuff
At $45, the Metropolis is competitively priced compared to different high-performing tracker cards, similar those from Ridge, Rolling Square, oregon KeySmart (though deals whitethorn vary, truthful store around).
I peculiarly emotion the rounded corners and smooth, premium consciousness of this card. It's acold little apt to deterioration done the sides of a wallet oregon purse compared to immoderate different cards I've tested.
The UAG Metropolis is an fantabulous alternate to Apple AirTags, particularly if you're looking for a tracker that fits into your wallet oregon purse. While it doesn't enactment Apple's Precision Finding, its slim design, durability, and compatibility with some Apple and Google networks marque it a beardown contender successful the tracker market.
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