Technologies
Best Apple AirTag Accessories
Looking for the best key ring or holder for your new AirTags? There are plenty of options, starting at well under $20.
You should buy an Apple AirTag if you’re notorious for losing wallets, phones and other personal belongings. AirTag accessories, like the best AirTag holder, key chain or collar, are must-haves for anyone who wants to make use of Apple’s nifty tracking devices. The leading Tile competitor, Apple’s AirTag helps you to track down important objects like bags, keys, wallets or whatever you attach your AirTag to. Just open up Apple’s Find My app. It’s a boon if you misplace things often. A single AirTag costs $29 (ÂŁ29, AU$45), though you can get a four-pack for $99 (ÂŁ99, AU$149).
The main downside is, AirTag discs don’t come with any kind of holder. This means, depending on how you plan to use it, you’re going to need some sort of accessory for what’s also, basically, an accessory. (Apple has a tendency to spur its own cottage industries for add-ons, even though they’re accessories to begin with — AirPods are a perfect example of this.) However, you can find tons of AirTag accessories in multiple styles for any budget.
In some cases you’ll be able to embed an AirTag into an object sans holder — just pop it in a purse or backpack, for instance — but some people like to keep an AirTag with their keys or attach it to a backpack or laptop bag. You may also want to stick your AirTag onto an object and plenty of AirTag mounts are available.Â
Note that CNET editors have tried most but not all of these accessories. If we haven’t tried a product, we’ve tested other accessories from those companies so we feel comfortable recommending them. We’ll be adding more AirTags accessories to the list as we test new products.
Read more: Apple AirTags Hands-On Evaluation
Key chains and straps
Belkin
Belkin’s Secure Holder for AirTags comes in key-ring or strap versions in four color options. There’s nothing terribly fancy about them, but at $11, they both cost less than Apple-branded options shown below. You can also get a two-pack for $20.
David Carnoy/CNET
While it launched a little later than some AirTags accessories, Otterbox’s key chain holder, which Otterbox calls a “Rugged Case,” is made of solid plastic and does indeed encase your AirTag (you unscrew the top piece, place your AirTag in the case, then screw the top piece back on to lock the AirTag in the holder). It’s available in black or white for $20 but is currently on sale for $15.
Amazon
While this faux leather key chain from Cyrill, a sub-brand of Korea-based Spigen, is nothing fancy, it’s currently available in stone and black color options.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The Apple-branded leather key ring costs $35 and comes in three colors: black, saddle brown and red.Â
Amazon
If you’re looking for a value option, your best bet may be to roll the dice on a no-name brand on Amazon. This Eusty key chain cover is available in a four-pack for just less than $15. Often, generic models like this are labeled as “leather” when in fact they are faux leather (sometimes referred to as PU leather or vegan leather). These look a lot like other basic faux leather AirTag key chains and come in a few color options.
There are dozens if not hundreds of generic AirTag holders available. Most should be fine, but don’t expect them to wear as well over time as the true leather models.
David Carnoy/CNET
Caseology’s AirTag Vault is another straightforward key chain option that’s affordable at $15 but could shave a few dollars off its price over time. (Caseology is also a sub-brand of Spigen.) It’s one of the few AirTag accessories that was available at launch and has been pretty popular as a result. It comes with a carabiner but you could attach a standard key chain if you wanted. It should be back in stock fairly soon.
Amazon
Spigen is also selling an attractively simple key-chain AirTag holder, the Valentinus, for around $18. It’s made of faux leather. Alas, it’s temporarily out of stock but should be back in the next few weeks.
Amazon
If you’re looking for a holder that sticks onto an object (like the underside of a bike seat or scooter), Pelican’s Stick-on AirTag Mount is designed to do just that. A single mount costs $16 while a pack of four sells for $30. It’s available in four different colors.Â
Apple
Apple’s Loop, made for attaching your AirTag to a bag, costs as much as an AirTag. But it’s Apple’s official loop option and this polyurethane option is cheaper than the leather $39 Leather Loop. (That doesn’t make it a good deal, but I’m just pointing it out.) It’s available in four different colors.
Nomad
I like the design of Nomad’s leather AirTag key chain better than Apple’s, which leaves the AirTag partially exposed. This AirTag key chain hides it and looks more like a standard key chain. It’s designed to “weather” over time, getting darker (particularly the brown version). It’s available in brown or black for $30, which is pricey but it is nice.
Nomad also makes a Leather Loop that’s also a key chain and lists for $20. I prefer the more expensive model pictured here.
Spigen
Spigen, known for its value iPhone cases, has its AirTag Case Rugged Armor ($16). It’s not quite as cheap as we hoped it would be, but maybe it will come down in price in time. It does have a rugged design with a nice carabiner and carbon-fiber elements.
David Carnoy/CNET
Casetify has a wide variety of AirTag holders. They’re made of hard plastic and are fairly basic but have some eye-catching art on the backside. You can also customize them with your name or choose from several emojis and other graphics. They’re expensive at $38 but sometimes go on sale.
Nomad
If you’re looking to AirTag your pet, Nomad’s upcoming Rugged Pet ID Tag fits the bill (Nomad’s AirTag key chain is essentially identical). According to Nomad, it’s constructed with a TPU-overmolded polycarbonate shell and comes with two enclosure options: an IP67 waterproof back and a speaker-hole back. For an extra $20, you can buy a customizable stainless steel insert cover that you can get engraved with your pet’s name and a way to contact you. No pet collar is included.
It’s worth bearing in mind that Apple says AirTags are not designed to track pets. Your pet would need to be within range of the Find My network for the AirTag to work, so if it runs off into the woods it won’t be much help.
Other AirTag options
Moment
Moment, which makes and sells photo and video accessories for Apple products, including lens attachments, will have an enclosure accessory that allows you to mount your AirTag. “Made from a rugged aramid fiber shell and backed with a super strong adhesive, you can stick an AirTag to any flat surface,” Moment says.Â
Moment also has to other mounts: The Curved Surface Mount for AirTags ($25) that’s made out of flexible silicone (rubber) and can adhere to surfaces that aren’t totally flat; and the Stretch Fabric Mount for AirTags ($25) that’s designed to stick to fabrics, such as the inside of a bag, and other flat surfaces.
Amazon
If you don’t want to spend $15-$20 for a mount, these Gorilla Mounting Tape Squares are a cheaper option at $6 and can be cut to size for AirTags. AirTags have an IPX67 water-resistance rating, which means it can be fully submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes and is dust-proof. So it can withstand some punishment without a cover. After all, it doesn’t have a screen.
Amazon
The AirTag uses a CR2032 coin battery, which should last about a year. You can find a 10-pack of those batteries on Amazon for less than $10. That’s the way to go, especially if you have multiple AirTags, and other devices that use CR2032 coin batteries.
Always remember to keep coin batteries away from small children so they don’t accidentally swallow one. They can cause major injury if ingested.
Technologies
Six Flags shares decline following deadly roller coaster incident
One person died and several others were injured in an incident involving the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, according to reports.
Shares of Six Flags Entertainment declined more than 16% Tuesday following a deadly roller coaster incident at one of its amusement parks in Georgia.
One person died and several others were injured Monday in an incident at Six Flags Over Georgia, according to a statement from Georgia’s Cobb County Board of Commissioners. The board’s chairwoman, Lisa N. Cupid, said that county authorities are working with Six Flags and other partners in the investigation.
According to reports citing local police, the incident occurred on the Atlanta-area park’s 200-foot-tall Goliath roller coaster shortly before 4 p.m. Monday. Riders were later seen being evacuated from the roller coaster after it stopped near the top of the ride, according to the report.
Witnesses told a local news station that they saw a man fall from the roller coaster and strike the ride several times.
In a statement to ABC News, a Six Flags spokesperson said it is cooperating fully with the investigation and had temporarily closed similar attractions across its parks.
Six Flags did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Tuesday’s decline is on pace to be the stock’s worst day since August and puts shares at their lowest level since December 2009. Shares have now fallen by more than 50% over the past year.
Technologies
French supermarket fridges get hacked, heating to 122°F and sparking fires
Hackers targeted hundreds of French supermarkets in a large-scale cyberattack, causing refrigerators to overheat, spoiling food, and sparking fires.
Hackers targeted hundreds of French supermarkets in a cyberattack that reportedly caused refrigerators and freezers to overheat, spoiling food and sparking fires.
Fridges at French supermarket chains Carrefour, Monoprix, the Les Mousquetaires-owned Intermarché, and Coopérative U, among others, all saw fridges heat up to as much as 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, Reuters reported Monday.
Coopérative U’s CEO, Dominique Schelcher, confirmed that cyberattacks had affected “refrigeration production facilities of several stores.”
“Attacking equipment that is essential to the preservation of fresh products and the food supply of the French people is extremely serious and unprecedented. It is unacceptable,” Schelcher said in a LinkedIn post.
CNBC has reached out to Carrefour, Monoprix, Intermarché, Coopérative U and E Leclerc for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Felix Aime, a senior cyberthreat intelligence analyst at Sekoia Threat Detection and Research, said the attack affected several European countries, including Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany and Belgium, according to the Reuters article.
“I strongly condemn the cyberattack targeting food products at @intermarche @CooperativeU @Leclerc,” European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen said in a post on X on Monday.
“Food security requires more attention at all levels. Because the weaponization of food has become a reality.”
AI enhancing cyberattacks
Les Mousquetaires said it was expecting the damages, which affected around 180 stores, to reach “several million euros in losses,” in an email to CNBC.
It said some fresh and frozen food displays have been out of service after the cyberattack affected one of its service providers responsible for managing refrigeration systems inside some stores.
“Intermarché and Netto have taken all necessary precautions to remove and dispose of any affected products as quickly as possible, to ensure consumer safety,” the Les Mousquetaires spokesperson said. “In some stores, the overheating of equipment resulted in smoke, but no fires have been reported.”
They’re now awaiting findings from a court-appointed bailiff and insurance experts to get more precise figures on damages.
Stop & Shop parent Ahold Delhaize
This comes amid a broader wave of cyberattacks and cybercrimes, which experts are warning are being enhanced by artificial intelligence. British online fashion retailer Asos experienced a cybersecurity breach last week which revealed some customers’ personal information.
Meanwhile, a small power plant in the U.K. was shut down for four days in July after a cyberattack which was suspected to be linked to Iran.
Interpol’s global chief information security officer, Bjorn R. Watne, recently told CNBC that AI can be used to target multiple victims at once, and is increasing the scale and speed of cyberattacks. “It’s an evolution and not a revolution.”
Correction: Bjorn R. Watne is global chief information security officer at Interpol. An earlier version misspelled his name.
Technologies
Apple releases HomeView smart home hub with screen as showcase for Siri AI
The iPhone maker also announced the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini.
Apple on Tuesday announced a new home hub called HomeView.
Apple said the device with a 7-inch screen was designed to be mounted on a wall or placed on a table. It’s designed for multiple people in a household, and will recognize the user by their face to display pertinent information. It starts at $299 and ships on Nov. 13.
Tuesday’s launch event is the second under new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September. Last month, Apple announced new models of its most important product, the iPhone, including a foldable model called the Duo that retails for nearly $2,000.
Apple also announced new Apple TV and HomePod hardware on Tuesday. The new Apple TV 4K costs $299 and has a redesigned remote that can play a sound if it is lost. Apple’s HomePod Mini speaker comes in new colors and costs $149, a slight increase over its previous $129 price.
The products announced Tuesday are less critical for Apple than the iPhone, and investors remain focused on iPhone sales, but the accessories were positioned on Tuesday as a showcase for the company’s new Siri abilities released last month.
Apple said that HomeView features Siri AI, which can answer a broad range of questions. Users will be able to converse with Siri, and their conversations will continue on their iPhone or iPad. It has a built-in speaker for playing music.
“It recognizes your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience, fills the room with incredible sound, keeps you connected to the people who matter most with FaceTime, and makes it easy to control your smart home,” Apple’s chief marketer Greg Joswiak said in a statement.
Apple said that HomeView will show information from the Messages, Photos, Calendar, and Reminders apps based on who is using the device, powered by Apple Intelligence. It can also be used to make FaceTime calls and as a digital photo frame. It’s equipped with an Apple A18 chip. It supports up to six users.
But while Apple has dabbled in home products and platforms in the past, Tuesday’s announcement shows Apple is making its home products a higher priority under Ternus.
Apple said on Tuesday that its new products, including HomeView, can be used as a smart home hub, coordinating notifications and actions in the home and working with a range of products, including new locks, doorbells, and cameras from LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.
Apple’s integration with the smart home is not just about sales but also helps further lock customers into its own ecosystem. People who use multiple Apple products and connections are less likely to switch to an Android phone.
HomeView can also become a smart home dashboard, Apple said. It can be used to view camera feeds, adjust the thermostat, or lock connected doors around the house.
Apple said that setting up a new smart home device takes one tap from the user’s iPhone.
Tuesday’s launch shows Apple’s confidence as it launches new product categories. But the broader consumer electronics industry has been dealing with price increases and demand deterioration related to component shortages in memory and storage. It also comes as new boss Ternus has reportedly pushed the company to release products faster.
Apple’s new Apple TV 4K got a price hike from $199 to $299, and comes after a similar price increase earlier this year, after Cook said that memory costs for Apple were unsustainable.
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