njkayaker

No. The Tile don't have a cellphone chip. It doesn't have a gps receiver.

It uses bluetooth to communicate to a smartphone.

It will communicate to any smartphone in the Tile network (other Tile users). So, it doesn't have to be your smartphone.

There are a bunch of similar devices. The Tile might be the most popular. Still, it isn't likely that the network is wide-spread enough to be generally useful.

The Tile is small and the battery is small and it isn't replaceable (you can find teardowns on the internet).

Having a cell chip would seriously shorten the life of that battery. It would make the device more expensive (and less reasonable to have to replace every year).

chaadster

Yes, that's all correct, and a further issue is who is going to do what and when if a stolen Tile is detected? Say someone walks by your stolen bike parked on a bike rack in a town an hour away? Who you gonna call? The cops? When do you think they'll check out the 'ping' if they even do at all? What, are you going to jump in the car and drive over somewhere to find it's a house, or more likely, that the bike isn't there? And what if it is there, locked up? How long will it take to get the cops there? What if the new owner comes up?

I dunno, but speaking as someone who has had three bikes stolen (including a high-dollar, custom Fat City), I don't think I care enough to try to recover a stolen bike to go through any of that kind of hassle. If it shows up from a bike ring raid or something, sure, but otherwise, I'd just move on with homeowners' insurance or replace it on my own (both of which I've done).

zymphad

I don't bring a lock anymore with my bike, I don't lock it. If I am at a store or something, I leave it with security, never had issues doing that. But that is so infrequent.

If I was to commute, I plan to buy something crap off of Craigslist, and if it gets stolen, not going to cry over it.

chaadster

I don't ride crap, but I do lock and I don't cry; just replace. Or, I cry briefly and then replace.

Defyme

I have a "Tile" under my saddle that is hidden by the saddle bag. Using the App that comes with it, I can track my lost item just like I am using "Find My Phone" that Apple offers with the iPhone.

https://www.thetileapp.com/?opt=SEM&...FUwFNwodRo0M_A

njkayaker

You didn't read the thread.

That isn't really going to help you find a stolen bike since the range of the tile is optimistically 100 feet. Other tile app owners might be able to pick it up but there aren't enough of them to be very useful.

In what situations do you lose your bike?

I could see where it might be useful to it in a large commuter bike lot (like they have in Holland or Japan).

motosonic

Do any of you have bike insurance? I've heard about Velosurance.. seems kinda pricey though...and I haven't met anyone who has used it.. so, wondering if that'd work?