Pixel Tag tidbits: Surprise NFC, Find Hub setup, & Bellroy keychain cases

Google's Pixel Tag is going on sale, arriving three months after it debuted alongside the Pixel 11 series, as reported by Android Authority. Outlets including TechCrunch and The Verge also reported that the Pixel Tag is now available, priced at $30. However, 9to5Google reported that the Pixel Tag is not available today. The tracker relies on Google's Find Hub network, which spans over a billion Android devices according to Android Authority. Android Authority tested the Pixel Tag by losing keys twice: once in a busy downtown area and once at a quiet, wooded trailhead. In the downtown test, less than five minutes after a drop in a roadside bush, the phone pushed a keys left behind alert to the lock screen. UWB Precision Finding guided the tester to the exact spot once within 30 to 40 feet. At the quiet trailhead with few passing Android phones, tracking data was far less useful, and the tester eventually had to ask a partner for the general area before Bluetooth and UWB could pinpoint the keys. The Pixel Tag works well in populated areas, but on remote hiking trails or quiet rural roads, finding a lost item may require physically returning within Bluetooth range or waiting for an Android user to pass by. Android Authority detailed that newer Android phones can use Bluetooth Channel Sounding for accurate distance readouts, while UWB Precision Finding provides an arrow pointing the way on supported phones. Users can tap Play sound in the app or trigger a chime from a Google Home speaker if the tag is near another device signed into the same Google Account. The Pixel Tag also allows users to find a misplaced phone by double-pressing the tag's button, though Android Authority noted the button is completely flush with the body. Setup is painless with phones running Android 9 or later, featuring a Fast Pair prompt that takes less than two minutes. The tag comes in a single pale green colorway called Fog, measures 5.4mm thick, and features an IP67 dust and water resistance rating. Inside are Bluetooth 6.0, UWB, NFC, a speaker, and an accelerometer. Accessories are sold separately, such as the Bellroy Leather Pixel Tag Case. The tag uses a CR2032 coin-cell battery expected to last over a year, and Find Hub notifies users every two weeks when it runs low. Users can share a Pixel Tag with someone else, with recipients having 24 hours to accept the sharing link. Temporary location sharing can also be generated for situations like misplaced airline luggage, expiring after seven days or upon reunion with the tag. Mezha.net reported that the Pixel Tag adds NFC, setup options, and Bellroy cases. Tapping a phone against the tag's side uses NFC to open its details page in Find Hub, allowing finders to reach the owner. Additionally, Wear OS watch users can view the tag on a map, get directions, or ring it from the wrist.