My AirTags kept dying, so I switched to this tracker that lasts five years

Elevation Lab 5-Year Compact Timecapsule

ZDNET Highlights

• Elevation Lab’s 5-Year Time Capsule is available now starting at $20.
• This extends AirTag battery life to five years, and is AAA powered, so it doesn’t add extra volume.
• They’re not as fast as AirTags, but they’re fast enough.

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Regular readers will know that I am apple airtag Biggest fan. These little UFO-shaped finder tags have saved me headaches in case of misplaced items. I have AirTags on almost everything I can attach AirTags to, but small saucers aren’t the most convenient size to attach to things.

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Elevation Lab There is a company that makes accessories to solve this problem, and I have become a big fan of everything this company makes. Need a way to attach AirTags keys, bags, Bike, jacketand even yours Cat Or DogElevation Labs has you covered with its lineup of battery packs.

One particularly interesting product from Elevation Lab is 10-year timecapsule – A battery pack that replaces the AirTag CR2032 button cell with two lithium AA batteriesExtending battery life from months to a decade.

The problem with the 10-year timecapsule is its size. It’s a little thick, about the size of a candy bar. It’s great for keeping in a vehicle or luggage, but bulky for small items.

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I thought the company should make something similar, but smaller. AAA batteries may be being used instead of AA. Yes, this will reduce battery life, but it will still be measured in years.

Well, the folks at Elevation Lab have delivered – a Small, compact timecapsule Powered by small AAA batteries, giving the unit a runtime of five years.

The tag has been given an IP69 rating to keep water and dirt away. It’s easy to assemble (the hex key you need comes with the kit), and all you need to do is add a few lithium aaa batteryThe capsule is also well made, as I’ve come to expect from Elevation Labs, There’s a quality gasket between the parts to keep out noise, and even the fasteners are caged so they don’t fall out and get lost,

When the AirTag is installed in the case, it works like normal, and while the speaker is somewhat quieter, it’s still loud enough to help you find your lost item.

This could have come in handy the day the AirTag I had secured to my hiking backpack died unexpectedly. I got the first warning in the morning, and it ended suddenly later that day, leaving my gear in danger of breaking.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

Elevation Lab Compact 5-Year Timecapsule This is a product I’ve been waiting for and the price is right single, two-packAnd four pack Available for $19.99, $29.99, and $39.99 respectively.

I modified mine a bit by adding some double-sided industrial velcro to the back of the tag so I could stick it on things, but they work just as well right out of the box.