Pebblebee unveils a pair of cute Android trackers—here's why I'm not buying them

Pebblebee just introduced the Clip 5 and Card 5, a cute set of Bluetooth trackers with advanced security features and rechargeable batteries. They almost perfect, and I probably would have bought them if not for the lack of ultra-precise UWB detection.

Clip 5 It's essentially Pebblebee's version of the Apple AirTag. It has a small round design with a built-in key loop. Specifically, it comes in three different color options and features a loud internal buzzer (as well as several bright LEDs) to act as an emergency alarm. It can also send a notification to an emergency contact when panic mode is triggered and promises 12 months of battery life with USB-C charging. You can expand your emergency notification system with Subscribe to Live Alertsbut all standard security features are completely free.

As the name suggests, the new Pebblebee Map 5 is a credit card-sized tracker for your wallet. It's just 1.8mm thin and promises 18 months of battery life with support for Qi wireless charging. It's only available in one gray color but has a neat design with swirly accents. It is also one of the thinnest tracker cards available today. FineTrack Slim by UGREEN It's a millimeter thinner than the Card 5, but it uses a stupid proprietary charging cable, so the Card 5 with wireless charging is probably the better option, at least from a convenience standpoint.

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It's also worth noting that these trackers support both Android Find Hub and Apple Find My. But you cannot use these two networks at the same time; you need to choose between one or the other.

All these features seem fantastic to me. I'm planning on going on a trip soon, so I'll probably stock up on Bluetooth trackers. But the absence UWB precision search makes these trackers completely useless for me. If my car keys fall into a couch cushion, for example, or if my wallet gets lost at Walmart, I'd like to be able to pinpoint their location. accurate location without any hesitation. Without UWB, you're only told the general location of your trackers, which isn't ideal.

Of course, Android phone makers are also pretty dismissive of UWB, so I guess I can't blame Pebblebee for this oversight. Most Android phones lack accurate UWB detection feature (even some Google flagships that contain UWB hardware do not support this feature), so the average Android user isn't really missing out on anything.

If you have a UWB compatible phone (or plan to buy one in the future (spoiler alert, you probably will), I highly recommend buying Moto day or another tracker with UWB precision search function. But if you don't really care about UWB or just want to save money, you'll probably like the Pebblebee. Clip 5 or Map 5. They retail for $35 each, although you can get a discount if you bundle two or three trackers together.