Motorola's new multifunction button could be very helpful for photographers, and it works on Google’s Find My Device network.
(Image credit: Motorola)
Motorola has announced its new 'moto tag', the company's first tracker which works using the Google Find My Device network. The concept is similar to Apple's AirTag, but this goes one better with a 'multifunction button' on the tag which can be used to a remote shutter.
Bluetooth key trackers are nothing new, but the technology has gained a massive boost from Apple and Google who have created a network using all the devices with their software (iOS or Android) and used them to find their tags – AirTags and Google FindMy respectively.
The basic interaction of all the best Buetooth smart trackers is one way – you can locate the device remotely from your phone using an app.
The moto tag supports ultra-wideband (UWB) for precision tracking, meaning that once you're nearby, your phone can guide you to the precise location (assuming you have a recent Android phone like the Pixel 8 Pro or the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra).
You can also use the app to remotely activate a speaker in the tracker to help you locate the device when you're near it.
What's new, though, is the 'multifunctional button' which means the tracker can be used in a number of ways, but the obvious example to many photographers is one Motorola list second: "To use the tag as a remote to capture photos on a Motorola phone, making it easy to get the perfect shot without needing to hold the phone or use a timer."
(I say second in Motorola's list because the use the company mentions first in its statement is a 'reverse' option to ring a nearby missing phone, which might also have uses!)
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The device is IP67 water resistant up to 3ft (1 meter) for 30 minutes and is compatible with automatic unknown tracker alerts on Android and iOS devices which would warn someone if the tracker had been slipped into their bags.
Motorola has yet to confirm pricing, though to compete in the market we can assume it'll be around $25-$30 each.
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With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones.
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