Amazon is offering some deep discounts on three Tile tracker models (opens in new tab) right now for Prime Day: Tile Mate, Tile Slim, and Tile Pro. The Prime Day deal is on individual units for each, but Amazon also has a Tile Pro two-pack (opens in new tab), Tile Pro two-pack with black and white units (opens in new tab), a Tile Mate and Tile Slim four-pack (opens in new tab), and Tile Pro four-pack that comes with two black and two white units) (opens in new tab). These are all significant discounts on the popular item tracking device.
The Tile Mate is the basic version of Tile. It's fairly minimalistic and clean-looking, and it comes with a replaceable battery. It's not as slim as the Slim, however.
The Tile Slim is as thin as two credit cards, making it the thinnest Tile tracker yet. You can slip it into anything, or stick it on to things like laptops with adhesive (sold separately). Unfortunately, this version doesn't have a replaceable battery.
The Tile Pro isn't thin, but you can replace the battery yourself (it uses a standard CR2032 battery). The Pro is also rugged and durable while being sleek and stylish.
Tile has been around for a while, and it's usually what we recommend to help you keep track of important objects like your keys, wallet, laptop, purse, tablet, phone, etc. If you can attach your Tile to it, whether through the hole or by sticking it on with adhesive, then you can track its location, no matter where you are.
How does it work? Tile connects with your smartphone via Bluetooth through the Tile app. With the app, you can see where your item is located directly on a map, and you can ping it for audio clues (the Tiles have speakers on them). You can even double-press the Tile button on your tracker to ping your phone when you can't find it.
When you lose the item that your Tile is on you'd normally be restricted to the Bluetooth range, but you can still locate it by utilizing the Tile network. This is because everyone who uses a Tile within your item's range is able to update the location of your lost object for you. It's incredibly handy, and can definitely be a lifesaver if the device is out of range.
The differences between the Mate, Slim, and Pro are minimal. The Slim is perfectly designed for tracking things like laptops or wallets, since it's slim and flat. The Mate and Pro are best for things like your keys, since there is a hole that you can loop it through. The Tile Mate and Pro can have their batteries replaced, but the Slim battery isn't replaceable (although it lasts a year).
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade at a variety of websites. She is currently the iMore lead on all things iPhone, and has been using Apple’s smartphone since the original iPhone back in 2007. While her main speciality is the iPhone, she also covers Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac when needed.
When she isn’t writing about Apple, Christine can often be found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as she is a passholder and obsessed with all things Disney, especially Star Wars. Christine also enjoys coffee, food, photography, mechanical keyboards, and spending as much time with her new daughter as possible.
