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Show HN: Undetectag, track stolen items with AirTag

(undetectag.com)
114 points pompidoo | 5 comments | 15 May 25 15:46 UTC | HN request time: 0.425s | source

I developed a device that turns an Airtag on and off at specific intervals. Current Airtags are detectable right away and cannot be used to track stolen property. That device allows you to hide an Airtag in your car, for example, and someone that steals your car will not be able to use some app to detect it. The Airtag will also not warn the thief of its presence. After some hours, the Airtag turns on again and you can find out its location. It’s not foolproof, as the timing has to be right, but still useful.

What do you think?

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anonymousiam ◴[15 May 25 22:49 UTC] No.44000140[source]▶
A poor workaround to a problem created by unnecessary restrictions. Stalking is already illegal, so why are the tags crippled in the first place? This "feature" severely limits the usefulness of tags for tracking stolen items. Why not just sell some tags that don't alert everyone to their presence? Police and intelligence agencies have those already, so who are we protecting?
replies(2): >>44000160 #>>44000392 #
pavel_lishin ◴[15 May 25 22:54 UTC] No.44000160[source]▶
Breaking and entering is already illegal, why do people sell locks?
replies(2): >>44000222 #>>44000543 #
1. anonymousiam ◴[15 May 25 23:01 UTC] No.44000222[source]▶
Like tags, locks are also deliberately encumbered so that locksmiths and law enforcement can easily defeat them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5jzHw3lXCQ

replies(2): >>44000461 #>>44000780 #
2. somanyphotons ◴[15 May 25 23:45 UTC] No.44000461[source]▶
Are there people out there who sell locks that aren't purposefully bad?
replies(2): >>44000671 #>>44003192 #
3. itsanaccount ◴[16 May 25 00:25 UTC] No.44000671[source]▶
you ask great questions about power! and yes. though you'll generally find the lock isn't the interesting bit, reinforcing the door frame and door and putting pins at the top/bottom and side is how its done.

otherwise 25 dollars at TSC for a fence post driver will make 95% of residential entryways irrelevant.

4. thaumasiotes ◴[16 May 25 00:45 UTC] No.44000780[source]▶
That video makes no suggestion that the locks have been deliberately sabotaged. The theory in the video is nothing more than that the company is incompetent at making locks.
5. HenryBemis ◴[16 May 25 08:56 UTC] No.44003192[source]▶
People like Microsoft?

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28691191/Why-did-...

EDIT: Like in the hotels, you got a key for your room, but the hotel management has a "passpartout" key (for back in the day when we had physical keys). The phrase "<thing> must accept interference, but not cause any". So you/we must be able to receive the 'punch' and not resist.