Yes, you can make your AirTag last 10 years on a single battery – but you won’t like how it’s done

Elevation Lab Time Capsule

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• It boosts battery life as much as a decade.
• It’s water and dustproof.
• Nevertheless, it does add bulk to the modern AirTag.

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Apple AirTags have revolutionized each side of my life. From discovering my keys and pockets within the morning to maintaining a tally of my baggage whereas touring, not a day goes by once I do not open the Discover My app to find one thing I’ve misplaced or verify that one thing remains to be the place it ought to be.

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However I’ve two bugbears about AirTags. First, the form is odd and does not lend itself to being connected to issues instantly. The second concern is the one- to two-year battery life. The battery life concern is especially irritating, and I continually have a couple of AirTags needing new batteries. I’ve now resorted to shopping for CR2032 coin batteries by the dozen.

Effectively, an organization referred to as ElevationLabs has solved each of those points with the TimeCapsule 10-year battery case. Because the identify suggests, this can be a case for an AirTag that may energy it for so long as a decade.

Powerful and IP69-rated

The case is made out of robust, fiber-reinforced composite building, full with a gasket that seals it to an IP69 ranking (fully dust-tight and in a position to stand up to high-pressure water jets and steam cleansing), together with high quality CNC-machined fasteners. An Allen secret’s even provided for meeting.

You simply want so as to add an AirTag and a few AA batteries.

Talking of the batteries, ElevationLabs recommends utilizing Energizer Final Lithium batteries, and I second this. These batteries provide glorious longevity, steady energy output, and in my a few years of utilizing them, I’ve by no means skilled a leak. Keep away from utilizing low cost alkaline batteries for a undertaking like this, as you run the danger of damaging each the AirTag and the case if the battery bursts and leaks its corrosive goo in every single place.

Assembling is straightforward

Get the whole lot prepared, open the AirTag, and set the battery and battery cowl apart. Match the batteries into the case, place the AirTag on prime of the metallic energy plate, pop the duvet on, and screw it down.

A phrase on the screws: They solely should be comfortable sufficient to softly compress the gasket. I counsel working slowly, tightening one screw at a time till they’re hand-tight. There isn’t any have to go all beast mode on them.

I used to be curious concerning the total high quality of the TimeCapsule, its mud and water resistance ranking, and whether or not having the AirTag in a case reduces its effectiveness.

The construct high quality is phenomenal, and the match and end are glorious. The case is hard and fully water- and dust-proof. I’ve dropped it and trodden on it with none issues.

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As for the vary of the AirTag out and in of the case, I examined this within the slim streets of Marrakesh and located no distinction within the detection vary or location accuracy. I did discover that the case muffles the speaker a bit of, nevertheless it was nonetheless audible over the hustle and bustle of the surroundings.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Apple AirTags are nice, however the ElevationLabs TimeCapsule 10-year battery case enhances their performance for quite a lot of purposes. Whereas the AirTag is ideal for attaching to keys or concealing in a pockets or purse, the TimeCapsule is right to be used in baggage, digital camera circumstances, toolboxes, autos, or related conditions the place the additional measurement isn’t a difficulty.

A single TimeCapsule prices $20, whereas a four-pack is $40, so choosing the bigger pack is a no brainer.

The one concern I’ve is that Apple may change the shape issue of the AirTag sooner or later. Subsequently, my recommendation is to have AirTags prepared for all of the TimeCapsule circumstances you buy and maybe maintain a couple of spares available.