A guy who bought a Toyota Corolla discovered a hidden GPS he thinks the dealer installed. When the battery ran out of juice, he checked the OBDII port and there was a tracker. Here’s how he found the tracker.
The worst airlines for losing luggage
I bet you or someone you know has a luggage horror story. Here’s mine: On one trip to Paris, everyone got their luggage when we landed … except for Barry. I called British Airways at least a dozen times, asking when he’d get his bag. They couldn’t find it.
Three days later, on the front page of The Daily Mail was a story and photo about a major luggage snafu at Heathrow Airport, where we’d had a layover. Barry’s suitcase was in the first row of the photo, alongside hundreds of other misplaced bags. I emailed the photo to British Airways and said, “I found it!”
U.S. airlines mishandled 2.8 million bags in 2023 alone. These are the worst airlines when it comes to lost luggage — plus my tips for how to keep your stuff safe on a flight.
Spirit’s not even in the top 3
Bag and tag? Meet name and shame. Here’s a list of airlines ranked by bags mishandled per 100, or BMPH. FYI: All five airlines lose at least one bag per every 200 bags handled.
5. JetBlue (0.52 BMPH) — It’s been on my no-fly list since it moved my flight to an earlier time without warning.
4. Spirit Airlines (0.53 BMPH) — Anyone else think they’d be higher up on this list?
3. Alaska (0.57 BMPH) — No excuse for a smaller airline, IMO.
2. United Airlines (0.73 BMPH) — Who remembers the viral “United Breaks Guitars” video? So good.
And at No. 1: American Airlines (0.76 BMPH) — American sits at the top … of a massive pile of lost luggage. It misplaced 800,198 bags in 2023, or nearly one in every 100 bags it handled. Talk about emotional baggage.
Keep your stuff safe
Flights are expensive, and you can’t always pick your airline. But if you’re traveling this summer, you can be smart about protecting your stuff.
Traveling soon? 5 smart tech steps to take before you hit the road
Travel now means your tickets, maps, hotel, rental car and more are all stored on your phone. But what happens if that goes missing? Here’s how to find your phone when it’s lost — even if the battery is dead.
The other big phone emergency? Your battery is dying and you have to leave for the airport. Whoops. Tap or click for smart ways to get more life out of your battery.
Don’t be a pill
Avoid double dosing or forgetting medications with these handy organizers and tools.
- Keep all your pills in one place. This super-duper organizer has six sections, including one extra-large compartment, to streamline your meds or supplements. Grab it on sale for $12.
- Organize your pills by the time and day for a full week. This one gets points for portability — bring the colorful day’s capsule with you. It’s on sale for $9.49.
- Fill this organizer once a month and you’re done, a.m. and p.m.
- Easily see if you (or a loved one) have taken today’s medications by setting out this simple visual tracker. It’s an affordable $14 solution.
- Great for over-the-counter meds while traveling, too, this organizer comes with label stickers, and it’s only $6.99.
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Taking a trip soon? Do what I do. Before you get on the plane, Team Android, stick a Tile Mate tracker (or, Team Apple, an AirTag) into your suitcase. If the airline loses your luggage, the app can help track it down.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
How to change an AirTag battery
Is your tracker running low on juice? No need to buy a new one for $29 — just replace the battery for a few bucks!
Put your phone away - The best standalone GPS trackers for your car
Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere is a nightmare, and even thinking about it sends a surge of anxiety through your head. What if you get stuck, and nobody knows where you are? Tap or click here for three map apps better than Google if you have multiple stops.
iPhone lagging? Clear your cache and RAM to speed it up
Have you ever had issues with your smartphone to the point where you considered buying a new one? You’re browsing through websites or using your everyday apps and you notice a lag, for example. This kind of slowdown can creep into your phone’s other functions as well, bringing everything to a crawl.
Keep a tracker hidden in your car
I use an AirTag to always know where my car is. The key is to hide the tracker so a thief doesn’t know about it. The better hidden it is, the better off you’ll be.
📦 Arrr, matey: A California woman turned the tables on USPS mail thieves. She mailed herself a package with an Apple AirTag in it. After crooks snatched the package from her P.O. Box, she called the cops. The tracker led police right to their hideout, where they found more stolen mail and packages.
Soap-erstar: Jessica Serfaty of “Days of Our Lives” fame discovered a hidden tracker in her Range Rover. Her iPhone tipped her off about an Apple AirTag nearby that was news to her. She called the cops because, you know, stalker vibes, but they couldn’t find it. Here’s help if you get an alert like this.
Find an AirTag? Wrap it in aluminum foil
If you find an AirTag or similar tracker stalking you, try this trick. I tell you why in this short podcast.
He chose the psycho path: A 33-year-old Pennsylvania man was busted for burglary and stalking a woman he met online. After she dumped and blocked him, he went full creep, shutting off her power, messing with her internet and slapping a GPS tracker under her car. Cops arrested him, and he’s now being held on a $2 million bail. It’s got to be so scary dating now.
Apple win: The FDA just named the Apple Watch an official “medical device development tool” for its atrial fibrillation tracker. This means Apple Watches will soon collect data in clinical studies. It’s the first digital health device to achieve that status. Super cool.
🚘 ‘Cause most schools don’t teach driver’s ed anymore: Put a tracker in the car, teach your kids about distracted driving, and sign them up for B.R.A.K.E.S. It’s a free, three-hour, in-person defensive driving course for teens founded by drag racer Doug Herbert after his two young sons died in a crash.
An AirTag, a stolen motorbike and a broken nose
What would you do if a tracker led you to your stolen motorbike? Listen to this one-minute podcast to find out what might happen if you try to get revenge.
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Have an AirTag? Bad news: It can be hacked to steal your Apple account
Losing your stuff can be frustrating. You try to backtrack and still can’t find what you’re looking for. GPS trackers solve this problem by showing you the location of your things. Apple threw its hat in the ring by releasing AirTag trackers. Just attach one to your car keys, purse, TV remote or whatever you don’t want to lose.
11 must-have pet products dog and cat owners swear by
Fluffy and Fido aren’t just pets. They’re family. So why not treat them to a few new toys and maybe even some tech now and then?
Our furry friends only get about a decade with us, so it just makes sense to shower them with all the love, toys and treats we can. They love us unconditionally, so the least we can do is spoil them, right?
Mercedes' futuristic new car doesn't have a steering wheel - see it in action
When you think of new tech, items you use all the time probably come to mind. After all, it’s more common to hear details about the newest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy than it is to hear about a new, futuristic car that’s being unveiled.