Accessories

Should you worry about stalkers using an AirTag on you?

A few have already been victimized

Published

January 11, 2022

Luigi Leonardo

Anyone who’s ever owned a piece of technology in the last two decades has had the anxiety-ridden experience of misplacing their favorite devices somewhere. It’s become such a problem that a few companies have created a niche for tracking devices specifically made to track wayward devices. Breaking out of that niche market, Apple recently launched its own popular version of the device called the AirTag. However, such a tracking device does come with a worrying problem for privacy-conscious individuals: Can stalkers use an AirTag to stalk their targets?

The story so far

Recently, a Sports Illustrated model Brooks Nader revealed that someone used the tracking device to follow her around. While she was partying in New York with friends, an unknown party slipped an AirTag into her coat pocket. The device had been tracking her for hours before her iPhone eventually alerted her to the device’s tracking as she was walking home.

Nader’s discovery is currently the most widely reported incident of unauthorized tracking using an Air Tag. However, the phenomenon has already been happening outside of celebrity circles. For example, a public Facebook post from user DAnna Biscoe-Farrell describes how someone attached an AirTag to her truck. The device had also been tracking her for miles before her iPhone alerted her to its existence.

With two major incidents tattling on the device’s more nefarious potential, is it finally time to consider the AirTag a security risk?

What are AirTags?

Apple launched the AirTag last year. Instead of just a spartan tracking device, the brand turned the device into a fashionable device to own. Users can add engravings and personalized key rings to go along with the new device. It even has a relatively affordable price tag, offering the device for only a decent US$ 29 per piece.

In terms of size, the AirTag is just as small as a poker chip. Though Apple does want its users to flaunt the tag with accessories, the device’s diminutive size does allow for its users to hide it from plain sight.

Using the AirTag is a simple process, too. The device pairs with a user’s iPhone (or other Apple device) using the Find My app. They can then check Find My to know where the tag is located.

Now, as you might have noticed in the above reports, Apple will also alert users if an unauthorized AirTag is somehow following them around without their knowledge. It can notify users either with an iPhone alert or chirps that the tag will eventually play. It’s a convenient security feature designed to prevent malicious tracking.

Should you be worried about stalkers?

The AirTag’s description does set up a double edged sword (or, more appropriately, reveals two sides of the same poker chip). The AirTag is inherently useful. It can help users find lost devices with a simple app. However, its unassuming design can become a security risk with enough malicious ingenuity.

However, before we get into why an AirTag is a bad idea, let’s run down the pros of the AirTag’s security features. Compared to other tracking devices, the AirTag was specifically designed to prevent unwanted tracking. Other devices in the market don’t even have alerts if you’re carrying an unauthorized tracker. For example, a quick search on Amazon and Lazada pings unbranded GPS trackers that can easily track people or vehicles without consent for a fraction of the price. Tile, the leading tracking brand before the AirTag came along, even offers different shapes and sizes. Relatively speaking, the AirTag protects against stalking more than any other product in the market.

That said, the AirTag’s security measures are still severely lacking. For one, the device will alert victims only if they own Apple devices. If you’re carrying someone else’s AirTag on your person but don’t own an Apple device, then you’re in potential and unknowable danger until the AirTag chirps. While Apple has made great strides in creating a robust ecosystem for its products, the Apple-exclusive has inevitably ostracized Android users from its security blanket.

Further, the sizable delay between attaching an unauthorized AirTag and alerting the followed user can be too late. In the above incidents, it took hours before the victims discovered the AirTags on their persons. By then, the stalker could have already attacked or discovered where the victim lives.

Finally, as a smaller niggle on the AirTag’s features, Apple doesn’t really offer any solution once a device discovers an errant AirTag. Though authorities can certainly check who owns the AirTag, Apple doesn’t have a system in place that can easily report stalkers.

What should you do if someone attached an AirTag on you?

Given the delay before an actionable alert, there aren’t a lot of hard-hitting solutions you can take against a stalker. However, that’s still no reason to panic.

If you detected the AirTag before you reached home, don’t go straight to your house. Leading a stalker to where you live is the worst case scenario. Instead, lead the device somewhere far from where you live. Once you’re in a safe and untraceable place, you can figure out what to do with the device.

The easiest solution is to throw the device away. Disposing the tracking device can already throw the stalker off. However, don’t attempt to destroy the tag. Besides alerting the stalker that you discovered their device, you run the risk of damaging the tag’s battery. A damaged battery is a safety risk and can explode.

There are, of course, more rigorous methods you can try to bring the stalker to justice. A functioning AirTag has the linked Apple device attached to its hardware. Investigating authorities can identify and locate where the owner of the tag is. Once you discover the tag and have transferred to a different location, you can report the tag to the police.

In terms of preemptive measures, always keep your things in sight especially objects that can easily hide a small object. Though people can easily slip something small into your things without you knowing, there’s no harm in keeping your belongings safe and staying away from strangers suspiciously close to you.

Accessories

CASETiFY Match: Finding the right case for your Galaxy Z8 Series phone

Cases that match your personality

Published

October 23, 2026

GadgetMatch

CASETiFY cases for Galaxy Z8 series phones

A phone case can be more than protection. It can also be a way to show off your interests, personality, and the little things that make you, well, you.

For our CASETiFY Match for the Galaxy Z8 Series, we asked the team one question: Why was this CASETiFY design your Match?

From Spider-Man fandom and capybara obsession to feline-inspired art and snake motifs, here are the designs that found their way into our team’s everyday carry, plus a couple of bonus picks worth checking out.

Rodneil: A little New York energy for a certified web-head

If it wasn’t obvious enough, I’m a certified web-head. I love anything and everything Spider-Man, especially the iconic red-and-blue motif. Though, if we’re being honest, I’m more partial to the red.

I had my eyes on the Spider-Man suit design for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and the Spider-Man Mask Snappy Grip Stand. Unfortunately, those designs aren’t available for the Galaxy Z Fold8.

So, I went with a design that gives off a bit of New York energy instead. It still pairs nicely with the Spidey Snappy Grip Stand, letting me bring a little of that Spider-Man vibe to my everyday setup.

V: Keeping it cool with capybaras

I’ve been a capybara stan since 2020, long before the world finally caught up with just how cute and chill these animals are. Seeing them get the recognition they deserve has been a source of much excitement.

Finding cool and cute capybara cases and accessories for the phones I use every day, however, hasn’t always been easy.

That’s where Deville Dewil’s capybara collection comes in. It fills that gap while making my Galaxy Z Fold8 feel like an even more personal accessory.

At this point, I’d like to identify as a capy/bara.

Luigi: A cat design that’s playful without being too loud

There’s no shortage of cat-themed cases out there. If you’re a cat lover like me, chances are you’ve considered one at some point.

The tricky part is finding a design that isn’t too whimsical or loud. I love the little furballs, but I still want something sleek and clean.

CASETiFY’s cat collection speaks to that balance. In particular, this design by Catwheezie blends artistry with a touch of whimsy. It lets me show off my personality without being too flashy.

MJ: A little reputation energy

I’ve always had a soft spot for snake motifs, and CASETiFY’s Transparent Kingsnake case gives me Taylor Swift’s reputation era energy.

I love how snakes symbolize transformation. As someone who’s always evolving and never afraid to reinvent himself, that meaning feels personal.

The black-and-white design also brings a sleek, rebellious edge. Paired with my Galaxy Z Flip8, it’s giving statement accessory with a little bite.

Bonus Match: Sunglasses at Night

Sometimes, keeping it simple is the way to go. The Sunglasses at Night design is tasteful and understated, letting me show off the actual color of my phone without competing with it.

Bonus Match: Pink Weekly Planner

For the girls (and gaes) who plan their days–and life–ahead. And of course, for when they need to keep their Wednesdays pink.

Find your Match

There’s no single way to find a phone case that feels right. It might be a favorite character, an animal you’ve loved for years, a piece of art, or a symbol that means something to you.

For our team, the right CASETiFY design is the one that brings a little more personality to a device we carry every day.

So, which design would be your Match?

Accessories

Bose acquires Skullcandy

But both are still separate brands.

Published

October 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

As one of the wisest sages of the 2000s once said, “He was a punk, she did ballet. What more can I say?” Sometimes, opposites attract. Now, two of those opposites in the audio space are coming together: the punk Skullcandy and the ballet-loving Bose.

Today, Bose has announced its acquisition of Skullcandy. The latter will continue to operate as a separate brand but now officially under the Bose umbrella. Although, it’s not a new collaboration as the two brands have previously worked together on devices before. Skullcandy will just have more access to Bose’s technologies moving forward.

Alternatively, Bose will now have access to Skullcandy’s more varied audience. Compared to Bose’s focus on premium products, Skullcandy caters to more alternative lifestyles. Though the brand has since mellowed from its more radical roots, it is still known as one of the alternative brands.

Bose, on the other hand, is still a household name for home audio and noise-cancelling headphones. The new relationship between two polar opposites might be seen as a weird one, but it’s ultimately beneficial to both parties. Besides, both brands were very strong in the 2010s. Keeping both brands going is a boon to audiophiles of the past decade.

Accessories

Fujifilm’s new instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 make room for more creative memories

A new pocket camera and a collage-making printer join the instax family.

Published

October 18, 2026

MJ Jucutan

Seeing a memory take shape beyond your screen changes how it feels. A favorite photo becomes a print you can tuck into a journal or pin beside your desk, and the everyday moments you capture get a little more room to live.

That was the spirit of Fujifilm’s instax Playhou2e launch in Makati, where visual artist Jill Arteche brought her signature illustrations into the event space.

Her artwork surrounded the latest additions to the instax family, the instax Pal 2 and instax Link WIDE 2. Both devices treat photography as a form of personal expression, from the snapshots you take throughout the day to the printed memories you want to keep close.

A pocket-sized camera that goes wherever you do

The original instax Pal made the case for carrying a camera without a full-sized setup. Its successor, the instax Pal 2, builds on that with a refreshed design and improved image quality.

The palm-sized camera is built for everyday adventures and can capture angles that are awkward to get with a smartphone. Its compact body also makes it easy to bring along if you like documenting your day as it happens.

Fujifilm gave the Pal 2 a semi-matte finish. A new monitor on top lets you review shots right after you take them, and the added viewfinder, control dial, and lever give it a more tactile feel to shoot with.

The specs have moved up, too. The Pal 2 captures 10-megapixel images, double the original’s five megapixels, and its internal storage holds up to 100 images compared with 50 before. A separately sold microSD card adds more room.

The creative options are where the Pal 2 gets playful. It offers 30 effects, so you can give images different moods without editing each one from scratch. Its instax Animation mode strings up to 10 consecutive shots into a flipbook-style animated video.

Transferring your photos is straightforward. The Pal 2 supports wireless Bluetooth transfers, and a USB Type-C connection offers faster transfers to compatible smartphones. From there, you can edit the images and post them to social media or keep them in your camera roll.

Because the Pal 2 is part of the instax ecosystem, its digital photos can also be printed on instant film through compatible instax printers. That means you can shoot first and decide later which moments deserve a physical copy.

Turning your camera roll into something worth keeping

Taking photos is only half the fun. The other half is deciding what to do with the hundreds of images that pile up on our phones.

The instax Link WIDE 2 is Fujifilm’s answer for anyone who collects travel photos or documents celebrations. As the brand’s WIDE-format smartphone printer, it prints at twice the image area of the instax mini format, which leaves more space for group photos and landscapes.

Its biggest new feature is Photo Mixer, which builds scrapbook-style collages from multiple images you pick in the dedicated app. Instead of printing a single photo, you can combine highlights from a trip or a gathering into one larger keepsake.

The app suggests layouts based on your chosen photos and adjusts image sizes, angles, text placement, and fonts to keep the design cohesive. You can then add your own text and stamps. A cutout function identifies people and objects in your photos so you can layer them into the collage.

With Photo Mixer, printing becomes part of the creative process, and your camera roll turns into material for building a visual record of an experience in a single print.

The Link WIDE 2 also gets a design refresh, with two-tone finishes in Duo Beige and Duo Blue. The light and dark surfaces give it a polished look on a shelf or desk, and an illuminated instax logo glows while it prints.

Connectivity has expanded, too. Beyond smartphones and tablets, the printer works with PCs, Fujifilm X Series cameras, and the instax Pal 2, so digital artwork and other compatible images can become physical prints.

A more personal way to keep your memories

The instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 share the idea that photography is a way to express yourself. The Pal 2 makes it easy to capture moments as they happen, and the Link WIDE 2 gives those images a place in the physical world.

Jill Arteche’s artwork at the launch backed that idea up. Her illustrations filled the space with personality and showed how photos and art can make an environment feel more personal. The event also made a case for revisiting and reinterpreting the images we collect.

Taking a photo takes seconds, and printing one can make the memory feel more special. The instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 bring that into everyday life and give your snapshots room for creativity, from the moment you press the shutter to the moment you find a place for the print.

In the Philippines, the Fujifilm instax Pal 2 retails for PhP 10,599, while the Fujifilm instax Link WIDE 2 is priced at PhP 10,999. Both devices are now available on Fujifilm’s authorized stores and retailers nationwide.