> tablets, laptops, cameras, speakers, and phones—basically, most things a thief may want to steal, except for your keys and cold hard cash. (Although if you use a Tile or similar locater dongle on your key chain or in your wallet, then those are discoverable using a Bluetooth scanner, too.)
As in most security-related articles there's a lot of speculation and an overall fear-mongering tone here. Laptops don't propagate Bluetooth advertisements while closed and hibernating. The author's friend MacBook was stolen because it was close to the iPad that wasn't hibernating and had its Bluetooth on.
Also, almost all cameras don't advertise Bluetooth (it is too slow to transmit video and images), most BtLe speakers are too cheap to interest thieves and most people keep their cellphones with them.
Also, Tile trackers are mostly kept in things that people want to keep with them, one of their functionalities is precisely to warn the user when they're left behind.
At the end, all the author has is just a theory and a suspicion from a police officer.
As in most security-related articles there's a lot of speculation and an overall fear-mongering tone here. Laptops don't propagate Bluetooth advertisements while closed and hibernating. The author's friend MacBook was stolen because it was close to the iPad that wasn't hibernating and had its Bluetooth on.
Also, almost all cameras don't advertise Bluetooth (it is too slow to transmit video and images), most BtLe speakers are too cheap to interest thieves and most people keep their cellphones with them.
Also, Tile trackers are mostly kept in things that people want to keep with them, one of their functionalities is precisely to warn the user when they're left behind.
At the end, all the author has is just a theory and a suspicion from a police officer.