GTrusted

Tile is surprisingly easy to use and setup on the LG Google Nexus 5X.   Just go to Google Play to download and install the Tile App.

    

 

Once the Tile App is installed, you need to log in with an existing Tile account or create a new one.  The Tile App will also remind you to turn on the Bluetooth and GPS location functions on the phone.

  

The Tile App will then go through a series of screenshots showing what you can do with the App.

  

  

Once you install the Tile App, the LG Google Nexus 5X automatically shows up as another 'Tile' for location tracking.

  

To add the Tile device itself, select the plus sign at the bottom right of the App.  However, make sure you confirm the e-mail that you had used when first creating your Tile account or you will get a screen asking you to confirm your e-mail before continuing.

To add the Tile, press the 'e' in the word 'Tile' on top of the Tile device until you hear some music.  As long as your phone is next to the Tile device, the Tile device will then automatically pair with the App.  No need to try and enter a PIN or go through other steps.  If only other Bluetooth device pairings could be so simple.

   

The final step is to give your Tile device a name.  The Tile App will then report the last place that the Tile device was seen.

  

After you finished adding the Tile device, you will see the device listed in the main list page of the Tile App.  The List view reports the last known location and if you are close to all your Tile devices and mobile phones with the Tile App.  The List page will also report which other Tile members are nearby.

In the List view, the color of the circle shows if the LG Google Nexus 5X is close enough to be connected to the Tile device, if it's just nearby, or if the Tile device is too far away to be connected at all.

  

Once you select a Tile device, you can select 'Find' to have the Tile device play music.  If the Tile device is not connected, you can select 'Notify when found' to let you know later once the Tile App is close enough to detect the Tile device.

  

If you use map view, you can see circles representing the approximate location of each device on the list.  In a way, the Tile App remind me a lot of the Uber app allowing you to see where everything is.  Interestingly, when using the App there is a mysterious set of buttons P, 2, and 1 that appear when you are in an urban area with many floors.  P is parking level while 2 and 1 refer to the floor level you want to be shown on the map.

  

You can also enter the map view by selecting 'Options' in the Tile Device page and then select 'View on Map' 

  

As you move the phone away from the Tile device, the Tile device will eventually show a dotted circle showing that it's nearby but not connected.

  

One of the main limitations of Tile is its dependency on being near your mobile device.  If you are in a different city from your Tile device, there is no way for the Tile App on your phone to find the device.  

The folks at Tile address this potential issue by allowing your Tile device to be associated with your friends and family's mobile devices, betting that at least one person will be near the Tile device you are trying to find.  Through the Tile App, you can invite your friends to share your Tile device and help you track it.

  

If you invite your friends, you can also get points to get free Tile devices.  The folks at Tile are definitely interested in having as many Tiles out there as possible and you can also even buy Tiles in assorted multi-pack sizes.

  

Tile works flawlessly with the LG Google Nexus 5X and is one of the easiest setups I've ever experienced from an Internet of Things device.