michaelbr

I had a Sensation XE and lost it last week. I'm wondering if there's anyway that can track lost cell. I saw some postings that there are some paid apps that allows you to track it, here are my questions:
1) thoses apps that track the cell phone will still work if whoever found it do a factory restore with the cell?
2) are those apps smart enough to overcome factory restore when installed? In other words, even after a factory restore, the tracking apps will still work?
3) are those tracking apps can work in any country? In other words, the cell service provider need to offer or acknowledge this apps for me to use it in my country?

Thanks for your comment/suggestion
Michael

Crashdamage

1. No
2. No
3. Yes

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michaelbr

Thanks Crashdamage for your reply, so it seems to me there's no point in installing those tracking apps, unless whoever lost the cell uses the tracking apps before factory restore is installed.

Thanks for your comment
Michael

GPSJoe

While this true, there is no reason not to install a tracking app of some type on your phone. What if your phone is simply 'lost' and not stolen? Having a tracking app will help you find it better.

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Last edited by GPSJoe; December 6th, 2012 at 06:12 AM.

fdbryant3

Actually, if your phone is rooted Cerebrus claims that it can survive a factory reset (they say you would have to flash a new ROM to get rid of it).

That said - why is there no point? Granted of stolen phones your going to have a percentage who wipe the phone. Your also going to have a percentage who do not (by the way stolen phones are actually more valuable with data intact). Even in those that do get wipe you may have some lag time before it actually happens. Just because there is a probability the phone will be wiped, wouldn't you want to maximize you chance for recovery if it doesn't though.

Colchicine

You SHOULD have a lock on your phone (pattern, number, face, etc) so a thief can not easily do a reset in the first place.

fdbryant3

You can do a factory reset from the recovery mode whether the phone is locked or not.

Colchicine

Yes, but I can guarantee that 95% of the people I know in my personal life with Android phones have no idea about that method. In other words, I assert that a simple lock screen will be enough to keep your phone from being reset so your phone tracking app can be used.

michaelbr

Thanks GPSJoe, you're right, I was just thinking in case of stolen cell, there's also a possibility of misplaced phone, which this apps will be very useful.

Thanks

michaelbr

Thanks fdbryant3, I was thinking in the same line, if one acts quickly, and uses the tracking apps before it was factory reset, then this apps will be very useful.

Thanks