Stolen or lost phone locator

[pinkkeeper]

Hello,
My name is Becky and my Droid Eris was stolen. Boo hoo! Live and learn the hard way sometimes. I now have an Ascend and want to get an app to protect it just in case it "disappears". Shopping for a "phone locating app". There are several to choose from. Looking for some insight on the best, free or paid. Any help will be very much appreciated.

 

[speedycolzalez]

I use Wavesecure. Seems OK. Website tells me where my phone is. Fortunately I've never had to call on its services for real.

Its recently been bought by McAfee though so I'm expecting it to grow in size and slow my phone down to a crawl

 

[ozzzy3z]

I just downloaded Seek Droid. It looks to be a great option at 99 cents; phone locate plus remote lock/wipe.

Here is a link to LifeHacker.com that does a nice job of describing all it can do:
Lifehacker, tips and downloads for getting things done

 

[CriticalCritic]

As my answer to nearly every question seems to be... Tasker

With Tasker, you can set up a keyword, then use another phone to text the keyword to your number, and your phone will turn on its GPS, find its location, turn the GPS off, and send a text back to you with the address and GPS coordinates, and a link to bring up the location on Google Maps.

It can also be setup to, with the use of a different keyword, set off a loud and crazy ringer even when your volume is turned off... for when you have lost your phone, but not really "LOST" your phone.

However, it doesn't have the cool remote wipe and backup features of some other apps out there... but you can remotely lock it.

 

[sitlet]

Wow, i didnt think about doing that with tasker. I havent used that app before, care to give a step by step how to do that?

 

[CriticalCritic]

Wow, i didnt think about doing that with tasker. I havent used that app before, care to give a step by step how to do that?

Sure.
1) Download Tasker
2) Go through taker and install this profile here Locatephone - Tasker Wiki
3) Follow the instructions on that page

As for the locator sound... I know it can be done, but I bought wheresmydroid back in the day, and just use that for the ring-finder.

 

[cjpederson]

I use the free version of Lookout, which can turn on GPS and locate your phone from any computer, as well as set of a loud siren.

 

[AngryHatter]

I just downloaded Seek Droid. It looks to be a great option at 99 cents; phone locate plus remote lock/wipe.

Here is a link to LifeHacker.com that does a nice job of describing all it can do:
Lifehacker, tips and downloads for getting things done

Excellent app - no AV; just a remote lock & wipe for less than a dollar.

 

[lexluthor]

Seek droid

 

[pinkkeeper]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I'm gonna try Lookout first and see how it does on a few "test" scenarios. I hope I am using the forum properly. Please forgive me if I'm not. Again thank you all very much.

 

[barqers]

For tasker, the where's my droid clone would be this:

create a context of received text, then in the text content do something like "lost my phone!!"

then as the task for it to run, do play media file, choose your file, and set it to like 30 seconds.

You could also do a context like "Where's my phone?"

and have tasker turn on GPS, lock your position, store it in a variable, then send that variable value in a text message back to the sender.

 

[CriticalCritic]

For tasker, the where's my droid clone would be this:

create a context of received text, then in the text content do something like "lost my phone!!"

then as the task for it to run, do play media file, choose your file, and set it to like 30 seconds.

You could also do a context like "Where's my phone?"

and have tasker turn on GPS, lock your position, store it in a variable, then send that variable value in a text message back to the sender.

Right. But the hard part, as I found when attempting it myself, is the creation of a pop up that can disable the ringer when clicked... if you set it to time out then it might stop before you find it, otherwise it pretty much requires a battery pull to shut it up.

 

[Usta]

Another option is to use the free Track and Protect application.
It has lock, wipe and even able to make photos remotely.

 

[Teknologic]

Another option is to use the free Track and Protect application.
It has lock, wipe and even able to make photos remotely.

The app is free, using it is not. I dont like the idea of hidden fees. When i lose my phone i want to be able to act fast and not have to go make payments on the site before i can trace it. Plus, you can never be really sure about the price this way.
I'd much prefer seekdroid then, it's $1 one time and they guarantee no more costs ever in the future. Now if google would take pay pal, I could actually buy the app I'm defending here as well... -.-

 

[zappa420]

sure it's a good idea for an app, but seriously anyone who steals a phone is going to turn it off or take the battery out first...

 

[gilgafish]

Lookout now has Plan B. Just push install the app through the android market website and it'll instantly begin to notify the whereabouts of your lost phone.

 

[itsmytouch]

and what if d phone is stolen and sim is removed or replaced.........i want the one which will send an sms as soon as sim is replaced.................

 

[KLaudenslager]

and what if d phone is stolen and sim is removed or replaced.........i want the one which will send an sms as soon as sim is replaced.................

Track and Protect works even if SIM is replaced -- and will text your emergency contact and post to your online account telling you the card has been taken out & the new phone number.

Someone above mentioned that they don't like "hidden fees," but TnP is very upfront with its pricing. It's free to download the app with limited features, but any "premium" commands that require SMS transport (lock, wipe, remote camera, etc.) cost credits. We recommend carrying at least 5 credits for emergency situations, which will cost you around $6 USD, depending on which country you live in. Your credits are good until you use them, so it might never cost you anything -- but it's nice to have just in case...

 

[lifeonmtv]

Right. But the hard part, as I found when attempting it myself, is the creation of a pop up that can disable the ringer when clicked... if you set it to time out then it might stop before you find it, otherwise it pretty much requires a battery pull to shut it up.

at the end of the remote ringing task, add a 'run task'. Make the task (the one you will run at the end of the other task) a menu task, with the only action being to stop the ringing task.

i used tasker to set up profiles some of this (remote locate via sms with email and sms reply and even a link to goggle maps lol, remote lock via sms, remote ring) a while back, and made a thread with all the instructions. It takes a while to set up, and i only it tested on froyo. (edit, found the thread here)

i have now flashed a sense hd rom and htc have added this functionality through their website, www.htcsense.com, and no longer need to use tasker for it.