Aren't these security apps useless to smart thieves?

[Bg8780]

Ok so we have all these great apps just in case our Droid is stolen right!? Lookout, wavesecure etc. But being a Android user myself (and not ******ed) If I stole a droid what is stopping me from booting to the recovery console and wiping the phone. Then viola! the apps are useless correct? Or am I missing something here?

 

[messenger13]

Security apps ... just like locks are to keep honest people honest. You don't stop evil people.

 

[EMSguy]

Ok so we have all these great apps just in case our Droid is stolen right!? Lookout, wavesecure etc. But being a Android user myself (and not ******ed) If I stole a droid what is stopping me from booting to the recovery console and wiping the phone. Then viola! the apps are useless correct? Or am I missing something here?

I believe that this is true, however I think it's important to remember that most thieves aren't gonna be too tech savvy

 

[Big D]

Ok so we have all these great apps just in case our Droid is stolen right!? Lookout, wavesecure etc. But being a Android user myself (and not ******ed) If I stole a droid what is stopping me from booting to the recovery console and wiping the phone. Then viola! the apps are useless correct? Or am I missing something here?

I think the point of these apps is to protect your information on your phone, not the actual phone itself.

 

[DGalt]

I think the point of these apps is to protect your information on your phone, not the actual phone itself.

^this

someone steals your phone you can remote lock / wipe it, protecting anything (e.g. contact info) that you don't want to fall into the hands of evil doers lol. If said individual is going to wipe the phone under their own accord to get past the security app, then they pretty much did what you would have done with the app anyway

 

[Big D]

^this

someone steals your phone you can remote lock / wipe it, protecting anything (e.g. contact info) that you don't want to fall into the hands of evil does lol. If said individual is going to wipe the phone under their own accord to get past the security app, then they pretty much did what you would have done with the app anyway

That's what I thought!

 

[milrtime83]

Security apps ... just like locks are to keep honest people honest. You don't stop evil people.

Unless they're stupid evil people (which a lot are.)

 

[Icedemon]

Droid=Verizon. So call them if/when your phone gets lost/stolen. They turn it off and lock it down. When the thief tries to activate it, they will get a nice message from Verizon stating that the phone was lost/stolen. Done....

 

[istolvampire]

Droid=Verizon. So call them if/when your phone gets lost/stolen. They turn it off and lock it down. When the thief tries to activate it, they will get a nice message from Verizon stating that the phone was lost/stolen. Done....

^One of the very reasons I like verizon.

 

[tsaunders]

It would be nice if Google had some way of tracking your phone, sorta like the Mobile Me (FindPhone). I wonder if they can make it work so even if the phone is set back to factory you can still find it?

 

[teschoen]

I'm sure the cell carrier can track the phone since it is on their network, and they do have a unique ID for the phone.....

 

[PerCompLLC]

You don't stop evil people.

Well said!

 

[AndroidsOfTara]

Ok so we have all these great apps just in case our Droid is stolen right!? Lookout, wavesecure etc. But being a Android user myself (and not ******ed) If I stole a droid what is stopping me from booting to the recovery console and wiping the phone. Then viola! the apps are useless correct? Or am I missing something here?

While there may be some thieves that know what Android is, the vast majority of them will just see an expensive looking phone. They won't have the slightest idea what OS is running or how to defeat security software.

 

[clos1084]

its a deterrent. nothing else

 

[VandalDuck]

1. Call Verizon to report stolen
2. Change your password to your Google account so that the phone can no longer connect to get things like e-mail and calendar items, market downloads etc...

I don't store any items that are sensitive enough...like bank accounts...on my phone.

 

[barry99705]

^One of the very reasons I like verizon.

ATT will do this as well. Not trying to start another flame war or anything, but since the iPhone 3G att has had the ability to remote wipe it for you as well.

Like what was mentioned before though, I'd like to see a "Where's my Droid" application from Google. That would be cool.

 

[istolvampire]

ATT will do this as well. Not trying to start another flame war or anything, but since the iPhone 3G att has had the ability to remote wipe it for you as well.

Like what was mentioned before though, I'd like to see a "Where's my Droid" application from Google. That would be cool.

I wasn't talking about the remote wipe but the fact that verizon will lock out the phone all together and as CDMA is only on verizon they can't take the phone anywhere to get it connected.

Well I guess there are a few small carriers that would flash it and connect it but.......

There was recently a big write up about a lady who had to write Steve Jobs to get her 3g back from a thief who was trying to get it connected but she was able to get the cops on it and att to stop the connection and track the phone. Still waiting on the outcome of it all.