Track your cellphone with these tools

[rpm]

Track your cellphone

We’re all so reliant on our cellphones that losing one is a tragedy. Use some of these tools to keep tabs on your mobile line.

 

[Leno]

Apple iPhone users that already subscribe to Apple’s MobileMe can use that to find their missing phone. Like most tools, if you can’t find your phone or you know it has definitely been stolen, you can remote kill the phone. MobileMe isn’t free but it does include many other services

Incorrect, the iphone locate my phone service does not require a mobileme subscription and is free. You login to mobileme with your normal apple id (same as your itunes login)

 

[ThirdBorn]

MyPhone services are not available in ZA.I installed it & tried to locate my phone,only to get a message "services are not available for your country".Do anyone had the same experience with Microsoft MyPhone?and got e-mail that is going to be closed down & replaced by something else.

 

[Protocol]

If I am not mistaken, it would require your sim card to be present in the phone? As soon as they have got it they will remove it and put their own in rendering the above mentioned services useless?

 

[Dark Agent]

Still safe to steal symbians!!!
I'll stick to an insurance plan.

 

[Lydon]

Why isn't Blackberry Protect listed? It's developed by RIM and allows you to track your phone on the Blackberry Protect site via GPS, lock/wipe the phone, display a message on the screen, turn on the ringer or back up your details online. Best of all it's free...

 

[Asha'man X]

Microsoft's MyPhone service was only available for Windows Mobile, and is being discontinued, as per an email they sent out about 2 weeks ago. I used it a few times on my old Touch Pro 2, and it worked well enough. Synced messages, photos, contacts and any documents on the phone. Not quite a full low level device back up, but it worked. MyPhone doesn't exist for Windows Phone 7. However, if you go to windowsphone.live.com, you can map your device, ring it, lock it or factory reset it. I've tested all these features bar factory reset, and it works pretty well, providing a data connection is available.

 

[bwana]

Incorrect, the iphone locate my phone service does not require a mobileme subscription and is free. You login to mobileme with your normal apple id (same as your itunes login)

Agreed. Find my iphone is free, which makes perfect sense now that Apple has discontinued MobileMe.

Why isn't Blackberry Protect listed? It's developed by RIM and allows you to track your phone on the Blackberry Protect site via GPS, lock/wipe the phone, display a message on the screen, turn on the ringer or back up your details online. Best of all it's free...

Another great service and it also allows you to backup your phone to the cloud.

 

[Maddmatt]

I did a much more detailed writeup on this forum ages ago.

It's a bit old now, but I'll mention some notable ones that this article left out.

Lookout for Android.
Tektrak for iPhone and Android (Samsung users, look in Samsung apps. Found it there with my UK Galaxy S).
Periodic for Symbian.

 

[nfbs]

Anyone using MobileDefnese for Android?

 

[darwinshome]

Available for Nokia, HTC, Palm, Samsung and others: http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/protection/anti-theft-for-mobile/overview
F-Secure anti-theft assists with trying to locate (and disabling phone) if stolen.
I happen to enjoy the feature that auto locks/disables the phone if the sim card is changed.

And free too - surprised it was not included in this article.

 

[fwwwn]

MobileMe isn’t free but it does include many other services

I hate it when writers don't do their research. Find my iPhone is free, even when MobileMe was a paid-for service, and MobileMe has been succeeded by iCloud, which includes "many other services" for free, so no point in punting a discontinued subscription service. iCloud was announced 2 weeks ago, how can a tech writer not know about this?

 

[kilos]

Eaxample of the above tracking application in the News
Tech today keeps thieves at bay

A dose of technology and a dash of bravery have helped a Cape Town man reclaim his stolen cellphone – and catch a suspected criminal in the process.

Chad Torlage, who works at the Apple iStore at the V&A Waterfront, traced his 3GS iPhone within three hours after it was stolen from the store’s counter recently while it was being charged.

Security camera footage showed the phone being snatched by three women. When Toriage realised his phone was missing, about 15 minutes after it was taken, he called the police. While waiting, he used his laptop to log on to the iPhone tracker website, and traced his phone’s location to the CBD. He used the laptop to remotely lock his phone to make sure it couldn’t be turned off, allowing him to narrow down its location.

“After the police took my statement, I showed them the tracking programme and three officers joined me as we followed the signal. I borrowed another iPhone from the store to help me track the signal on the road.”

Read More

 

[McGuywer]

Any apps for Symbian apart from Periodic?

 

[SlightlyPeeved]

Have no experience with other services, but the iPhone tracking system works a treat. (And is free). I know it seems simple, but there is a certain amount of wow factor when you are able to locate your phone, send a message, lock it, or even wipe it (have not tried that for obvious reasons) from your PC. Should not be quite as exciting as it is, but it sure is a bit of a wow. Once they implement iOS5 and iCloud, backing up will not be something I only do once a month, but every time I am within 300 meters of my house.

The only addition I would like, is the ability to force a user to put in a pass code to turn off the phone. Then if it was stolen, other than smash the phone, the crook would have no way to stop you from tracking him. (yeah I guess he could put it in a lead box, or in an earthed copper mesh, but if he has gone to that much trouble, he deserves to keep the phone)