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Non-intrusive find android app

M

modernaire

Newbie
Hi,

Does anyone know of a simple & straightforward "find my android" app?

It seems like all of them want several permissions and require GPS location to always be on.

I'm looking for one that works using e911 only and with very few permissions. I don't like always having the GPS on for data and privacy reasons.

Something that you can log into and see the approximate location of the phone.

There has to be one out there. Any replies appreciated.
 
Actually I leave GPS on permanently but wireless location off - that allows me to use location without giving Google any information about my position, whereas wireless location doesn't work unless you agree to them collecting "anonymous" location information. I also use root tools to disallow most apps that want my location from getting it, but if they only have "coarse location" privileges that's what I leave disabled anyway. GPS works perfectly well with data disabled as well.

As for permissions, if you leave your phone with an active data connection and a google login at all times you could use Google's Android Device Manager. This does not require Location Reporting and Location History to be enabled, but does require some location service (either Wireless, GPS or both) to be enabled - it can't turn them on for you if you left them switched off. Some security apps can enable location services and data in order to report your position, in response to a specially-formatted SMS, but of course those apps need a lot more permissions in order to do this (and security apps by their nature need extensive permissions).

Can't help with e911 as that's a US system, so I have no experience with it.
 
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Trying to avoid Google.

Using KitKat if that helps.

Is there any straightforward app that does this without excessive permissions?
 
So you just want one to approximately locate your phone(course only, not GPS) and do nothing else?

Most of them are to try and precisely locate your phone using GPS, make it ring, remotely erase it etc. To do that does require quite a lot of permissions, like contacts, private info, storage access, GPS location, etc.
 
You will be very hard pressed to find something. As mike said they need those permissions to perform the necessary functions to find your device. What are your concerns with the permissions the apps need? Most of the ones I have tried in the past all seem to ask for the same permissions which if you read them and then understand the function of the app you see they are needed to be able to successfully complete their task.

IF your concerned about Privacy don't be we haven't had that privilege here. They know what your going to do before you do :eek:
 
The external commands are not important to me, I have it password protected. Of course, there's ways around that but I'm just looking for a simple app that allows for the location without having to have GPS turned on all the time.
 
modernaire said:
The external commands are not important to me, I have it password protected. Of course, there's ways around that but I'm just looking for a simple app that allows for the location without having to have GPS turned on all the time.
Click to expand...

Good luck. Any app will require you to have some kind of location seeking ability which will require something to always be turned on in order for it to work
 
I guess I'm the only one who remembers the early days of Android. :D

Check out "Wheres My Droid"

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alienmanfc6.wheresmyandroid

The original.

Exactly what you want. (Within 911 restrictions.)

You don't want it to use GPS? Turn it off.

Hope this helps.

And btw - it needs permissions to do things - things that you want and want to not want.
 
It looks like "Where's my droid" now requires GPS to be on - and you cannot activate the GPS remotely using the command. Kind of annoying, seemed to be one of the few straightforward apps for this. Lookout for example wants you to backup your entire phone to their servers before you can even use it.

Any other recommendations, let me know.
 
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