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Best app for lost phone?

Best app for lost phone?

  • Where's My Droid

    Votes: 18 22.0%
  • Mobile Defense

    Votes: 34 41.5%
  • WaveSecure

    Votes: 4 4.9%
  • Prey

    Votes: 1 1.2%
  • Lookout

    Votes: 15 18.3%
  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 10 12.2%

  • Total voters
    82
Mobile Defense looks good.

Also, I saw this noted on their page
--
Mobile Defense is in public beta. In the future, there may be a nominal fee for premium services; however, the features you have today will remain free.
--
 
Are there any apps which meet the following criteria?

  1. Very-low battery consumption when in background
  2. Web interface for tracking the device
  3. Either: does not need GPS on, or preferably: can turn it on through the site
  4. Free, or charges only if tracking the phone
  5. Can "ping" phone to make it audible, even if if it's in silent mode (for when it's hiding in your apartment)

Thanks guys!

Lookout does all of that with the exception of #3. I don't think any app can remotely turn on the GPS. Lookout also gives you backup and wiping options too.
 
Giving mobile defense a shot, strange thing is that it isn't letting me register my email ... it keeps saying my email is invalid lol

edit: oops, forget it, i had an extra space at the end of my email string, .... it doesn't automatically trim whitespace fyi
 
Didn't like mobile defense. The whole locking mechanism was a bit confusing where there's really a system pattern lock set, but it's only active when you lock it through their website.

I don't know, just seems like one day, I'll lock myself out of the phone somehow. Maybe that's not the case, but for something I may never use, not worth it.

Plus the system where it text messages you periodically, I didn't like. I don't know how frequent they are, but that seems annoying. There are workarounds to blacklist those texts with 3rd party sms managers, but I just don't think this was the program for me.

Maybe I'll try lookout.
 
I have my gps set for on CAUSE IT DOESNT DRAIN THE BATTERY WHEN YOU ARE NOT USING IT. And I tested Wheres my Droid and it worked great! Free, I have excellent battery life, and I dont need to have the app open to find my gps.
 
i have where's my droid and mobile defense. I like it but am curious about lookout, might try it and decide between the two.
 
Didn't like mobile defense. The whole locking mechanism was a bit confusing where there's really a system pattern lock set, but it's only active when you lock it through their website.

I don't know, just seems like one day, I'll lock myself out of the phone somehow. Maybe that's not the case, but for something I may never use, not worth it.

Plus the system where it text messages you periodically, I didn't like. I don't know how frequent they are, but that seems annoying. There are workarounds to blacklist those texts with 3rd party sms managers, but I just don't think this was the program for me.

Maybe I'll try lookout.

What texts are you talking about? I have had it since day 1 and don't get any texts.

As far as the locking, it is done for max security with what access Android allows them. There are other ways to do it, but they are easily circumvented.

also, from their website:
Battery and Performance

Q: Will using Mobile Defense affect my battery life?
A: The only time Mobile Defense consumes battery is when it is actively tracking or performing routine update notifications. There are no continual background services or CPU intensive processes. Battery usage during an active remote session is comparable to the Google Maps application. If you're interested in more information about the performance of Mobile Defense, please refer to this blog post: http://blog.mobiledefense.com/mobile-de
 
Lookout does all of that with the exception of #3. I don't think any app can remotely turn on the GPS. Lookout also gives you backup and wiping options too.
That would be a problem for me and battery life (I'm doing my research now into an OEM 1500 vs. Seidko 1750 upgrade), but according to this comment, that's not something I need to worry about:
have my gps set for on CAUSE IT DOESNT DRAIN THE BATTERY WHEN YOU ARE NOT USING IT.
So thank you both!
 
What texts are you talking about? I have had it since day 1 and don't get any texts. http://is.gd/1hD0f
That's weird. There was a large thread in the forum about people trying to figure out how to suppress them.

Q: What is the strange text message (aka SMS) I keep receiving?
A: This message is a randomized security token. This token allows Mobile Defense to stay dormant on your phone and awake only when needed. We intentionally designed our system this way to save battery and free up memory. In previous versions of Mobile Defense we were able to hide these messages; however, recent security changes to Android now prevent third party developers from doing this. We are currently investigating workarounds. In the meantime, be sure to checkout this thread where users driver7125 and RobertHamilton explain their techniques for hiding this message.
 
That's weird. There was a large thread in the forum about people trying to figure out how to suppress them.


Ah, well I do use Handcent. Maybe I suppressed something and forgot about it. I do know that I still have MD and just used it, and have not had any texts for a long time.
 
yeah I've had mobile defense installed for about 3 weeks and haven't gotten any random texts on either of our incredibles.
 
I'm still on the fence about Lookout versus Mobile Defense. Good thread, nice to read other peoples opinions.
 
I've tried Where's My Droid, Prey and Lookout. BY FAR, Lookout has the best UI. No texting required, the web interface is great. Other benefits I like about it:

1.) If you're not a fan of anti-virus, that portion can be shut off leaving just backups and phone locator.
2.) GPS doesn't have to be on. I don't run my GPS unless I'm using maps to save battery. Even without GPS enabled, it tracks my phone right to my exact address when testing.
3.) I can shut off email and task bar notifications (task bar on phone app, email on web interface). Last thing I want is for somebody that has my phone to know I've just located my phone.
4.) It's free


Just thought I'd repost this from earlier in this thread since several folks seemed to have missed it. Try Lookout without GPS enabled and see if you get the same results. For whatever reason, it starts out with a map that isn't terribly accurate, but if I wait awhile, the map hones in and gets accurate right to my house. To reiterate...this is with GPS turned off.
 
I'm still on the fence about Lookout versus Mobile Defense. Good thread, nice to read other peoples opinions.

Same, does anyone have pros/cons of both?

I've been using lookout today, havent had enough time to develop an opinion, I dont have backup or a/v running. can someone comment on whether or not im saving significant battery by doing this? I just dont see the need for either of those functions to be running processes that would use any battery, even if the processes only turn on when I get a new file, or take a new picture or wtvr, it would still add something else "to do" when that happens. Correct?
 
Same, does anyone have pros/cons of both?

I've been using lookout today, havent had enough time to develop an opinion, I dont have backup or a/v running. can someone comment on whether or not im saving significant battery by doing this? I just dont see the need for either of those functions to be running processes that would use any battery, even if the processes only turn on when I get a new file, or take a new picture or wtvr, it would still add something else "to do" when that happens. Correct?

Yeah, I only backup contacts. Could care less about past calls and pics are already saved in Dropbox. I set to once per week and it doesn't take long at all. I think contacts are worth saving regularly and it doesn't take long at all to update them so I'm thinking it's real minimal battery usage. I'm with you on the A/V. All it really does for the most part is scans new downloads but I'm skipping it after having used it for a few weeks just to try it.
 
Awesome responses, thanks! Sorry, I didn't mean to abandon this thread, I was just nowhere near a computer all day. I added a poll (as requested) with what seem to be the most common options.
 
Same, does anyone have pros/cons of both?

I've been using lookout today, havent had enough time to develop an opinion, I dont have backup or a/v running. can someone comment on whether or not im saving significant battery by doing this? I just dont see the need for either of those functions to be running processes that would use any battery, even if the processes only turn on when I get a new file, or take a new picture or wtvr, it would still add something else "to do" when that happens. Correct?
I'm the same as you. I just want the remote wipe function in case I lose it. I rather not have all my personal accounts out there for someone to use. I don't need backup nor the antivirus.
 
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