Next Step: Protecting SG4GE from Loss, Misplacement, Theft

[PeteS457]

For those who have followed my posts, I have purchased the new SG4 Google Edition after loss/theft of my SG3 with a year left on my AT&T contract. (I left it at a baseball game and I went back after it was picked up by the cleaning crew and never turned in.) What's done is done and I'm very happy with my new smartphone. However, I want to learn from my last experience (it was my first smartphone) and do due diligence in protecting it from loss, misplacement, and theft. (I've learned a valuable lesson and I doubt it happens again, but you never know.) I've read where there are apps you can install that will allow you to track the phone (I assume) from a computer? Are there things I should do in registering information with AT&T for example if it falls in the wrong hands? Just looking for advice as to what I should do to best help prevent another disaster like I just experienced.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[planoman]

Not sure what you are asking. Nothing will protect your phone from loss, theft etc because these things happen. But you can do things after it has happened. You can also buy insurance to replace it after these things happen.

If your phone is lost or misplaced google is coming out with an app that will help-

Android Device Manager coming this month; locate and protect your lost Android phone | Android Central

Not sure this would help if stolen? I would not go looking for it. I would always use a PIN or password and then wipe it using this app. I also heard that att can disable the IMEI on their devices to make the device unusable to someone who steals it or finds it.

- AT&T Wireless Support?

 

[PeteS457]

Yes, I'm asking what I can put on the phone to help me find it after I have lost or misplaced it - or it's stolen - to locate its whereabouts. I can understand (I guess) if you don't want to go looking for it. But I certainly would go looking for it - and if I found that it had been stolen, there would be hell to pay (with possibly a cop in tow).

I had insurance on the first one - and It did me no good whatsoever. It was through Best Buy Mobile and they said they would replace it free of charge as long as I had any piece of the phone identifying it. Therefore, it was no value for lost or stolen phones. When I bought this phone, I asked about insurance for lost or stolen phones, but it seemed exorbitantly priced (per month) and I'd still have to pay several hundred dollars to replace it. In the end, I decided against buying it as I doubt I do something as stupid as I did last time. (Putting it down at a baseball game and forgetting to pick it up was an incredibly stupid thing for me to do; I'm usually smarter than that.)

I tried to have AT&T blacklist the IMEI number (it was an AT&T-branded S3), but they do not do that. (<Sigh>) I think T-Mobile might blacklist phones at your request, but not AT&T.

 

[planoman]

There are many apps that can do what you are asking for. I know that lookout is one of them. Also the link I provided about google's app will be coming in the next month or so. I will probably use that one, the Google one that is. It can help you track it down but be careful if you think someone has it. Not worth getting hurt over. I would definitely want to wipe my phone if I lost it although I use a PIN.

Sorry about what happened to your phone. Bummer.

 

[PeteS457]

Yep. An official app from Google to do exactly what I was looking for sounds exciting. I admit I don't scour news for Android all the time. So how would you know when it's released? A particular forum here at Android Central? (As you can tell by my post count, I'm quite new to this.)

Thanks.

 

[planoman]

Yep. An official app from Google to do exactly what I was looking for sounds exciting. I admit I don't scour news for Android all the time. So how would you know when it's released? A particular forum here at Android Central? (As you can tell by my post count, I'm quite new to this.)

Thanks.

It will be on the front of AC and they will most likely review it. It should hit the press as they will say this is similar to Apple's find my iphone feature etc. If you peruse the s4 forum it should be there as we will be talking about it I suspect.

I am a bit disappointed that At&T did not offer more help. We all know they have the technology and ability to shut down a phone tight. They need to start turning these stolen phones into paperweights and maybe some folks will try to return them and get some reward money possibly and stop reselling them.

 

[PeteS457]

I totally agree (about AT&T).