Have you ever lost you phone and spent the day walking around like you lost your best friend? So, does that make me weird if I think my phone is my best friend? I could probably live a week or so without my best friend. My phone however, I will start shaking if we're separated for an hour. Look we both know what a geek I am, it doesn't make me a bad person!
So I had a case of the wthdrawals last Sunday night when I got home and my phone was no where to be found. I couldn't call anyone, text anyone, play Words With Friends or count on my phone's alarm to get me up in the morning. Even I admit, it's pretty rediculous how much we depend on our phones. I have a second phone (just because of the nature of my job) but strangely, I hadn't connected it to my work servver yet so I didn't have any of my contacts. I could only think of the phone #'s of a few selected people and it was generally their landline #'s that have been around forever. I would be hardpressed to remember almost any of my current friend's cell phone #'s.
Of course because I am the Gadgetista that I am, I have a few solutions for you. First, some phones are easier to track than others based on the apps they have available for these instances. For example. If you have an Android device, you can send an app to it without it being in your possession because you can send apps OTA (over-the-air) to Android devices. So let's start with iPhones because you would have to install the app BEFORE you lose your phone.
Find My iPhone
For iPhones, iPad, iPod Touch or Mac. This will let you use another device to find and protect your data. Install the app, sign in with your Apple ID, Find My iPhone will help you locate your missing device on a map. From there you can choose to display a message, play a sound at full volume for two minutes, remotely lock your device or erase your data from it.
Say you’ve just used Find My iPhone, and it turns out you left your iPhone at the doctor’s office. You can write a message and display it on your screen. Something like, “Oops, left my iPhone behind. Please call me at 408-555-0198.” Your message appears, even if the screen is locked.
And if the map shows that your iPhone is nearby — perhaps in your office under a pile of papers — yet you still can’t find it, you can tell Find My iPhone to play a sound that overrides the volume or silent setting.
Lookout/Plan B
This is the first and only 'find my phone' app that you download AFTER you've already lost your phone. Having Lookout on your phone is the best way to protect your phone and find it fast, but use Plan B if you have already lost your phone and didn't already have Lookout installed. You send the app to your phone, as long as the phone is on, it will turn on the GPS and gmail your coordinates on a map back to you. Alternately, you can send text messages to the missing phone with "locate" in the message and it will send the coordinates to the device you are texting from.
Apps are pretty easy to use to track a missing device. There is however a few "wireless leashes" on the market that will assist in keeping you from losing it in the first place along with a few other pretty nifty features.
ZOMM
This is where the term Wireless Leash comes from. Using Bluetooth® wireless technology, the ZOMM alerts the user when it becomes separated from his/her mobile phone by vibrating, flashing its lights and sounding an alarm. The Wireless Leash by ZOMM is also a fully-functional hands-free speakerphone with one touch answering for those times when it isn't safe to talk on your phone.It has a quick release mechanism for easy remov
Additionally, The Wireless Leash by ZOMM can call emergency assistance with one press of a button if you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation.
Because it uses Bluetooth technology it will work with any phone that has Bluetooth capability. It's not just for iPhones and Androids!
A rubber dust cover is installed to seal and protect the micro-USB charging port. This has been done to enhance Zomm’s resistance to moisture and dirt. The Zomm retails for $79.99.
Cobra Tag
A Cobra Tag™ sensor is attached to your keys, purse, computer bag, or any other item you want to protect from loss. The sensor communicates with the phone’s free app and will remind you if you leave your phone or valuables behind. The Cobra Tag is also a 2 way finder. Tap the button on the Cobra Tag tag to ring your Smartphone. If you are looking for your Cobra Tag protected item, use the phone’s application to make the Cobra Tag™ ring. To secure your phones data, the powerful PhoneHalo application can be set to lock your phone when out of range of your tagged item. Never lose your valuables again!
The Cobra Tag currently works with only Android and Blackberry devices. It retails for $59.95.
Be preventative now if you have the time so it'll save you time and aggravation looking for your phone later.
Peace out
-CC