prey - find stolen or lost phone/laptop

conor.hogan.2 · 21-09-2010 6:29pm #1

http://lifehacker.com/5643460/how-to-track-and-potentially-recover-your-stolen-laptop-or-android-with-prey

works on android aswel - free and open source.

opus · 22-09-2010 7:06am

We've started installed Prey on new laptops at work, if the laptop has a front facing camera it even mails you a pic of the person using it along with its location :eek: I'm assuming it's using nearby wifi networks to figure out where it is or else we're all being tracked far more that I realised!

cormie · 22-09-2010 7:29am

Would a simple wipe of the phone or laptop HD not render this useless? If the thief knew what they were doing..

22-09-2010 7:38am

cormie wrote: »

Would a simple wipe of the phone or laptop HD not render this useless? If the thief knew what they were doing..

Yes, below taken from original link.

It's not fool-proof, especially if the thief wants to entirely wipe your computer or phone, but if that's not the case, it gives you a fighting chance.

cormie · 22-09-2010 7:41am

That's a pity alright

Wonder are there any free opensource solutions out there that will get around that limitation?

johnny_adidas · 22-09-2010 7:50am

U could use app lock to prevent it being uninstalled

Abelloid · 22-09-2010 10:04am

johnny_adidas wrote: »

U could use app lock to prevent it being uninstalled

A complete wipe would remove everything, no?

johnny_adidas · 22-09-2010 12:07pm

well if someone pulls your battery then sim card that'll pretty much do it too unless the phone is locked to a certain sim card... (unsure as to whether the standard HTC security settings provide for this)

conor.hogan.2 · 22-09-2010 6:33pm

Yep and if you car gets stolen and the thief paints it and changes the plates..........

viking · 22-09-2010 6:40pm

johnny_adidas wrote: »

well if someone pulls your battery then sim card that'll pretty much do it too unless the phone is locked to a certain sim card... (unsure as to whether the standard HTC security settings provide for this)

On Android at least, you can lock prey to the current SIM and if it gets replaced you can have it send a text to another number.

sealgaire · 30-10-2010 11:00pm

just installed it there. Good idea. But, if the person who stole your phone removes your sim before you get a chance to send the text what will happen?

Also how much does it cost to send the text?

If it could lock via the IMEI it would be brill!
Anyone know of something similar but better?

Sam Vimes · 31-10-2010 12:12pm

sealgaire wrote: »

just installed it there. Good idea. But, if the person who stole your phone removes your sim before you get a chance to send the text what will happen?

There's an option to activate it when the sim card is changed

drunkmonkey · 31-10-2010 12:24pm

Would it be worth not having a password on your laptop so if it was stolen the person might just start using it(and get there photo taken) rather than getting someone to wipe it as they can't log in.

I've noticed it with mobiles, if there's a lock on the phone you'll never get it back but without any lock there's a good chance the finder will try and contact someone in your phone book.

I found a guys phone and called up one of his contacts and got the phone successfully returned to him, About a month later I lost mine in a club in dublin, got a call a week later and my phone was returned. If either of had phone locks we'd have never got them back.

BopNiblets · 31-10-2010 4:39pm

sealgaire wrote: »

If it could lock via the IMEI it would be brill!
Anyone know of something similar but better?

Won't Vodafone/meteor/O2/Three do that for you anyway if you ring them?

Keith186 · 31-10-2010 4:49pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Would it be worth not having a password on your laptop so if it was stolen the person might just start using it(and get there photo taken) rather than getting someone to wipe it as they can't log in.

I've noticed it with mobiles, if there's a lock on the phone you'll never get it back but without any lock there's a good chance the finder will try and contact someone in your phone book.

I found a guys phone and called up one of his contacts and got the phone successfully returned to him, About a month later I lost mine in a club in dublin, got a call a week later and my phone was returned. If either of had phone locks we'd have never got them back.

How did he get your number or someone elses number in your phonebook if the phone was locked?

drunkmonkey · 31-10-2010 4:52pm

Keith186 wrote: »

How did he get your number or someone elses number in your phonebook if the phone was locked?

The phone wasn't locked, that's my point. Unless the finder/thief can get straight in an start using the phone/laptop it's no use.

prey - find stolen or lost phone/laptop

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