Best lost phone app for android

[AzNKiD]

I am looking for the best app for finding a lost phone. I am currently using where is my droid and it works fine, but it does not offer picture taking and sending it to me. So what else is out there to find a lost phone, but here are the features i am looking for......

-prefer free, but will spend some money if worth it
-gps locate and take pictures from front camera
-DOES NOT REQUIRE WEB PORTAL

The last item is important to me. most of the apps i seen on the market requires you to login to their website and control your phone remotely. I do not want this, and prefer no 3rd party involvement. I want to just install the app, and let me retieve the information via sms or email. With where is my droid, I can send a sms from another phone and get the gps location. I refuse to use any app that requires logining to their website because I do not trust a 3rd party "middle man" to have full access to my phone remotely.

 

[podspi]

I use Lookout, although it doesn't take pictures, and requires a web portal. I like it because it has an option to wipe, which is all I care about. Sure, there is a chance you'll be able to recover it via GPS tracking, but if it gets stolen it isn't like you are going to go after it... (if they're dumb enough to leave it on anyway)

 

[destrekor]

I have nothing to offer this thread, but I do want to hear about what options are out there and personal opinions on the matter.

I still haven't gotten into any of those lost/stolen recovery apps, mainly because I am very OCD about my phone and also because I haven't paid much attention to what is out there, app-wise. But yeah, my phone basically never leaves my possession - it's one of those things I find difficult to even forget, though I had lost one once when it fell out of my rucksack (lesson learned).
But still, I wouldn't mind getting something installed, as shit can/does happen.

 

[AzNKiD]

destrekor, the most popular app is "where is my droid" off the market. there is a free and paid version, if all you want is gps locate then get the free one, while the paid one offers wipe function. I like where is my droid because it allows me to send a text from another phone with special key password and the phone will use its gps to located, then reply back via text.

another free option is "android lost". it offers the picture taking when activiated, but this app requires you to login to their website and control your phone. The app will require administrate access to your phone, which means the app creator can do whatever he wants with his web portal. This is what scares me and looking for something with no web portals.

 

[AzNKiD]

Also, I would like to add that you can install these apps AFTER you lose your phone these days. Say for example, you cant find your phone, you can login to the android market with your google account, and then push the gps locating app to your phone remotely. I heard the best pushing app is called "plan b"

 

[zerogear]

SeekDroid is nice, but doesn't fit your criteria

 

[Ichinisan]

Is there one that pretends to allow the device to be turned-off? If a thief tries to turn it off, I want the device to pretend to shut down...but it would still be reporting the tracking info.

I'd also like to encourage the thief to keep using it without wiping everything (or whoever he passes it off to). For this reason, I do not put a passcode lock on my devices. I can change my other passwords if one of my devices is stolen.

 

[glen]

People steal phones and leave the sim cards inside?

 

[glen]

People steal phones and leave the sim cards inside?

This

 

[zerogear]

This

Did you just quote yourself? Some people are dumb and don't take SIM out.

 

[glen]

Did you just quote yourself? Some people are dumb and don't take SIM out.

Yeah, I know.
But, really, are there people who steal phones and leave the sim card inside?
That seems very stupid.
And, I am sure these apps do not work if the sim card is removed.

 

[glen]

Did you just quote yourself? Some people are dumb and don't take SIM out.

I really over estimate people often, even criminals.

 

[Ichinisan]

People steal phones and leave the sim cards inside?

Not all phones have SIM cards. Do you live outside the US?

 

[CZroe]

Also, phones can phone home through WiFi without a SIM.

Now, the best app would have fake-off and a fake broken LCD that even uses live wallpaper to ooze around when you press on it. The "Belongs to [NAME] at [CONTACT]" message would still be "incidentally" readable. Preferably, these things would be disabled while in proximity to a known WiFi network (work, home, friends') or Bluetooth device (car, watch, headset, speakers, etc) and would kick on automatically if taken away from you or accidentally left in public.

 

[Ichinisan]

...and Android also runs on tablets.