Phone, where art thou?

May 09, 2014 08:05 pm | Updated May 10, 2014 01:20 pm IST

With all the trappings of a 21 century lifestyle comes the added responsibility of looking after the dozen or so gadgets that most of us lug around like security blankets. The most essential of these is your smartphone. You lose it, you lose your mind. Here are a few apps that could help keep track of your phone.

Lookout Plan B

This app lets you find your phone even without being installed beforehand. After you lose your phone, install the app through the Play Store onto your device; it will then start automatically and send your phone’s location to your Gmail address. To locate it again, text the word ‘locate’ to your lost phone and the app will send you periodic mails with the phone’s updated location.

Find My iPhone

This app makes use of another iOS device to find your lost iPhone. Once you install it, it will let you locate your phone, remotely lock it, delete data, play a sound (even if the device is set to silent) or display a message. It also includes a Lost Mode — your phone in this mode can keep a track of where it’s been so you can trace it’s “journey”.

Where's My Droid

This app turns up your phone’s ringer volume and makes it ring. If you’re not near enough to hear it, it can also get the phone’s GPS coordinates with a link to Google maps to help you track it. It also notifies you of a changed SIM card or phone number. This app’s pro features include a customisable ringtone for when it’s lost, remote locking of the phone, and deletion of phone and SD card data.

iHound

This app reports your phone’s location to iHound servers if and when there is a significant change and allows you to set an alarm that rings if you lose it. You can also track multiple devices and set up Geofencing Location Alerts that check in automatically with Foursquare, Facebook, or Twitter.

If Found+

This is a lock screen app that allows you to add a message to your lock screen wallpaper. You can key in your contact information, so that if your phone gets lost, the person who finds it can get in touch with you. You can adjust colour, fade, and change the wallpaper image, while including the important information. And when you misplace it, hope for a Good Samaritan.

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