latest
Samsung vows to remotely brick stolen TVs
A press release says that the company can shut down any of its smart televisions once they're connected to the internet
Having more or less every appliance in your home constantly connected to global interconnected networks can enable some remarkable tools. And not just tools for the consumer: device manufactures are finding themselves able to exercise more and more control over the things they sell after the sale is made. The latest example is a batch of Samsung TVs, which the company says it will remotely disable after they were stolen from a warehouse.
Nine out of ten times when we report on a lawsuit, it has something to do with patents or trademarks. I'll admit that those posts can get a little dull, but they're important for the world of consumer electronics. If you've been waiting for something a little juicier in your tech legal news, have we got a story for you. The Seattle Times reports that American cellular carrier T-Mobile is suing Huawei, a giant provider of telecom infrastructure hardware and currently the third-biggest manufacturer of phones on the planet, for stealing a robot.
An update is rolling out to the Lookout security app with a new feature tucked away exclusively for premium account holders. This feature is theft alerts. After the alerts have been enabled, Lookout will send phone owners an email automatically when the phone starts engaging in behavior that indicates it could have been stolen. This way you get notified as soon as shenanigans begin, rather than having to manually check for the device's location yourself. Lookout defines said shenanigans as follows.
It ain't exactly Gone In 60 Seconds, but at least one thief is now sitting on a pile of electronics worth more than any sportscar. CNET reports that a truck stolen from a Gary, Indiana truck stop contained 22,500 LG G2 smartphones, originally intended for a Sprint distribution center in Kentucky. At the unsubsidized price, the combined value of all those phones is more than twelve million dollars.
When buying used phones off of eBay, Craigslist, or the like, a primary concern of anyone purchasing CDMA devices (Verizon, Sprint, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, etc.) is the status of the phone's ESN (electronic serial number). If a device's ESN is registered as "banned" on its carrier because it has been listed as stolen or is attached to an unpaid account, then that phone cannot be activated on said carrier. Thus, the phone is either useless or has to be activated on a pre-paid carrier, which is generally not all that desirable and drastically decreases a device's worth.
If you've ever lost a device or had one stolen, then you know what a gut-wrenching feeling that can be. All of your personal data, contacts, e-mail, social networking, photos, and more in the hands of a stranger or thief? The very thought of it is sickening.
PhoneLocator is the latest entry in the Mobile Security App Shootout, coming to Android users from the developers at RVO. Another loss/theft-focused app, PhoneLocator has most of the normal features that we've seen before, but with a slight twist in functionality that may make or break the app for some users.
Read update
- While Android Police is keeping this post up for historical purposes, a lot has changed since we first covered this app, and readers should take some time to consider the current state of Cerberus before making any usage decisions.
Developer LSDroid has raised the bar in our Security App Shootout series with the popular security app Cerberus. Another app looking to help those who dread the thought of their lost or stolen device out there all alone, Cerberus brings a lot to the table while maintaining a relatively low price point.
Next in line for our Mobile Security App Shootout is SeekDroid, an app that has no problem standing out in the crowded security app arena thanks to its sleek interface, smooth functionality, and manageable price tag; not to mention the adorable James Bond - style Android on the splash screen.
For most, the idea of losing their mobile device is devastating. Users tend to panic at the idea of things like personal messages, contacts, photos, and internet passwords falling into the wrong hands. Luckily there is an abundance of security apps in the Android Market created specifically to combat such a scenario (and hopefully help in getting your device back). But this abundance poses another question: which one is right for me? It can be difficult to choose a security app that has the features you need, a reasonable price, and the interface and functionality that create a pleasant user experience even in the midst of such turmoil.
I know what you're probably thinking: "...another mobile security app? Please. There are dozens of these!" While this may be true, TekTrak has a few perks that makes it an interesting and compelling choice over the competition.
Earlier this morning, news broke of a horrible deed - the entire stock of Xperia Play phones was allegedly stolen from Vodafone NZ, leaving hundreds of giant-thumbed customers button-mashing nothing but air for the foreseeable future. We deliberately skipped this story, even though it was spreading like fire, but what happened next prompted me to grab my pen keyboard and give this crime some coverage.
Up until some recent events, it was quite hard to get through to Google regarding anything going on in the Android Market, be it stolen apps, copyrighted material, or getting any feedback regarding why your own app was removed. Sure, they still listened to DMCA requests and malware reports, but it seems that complaints by mostly large copyright owners saw any action, while reports by small-time developers getting ignored were getting abundant around the web.