anti-theft

Apple patent application involves theft-alarm for phones

Imagine if an iPhone had the equivalent of a car alarm. Would a loud, annoying alarm sound when a thief ran off with the device? Or would the alarm ring out when a stranger just tried to look at the phone?

These are questions Apple explores in a patent application filed today. Titled "Acceleration-based theft detection system for portable electronic devices," the application involves a smartphone deciphering what kinds of movement take place during a phone robbery.… Read more

Get a 1-year LoJack for Laptops subscription for $30

Picture this: your laptop is gone. Stolen. Someone broke into your home or office and made off with it. That's not only a pricey piece of hardware down the drain, but also some potentially irreplaceable data.

This happens all the time. My poor mother-in-law had two laptops stolen from her home just a few months ago. They're easy--and popular--targets for thieves. (Laptops, not mothers-in-law.)

If only your abducted PC could call the cops and rat out the crook. That's exactly the idea behind LoJack for Laptops, which, like its automotive-based forebears, helps track and recover stolen systems.… Read more

Protect your Android phone from theft, malware, and other threats

Is malware really a problem on Android smartphones? It might just be, as evidenced by the rash of malicious apps that recently appeared in the Android Market.

As much as I dislike the idea of needing antivirus and antispyware software for my phone, better safe than sorry. And if I'm going to run such an app, it might as well kill multiple security birds with one stone.

ESET Mobile Security for Android offers malware protection, an antitheft system, call blocking, SMS blacklisting, and more. It's currently in beta, and currently free.

When you first install it, ESET Mobile Security identifies any immediate threats, which on my new Nexus S 4G included disabled SIM matching, an undefined "trusted" SIM, and an undefined password (for the app itself; it's there to prevent unauthorized attempts to uninstall it).

From there it's not immediately clear what you're supposed to do, if anything, but each of EMS' primary modules--Antivirus, Antispam, Anti-Theft, and Security Audit--comes with extensive built-in help.… Read more

How to deter theft with a head of lettuce

Remember in Jurassic Park when that nerdy bad guy played by Wayne Knight hid those stolen dinosaur embryos by stashing them in a shaving cream can? Well, this is kind of the same idea, except we hope you won't hide stolen dinosaur embryos in this. Gizmodo has alerted us to an innovative anti-theft solution that allows you to hide your valuables in what appears to be a head of lettuce. You then would presumably stash the "lettuce" in your refrigerator where it would look like just another veggie, and hope that if a burglar comes to your … Read more

Crime-fighting phone hits streets of China

Every once in awhile, a product comes along that makes us sad because it reflects some form of societal decay. Case in point: Even though we were initially interested in the Tianyu B832 for its attractive black-lacquer design, it turns out that the phone's most distinguishing feature may be its crime-fighting capabilities.

If the handset is stolen and the thief tries to make calls using a different SIM card, for example, it will automatically send a text message to your old number (which you'll presumably want to keep with your new phone). Mobile Magazine says the message will … Read more