10 Defenses Against Smartphone Theft - InformationWeek

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Comments
10 Defenses Against Smartphone Theft
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Susan Fourtané
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Susan Fourtané,
 User Rank: Author
11/29/2013 | 7:24:05 AM
Leave your phone at home

"It's easier said than done. But you can't lose what you don't have. Shocking though it may be, people used to get by without mobile phones. Try it once in while, if only to highlight your device addiction."

Everyone should try this at least a week in your life. Not only it will be a week with no worries about your phone being stolen but also you will learn about the degree of dependency you have with your phone.

You will discover new ways of getting around without looking at your screen, and you may actually enjoy not being reachable once in a while. :D 

I did it as part of a project. I got interesting results. :) 

-Susan
samicksha
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samicksha,
 User Rank: Strategist
11/29/2013 | 4:26:43 AM
Re: Wake up, people
I agree you Joe on your point about availability, and becomes more relevant if Mobile screen pops with BOSS CALLING...lol.
PaulS681
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PaulS681,
 User Rank: Ninja
11/28/2013 | 8:29:02 PM
Don't buy insurance?
I agree with most of these tips but the one about not buying phone insurance doesnt make sence to me. Just because someone doesn't get the insurance is going to mean they take care of it better? I would love to see a study on that.

I generally dont buy phone insurance because I am careful with my phone and so far I have been good. my daughters phone is a different story. She has broken more than a few so it's worth it. But for something that helps protect it from getting stolen? I dont see it.
Joe Stanganelli
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Joe Stanganelli,
 User Rank: Author
11/28/2013 | 5:54:31 PM
Re: Wake up, people
@samicksha: That's the problem with having a cell phone to begin with!  People expect you to be always, constantly available -- and get mad when you're not.

Life becomes a lot easier and less stressful once you embrace the notion that you have your phone for your convenience -- and no one else's.
Joe Stanganelli
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Joe Stanganelli,
 User Rank: Author
11/28/2013 | 5:51:56 PM
LoJack
Considering pepole have used laptop LoJack and similar software to spy on people in private situations (including law enforcement and the people at the company themselves), I think I'd rather just have to buy a new phone.
Shepy
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Shepy,
 User Rank: Apprentice
11/28/2013 | 7:22:52 AM
Be wary
"7) Be aware of your surroundings
We've all seen them. People who meander down the sidewalk, staring at their phones, forcing others to take evasive action to avoid a collision."

This is one of the most important ones imo, ive seen people with no idea what's happening around them practically begging to have that multi-hundred dollar device snatched from them. There's a few videos about of CCTV of kids on bikes stealing and riding off before the victim knows what's happened practically.
samicksha
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samicksha,
 User Rank: Strategist
11/28/2013 | 4:03:42 AM
Re: Wake up, people
Leave your phone at home..

I guess its matter of week or two, i forgot my phone at home and left for office, suddenly in mid way i realized, unfortunately i travelled 8 KMs to get my phone above this it had some 15 missed calls including few of my BOSS...This point is really hard to consider.
Gary_EL
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Gary_EL,
 User Rank: Ninja
11/27/2013 | 6:52:00 PM
Re: Wake up, people
@Thomas & J_Brandt
What a great set of ideas!
In a sense, my present PC is almost "disposable," in that I have very, very few programs installed on it, and I use mostly a subset of the programs offered by Windows 7. Everything interesting or new is accessed via browser on the cloud. If the machine was totally wiped out by a virus, I wouldn't have much more to do than re-install windows. Compare that to a few years ago when I'd have to spend hours and hours of misrery re-installing a bunch of feisty, tricky programs from CDs, and then waiting overnight until they are updated over the internet.
Certainly, it's to be hoped that smartphones follow a similar path

 
J_Brandt
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J_Brandt,
 User Rank: Ninja
11/27/2013 | 5:25:30 PM
Re: Wake up, people
As I recall, IBM envisioned some time ago the personal body network.  Between your smart phone, blue tooth ear piece, smart watch, and Google Glasses it's a start on that.  Perhaps we will add the ring, belt bucking and other things.
Thomas Claburn
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Thomas Claburn,
 User Rank: Author
11/27/2013 | 3:45:15 PM
Re: Wake up, people
> more of the overall expense of using these these devices will be in various subscriptions to different online services and programs, and less and less in the physical device itself...

 

I suspect that's true. Within a decade, I expect someone (Google or a startup?) in the cloud data business will find a way to make a basically disposable, biodegradeable mobile phone. Another way to do it would be to store important user data in some object that's less easy to lose (a Bluetooth-enabled ring or belt buckle chip) and to pass it to the phone wirelessly as needed.
<<   <   Page 2 / 3   >   >>


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