Ever lose your phone? I hope not. I never have, and I don’t ever plan to, but as we all know accidents happen all the time. Seek Droid is a new app that helps you find your lost or stolen phone. It requires Android 2.2 and only costs 99 cents, which I think is well worth it to help you find a missing several hundred dollar phone.
Two Southern Methodist University students, the founders of GT Media LLC, have developed Seek Droid – a mobile application designed to provide a cost-effective solution to the eternal dilemma faced by a myriad of college students (and plenty of forgetful others): “Dude, where’s my Droid?”
GT Media LLC – a Dallas-based mobile app development company founded by two SMU senior computer engineering students – developed Seek Droid as an online locator and protector of lost or stolen Android devices. Seek Droid, which requires Android 2.2 or greater and a data connection, allows users to remotely enable GPS in order to determine the location of a lost or stolen Android. Seek Droid also allows users to remotely – from anywhere in the world, locate the device, enable an audible alarm (even if device is in silent mode), lock the device with a custom code, and retrieve recent phone calls.
“There are some similar services out there, but many are bundled with antivirus packages and you have to pay a per-month fee to access all the extra features,” said GT Media Developer, Amir Ghadiry. “With Seek Droid, we wanted to provide an online phone-locating application that has all the bells and whistles of our top competitors and also be affordable to the masses with a one-time fee. We also wanted to develop an app that did more than just locate, but also protect. We think one of the best features of Seek Droid is the capability to remotely wipe your phone clean.”
Available at Android Market (Tools category) for $0.99 USD, Seek Droid features a secure website, seekdroid.com, which users can access from a computer or smart phone. The website enables users to pinpoint the location of their lost or stolen Android on a map and then choose the next step toward recovery and/or protection. The ability to wipe the device from a remote location provides an effective means of ensuring that users can protect their sensitive data even in the event of a lost or stolen device.
Features also include an audible alarm with customizable messages. Users may also disable the removal of Seek Droid or hide it from the app drawer to further ensure safety and security in the event of a lost or stolen phone. Seek Droid is easily installed, works without a SIM card, and uses virtually no battery since it does not need to stay running in the background.
“Yes (at GT Media) we’re still in college – but this is a sophisticated app,” added Ghadiry. “This isn’t about hung-over college kids whose phones get lost with all the loose change and Fruit Loops hidden under the cushions of a frat house couch. This is about Android safety, security and convenience and our stats indicate the quality of our product.”
Since launching in Dec. of 2010, Seek Droid (currently Top 25 in the Android Market’s ‘paid tools’ category) has secured more than 13,000 downloads and an average 4.7 (out of 5) rating from the 516 users who have rated the product. For more information and to view screenshots and video, go to http://market.android.com/details?id=org.gtmedia.seekdroid