GadgetTrak offers mobile theft protection
In the event that your portable device is lost or stolen, GadgetTrak can help you protect your data and locate your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
LAS VEGAS--Unfortunately for those of us who prefer to believe in the innate goodness of our fellow humans, the fact is that not all people are brimming with common decency. Theft of mobile devices is not an uncommon occurrence, especially with the rising prevalence of expensive gadgets in the general populace. And with all the information stored on smartphones these days, including confidential company e-mail and personal finance apps, its even more important to protect your device from unsavory characters.
Enter GadgetTrak Mobile Security, which has revved to version 3 just in time for CES 2011. Along with its companion apps, this handy service provides comprehensive protection for laptops, smartphones, and tablets in the event they're lost or stolen.
GadgetTrak consists of five major features to help you protect your data and find your device. For one, you can remotely wipe any personal data, including photo, e-mail, contacts, and texts. You can also back up any of this data using government-grade encryption, which is a nice feature for those who don't want to lose all the data in a wipe. The software is also tamper proof, so once it has been activated, no settings can be changed; the service will even notify the device owner if the SIM card is removed.
Further, GadgetTrak is able to use a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi positioning, and cell tower positioning to help you find a missing device. There's also an alarm functionality, which lets you trigger a loud siren, which can serve as a theft deterrent or a location aid, even if the phone is set to silent.
GadgetTrak Mobile Security 3 is currently available for $34.95 per year for laptops and non-iOS smartphones and tablets. A one-time 99-cent download from iTunes is all it takes for iOS users to enjoy the service. To my eyes, that's a small price to pay for peace of mind.