९ मे, २०१३

An iPhone, especially the latest model, makes you a big theft target.

Here are a few things you can do to limit the risk and the damage.

३० टिप्पण्या:

Alex म्हणाले...

So I guess thieves don't care about Samsung Galaxy S3 or the Sony Experia Z? Those are high-end phones.

Alex म्हणाले...

The iPhone - a design so iconic even thieves can tell it form 10 feet away.

kentuckyliz म्हणाले...

I don't use mine in public unless I absolutely have to. No showing off.

I have a case with Bouguereau's L'Innocence on it--designed it myself on Zazzle. Perhaps Mother Mary and the Baby Jesus prick the conscience. You wouldn't steal the Blessed Virgin, would you?

Although it feels sinful to play Kelis' Milkshake on that phone. Unholy.

mccullough म्हणाले...

Carry a gun isn't one of the options?

kentuckyliz म्हणाले...

I made a great ringtone too--the opening guitar riffs of Rush Spirit of Radio. Guys dig it. It is total guy bait.

Sigivald म्हणाले...

Alex: Not quite as much, though I'm sure they're willing to steal them.

But that's not as page-view-generatey... and given the Android fragmentation issue the #1 "target" is always likely to be a given iPhone.

(Also, to point up the above, I didn't even know Sony was making phones. Let alone that one was called the "Experia Z".

At least Samsung has some market penetration in mindshare...)

kentuckyliz म्हणाले...

I don't think I'll buy another iPhone after this one dies or is stolen.

I'm pissed off at Apple and probably won't by any more of their products.

You can report your item stolen, by serial number, in your Apple online account, and deactivate its link to your account.

But Apple does not prevent that item with that serial number to be activated by someone else.

They are incentivizing the theft of their devices if they keep working.

I want a self-destruct feature that is linked to the altimeter. Meaning, when someone picks it up, it explodes--glass shards into eyeballs.

My purse was stolen last October with an iPhone and an iPad in it and this is why I know this is how things are. I've bitched at Apple about it.

bagoh20 म्हणाले...

This is why I lick and drool on everything I value.

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

"I have a case with Bouguereau's L'Innocence on it--designed it myself on Zazzle. Perhaps Mother Mary and the Baby Jesus prick the conscience. You wouldn't steal the Blessed Virgin, would you?"

I think you're making yourself a soft target.

Not only did Jesus advise us to hand over our possessions to thieves -- even voluntarily give additional things -- but you look mild and feminine with a thing like that.

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

"But Apple does not prevent that item with that serial number to be activated by someone else."

Brick it.

(Read the article.)

I don't understand why the cops don't/can't use the GPS to capture the thieves.

Peter म्हणाले...

I don't doubt that it's true, yet that implies that either the thief is using the phone (not so bright if it's trackable) or someone is buying them.

Does Apple really refuse to brick it? Quickly making the phone unusable would seem to be the best deterrent.

mccullough म्हणाले...

Kentuckyliz,

You need to get your next I-phone issued by Q branch

Alex म्हणाले...

Screw you iPhone people, I'm rocking a Nokia.

Libertarian Advocate म्हणाले...

KentuckyLiz:

You wrote: I want a self-destruct feature that is linked to the altimeter. Meaning, when someone picks it up, it explodes--glass shards into eyeballs.

Ha! Not too many women think like that. You must be a very popular gal among Kenmtucky men.

mark म्हणाले...

Ann Althouse said...
Brick it.

"Bricking" doesn't brick the phone. It just adds its code to the national database to block from use on cell towers. You can always reflash that with a good code and then use the phone.

Your biggest goal should be to keep your data safe. The phone can be replaced. So make sure to keep it password locked. That at least will keep your data out of their hands.

mark म्हणाले...

Apple? People still use outdated stuff like that?!

(Siri "Search Karate ... Karate!)
http://youtu.be/Z19vR1GldRI

Cody Jarrett म्हणाले...

mark, that's a great ad. I love the "do not attempt" in tiny letters, and I like the "don't fight. Switch." at the end, harking back to the good old days and Tareyton cigarette ads.

edutcher म्हणाले...

How 'bout don't buy overpriced junk in the first place?

I know, too logical.

mark म्हणाले...

Peter said...
Does Apple really refuse to brick it?

You get your IMEI blocked by letting your carrier know your phone was stolen (that is the article's version of "brick"). It wasn't until this year that GSM networks supported this nationally. CDMA (Sprint and Verizon) have had it for years.

In the past someone could steal your ATT iPhone. Pull out your SIM card. Put theirs in and start using the phone as their own. Now they can use it for awhile. On regular intervals their network will sweep for bad IMEI codes. They will see the stolen phone and block the SIM card in the phone from using their tower (and mark it as being used in a stolen phone).

That SIM card IS their account (it is how carriers identify users). So not only can they not use the phone. Their account gets blocked as well.

Cody Jarrett म्हणाले...

edutcher said...

How 'bout don't buy overpriced junk in the first place?

I know, too logical."



There's one in every crowd.

If no one bought stuff there'd be no innovation, no progress. I'm sure you'd be happy hitching up the Conestoga to go to the general store, but I kinda like newfangled things.

mark म्हणाले...

edutcher said...
How 'bout don't buy overpriced junk in the first place?

Which is why I buy Android tablets and phones. They are awesome! Priced right and not junk. Best of both worlds.

Sigivald म्हणाले...

Also, all of that stuff is good advice generally, having nothing to do with "iPhone".

Situational awareness helps you not be a victim.

Not leaving expensive stuff just lying around helps keep you from being robbed.

Cody Jarrett म्हणाले...

Which is why I buy Android tablets and phones. They are awesome! Priced right and not junk. Best of both worlds.

fanboi.

edutcher म्हणाले...

mark said...

How 'bout don't buy overpriced junk in the first place?

Which is why I buy Android tablets and phones. They are awesome! Priced right and not junk. Best of both worlds.


Know what you mean.

A tablet is going to be The Blonde's Christmas present.

अनामित म्हणाले...

Actually Samsung has moved into first place on this list.

sinz52 म्हणाले...

I use LastPass.

One hard-to-break 16 character password encrypts all my other passwords, and all my sensitive data. The same app lets me manage all those same passwords across all my platforms: Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android.

As for the phone itself, the thieves can have it. It's a Galaxy S2. If that's the only way I can get an upgrade, then so be it.

As the article points out, the best way to avoid having your phone be stolen is to have an older model phone that's no longer in high demand.

Same thing with cars. If you're worried about having your car stolen, buy a used Chevy Aveo. No one is going to steal that car, even if you left the door open, left the keys in the ignition, and wrote "STEAL ME" on the windshield.

MadisonMan म्हणाले...

Brick it

If you glue your iPhone to a brick, doesn't that make it pretty non-portable?

mark म्हणाले...

CEO-MMP said...
fanboi.

iSheep! :)

What I really like about Android is that it has created a new hobby market for cheap ARM computers. You can get an Android mini-computer to plug into your TV for under $50 now.

And a good tablet will only run you about $100 now. A great one for $200. At that those prices and several form factors (thumb-drive, small box, tablet, phone) people are hacking them in lots of weird ways. Stuffing them in dashes of cars, running your home automation, satellites, micro-servers, internet tvs, etc.

Shanna म्हणाले...

I knew there was a reason not to be an early adopter!

sonicfrog म्हणाले...

I have a Windows phone... The "Osborned" Lumia 900.... They can't give them away.... I feel pretty safe! :-)