Database Users

Anti theft apps available?

I'm looking for an anti-theft app. I don't know if it exists yet.
Is there an equivalent to the symbian phone apps "Anti-thief" or "EzProtect"? It has some nice features to let your pda "phone home" when someone is tinkering with it, or you can remotely disable your pda by sending a password though sms.
I've been searching over the net and found "Kill-pda" but that can only erase the device completely by sms. Thats a bit overkill :lol:
I hope someone knows, because i learned the hard way that you really need an app like this. My phone got stolen once and I got a Huge A$$$ bill for calling to egypt en italy
edit: I found this description for EzProtect:
The application sends an SMS to your specified number as soon as the SIM card has been changed. By this way, you receive SMS on your friend's (or whoever's number u defined) cell with the thief's cellnumber and SIM number (IMSI) so it becomes very easy to track the thief.
I definately want an app that can do this. And I can imagine a lot of people wanting it too.

There was a discussion about this on HoFo in Oct ober when people first started receiving their Wizards. I think BTT (BeyondtheTech) mentioned something about it. I'll see if I can track it down this evening.
It certainly would be cool.

Check this out! http://www.ppcsg.com/index.php?s=0c0cedfa906ae1b85f844fb7b497def6&showtopic=65021
Hope this works. I have not tried this myself.

Thanks a lot for your help, but that was the program i mentioned in the threadstart "PDAKill".
The only thing it can do is erase the device completely when you send a sms to your pda containing a predifined password.
But when the thief takes out the simcard and puts in his own, then this program would be useless.

Guys, if I've seemed distracted for the last few days, this is why:
I've been working on a program called VJAccioPhone.
It is used to detect if your phone has been stolen and to permit remote use of the stolen phone. Your phone doesn't have to be stolen, eg if for some reason your wife is likely to discover your "niece's" affectionate messages to you, you can send a password protected remote keyword to format your phone and hardreset it. I'm sure you can think of better examples!
It's an expansion of some code I wrote for my unreleased plugin, VJEphemeris, which you can read about here. The release version allows you to do pretty much anything you can do with the phone when it's in your hand, all remotely. Destructive and constructive control.
This is a pre-announcement. I don't like preannouncing, but unfortunately this week I've been on a very limited programming quota due to the ministrations of my better half. So although the code is finally finished, it's being beta tested while I'm away on holiday. If all is well when I get back next week, hopefully I'll try to get it released!
Don't tell anyone else, but you can read about VJAccioPhone and see screenshots here. Please note, and don't ask, there is no download available at the moment.
V

Aside from that a program like this would be very handy, and I'm quite curious and will keep an eye on it myself, I advise everyone to activate the pin code on their simcard, and always call their mobile operator as soon as the phone is stolen so they can block your number to avoid getting high bills as the topicstarter said... You should also be able to get your number back easily by requesting a new sim card and having your mobile number set to that simcard again.
This may seem obvious to some people, but I just wanted to post it anyway since a lot of people are still not aware of these simple ways to protect yourself.

Absolutely true; in England, the police aren't interested in persuing phone theft, but for you own benefit, you must always have your IMEI blocked and the phone reported stolen immediately to prevent you being charged for calls.
VJAccioPhone will be able to report back to you even if the IMEI has been changed or it's being used abroad etc. It's more for protecting your data on the stolen phone then getting the phone back. Frankly, any thief would do better to throw the phone away then persue cracking strong protections. Stolen phones are easy enough to come by! However, at least a nice passer by might be able to get in touch with you!
V

Sounds great! Would it be possible to enable the phone ID (Where you can enter your name and contact details) thought this might be good if it was ever found (or part of the hard reset).

Wauw, this is great stuff Vijay!
If you need a beta-tester on the wizard platform, i would highly recommend myself
This would be excactly what everyone needs 8)
Would it be possible to save the configuration settings? Because my idea would be to include the cab file in my extended_rom, and thus make it install itself even after a hard reset. This would mean that the configurations settings also have to be loaded after the hard reset.
Keep up the great work Vijay

frigit: if you mean enable password screen, yes, should be no problem. however i'm thinking of writing a better custom password screen using some strong encryption, with optional destruction on failure.
leploep: of course, it's designed for extended rom etc. right now protection works as a ta k, for the demo, but i'll be writing protection into an invisible app. Remote control is already complete and works transparently when triggered, so the thief won't even realise what you're doing ie there's no sign of the control smss being received to the thief.
eg you can background call the police from the stolen phone
more when i'm back from holiday next week!
v

This is starting to sound like a killer app - pun intended 8)

I'm in for sure when you get this finished, Vijay!

Already finished for the demo version!
kept me quite busy, developing three intersecting programs, like playing chess! but they all seem to work ok. a friend is testing it hopefully this week then i'll see what i can do for wider release when i get back...
v

Well vijay555 , you can put me on the list of very interested persons on buying this soft.
Cheers mate.

vijay will this work on all the wm5.0 devices??
i.e. I have the pda2k with wm5.0 and have been looking for a prog like this since i got my device, also is it possible to keep this program after hard reset ?? as you know if a hard reset is done the data is gone, but the user now has an expensive device to start playing with

it's not been tested on wm5 at this time, actually because the guy testing has a wm2003 motorola - gulp! but everything i write is normally wm5 & wm2003 now. there is no reason why it's not wm5 compatible but i'll ensure it is before release. i can certainly say, to my pain, the hardReset keyword is very wm5, i activated it by accident in testing.
retaining it after hard reset is only possible, as far as i am aware, by using a custom ext rom or rom.i've not tried it on my magician or universal, but hopefully your device in particular ext rom customisation is possible. at this time it uses registry & normal exe/dll files to run, so no reason it can't be ext rom'med. hopefully this will be confirmed in testing shortly.
if anyone can think of any particularly useful remote keywords to incorporate drop me a line. as it is, the full version will permit remote .exe launching so it can do pretty much anything
v

a lot of us have paid an arm and leg for our devices so having that extra peace of mind,knowing that if your device is nicked your going to make it as hard as poss for the theif to try and profit from your loss.
vijay all the best mate so far your app looks very promising iv got the exec running WM05 so if you need a beta tester let me know LOL
and guys if you report your phone as lost make sure your service provider is also going to blacklist the device!
I work for Vodafones in a call centre in the birmingham, UK,but the amount of customer services that is outsoursed to other non vodafone call centres based here in the UK its unbelievable! the amount of complaints I deal with and customers accounts that I come across where the outsourced twats
will admin bar your sim card but not blacklist the handset!
anyway I'll keep my eyes open for any more theftbashing apps and will post on here.

N2h said:
I work for Vodafones i
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But have an O2 phone.....

Whow V.
Looks very very promising.. !
Great Job man :!:
i'd be happy to check it on my devices :wink:
Cheerz

lol mcwarre
even with our staff accounts we can't get the pdas as they are only available for busniess customers to be honest with you don't know why vodafone is stupid enough not to sell to normal consumers its the biggest network in the uk,
the staff phones we do get we gets 12 months line rental free lol
annnnd from all the universals I think the exec with its black shell looks the most stunning-the white shell devices just look a tad bulkier! lol

Activesync backwards steps

Apart from all the nightmares about making AS 4.2 work with the Wizard at all and then making it RLAD when it does work, there seem to several backwards steps.
Like, the fact that there's no backup facility.
Like the fact that conflicts between PC and PDA only have an option to overwrite one or the other as a default not highlight the issue like previous versions.
:roll:
Any others people can think of ?
DBo.

Yes - assuming you are comparing it to a 3.x version running with a wm2003 pocket pc:
- you can't sync over wifi (I find this REALLY annoying)
- it doesn't sync properly with avantgo (though you can use the avantgo program to sync when the device is cradled)
Chris

it's a complete back'o'****e as far as I'm concerned.
Please email Microsoft support and tell them what you think......Surely can't hurt.
I relented and purchased Sunnysoft's backup manager to replace that bit of the functionality, just something too importantant not to have. It's only $14.95, damn good little app.

Sunnysoft
Yes, much as it offends my cheapskate nature to pay for software. Since it does it's job (unlike most Microsnot sw) and it is cheap (unlike most Microsnot sw) I may actually have to pay for it now the trial has expired.
Ho hum
:wink:

I have never used the old 3.* activesync version since I started with a WM5 phone (HTC Wizard) but in my opinion the 4.* versions have hardly ANY use at all. I had a SonyEricsson P900 before this and the software for that had nearly everything one could need. The reason to disable all the features they had in the 3.* ActiveSync versions is one I will never understand. Does anyone have the Support-Email from Microsoft? We should start a petition and send them the link
1. Wifi + Bluetooth Sync
2. Backup possibility
3. Fix the problems with activesync disconnecting
4. Fix Avantgo and Worldmate sync issues
5. ...

5. Lack of support for .mdb - .cdb conversion
AS 4.1 is, as you say, a bag of ****e.
As for the "security issues" associated with sync over wi-fi - then write some code to allow admins to bloody well disable it not just remove the facility.
Another bag of ****e - the MS BT stack, why do we pay for this junk :x

There's really no excuse for a company as big as Micro$oft churning out software as flaky as this. It's not their first attempt at this, it's not even a beta. When you consider some of the great (and stable) bits of software out there for the pocket PC that have been written by enthusiastic amatuers in their bedrooms. I never had these sort of problems 15 years ago with my Psion Organiser. So much for progress :x

darrin2101 said:
I never had these sort of problems 15 years ago with my Psion Organiser. So much for progress :x
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Amen m8! AMEN!!

Let's not forget the broken uninstall feature...
I might be just just really unlucky, but I seem to loosing the uninstall lottery more time than I win it. As a matter of fact of the last 8 programs I have tried and decided to uninstall from my 8125, none have uninstalled properly - most not at all.
I'm sure this has been a boon for the 3rd party backup program vendors like spb (which is a great product actually) but it really limits ones ability to try before you buy on a production device. Almost makes it so you need a seperate test machine. Is this the method behind the madness?
AS 4.x is truely a step backwards. I'm AMAZED no one has come out with an alternative. But then again I'm not a programmer and so don't know the full extent of what that would involve. I put $50 down. Shall we create a kitty and see who takes the project on? Is it even possible?
Signed,
Unbelievably Frustrated with AS 4.x

Let's not forget the broken uninstall feature...
I might be just just really unlucky, but I seem to loosing the uninstall lottery more time than I win it. As a matter of fact of the last 8 programs I have tried and decided to uninstall from my 8125, none have uninstalled properly - most not at all.
I'm sure this has been a boon for the 3rd party backup program vendors like spb (which is a great product actually) but it really limits ones ability to try before you buy on a production device. Almost makes it so you need a seperate test machine. Is this the method behind the madness?
AS 4.x is truely a step backwards. I'm AMAZED no one has come out with an alternative. But then again I'm not a programmer and so don't know the full extent of what that would involve. I put $50 down. Shall we create a kitty and see who takes the project on? Is it even possible?
Signed,
Unbelievably Frustrated with AS 4.x

Pocket Mechanic (AntonTomov) - Installation problems

Hi,
I purchased the latest version of AntonTomov's PocketMechanic via Handango and received the registration key immediately after finished purchase procedure.
Installation on my TyTN seemed to work out first (the program accepted the key with a message box and a sound).
But only moments later a message box popped up, telling me I use a pirated version and should turn to the manufacturer, which I did (also mailed Handango).
Meanwhile tried to install PM several times (always removing all traces from both PC and TyTn incl. Registry and rebooted) - to no avail.
Meanwhile received a new serial, but same story again: first accepted and immediately afterwards aborted with Piracy message.
A new complaint mail is on ist way.
Meanwhile I'm asking here if anybody had similar problems in getting the Pocket Mechanics to work on a TyTN.
Appreciating feedback and will let te community know how it worked out for me.

I would not use or buy Tomov's products out of principal.
Found a lot of threads about earlier version doing a hard reset without asking, when inputted a "pirated" serial. So be glad it only shows a box nowdays.
While software piracy is not a good thing, at least for people developing propietary software. Tomov has used a bit too drastic measures to fight
back.

jeezus said:
I would not use or buy Tomov's products out of principal.
Found a lot of threads about earlier version doing a hard reset without asking, when inputted a "pirated" serial. So be glad it only shows a box nowdays.
While software piracy is not a good thing, at least for people developing propietary software. Tomov has used a bit too drastic measures to fight
back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This does not make me too comfortable :-(
I also read a few note about that on the net and a reply by Tomov, complaining that this is not true and only a campaign to cut him off his revenues.
Well, I do not know what to believe, however this uncertainty is also not too comfortable...
Well the Pocket Mechanic way of uses some hardware dependent functions and - if you dare to take use of such - you have to either be very careful and also prepared that they might not work on untested and after all very new (such as the TyTN) devices.
I was prepared for all of that but not that I receive a piracy mail (which somewhat alsmost accuses you of being a software pirate and telling you to mail to [email protected]) when I purchased the software (which I can also prove).
Maybe he uses some hardware related mechanism to check eligibility of the serial and as he hasn't tested yet the TyTN (which he admits) this software won't allow being registered at all. I do not know.
But isn't such a meachanism pure over-kill ?
Actually something like that must be going on as I receive this pop up also after a new install and having purged all remnants from the PC, the PDA and the registry.
If I'd be trying out serials just at random, would anyone think that I'll millions of times do that complete procedure just to find any working key at the end of my life maybe ???
(And if I'd be a professional hacker I'd disassemble the code and be able to work around even these barriers.)
So, applying over-kill measures like that only brings problems to decent users, risking to run into problems when using special configurations or ne devices.
+++
Apart from that I must say that Tomov's applications seem well coded and also graphically very nice (one wonders how graphically nice application you can program for PDAs; shame upon Microsoft for their pre-installed poor applications !!!).
Also I see no real alternatives for some functionality he provided within one software, that's why I purchased the PM.
Finally again my question:
Has anyone encountered the same problems with the PM on a HTC TyTN ?
(btw: Thanks "jeezus" for your feedback.)

Might I inquire which funktionality you need?
Maybe we can find an alternative solution.

[WARNING] To all CoPilot users

Dear CoPilot users,
Over the last month I have been having a bit of a battle with the makers of CoPilot 8, ALK, with regards to my license which I purchased in early 2010.
Like many of you here, I'm a bit of a compulsive phone updater, be it new windows builds, android or this new android NAND stuff.
Anyway, every time I flashed a ROM, I'd have to reactivate Co-Pilot over the internet. No problem. However, one day, it stopped working, saying that my code was invalid!! Much to my horror, I sent ALK an e-mail asking what had happened. Here was my response.
Discussion Thread
---------------------------------------------------------------
Response (Brandt) - 08/11/2010 11.45 AM
Dear Jon,
Thank you for contacting CoPilot Technical Support.
Unfortunately the reason why you are no longer able to continue activating CoPilot is our Activation server has seen that you have reached the maximum permitted activation limit for a product.
Unfortunately there is nothing further I can do to unlock your Product Key Code to allow for further activations as this falls under excessive uses of activation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I didn't realise I could only activate so many times before the product was no longer mine. So I did some fishing through my T&C's for CoPilot 8 and there is no actual figure to indicate what "the maximum permitted activation limit for a product" is.
So I replied with an e-mail to that effect, saying that there is nothing in black and white for me to have known this. A month later they finally got back to me and said that I can now reactivate my code.
Now - I can understand what's happened. From their server's point of view, lots of people could be using my code on a large number of devices. So how do you get around this?
Well, every time you go to flash a new ROM, **MAKE SURE YOU DEACTIVATE YOUR LICENSE FIRST**!!
In settings (assuming you have show all settings selected), you will see a license button. Select your map in the list of things and press deactivate.
If you do this then you will be okay. But I suspect ALK will be updating their T&C to prevent this from occurring again.
Anyway, I hope that saves some of you from some potential trouble in the future.

why dont you backup & restore using titanium?
works for me
as far as im aware the activation code is linked to your phones IMEI, so it doesnt matter how many times you change your build, (with the same os) if restoring from backup

this is common practice with drm'd software.
the solution is just not to use it.

In The windows ver .. there is a file called : licp8.dat
That keeps your lic Info ...
Wonder if there is one for thr Android ???
then it will not matter
Just Found This ..
Requirements:
- A *LEGAL* copy of CoPilot 8 for Windows Mobile and the license key
- The latest version of CoPilot 8 for Android (works in Froyo now) Link to ALK Web Site
I bought it about 8 months ago for my HD2, for Windows Mobile 6.5. Great piece of software. I contacted ALK to ask if I could transfer between OS's and they said no, it wouldn't work! It also clearly states on their web site that transfers don't work:
Link
So being stubborn, I thought I'd take my own license from WinMo and deactivate it, stick it into Android and needless to say - it works and I have a fully legal copy of CoPilot 8 running on my Android Froyo device. Those cheeky beggers at ALK!!!
So how to get it working:
•Make sure you still have CoPilot installed under Windows Mobile and activated;
•Launch CoPilot. Go to the Menu|Settings|Licensing (NOTE: If you can't see this, find "More Settings" and select that first to show Licensing);
•Select your Map Region from the list (Mine was UK and Ireland), then press "Deactivate";
•CoPilot will now shut down;
•Boot into Android and using an installer, install the APK file which is in the requirements section at the top of the page or here;
•Open CoPilot from the Menu and it will ask for your license info. Enter this as you did when you first bought CoPilot (usually a username and password);
•Bada Bing. That should be it, all working!
Just to clarify one further time, this is only for legally purchased licenses. No questions about dodgy software please. Thank you.

WarlockW said:
Just Found This ..
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LOL Warlock, that was my original post

[Q] Windows Phone Device Manger

Anyone using WP Device Manager on HD2 WP7 from touchxperience? It seems to make it works with registration key with donation.

You can use it even without key since the public beta is now open. It's very promising even not every functions are finalized.
You only need a chevroned hd2

The program showed my HD2 is connected but i cant use any of the function inside. Any idea?

Finally i'm done with it. Thanks!!

can you plz tell me how you did that?? Ive got the same problem !!

I guess it would work in one of three cases:
Making your phone unlocked: Using CheveronWP7 software. However, you can not use it if your phone is updated UNLESS YOU ROLL IT BACK as the developers themselves agreed with Microsoft to fix this bug and remove their tool.
Registering your phone via Microsoft APP Hub: you can register either as developer and then you have to pay about 65 british pounds or as a students with proof on DreamSpark for free
Getting registration key after donation (not sure about unlocking): it is supposd to unlock your phone even if it is updated.
Hope it helps