Reporter loses HTC Pure in back of Taxi; will Microsoft My Phone save the day?

To test out how well Windows Mobile "My Phone" will track a lost or stolen cellphone, CNET reporter Natali Del Conte left an HTC Pure in the back of a Taxi with the sound off . The reporter notes that 8 to 10 million handsets will go missing over the course of one year.  Ms. Del Conte admits to losing several in taxi cabs, herself. Using "My Phone". the reporter is able to get her phone to ring for 60 second periods at a time despite being left on silent. The phone can also be locked  and a message can be left on the screen to help any Good Samaritan get in touch with her by listing a phone number to call. Another option would allow her to remotely wipe the phone, leaving no trace of personal info on the handset.

The GPS tracks the phone to midtown and after 30 minutes, it can no longer be tracked. Has the technology failed? Has the reporter lost another phone forever? No! Thanks to Kimberly Aguero, who found the phone in the taxi and used the message on the screen to call the reporter, the HTC Pure is reacquainted with its owner. Both Windows Mobile and the iPhone have similar capabilities to track a lost phone. For the latter, it is part of a $100 annual software package. For the former, it costs about $5 each time you need to use it. Of course, without the Good Samaritan to return the phone, all of the technology in the world might not help you get a lost device returned.

source: CBSNews via BGR

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