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Like most people I imagine, I use both the phone and SIM lock. My screen saver is of course set to lock the phone after 5 mins non usage.
Does anyone know, if I lost the phone or had it nicked, is a dirty theif easily able to bypass the phone lock and get the unit working again? Or will the phone not ever be accessible without the code?
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Posted: 2004-11-05 17:18:30
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I can't answer your question. Hopefully someone else will. But I do have a point to make about the advantages/disadvantages of using locks to prevent other people using your phone.
It all comes down to how honest people can be.
About a year ago, I lost my T68. Just left it on the train, which is very unlike me. I was astonished (this being London) that my Dad called me a few hours later to say that someone had found my phone and called the last number I'd called (my Dad) to say that they'd found it and where would I like to meet to get it back!
I called the number my Dad had been given, and met the very nice man the next day. He wouldn't even let me give him any money for being so nice - saying that he just hopes someone else would do the same for him.
Now I'm sure I was very lucky, and that this is quite rare, but if I'd had a lock on the phone (other than the keypad lock), the best that the nice man could have done would be to hand it in at lost property, which would have been at a station miles down the track, making the job of tracking it down very difficult indeed.
The ideal solution would be to have a lock that only allows calls to your own home number, so that it would be useless to anyone else, without being a barrier to nice men (and women) who just want people to have their phones back.
As far as I know, no manufacturers have thought of this though. Why would they? They'd rather you bought a new phone!
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Posted: 2004-11-05 17:40:21
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You can leave the lock on sim change and if you lose the phone you can bar the SIM after a day or so. Then honest joe can still phone you with your SIM.
Even with lock on you can put up a greeting msg "If found please phone 01234-555-1234" or some such, this only takes a minute to do from the control panel.
Then it takes a modicom of intelligence to spot the msg when you turn on the phone. Another good thing to do is to write inside the battery cover your name & number.
It's not that unusual to return handsets, I've done it twice. The last one was a '3' camera phone and it took a fair amount of restraint not to take some 'dick' shots before returning it!
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Posted: 2004-11-05 17:48:40
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Done that nice deed myself.
Some chap left a phone on a bench in the square were i worked, i found the phone and serched the contacts for a "home" number and rang it... there was no answer. left the phone switched on and left it on my work desk. 15 mins later the owner phoned his phone and we met up outside my work. The guy was very happy to get his phone back and offered me a pint (i said no, had to get back to work
).
Anyway it made me feel good for doing a good deed
The sim lock is good as people cant run up bills on your phone (which you shold always get locked buy the opertor stright away if you lose your phone) but i would think most would try and put there own sim in. thats when the phone lock comes into play and stops the use of the phone with another sim.
I dont know hard it is to bypass this "phone lock" but would think you would need some sort of IME changer to do so?
@Qwerty_uk
Thats a good idea about only being able to phone the "home" number from a stolen/lost phone. good thinking
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Posted: 2004-11-05 17:54:44
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yeah I had a fright in Nandos!!!
left my phone on a table, finished my meal went to wash my hands, came back, got my jacket and left!!! leaving my P900 on the table.
lucky for me i realised half way down the street - legged it back to find it had gone!!!!
but a worker had picked it up and handed it back to me - luckily he was nice!
I really didnt expect to get it back. What a nice guy!!!
Back on the topic - how do you set the lock to say
"If found please phone ..............."
Is this simply on the user greeting???
Would like to do that!
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Posted: 2004-11-05 18:03:04
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Well I have had 2 phones stolen, but also had opportunity several times to by cheaply stolen phones. So I also know they can unlock it in no time, with cable and pc. Password could only be a problem for you if you forget it.
This message was posted from a T610
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Posted: 2004-11-05 18:23:27
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I too have found a phone in a McDonalds car park and called the owner and I gave it back. We are an honest bunch hey!
Anyway, I think there are many ways of making your number accessible to a finder, I like the "number on the back of the battery cover" idea more than the ability to call one number when locked. You can call emergency services when locked though cant you.
My question really is about whether it will permanantly stop a theif should he come by my phone dishonestly. If it turns out a dodgy phone shop can bypass them for £20 then it puts it into perspective...
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Posted: 2004-11-05 18:24:23
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Yes, they can bypass protection, and it costs about 15 euros.
This message was posted from a T610
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Posted: 2004-11-05 18:38:55
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The Palm always had a message in the password screen for years where people could write their address and stuff.
I guess this is something we can do with a screen saver Jpeg, but it's not easy or nice to see all the time.
Also, I think the welcome message only comes after the two locks are inserted (phone and sim), so the welcome message is literally useless.
The phone saves the data in flash instead of regular memory, this means the thief can not reset it and start using like if it's brand new.
Not even after completely draining the battery.
To reset (format) the phone it must insert the password lock, so it's only choice is to return it or send it to the trash bin. Nooo :-0
SE can unlock it, but you have to prove the phone it's yours.
Atention:
This is what I read somewhere! Don't take my words as absolutely true.
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Posted: 2004-11-05 18:41:26
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@LAU Wouldn't agree with you mate. Thieves won't bypass your sim lock, because they don't need your sim card. They won't spend 3 days typing phonelock till they get it- they only need data cable and software
to unlock it- I've seen this once.
This message was posted from a T610
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Posted: 2004-11-05 19:05:00
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