Android Device Manager
Google yesterday announced Android Device Manager, a new website and accompanying app coming later this month that helps you find your lost phone or tablet. The service will be available for devices running Android 2.2 (Froyo) and above.
Details are scarce right now, but Google does say Android Device Manager will let you ring your phone at maximum volume so you can find it, even if it has been silenced. We also know you will need to be signed into your Google Account to use the service.
If your phone or tablet is out of earshot, you can locate it on a map in real time. Google gave a glimpse into how that part looks:
As a last resort, the app will also let you ensure your data does not end up in the wrong hands. If your phone or tablet can’t be recovered, or has been stolen, you can securely erase all of the data on your device.
To see if your Android device has received the feature, go to Settings >> Security >> Device Administrators. You should then see an option for a checkbox next to “Android Device Manager.”
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If you have not received the feature update (very likely), and are wondering when you will get it, do not be in too much of a hurry. Android Device Manager will not be very useful since the web-based portal and Android applications are not yet available. It is those two components that are a rather important piece of the puzzle to make use of Android Device Manager. We expect they will be available, “later this month.”
