Google has implemented something very, very useful into its search engine. The next time you lose your smartphone, you can simply head on to Google and type in “find my phone”. It will then start searching for your smartphone.
Unfortunately, this will only work with Android smartphones (obviously), as it uses Android Device Manager (ADM) to do the tracking. Other than showing your smartphone’s current location, ADM can also perform three other actions: Ring your device, lock it, or even erase it.
Ringing your device is relatively self-explanatory. Once you activate it, ADM will ring your phone at full volume for five minutes. The only way to make it stop is to press the power button. Locking your device, on the other hand, requires you to set a password and optional message and phone number to display on the lock screen. Very nice.
If you have sensitive information on your missing smartphone, you can factory reset it with ADM, although it’s probably the last thing you would want to do if your device was somehow stolen. It’s worth noting that after a factory reset has been done, you can no longer track it with ADM.
If you’re an avid Android user, you would know that ADM has always been able to do these neat tricks. The only thing that has changed is the implementation of it into Google’s search engine. Nonetheless, it’s one of those things that will prove convenient for many users, even though it’s merely a small addition.
(Source: Google)
