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Worried about losing your phone?

It seems that if you're already using your phone's ability to know where it is in the world, there should be a way to get the phone to tell you where it is if you were to lose it. Right?

It's easier than you think and costs nothing.  Instructions after the break.

Got an iPhone?

Apple offers an app and associated service called Find my iPhone which does pretty much what you would think it does. Well, it does other stuff too.

Does Droid Do?

It does. Like the iPhone, you'll need to install an app. And if you haven't already, you'll need to make sure you add your Oxyconnect account to your Android phone. Once you run the Device Policy app, you'll need to associate it with your Oxyconnect account (the one that ends with @oxy.edu) and you're set.

Can I do more than locate my phone?

Yes. You can have the phone make obnoxious sounds to help you locate it. Sure, you could just call your own phone but when you use Find my iPhone or My Devices, it forces the phone to play the sound at full volume - even if the phone is on vibrate or silent. You can also lock your phone remotely. Oh, you forgot to set a PIN on your phone to protect it? You can set a PIN remotely, too. That way, you can keep your phone safe from prying hands while you're trying to locate it. And in the worst case, you can call it a loss and wipe all the data on your phone. Sure, you're out a smartphone but at least your privacy is protected. With Find My iPhone, you can initiate the wipe yourself. If you're using an Android phone, though, you'll need to get in touch with the Technology Helpdesk and request a phone wipe.

Is there anything I can do to get my phone back?

There is no shortage of companies willing to take your money in exchange for the promise that you can get your phone back if it ends up stolen. Here's a fairly recent rundown of the many options you have. I personally don't have enough experience with any of these to make a recommendation, though, aside from using the aforementioned (and free) services. There's a particularly cool one for Android that has the benefit of being free and can be installed to your phone after it's been stolen. But even with the tracking information, it's not a trival task to get your phone back. Before spending any money on a product that claims to be anti-theft, make sure you get reliable accounts of folks who have used the product succesfully so you can make an informed decision.