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LostSheep 
Most Awesomest Member
Group: Members
Posts: 7970
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Jan. 23 2013, 10:46 am |
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So one of two things happened to my android based tablet on Monday and now I'm starting to worry it may be gone.
Monday morning, it was on the kitchen table (0600) as we were getting the kids out of the door for school. I specifically remember my 2.5yr old asking to play puzzles on it, so I closed it to keep her from seeing it.
After that, who knows.
Either she relocated it because I said no, or I moved it and have no idea where. Worst case scenario is I put it on top of the car as I was loading her and drove off with it on top.
Either way, I could use some help on locating or "bricking" it. The device is a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (wifi only).
1. I use google's 2 step security authentication. The tablet has it's own 16 digit passcode to access any of my google items. I have remote access to revoke the rights and render it without an associated google account. By doing so, ALL of the linked programs that I have would be broken. (Good: If I find it, I can re-establish a new passcode and resurect the device.)
2. I also have a 4 digit passcode for a screenlock. After 3 attempts, the device goes to sleep for 1hr and will let you try again.
Downside to #1 & #2. If I revoke the access rights, and someone other than me finds it, they could essentially root it and route it to their google account and have a free tablet.
3. I did not have the gps enabled. It drains battery if left on all the time. I turned it on, did the mapping necessary, saved what I needed, turned off the gps.
4. The battery was at approximatly 60% as of Monday. That would be good for about 2 days of heavy use, maybe 3 if it's not accessing a wifi network.
5. I'm led to believe that wherever it is, it is not on a wifi network. I have gone to the google play store, sent an app to the device and I can see that it's in the download queue. It normally would be downloaded and installed instantly if it were sitting within my wifi network area.
6. I have gone into my samsung account and activated the "track me" program. However, it cannot be found. This could be because of a dead battery or because it is not logged onto a wifi network.
7. Lastly, there is nothing vital on the device. The most on the device would be some pictures taken with the camera, but those are also pushed to my google photos cloud. Most of the items on the tablet are linked to the cloud so there is no lost data.
I'm still combing the house in random places but I'm at the point now where I feel like a police report for lost item would be in order. I know it won't do much, but if it turns up at a pawn shop would I be able to have my merchandise returned to me?
Thoughts, comments, suggestions?
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Team Red, White & Blue’s vision is to transform the way wounded veterans are reintegrated into society when they return from combat and exit the Armed Services.
IT'S OUR TURN. Ask me how you can help.
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Tigger
Woods Pouncer
Group: Members
Posts: 10498
Joined: Apr. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 23 2013, 11:25 am |
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Well, if you have the receipt and have proof of the serial number, you can get it back from a pawn shop. You are correct in regards to getting anything off of it they want if they have decent skills or know how to google "root" and the device as there are directions at quite a few locations. Mind you, it does take time and they might not have patience for it.
In the future (assuming you find it), you can use an app called mylookout. It will help you find your device assuming it is on a wifi by making it scream and it will also broadcast out it's last known location before the battery dies (once again assuming it's connected to a wifi) by turning on the GPS and then pushing the location out. The premium version also allows it to encrypt/lock and/or wipe the device remotely if lost.
https://www.lookout.com
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If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
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Lamebeaver
trail? I don't need no stinkin trail!
Group: Members
Posts: 16218
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 23 2013, 12:02 pm |
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It's underneath a coat in your house. Your wife did it. They hide stuff from us on purpose.
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| Post Number: 4
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wwwest
Group: Members
Posts: 4056
Joined: Dec. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 23 2013, 3:24 pm |
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Because it sooo easy to do! heh
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Ben2World
Group: Members
Posts: 23914
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 25 2013, 2:13 pm |
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Any updates? Did you find your tablet -- or tracked it down to erase its contents?
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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| Post Number: 7
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LostSheep
Most Awesomest Member
Group: Members
Posts: 7970
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Jan. 25 2013, 2:21 pm |
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Actually yea I did find it.
I took Tigger's advice and pushed "lookout" and "lookout - plan B" to it so that if it did come online, I could locate it.
I contacted Samsung and gave them the account info and they were monitoring it. I reported it out of my control and they had a block on it to prohibit it from accessing a wifi network.
I got a phone call late Wed night from a random number of a guy claiming to have my tablet. Said he found it on the side of the highway an an intersection very near to my neighborhood. (this leaves me to believe I set it on the hood of the car)
I met him after work and he returned it. He said he found it Monday afternoon and had been busy and unable to meet back to give it to me. I offered a reward but he declined.
Honestly, I think he had it for so long trying to crack the PIN on the front and couldn't.
The fun part was when I returned home with it, and it acquired my wifi network at home. The tablet started buzzing me and alerting me that sumsung was locating the device and that all functions were disabled. I had to call samsung and have them disable their locating efforts. Then apps started downloading.
Lookout started sending emails of the location about as fast as I could go in and turn off plan B.
So, yea, now it's here with me.
Consider myself lucky.
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Team Red, White & Blue’s vision is to transform the way wounded veterans are reintegrated into society when they return from combat and exit the Armed Services.
IT'S OUR TURN. Ask me how you can help.
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| Post Number: 8
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Ben2World
Group: Members
Posts: 23914
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 25 2013, 2:24 pm |
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Cool -- all's well that end's well. Thanks for the update.
The real lucky part, I think, is how your tablet survived a fall from your car roof! 
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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RebeccaD
Double Arch, Arches N.P.
Group: Members
Posts: 9862
Joined: Jul. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 25 2013, 3:35 pm |
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Agree about the luck of it surviving. Maybe LS can make some $$ doing testimonials for the maker of whatever case he was using!
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Bits of writerly thoughts and random short fiction found at
The Ninja Librarian Blog
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| Post Number: 10
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39553
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 25 2013, 3:37 pm |
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LostSheep- If it had slid off a car lid I'd expect damage: any scuff marks etc.? I've done that with coffee mugs time to time and they rarely escape unscathed....
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| Post Number: 11
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HuntersHikes
Group: Members
Posts: 291
Joined: Aug. 2009
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Posted on: Jan. 26 2013, 8:04 am |
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Damn, I'm thoroughly impressed with how secure you had made your tablet...I have an Asus Transformer Pad 300 and I sheepishly admit that it's nowhere near as set-up as yours....well, now I have a morning coffee chore!
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If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball, and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without considering if there are men on base.
Latitude:N 42° 7' 34.7232"
Longitude:W 71° 42' 28.6164"
www.huntershikes.com
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LostSheep
Most Awesomest Member
Group: Members
Posts: 7970
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Jan. 28 2013, 3:53 pm |
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(High_Sierra_Fan @ Jan. 25 2013, 2:37 pm)
QUOTE LostSheep- If it had slid off a car lid I'd expect damage: any scuff marks etc.? I've done that with coffee mugs time to time and they rarely escape unscathed....
That's what has me baffled. There aren't any scuff marks on it from it sliding on the pavement. There aren't any frayed edges where it bounced/rolled. The cover has a simple elastic stretchy piece to keep it closed, no damage there either.
Had it landed in the grass at the intersection, you'd think grass marks, none there either.
Hard to believe, but the best I can tell, is that my left turn movement, caused it to accelerate to the outside of the turn, it remained flat, and landed gracefully (flat) in the grass - without sliding.
And the passerby somehow spotted it moving 40mph and stopped to pick it up.
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Team Red, White & Blue’s vision is to transform the way wounded veterans are reintegrated into society when they return from combat and exit the Armed Services.
IT'S OUR TURN. Ask me how you can help.
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| Post Number: 14
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| Post Number: 15
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Ben2World
Group: Members
Posts: 23914
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 28 2013, 4:03 pm |
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Maybe... you took it out of the house, placed it somewhere... but not on your car... and then someone came upon it and picked it up??
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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| Post Number: 16
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
