2048

So I was lucky enough to lose my phone at a local park last night, due to a combination of various things all colliding at once to make this happen. I thought I had set up a ‘find my phone’ app ahead of time but apparently never activated it from the phone, which was smart. Google’s find my device site shows a general area (around the park) but won’t pinpoint location as I apparently have Location turned off. And I can’t seem to get an app like AndroidLost to install remotely via cellular data as I believe it’s set to wifi only for app installs.

Anyone have any secret ways of finding the exact location of my device with all the above restrictions? I assume I’m just screwed but maybe someone here knows of a way I haven’t tried via my frantic google searches. I’ve tried calling it, changing the lock messages, etc, with no luck so far.

2049

Did you search in conjunction with find my phone? It should disable ‘do not disturb’ and give you a fairly loud alarm sound and it flashes the LED.

Other than that I think you’re down to careful search. Check trash cans and the roof of your car.

2050

Yep, my friend combed the area while I kept trying the ‘ring your phone’ option from my laptop - no luck. At this point I figure someone just picked it up and is ignoring my message (and the extra ringing noises I send every so often). Whole thing is made more frustrating and difficult as my wife’s out of town so I’m in charge of our girls by myself. Made it impossible to do an exhaustive search of the area myself last night.

2052

Turns out someone did in fact turn it in to the park office but it was locked up in a locker all day. So one could see/hear my attempts to find it via the google site. Unfortunately it was run over or something equally vicious, so I’ll have to get the screen fixed. But hey, it still works somehow! Feeling grateful it was turned in at all.

2053

I’m glad it was found.

2054

Yaayyyyyyyyyyyy!!

2055

That’s awesome that you got it back. What a relief! You should definitely put a lockscreen message on the phone with a number of someone you know. Both my girlfriend and I have lost our phones on a couple of occasions (I left mine on a picnic table at a block party and she had hers fall out of her pocket at the park) and had a kind stranger call the other one of us using our lockscreen messages.

2056

HA, I’m taking ALL THE PROTECTIONS now. Will put a couple phone finder apps on there, etc. I’ve always been really careful with my phone, never losing it, never dropping it, etc. Just got overwhelmed with the combination of everything happening last night. Wouldn’t have been as panicked if I didn’t have to worry about the girls on my own, plus picking my wife up tomorrow from LAX, getting the girls, etc.

Thanks for the support!

2058

Feel like that’s almost everything - the last phone I was happy with battery life on was my Xperia Z3 compact. Would it kill people to add a millimeter or 2 of thickness for some battery life?

2059

Well, I just ordered a S10+. I didn’t really take care of my previous phone (a S8+) and so now less than 2 years later (and a few drops) it doesn’t really hold a charge anymore and barely registers when I plug it in.

This time, however, I’ve got a UAG Monarch case to help protect my purchase.

Anyone have any suggestions for wireless charging solutions? Is Anker a pretty reputable brand?

2060

Extremely. I have a bunch of Anker chargers, albeit no wireless ones. They’re great.

2061

Is it possible to mod the skin of an Android phone, sort of like WindowBlinds? I know you can download icon packs, but am wondering if more is possible.

2062

I think Nova launcher prime does a lot of what you would want. But I’m not very experienced with it so you’ll have to see what you can find on your own.

2063

Yes. Good grief, man, I’m trying not to respond with a lmgtfy link but it’s getting difficult.

2064

I’ve been researching today, but it’s not clear to me whether a launcher like Nova is capable of customizing more than just the app drawer, Home screen and app icons. Anyway, I will try asking somewhere more focused on customization.

2065

If you want more than that you might want to research installing a custom ROM.

2066

I’ve had a sudden hankering for a smaller phone and have started looking at Sony Xz1 and Xz2 Compacts. Am I crazy? (for buying older phones, not smaller phones). They seem pretty expensive for being two and one year old phones.

2067

Yes. You should not be using a phone that’s no longer getting security upgrades, it’s just a huge gamble. I don’t know what Sony’s policy on guaranteed security updates is, but it might well be just two years and is unlikely to be more than three years. A phone from 2017 might be very close to end of life right now.

(But maybe Sony have a better software update policy than is the norm. Then it seems fine. Nothing wrong with phone hardware from a couple of years ago.)

2068

It sounds like Sony is actually pretty good with delivering software updates which kind of surprises me. I guess I’ll think on it a while longer.

2069

wait wait wait, Sony is good with delivering software updates??? I had an xperia a few years ago and they were ALWAYS slow with updates. Maybe they dramatically changed in the last few years?