01-19-2006, 07:00 PM
|
|
Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
|
|
Well, it Finally Happened to Me...I Left My Pocket PC Behind
I can now, unfortunately, join the ranks of those of you who have left your Pocket PC behind on an airplane, taxi, etc.  Thankfully, I'm also joining the much smaller ranks of those of you who have had it returned unharmed. 
What happened is likely not an uncommon scenario for many of you: I was returning home from CES on a midnight redeye flight, landing in Calgary at 4:30 AM local time. During the flight I had taken out my Jasjar to confirm the date I had left Calgary in order to fill out the Canada Customs forms, and I put the Jasjar in the front pocket of the airplane seat. And, of course, when the plane landed I was so completely exhausted that I forgot I had put it there.
The story has a happy ending however: when I woke up the next day, still quite groggy, there was a voicemail on my work line from the airline (America West) saying that they had found my Pocket PC. My first feeling was one of shock, because the last significant item of value that I'd ever lost was my wallet when I was 10 years old. I tend to keep a very close eye on my things in public, so the fact that I left it on the plane stunned me. That was quickly replaced by a feeling of thankfulness to America West for having an honest enough employee to return it. I remember reading Wes Salmon's blog when he left his HP Jornada on a plane and it was never seen again...so I was very fortunate indeed.
One thing that I'm sure helped get my device back was the fact that I had completely filled out the owner information, and had the device configured to display that when powered on. It's a mild inconvenience to have to dismiss it each time the device is turned on, but in this case I'm convinced it was responsible for getting my Jasjar back to me. I did not, however, have my device password protected  ops:, which concerned me a great deal. The person who found it could have accessed all my PIM data, checked all my email accounts, and generally learned enough about me to likely steal my identity and cause great havoc. 8O Of course, if I-Mate would have had the MSFP update released by now, I could have had 4smartphone [affiliate] remotely wipe the device.
Lessons learned? Always keep your Pocket PC close at hand, and even if you're tired, put it back in your bag, not into the seat pocket of a plane. Make sure you have your owner identification entered into the device, and have it configured to show up when the device is powered on. And if you have a phone edition device, don't put the phone number of the device in your owner information - make sure it's a landline phone that you can be reached at. Lastly, password protect your device - which I've now just done. ;-)
It's unfortunate that the core OS doesn't allow for a screen that contains all of the owner information along with a password. I've had third party applications that replace the password screen with a combination of password, owner information, clock, and if I recall correctly, even your next appointments. I haven't looked at these applications in a while - does anyone have a suggestion for the best one that's Windows Mobile 5 compatible?
And does anyone have any similar stories to share, with or without the happy ending?
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:11 PM
|
|
Executive Editor, Android Thoughts
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,233
|
|
Thankfully I've never left my device somewhere, but I have a fear of it. For those of us who have only one phone line, what to put in the Owner Information screen can be perplexing on a phone device. My solution was to buy a monthly subscription to ureach.com where I could get a 1-877 number for $15 a month that allowed me 30 minutes to call out (if necessary), send and receive faxes, and get voicemails over email. The service has saved me a few times (Especially when my 6315 revolted and wouldn't work and I had no spare GSM phone - it was a rough week waiting for a replacement to arrive), and it gives me a professional number to use on business cards, etc...
My device is set to lock after 15 minutes and when turned on displays my name and the 877 number. I figure that's about as much as people would need to get back to me if they were honest. I see you're just as anxious as I am, Jason, for that MSFP! Remote Wipe would have been a nice option, but then your owner info would have gone with it, so your chances of getting it back would have been about the same, but you would have probably had to do the legwork to call lost+found for America West (And deal with the mini-heart-attack while waiting for them to let you know if they had it)
__________________
Dr. Jon Westfall, MCSE, MS-MVP
Executive Editor - Android Thoughts
News Editor - Windows Phone Thoughts
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:12 PM
|
|
Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
|
|
Re: Well, it Finally Happened to Me...I Left My Pocket PC Behind
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
And if you have a phone edition device, don't put the phone number of the device in your owner information - make sure it's a landline phone that you can be reached at.
|
That's the best tip I've heard all week. For some reason (probably because I've used a standalone PDA for so long), I've always had my mobile number stored on my Phone Edition. Now that I've given it some thought, it makes so much sense to have a landline number listed there instead. I've just made the change!.
Glad to hear you got your JASJAR back, Jason. :way to go:
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:12 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 252
|
|
Think yourself very lucky. When the 3630 was new I left mine (complete with a pcmcia jacket and a 2gb pcmcia drive) in a seat pocket in row 2 on a 767? (anyway there was only row had to pass my seat to get to the door). When we landed I only got as far as the top of the air bridge before I realised and when I got back to my seat it was gone.
Only about 3 people would have passed my seat and I must have been gone around 5 minutes. I never saw it again.
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:13 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 412
|
|
Jason -
You are very fortunate, indeed.
I fly every week, at least twice a week, all year long, pretty much for 20 years. This year the trips are Toronto - Calgary in back, for the most part. I've learned, the hard way, to use these cheats to ensure that I get everything where I'm going:
- Never put anything you can't live without in the seat pocket in front of you. I once saw someone shove their rather large laptop into the pocket, then walk away at the end of the flight and I had to chase him down to tell him. I put water bottles there, books, newspapers, trival things, because they can be replaced. Never eyeglasses or PDAs.
- When I leave to go to the airport, I count all the things I have that could be put down or left behind. Coat, suit jacket, laptop bag, purse, PDA on my belt. The magic number is 5 in that case. Then every time I leave a location, whether it be a lounge, bench, airplane seat, whatever, I count before I turn away. Then I use the same number for the entire one way trip, even if, I've put my purse in my laptop bag or my phone in my purse.
That way, I have to physically ensure that I have actually put the phone away properly and not left it on a desk somewhere.
- Sounds silly enough, but you wouldn't believe the number of people who don't do this: when I leave some location, I physical turn and face the chair or bench and look to see what's there. I don't just glance over my sholder, I turn and look.
All this seems common sense, but together they make for a good process to follow, especially the counting thing, which is quick and simple.
Oh, and I do have the full owner information and password thing, just for the reasons you mention. I make sure to put my toll free number on the owner info, because you just don't know who wants to call Canada to tell me I've lost my phone.
Karen
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:18 PM
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:49 PM
|
|
Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
|
|
Yeah, I was in the business class section of a Lufthansa flight from the US to Germany. I had forgotten that I had laid my iPaq 3850 (with CF sleeve) laying at my side. It was not easy to spot either b/c I had been using those blankets to cover myself during the flight and I'm sure that the blanket was at least partially covering the device when I left. I also had one of those iHolsters fitted that covers the screen, so the entire device was in black (the blankets were dark blue). Finally, because I was in the business class seat, there weren't too many passengers who would have had the opportunity to pass by my seat (the exit was well behind where I was sitting).
Anyway, I walked off the plane and within 5 minutes realized that I didn't have my brickpiece hanging off my belt. I ran back to the plane and the thing was gone with no trace. I lost the device, the battery-equipped CF sleeve, my 512MB CF card (that was a LOT of space back then), and my iHolster.
Lucky for me, I had just been through several incidents with HP where I kept sending the device in to get things fixed and they kept sending it back saying nothing was wrong with it (they finally got it right on the 3rd try). Well, an HP customer service rep called me shortly after my device was stolen (not knowing it was stolen of course) saying that he felt so bad about the support hassles I had gone through, that he was going to offer a swap of my 3850 for a new 3870 (same device exept with Bluetooth) free-of-charge. I told him thanks, but my device had just been stolen and he sighed and then said, "no problem, I'll give you the 3870 anyway... just remember HP on your next purchase"!
I couldn't believe it... that was actually one of the reasons I chose to stick with HP on my next two devices (2215 and the 4750).
I've had a few other bad experiences involved in losing magazines and books and other stuff on that front seat pocket. That front seat pocket is just a bad idea. Now I always have "gadget bags" with me on long flights and I always put everything back into that bag if I decide to catch a few Zs (I always remember my carry-on bags).
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:52 PM
|
|
Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 104
|
|
Don't you just hate that feeling when you look at the spot where your PDA usually sets and it's not there. For a brief few seconds (or in some cases some frantic minutes) your wonder where you put it, looking around in all directions. Your heart starts beating really fast; you struggle to remember the last time you had it in your hands. Then you remember "Oh ya, I left it in the car"...
Or did you :?:
I had my first PDA a Jornada taken from me because I left it at a convenience store. I strongly believe that the store clerk found it there at the register and kept it for his self. Luckily it was also password protected and would have been wiped out if he used it. Unfortunately, it was in a leather case along with my drivers license, credit cards, etc.
To this day, when I drive by that store, I look at it in disgust because I know that guy has or had my Jornada. But I'm not bitter about it :evil:
- Jim
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 07:57 PM
|
|
Neophyte
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1
|
|
I once put a cap I bought in Disneyland in the front pocket of my plane seat, and I left it there... After that day I consider those pockets useful for the magazines they have, or whatever you want to get rid of, because almost for sure you will leave it there.
|
| |
|
|
|
01-19-2006, 08:06 PM
|
|
Executive Editor, Android Thoughts
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,233
|
|
I guess the lesson to be learned here is that - when flying - NEVER use the seat pocket in front of you for items costing over $2 (DHMO is OK to leave, as far as I'm concerned)!
__________________
Dr. Jon Westfall, MCSE, MS-MVP
Executive Editor - Android Thoughts
News Editor - Windows Phone Thoughts
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
