Inspice SmartProtec: Lost Device Registry

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.inspice.com/aprod-code/doc/ISP.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.inspice.com/aprod-code/doc/ISP.htm</a><br /><br /></div>"Did you know that lost items are not recovered mainly because finders can not contact owners? Instantly activate Inspice SmartProtec service for your important items. If something disappears, SmartProtec service allows the finder or the police to contact you immediately with the serial number of your item without disclosing your personal information."<br /><br />This free service seems to act like a registry: by registering your portable electronic device with them, it apparently makes it easier for finders and law enforcement to return the device to you should it be lost. I'm not sure how effective it is -- for example, how many police departments are they registered with? They do have <a href="http://www.inspice.com/aprod-code/doc/isp-detail.htm#Testimonials">good testimonials</a> on their site, though.

[qmrq]

A similar service has existed for some time.. I cannot recall the name or the website at the moment though. There was a set price for each tag you wanted to buy, you then put these tags on items that you might misplace. The tag had the URL of the site and a barcode / number on it to help anyone who might find the item to return it.

[gorkon280]

A similar service has existed for some time.. I cannot recall the name or the website at the moment though. There was a set price for each tag you wanted to buy, you then put these tags on items that you might misplace. The tag had the URL of the site and a barcode / number on it to
help anyone who might find the item to return it.

This is just like stuffbak. This comes with the extended PDA Warantee at Compusa.

[Oreocat]

Just so you know, as long as you have the make, model and serial number (keep a list of these, even if it's just for the insurance claim) of an item, all you need to do is file a police report if the item is lost or stolen.

Every police agency, federal, state, county, and local has access to a system called NCIC-National Crime Information Center.

It's a huge database comprised of stolen items, cars, guns and missing or wanted people, created specifically for police agencies.

Whatever agency you file with will make an NCIC entry and any agency in the nation will see that entry if they run the serial number of your item through NCIC. The finding agency will contact the reporting agency, who will in turn contact you. You just need to keep your contact information, which is kept private, current with the agency you filed with.

Example: San Diego enters a stolen Axim. Three months later a New York officer finds a bag of pocket pc's on the roadside. He runs the serial numbers through NCIC and the San Deigo entry comes back. New York calls San Diego, and then San Diego calls you.

Oreocat

[Oleander]

I use the lo-tech approach of dymo (http://www.dymo.com/).

Could you please enlighten me? How does it lead to identity theft to label the device with my own address, instead of putting some companys address on?

I really can't see what difference it makes if it's my address or whatever. If someone wants to erase the identity of the device, they probably just scratch off any tags or serial numbers.

[Inventor]

One of the ideas in 'NewSpeak' is for all Bluetooth devices to transmit the serial number of the device. This would make the item impossible to steal.

A police officer just has to walk near you with his/her PPC unit and it would 'read' the serial number and automatically compare it with the stolen item registry. The police officer wouldnt even know that he/she did a search. If the item was stolen the PPC would alert the officer.

Also a police car could have this equipped inside of it. You just have to go near the car and the car would be 'scanning' all bluetooth devices to find the serial numbers and feeding checking if they are stolen.

This could also be implemented in any bluetooth area. So its not just the police that would be checking your serial numbers. eg. Hotspot, airport, bank machine etc. etc.

I know this raises some privacy concerns. But so does anything that catches criminals. :lol:

[gorkon280]

One of the ideas in 'NewSpeak' is for all Bluetooth devices to transmit the serial number of the device. This would make the item impossible to steal.

A police officer just has to walk near you with his/her PPC unit and it would 'read' the serial number and automatically compare it with the stolen item registry. The police officer wouldnt even know that he/she did a search. If the item was stolen the PPC would alert the officer.

Also a police car could have this equipped inside of it. You just have to go near the car and the car would be 'scanning' all bluetooth devices to find the serial numbers and feeding checking if they are stolen.

This could also be implemented in any bluetooth area. So its not just the police that would be checking your serial numbers. eg. Hotspot, airport, bank machine etc. etc.

I know this raises some privacy concerns. But so does anything that catches criminals. :lol:

This would require you always have the Bluetooth radio on. What does the police officer assume if he does not get a signal?

[Inventor]

> This would require you always have the Bluetooth radio on. What does the police officer assume if he does not get a signal?

The police officer would get nothing, no device, no serial number.

Agree it would not work if you had bluetooth disabled. Maybe when bluetooth doesnt drain your battery so quickly the OEMs can change this 'disable feature' in the future.

Part of this idea is to use the serial number of a device to identify the device with bluetooth network. The computers you connect to know you by the "bluetooth serial number".

You must remember without bluetooth the device is limited in what it can do. In the "bluetooth" future I would imagine the unit would be useless.

eg. Having a PC that you cannot connect to the internet.

[gorkon280]

You must remember without bluetooth the device is limited in what it can do. In the "bluetooth" future I would imagine the unit would be useless.

eg. Having a PC that you cannot connect to the internet.

I also imagine that I won't buy such a device either. If you can't use the device when away from a network, how good is it? Is your laptop always connected? I doubt it.