Cerberus anti theft – must-have security app to help find Lost or Stolen phone!
by Paul Wilks
Jun 11, 2012 12:13 PM –
Install
Cerberus anti theft is a powerful and fully-featured app that helps you get back a lost or stolen device. The tools contained in the app are pretty incredible and help to give you a genuine feeling of control, even if your expensive smartphone has disappeared. It’s an app that you’ll never want to actually use, but you’ll be glad it’s there if you need it.
Price: Free Trial, $3.75
Tested on: HTC One X
Content Rating: Low Maturity
Pros & Cons:
Pros
- Simple to install and set up!
- Track lost or stolen devices via GPS!
- Full desktop access to a range of tools including the ability to record video, audio and take pictures!
- Lock or wipe your device remotely!
- You can also get a mobile client, allowing you control via another Android device!
Features:
Cerberus is an app I hope you never have to use. If you use it, it basically means that either you lost your phone; perhaps left it somewhere or it’s down the back of the sofa, or worse still someone has stolen it. In this scenario, Cerberus essentially puts the ball back in your court.
Cerberus is an app you install and then completely forget about, safe in the knowledge it’s there if you need it. If your device is lost- all you need to do is go to the Cerberus website, log in, remotely activate the GPS and it’ll show you on a map where you left it. If, however, you think it might have been stolen, there’s a whole lot more you can do.
OK, so first things first- protect your content. You can instantly lock the device, requiring a 4 digit pin to unlock. If you’ve got a front-facing camera, things get even cooler. You can take pictures of the perpetrator, as s/he tries to meddle with your phone, for example, it can be triggered when they try to unlock your device. OK, so right away you have a photo (the picture is emailed to you) of the person who has your device. Additionally, you can record both audio or video- again providing more evidence as to who has taken your phone. And all this while tracking the device via GPS.
These features are just the tip of the iceberg too, the providing a raft of extra features. You can also; get location history, send messages, start the alarm (cool if you’ve just forgotten where you left it), get call log, get SMS log, send SMS message, grab screenshot, start and stop emergency mode, hide or show Cerberus app in the app draw, call the phone, wipe the devices memory or wipe your SD card. If your phone is rooted, you can also reboot it.
The app is fantastically easy to use via the web, but if you can access another Android phone with the Cerberus Client app installed, you can perform these actions from another device. The video below provides a cool demo of the app, and the pictures beneath that show both in-app shots and screen grabs from my PC.
Watch on Mobile via DailyAppShow
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Cerberus – Welcome screen
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Cerberus – Hide options
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Cerberus – Configure
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Cerberus – Q and A
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Cerberus – Help
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Cerberus – Web view, with options
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Cerberus – Photo taken
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Cerberus – Email notification with video
Usefulness:
If you lose your phone, or it is stolen, you stand a far better chance of retrieving the device if you have Cerberus installed. It might ultimately lead you to finding your phone, identifying the person who has taken it- as well as tracking the devices location.
A family member of mine lost his brand new iPhone 4S when he left it in the back of a taxi while on holiday. If that had been an Android (Cerberus isn’t available on iOS), and Cerberus had been installed, I’m pretty certain it could have easily led to getting the device back. If you value your device, this is a must-have application.
Ease of Use:
Using the app is simple. Sign in and create an account on your phone, then forget about it. If you lose it, or it’s stolen you just have to get to a browser (or use the Cerberus client on another Android), and take control of the phone. Actions are performed by a neat drop down menu alongside a map with the devices geolocation. It couldn’t be easier.
Frequently Used:
Ideally, you will never have the need to use it. Hopefully you look after your phone and always keep it safe. However, if for any reason it goes missing you can find it again very quickly. Maybe you’re someone who is always forgetting their phone or leaving it somewhere- this again is an ideal solution for locating it.
Interface:
The in-app interface is relatively simple- just basic menus- slick but there’s not much to it. The browser UI is quite simple too, but very functional and full of useful information. The app will send pictures, audio and video to your email address.