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Lost your Android phone? No problem, just Google it

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You’ve long been able to use Android Device Manager to locate a lost smartphone, but Google just made it a whole lot easier. Next time you can’t remember where you left it, simply Google find my phone. Provided you’re logged-in, Google will display the phone’s location on a map and give you the option to call it.

You’ll still need to use Device Manager to lock or erase the phone if someone has walked off with it, but this is a quick and convenient method when you’ve just forgotten where in your home you put it down.

Google also recently added Android Wear support to Device Manager, enabling you to locate your phone from your smartwatch.

(via VentureBeat)

Device Manager gets Android Wear support, now lets you find your phone from your wrist (Updated)

Find your phone with Android Wear

Google first introduced Android Device Manager a couple of years ago, but today the company announced that the service—made for finding your Android phone—has gotten even better. Rolling out over the “coming weeks,” those with an Android Wear device will soon be able to use quick voice command from their watch to the find their phone.

Today we’re making Android Device Manager even more useful by introducing support for Android Wear to help you find your lost device. Misplaced your Android phone? No problem! Android Wear connects your phone to your wrist, and together with Android Device Manager, you can make sure it stays that way.

To use the feature, simply say “Ok, Google. Start. Find my phone,” or, alternatively, simply scroll to the “Find my phone” option within the Android Wear menu. You’ll see a green screen telling you that your phone is ringing (assuming you’ve maintained a connection to it), and you should be moments away from being reunited.

Keep an eye out for this feature to roll out soon (and keep your eyes peeled for other Android Wear announcements, too).

Update: Brian Buquoi on Google+ says the feature has already hit his ZenWatch, and one @iLoganRussel has let us know on Twitter that it has hit his LG G Watch:

Android Device Manager updated with new callback button for lost phones

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Google today rolled out an update to its Android Device Manager app that bumps it to version 1.3.8. For those unfamiliar, Android Device Manager is Google’s solution for those who have lost or misplaced their phone or tablet and need to locate it. Today’s update is relatively minor, but there is one feature that will be incredibly e helpful, should you misplace your device.


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Android Device Manager updated with new guest-mode feature

Over the past few months, Google has greatly beefed up its Android Device Manager service, partly due to legislation in many states, and partly due to increased competition from Apple’s new Activation Lock service. Today, Google has updated its Device Manager app to version 1.2.


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Android Device Manager quietly adds ability to remotely lock devices, override previous password settings

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Google has just added an incredibly useful feature to its Android Device Manager service. As first noted by Android Police, you can now remotely lock your Android device with a specific password or passcode, should you misplace it or have it stolen.

Most notably, you can override any other pattern or pin set on the device. The Device Manager will simply ask to you to choose a new password when submitting the lock request, and when you find the device, you simply enter in that passcode to regain access. If the device is in Airplane mode, the service will automatically perform the lock request as soon as it’s reconnected to the internet.

With Google, Apple, and others under strong pressure from the government to improve device security, this feature is incredibly useful. Apple recently launched a new Activation Lock feature that requires an Apple ID and password to reactivate a device after it’s reset via Find My iPhone.

To try this functionality out for yourself, head to the Android Device Manager site and select the lock icon and be sure the service is already enabled on your device, as well. 
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Android Device Manager now rolling out, allows you to track lost devices

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Last week, Google finally announced something many people have been waiting for in its new Android Device Manager feature. Similar to Apple’s Find My iPhone, the service allows you remotely track a device, play a sound on it, and even lock and delete all the data. The service is now live on many Android devices, as well as the web. In order to use the service, your device has to have received the backend update that gives the site permission to access your device. To check for this update, head into Settings > Security > Device Administrators and look for a new “Android Device Manager” field. 

If you ended up dropping your phone between those couch cushions, Android Device Manager lets you quickly ring your phone at maximum volume so you can find it, even it’s been silenced. And in the event that your phone or tablet is out of earshot (say, at that restaurant you left it at last night), you can locate it on a map in real time


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