Lost my Ameo!!

[adamelphick]

Hi Guys, well god only knows how but I have lost my Ameo 2 weeks back... thankfully I have the T-mobile insurance. However there are no Ameos about and so I now have a TytnII which is surprisingly good... although I miss the wonderful VGA screen :( .

Anyway I got to thining about my lost baby. Now T-Mobile have blocked it, and its reported as lost so I guess if anyone switches it on they will get barred from UK Networks (assuming they are still in the UK of course!) and hopeully it can be tracked by cell? What I was thinking though is that even when it's blocked are the buggers who now have it able to use it as a brilliant GPS unit still? I had TomTom and iGo 8 on it!!! Can it be tracked and caught that way maybe? It really peeves me to think that someone could use it as a GPS and get it for free instead of handing it in!!

Anyways hopefully somone will tell me the GPS wont work if it blocked, or that it will be tracked and the buggers caught!! Here's hoping... oh and if they go abroad will it still be blocked? Did UK set up international blocking or not? As I hear a lot of stolen phones end up in Asia and the Far East now!

[sergiopi]

The simplest way to catch the burglar is to wait the IMEI appearance on the network, tracing the phone position using the network info AND the SIM card subscriber's data! :)

[adamelphick]

Agreed - but im thinkin if its blocked and they decide its a nice gps now, they can stick it in flight mode and use it like that? :confused:

[ice_coffee]

Sorry but the GPS will definately still work, as it is completely unconnected from the phone, however it wont work aswell because the software "Quick GPS" requires an active data connection to allow a quick lock ! so now they will have to wait a while everytime for the GPS to lock !

If you had installed the Free WIMP (where is my phone) software, you would be able to track your phone yourself !

T-mobile wont track by cell as they are not a law enforcement agency, and the police don't care it's just another lost mobile to them !

[rorydaredkign]

you can still text. i used to have a blocked ameo, i didnt steal it myself, long story.. but anyway, it could still send and recieve texts and connect to the 3g/hsdpa networks. because as far as i know, only calls check your imei
rory

[leoni1980]

He's correct: you can still use GPRS/3G/HSDPA on a blocked handset. Blocking only prevents GSM functions such as texting and phone calls.

If someone has a data only SIM card (or perhaps buys one of the Hutchinson 3G pay as you go SIMs) then they will happily be able to use your Ameo as a portable web/GPS unit, and unfortunately there is no way that anyone will be caught for this, despite what the Network or the police might tell you.

On the subject, a TyTn 2 seems like a big monetary step-down from an Ameo, could they not order you one in?

[adamelphick]

Bugger! Someones got a nice cheap web tablet then!!

I had to have a phone quick or I'd lose work so I had little choice.. plus I was due an upgrade anyway on my tarrif in 3 weeks time so I was thinkin of upgrading to the new 16GB version - but they have no idea when it will arrive!! Ooh i noticed Orange do the Shift now - but I just bought an eeePC so dont really need that now... hmmm.. what to do?

[leoni1980]

I doubt T-Mobile will release the 16gb model as the AMEO didn't shift too well and I think their bods will deem its updates insufficient to create enough market appeal.


The Shift is a shot in the dark and is VERY expensive considering that you'll be paying not much less than the SIM-FREE price for an 18 month contract AND you'll probably need a second phone most of the time. Also, owing to its HSDPA and integrated windows the likelihood of you going over your 3gb allowance and being charged by the megabyte is very high. At least on T-Mobile you'll only get a letter after 3 months of abusing - in fact I've been over my Web N Walk Plus allowance pretty much every month this year and I've not even received a telling-off letter!

I would say that waiting for the Touch Diamond, selling it and buying an x7510 which would mean about a 250 pound supplement, would be the best idea OR send your Vario 3 back and they'll offer you a reduced-rate contract instead of a handset then simply buy a Shift or an x7510 by your own means...

[cktlcmd]

Sad to say, but I'm pretty sure whoever got your lost Ameo is reading this now. :C

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[adamelphick]

Yea they probably are!

I have to say I am getting quite attached to the Vario3 apart from the screen - not sure what to do now I have the eeePC as would I use the Ameo much? Blimey what to do!

[leoni1980]

Yea they probably are!

I have to say I am getting quite attached to the Vario3 apart from the screen - not sure what to do now I have the eeePC as would I use the Ameo much? Blimey what to do!

If you've got an EEE stick with that and the Vario 3 and use the Vario for your internet connection. It'll actually be better than the Shift connection-wise as (as far as I'm aware) the Shift doesn't support HSUPA, only HSDPA.

There's an extended life battery for the EEE which I'm looking to get as it should extend its life to over five hours: the Shift, with its naff battery life is nothing compared to a light, solid EEE combined with a Vario 3. Sounds like you might be best to stick with what you've got.

Currently I'm balancing an EEE, an HTC Universal an a Nokia N95. It's not exactly convergence but holistically I've got the best of all worlds!

[adamelphick]

There's a bit of an argument going on at the mo as I am one of the unlucky eee900 owners who have the 4400mAh battery! Over at the eeeuser.com forums we are trying to get evidence of crap batteries so I cant talk to Taiwan again on tuesday/wednesday...

But i think you might be right - I might stick with the vario and the eee for the time being.

[TrekkerJmm]

WOW I cant even imagine how you feel :( I have also installed WIMP and it works very well for lost or stolen phones. You may want to think about it for your future WM6 phones...TJ

[eaglesteve]

WOW I cant even imagine how you feel :( I have also installed WIMP and it works very well for lost or stolen phones. You may want to think about it for your future WM6 phones...TJ

An even better option is spb sprite terminator. It lets you lock the phone, change password, erase your sensitive files, find out who his friends are (hopefully you can get to him via his friend), among some useful features.