Lost my iPad!

[SupraSaiyan]

I left it on the bench outside of the Bellingham airport!

I've quickly logged onto me.com and tried sending a message and remote locked my iPad. However, it still hasn't been able to locate it.

Will the message get sent through once the person tries to restore through iTunes? My iPad is only a Wifi not 3G. So I'm wondering how my message from Find My iPhone app gets through??

Thanks!

 

[Dragoro]

I'm sure they show up the screen. When someone unlocks it they should see your messages. At least that's how I think it works.


Btw that totally sucks that you lost it.

 

[iConnor]

If it's not connected to wifi I don't think so.

 

[SupraSaiyan]

I also left it in airplane mode

 

[slicecom]

I also left it in airplane mode

You're screwed.

 

[Blakjack]

I hate these threads. It always makes me feel like someone died.

 

[hcho3]

If you are smart enough to use iPad, then you would know that putting it air plane mode shuts off all the wi-fi, 3G and bluetooth functions...

So, why are you trying to waste time by trying to locate it thru find my iphone app? You know it ain't going to work.

 

[el-John-o]

If you are smart enough to use iPad, then you would know that putting it air plane mode shuts off all the wi-fi, 3G and bluetooth functions...

So, why are you trying to waste time by trying to locate it thru find my iphone app? You know it ain't going to work.

Actually, I've found that the iPad is one of the easiest mobile devices to use, I have older folks in my church who have never used computers but pick this thing right up.

If you send the message, the second it gets connected to Wi-Fi it will lock, and display your message. It is still possible, however, to be restored in iTunes and yes, gone forever at that point. Unfortunately, Apple has the technology and means to make this easier for you but chooses not to use it (registration through iTunes based on serial number, serial number flagged as stolen and when someone tries to sync it, etc.). I would still write them an e-Mail, just as another reminder of why they should be doing this!!

Good luck to you! Hopefully it was picked up by some nice person who will be willing to return it, believe it or not, such people do exist. I left my laptop in my bag at a coffee shop once, when I called them, some other customer had picked it up and given it to the manager so that nobody would take it, I was very relieved!

 

[SupraSaiyan]

If you are smart enough to use iPad, then you would know that putting it air plane mode shuts off all the wi-fi, 3G and bluetooth functions...

So, why are you trying to waste time by trying to locate it thru find my iphone app? You know it ain't going to work.

I would expect the person who took it will try to use it either connecting through wi-fi or try to restore on iTunes.

I would guess iTunes would require my password in order for the person to go through restoring it. I don't have a password set on the iPad unlock feature so the person who has it will turn off airplane mode at some point in time.

Thanks for the positive comments.

 

[Stetrain]

If you do have find my iPhone activated then you should see it on the map and messages should go through to the screen as soon as someone connects it to WiFi.

 

[gatearray]

If you send the message, the second it gets connected to Wi-Fi it will lock, and display your message. It is still possible, however, to be restored in iTunes and yes, gone forever at that point. Unfortunately, Apple has the technology and means to make this easier for you but chooses not to use it (registration through iTunes based on serial number, serial number flagged as stolen and when someone tries to sync it, etc.). I would still write them an e-Mail, just as another reminder of why they should be doing this!!

Slippery slope.

Should Apple be the guardian police about every product they sell? Perhaps they should implement the same sort of tracking on the Mac, whereas it discreetly logs into a central database on start-up to check in with it's serial number, and if it's been reported stolen, it shuts itself down, etc.?

The only problem is, what if I buy a used iPad, and just to be a jerk the previous owner reports it as stolen and my new used iPad deactivates when I try and sync it? Now what? Who do I call, Apple? Do I call the police? Do the police call me??? Think of the ramifications, legal and otherwise, of opening a Pandora's box like this!

There's no easy answer to this question, but I think you might agree that a system like you describe could easily turn out very ugly for everyone involved.

Sorry you lost your iPad, OP, I hope you get it back soon...

 

[slicecom]

Slippery slope.

Should Apple be the guardian police about every product they sell? Perhaps they should implement the same sort of tracking on the Mac, whereas it discreetly logs into a central database on start-up to check in with it's serial number, and if it's been reported stolen, it shuts itself down, etc.?

The only problem is, what if I buy a used iPad, and just to be a jerk the previous owner reports it as stolen and my new used iPad deactivates when I try and sync it? Now what? Who do I call, Apple? Do I call the police? Do the police call me??? Think of the ramifications, legal and otherwise, of opening a Pandora's box like this!

There's no easy answer to this question, but I think you might agree that a system like you describe could easily turn out very ugly for everyone

Agreed. On the surface it might seem like a good idea but it would just be a huge mess. Apple already offers find my iPad for free. The owner has to bare some responsibility. It's not Apples place to get involved.

 

[jazziethomas]

Lets just hope that the person who sees it would return it to you, have you called someone from the airport? maybe it has been return there.

 

[el-John-o]

You two have made excellent points, that's very very true. I just cringe at the idea of someone being able to so easily reset and restore a device that they know full well isn't theirs.

I still think, with the right protocools, something could be done. My laptop has a similar system implemented, using WiFi to send it's location information back if stolen. The catch is, I have to present them with a police report before they will start looking for it. I can't just call up the company and say "Hey it's stolen", I have to report it stolen to law enforcement. Sure, you could do that still if you were a jerk seller, but then of course you'd find yourself in jail for filing a false police report. Additionally, they don't give ME the information, they send it to law enforcement and presumably (never needed it), Law Enforcement contacts me if they find it. (BTW: Yes, it is a crime to pickup an iPad you know isn't yours and start using it, just because you found it somewhere and left it. The legal protocol would be to turn it in to airport security of even local police, at least in the US anyway.)

-John

 

[SupraSaiyan]

Lets just hope that the person who sees it would return it to you, have you called someone from the airport? maybe it has been return there.

Yes, I've called the airport. It's a very small airport and only two airlines fly out. I'm sure it was someone on my flight that had took it. The lost and found person even went for a walk around the airport and called me back with the bad news.

As of right now, MobileMe has not located my iPad.

I didn't realize how often I use my iPad its gone...