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Google find my device network

ATOMIC SUPLEX

ATOMIC SUPLEX

Member Since: 1985 Post Count: 3
Is this a good thing?

To do this, Find My Device uses the network of over a billion devices in the Android community and stores the recent locations of your devices.
Click to expand...

or is it sinister?
Android devices in the network detect nearby items using Bluetooth and send their locations securely to Find My Device. If your devices are detected, you'll see them in the app.
Click to expand...

Apparently they have automatically added it to my phone to help me find it even when it is offline.
 
I downloaded the app and couldn't find my device...as in...it did not show where I ( my phone ) was...It just indicated that my phone was listed in the app..but no location.
So I uninstalled it.
 
I use the website constantly because I'm always losing my phones but Google knows where my phones are anyway.
 
Oh right. Got it now.
It's quite vague. I assume it is for people who leave their phone in a cab or at work or in a shop, rather than just not being able to find it at home (it says my phone is outside on the road in front of my garden.
 
ATOMIC SUPLEX said:
I did and they didn't mention an app. . . but they also didn't mention how it works.
If I have the app on my phone what use would that be if I can't find my phone?

How do you actually find your phone?
Click to expand...
You log into your Google account and ask Google to find your phone.
You shouldn't have been automatically signed up for the network thing. Google sent out emails allowing you to opt out.
 
I used to use this a lot after my partner died and i couldn't ask him to phone me so i could find my phone. I've changed my phone recently and now I can't get it work!!
 
ATOMIC SUPLEX said:
Oh right. Got it now.
It's quite vague. I assume it is for people who leave their phone in a cab or at work or in a shop, rather than just not being able to find it at home (it says my phone is outside on the road in front of my garden.
Click to expand...
You can make it make your phone make a noise and you can do it from a pc or tablet. I have two phones and a tablet knocking about the house and if I can find one I can find the other two.
 
ATOMIC SUPLEX said:
Oh right. Got it now.
It's quite vague. I assume it is for people who leave their phone in a cab or at work or in a shop, rather than just not being able to find it at home (it says my phone is outside on the road in front of my garden.
Click to expand...
if its the same one i use, you can make it ring - so it is useful for finding in the home too.

(oops)

ETA - I use my desktop computer to find my phone - until it stopped working for me that is.
 
ATOMIC SUPLEX said:
Oh right. Got it now.
It's quite vague. I assume it is for people who leave their phone in a cab or at work or in a shop, rather than just not being able to find it at home (it says my phone is outside on the road in front of my garden.
Click to expand...
I can ask "Alexa, where's my phone?" And Alexa will make my phone ring so I can find it. I've had to do this a few times, which suggests I'm probably soon going to need home help 😁
 
This sounds like an Android version of 'Find my..' on Apple.

It's very useful actually. I don't see much sinister with it. The more users who have it enabled, the more effective it can be at locating lost devices.
 
Saul Goodman said:
I can ask "Alexa, where's my phone?" And Alexa will make my phone ring so I can find it. I've had to do this a few times, which suggests I'm probably soon going to need home help 😁
Click to expand...
My garmin can find my phone if it is on.
Annoyingly my new samsung has a much much shorter bluetooth distance. I used to be able to get about three houses distance away, but now I can lose connection if I am in the wrong room.
 
Saul Goodman said:
Because they gave you the option. You allowed it. Turn it off if you don't like it.
Click to expand...
Ha ha. You obviously don't understand the definition of something being automatic.
When my insurance company says they will 'automatically' roll over my policy unless I stop it it's not automatic? When Netflix takes an automatic monthly payment it is not automatic because I could have stopped it?

Very different from opting in.

You can turn absolutely anything automatic off, I can unplug my washing machine and prevent it from automatically finishing it cycles. Not automatic. So nothing is automatic right? You can just opt out.
 
ATOMIC SUPLEX said:
Ha ha. You obviously don't understand the definition of something being automatic.
When my insurance company says they will 'automatically' roll over my policy unless I stop it it's not automatic? When Netflix takes an automatic monthly payment it is not automatic because I could have stopped it?

Very different from opting in.

You can turn absolutely anything automatic off, I can unplug my washing machine and prevent it from automatically finishing it cycles. Not automatic. So nothing is automatic right? You can just opt out.
Click to expand...
I understand the definition. But given that I was afforded the opportunity to say no before it happened, I'd consider it semi-automatic.

You can still opt out if you don't like the idea of Google knowing your every move, which is what I did, because I consider Google to be almost as bad as Apple these days. They can suck my plums if they want more of my data for free.
 
Isn't this like Tile?

Someone bought me Tile as an Xmas present, unprompted...And it's a crucial part of my life, have it on keys, wallet, and bags.

The killer use: sticking it in your luggage, completely removes the 5 minutes of anxiety about whether your luggage has turned up (before it rolls out last on the conveyor belt) is priceless-ish.
 
It says it also used Bluetooth to track things, and given the various horrors that have turned up from the Apple Airtags being used by streamers, and because this is rife for abuse by abusive partners, I'm amazed anyone thought "turns on automatically and you can turn it off" was a good idea.

Although Android was designed by a predator apparently so this kind of fits
 
rich! said:
Although Android was designed by a predator apparently so this kind of fits
Click to expand...
It's being used by Google, so it definitely fits.
They haven't developed this for your good. They've developed it to track your movement to the inch, and are hoping people are stupid enough to see it as a benefit.
 
Saul Goodman said:
I can ask "Alexa, where's my phone?" And Alexa will make my phone ring so I can find it. I've had to do this a few times, which suggests I'm probably soon going to need home help 😁
Click to expand...
I did not know Alexa could do this so I have just tried it and sure enough I have just received a call from some number in California
 
I use tile, I suspect the Google service will get better as more people use it. It's a shame google hasn't launched it as a fall service with adverts and their own brand finder.
 
MickiQ said:
I did not know Alexa could do this so I have just tried it and sure enough I have just received a call from some number in California
Click to expand...
I have Echo things all over the house, so it's handy. I used to have Google stuff all over the house but since they were caught spying on the Chinese people for the Chinese government, I ditched as much of their gear as possible. I'd ditch the Android phone if Apple wasn't the alternative.
 
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