Finally, They’ve Drunk-Proofed Phones!

By Hanna Aronovich in News on Oct 19, 2006 12:24PM

It’s no secret Chicagoist likes to drink. As a result, we’ve had to pay some consequences. Stumbling through bars, down dark streets and into cabs, we’ve been known to lose a cell phone (or three). We know the frustration of trying to replacing the thing (insurance is a must!), not to mention the royal pain of recovering the phone numbers.

According to reports, we’re not the only ones, either. Pointsec Mobile Technologies, a mobile-data protection software company in Chicago, tracked the items left behind in taxis in eight countries.

One Chicago cab company had particularly high numbers. In the last half of 2004, the company reported it found 387 mobile phones, 97 PDAs and pocket PCs, and 20 laptops – and that’s just in the 113 cabs it checked.

Sure, the phone can be replaced. But, who backs up their contact lists? Well, we do now, after learning our lesson, but still - it’s best to just get the phone back.

TrackItBack, a global lost-and-found recovery service, is here to help. TrackItBack ID labels can be used to register portable consumer electronics through the company’s Web site. When the device is lost, the ID label instructs the finder to contact TrackItBack and offers a reward for doing so. TrackItBack even helps make the arrangements to unite the device with its owner.

The service is only a one-time fee of $9.95. However, it still relies on the honesty of the finder. It seems to us that a good Samaritan finder of electronic devices would respond just as well to a “please return to” label on the back of a phone, iPod or laptop. Even so, a TrackItBack label can’t hurt. We certainly need all the help we can get.