hey have you tried the "i am here" application?
check it out.i think it has what you want.

I would love to have an app like this. I use my n900 as much if not more than my desktop pc. I would be very sad if it gets stolen.

Hmmm definately gave me ideas. As for getting the phone number... just sent an sms to a backup number if the sim changes.

Should probably be possible to do this through a shell script even. dbus-send and a cronjob ought to do the job.

And why not scramble the lock code as well while at it. So tat even if the phone get's reflashed it cannot be relocked that easily.

And I like the webserver idea to fetch a file. But yeah being able to send an SMS to the device to get such info would be good as well(iirc SMSes can come to different ports and even be hidden from the reciever/sender). So that would be great.

My preferred steps on securing the device:

(a) Full disk encryption on everything else except the stuff required to boot. Ask for encryption passphrase at boot, to mount the encrypted partitions.
(b) Force a reboot as the first thing for "finder" to do with the device (i.e. auto-enable device lock), causing the encryption key to disappear from the device.
(c) Add a sticker (or engraved or sandblasted note) somewhere on the phone: "please return to X.Y. for a reward".
(d) Maintain backups of the content.

I do this on my Linux laptop. The main part here is that all my data will be safe, I don't have to think what I left there. The device itself is a statistical loss.
Even if you manage to get a potrait of whoever took it, you're unlikely to get the phone back anytime soon. By the time you will, you already have bought a new one.

I agree my solution is not really an anti-theft, it's more about minimizing damage when theft happens.

My rationale for low-tech return instructions is:
1. It can be made permanent (or at least very hard to remove), unlike software.
2. Whoever finds the phone, is likely to run out of battery soon. Even more likely if they're the honest kind of person who would try to return the device, as they would not buy a charger for a device they don't plan to keep.

Just a quick post to let everyone know I am still here and working on this.

I am currently in the process of putting together a flow diagram of the solution as I see it. I will post it here for suggestions when it's done.
I am also continuing to do research and a few new ideas are beginning to take shape in my head.

For starters, the software suite will consist of two distinct parts, namely, an N900 app and a control centre which can be run directly (i.e does not need to be installed) from a flash drive on any computer (i.e: linux/mac/windows compatibility).

I wonder whether a usb flash drive can be used as a portable instant web server on any machine - maybe with dyndns?

Secondly, whenever the phone is restarted, the daemon service will check the SIM card against a list of approved SIMs, and if it doesn't match trigger anti-theft mode.

Moreover, an alternative sms control interface needs to be available in case you can't get to a computer.

Finally, the whole solution must be highly configurable and user-friendly. Graphical User Interfaces are essential for both the initial setup process and for the Flash Drive Control Centre.

That's about it for now, but feel free to add your suggestions. And remember, if you, or anyone you know, have any programming knowledge, your help would be greatly appreciated (otherwise this project will take a very long time indeed ).

Your Maemo Needs YOU!

OK, I'm not the brainiest mug in terms of linux OS or possible back-traps in my thoughts, but:

As of my opinion I don't see the need of a 2-way server/client solution. Wouldn't you want to keep it simple? Do you really need a choice to decide whether the phone's to be erased or not when stolen?

Especially, since the more server-configurable features you add, the more you're dependent on a established 2-way communication (dataplan of the burglar's SIM).

Let's start from the top:
1. What do we want?

A script that makes the phone un-useful in the burglar's hands = at least prevent him to get a grip of personal data.

2. How could you achieve that with least effort?

- Encrypt the personal folders' contents

- Start at low level ("pre"-boot?!) with a query on specified params (could be a "simple" root passwd, etc.) whether to boot the OS or not to.

- if you enter the password 3 times incorrectly -> rm *

OK, you wouldn't need a gui for that and can't brag with a pretentious feature rich app, but why shouldn't a simple script also do the trick?

Jus my 2 cents...

You are correct, to a certain extent, and that is certainly an option. However, once the data is safe from prying eyes, disabling the phone is akin to burning bridges in that it severely diminishes your ability to recover it.

The longer the phone stays on, the more chance you have of being able to get the gps coordinates and maybe even information about the person who has it. Therefore, you are more likely to retrieve it.

You also make a good point about the dependance on a usable network connection. I think that can be dealt with in a double-pronged approach:

Firstly, enable auto-connect to any available networks,
And secondly, keep the network reliance to a minimum by minimizing the amount of data transfered.

Obviously, transfering pictures etc would lead to a lot of network traffic, but if we make that a non-essential process (i.e: if it fails, you can stil carry on) it can just be skipped. All other data should be text-based and therefore not bandidth intensive.

As for the GUI control centre, it doesn't need to be anything fancy. It just needs to provide buttons which pass the commands to a terminal rather than making the user type them in.

this is a awesome idea

Requesting a poll for users willing to donate to this project please , should give some devs some incentive

+1 for myself

love this idea . hope it comes out just to some ideas out there. What about say you lost your phone . so you use GPS to track it and you get to the place the GPS says your phone is there. Could it be possible that you send a certain text to set off a alarm. Due to the fact if someone stole your phone they are not just going to say to you that they stole your phone and here it is. So i would bring the cops with me and text the number and my phone will ring an alarm . Guess what you found you baby and take it back home. It just seem to me if somone steals your phone they will not admit that they stoled it until it start to ring from where ever they hid it .