I don’t want you to pray … rather, download Prey and install it on all of your devices.
What is it?
It’s a simple open-source program that runs quietly in the background of your computer and monitors its location. So if your computer (laptop or desktop) or phone gets stolen or lost you have full control over your device.
Will it work on my Mac? My Linux machine? My iPhone?
It will work on Mac, Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, Debian, and Android devices. (Download)
They’re working on making it functional on iPhones and iPads. Until they are able to do that use Mac’s “Where’s my iPhone” app.
What do you mean by full control?
Well, if someone steals your computer or phone you’d want to know where it is, who has it, and you’d probably love to lock that device so the thief couldn’t do anything with it, right?
Prey allows you to do just that.
How does it know where my device is?
Prey uses your device’s built in GPS or the nearest WiFi source (for devices without GPS) to get a fix on the device’s actual location. And it’s incredibly accurate.
How does it know who has it?
Well, most laptops and phones have a built in camera, Prey will snap a picture of the thief for you. Nice eh? This can also be used as evidence for your police report or lawsuit.
Prey can also snap a screenshot of the desktop so you know what the thief is doing – if you’re luck you might catch them logged into their e-mail account or a social media account with their unique name listed.
That all sounds great but how does it protect my data?
You can lock your machine down – remotely – so it requires a unique password to access the data. The thief will have to reformat the machine to use it – thereby erasing all of your data. However, if you want to prevent a thief from doing that you should make sure your machine has a BIOS password. If you’re not familiar with how to do that, read up here.
You can also hide your e-mail (Outlook or Thunderbird), and you can remove any stored passwords you may have saved. Thereby saving your data from the thief.
Won’t the thief know it’s on there?
Unlikely. Prey has a really tiny footprint and doesn’t leave a memory trail like other applications.
So does this all happen on its own or how do I tell it my device is missing?
Once you install Prey you register your device at Prey’s website. If your device goes missing you just log into the site and mark it as missing. Prey then goes into action and will report its location and more as soon as it’s activated.
This all sounds great but how much does it cost?
Your first three devices are free. Beyond that you need to pay for the Pro Account:
- Home – 10 devices, $15/month
- Plus – 30 devices, $39/month
- Premium – 100 devices, $99/month
- Max – 500 devices, $399/month
Can I pay for a year at once?
Yes, and you get a 10% discount if you do.
I have more questions, where do I go?
Head on over to Prey’s website, the FAQ page specifically [http://preyproject.com/faq].
Before I do that, are you an affiliate or something? Do you make money on this?
Not at all. I’m just a happy user, who is thrilled to not have had to use this service yet. But I know I have it so I feel more secure about my machines.
Do you know of any other programs like this? Share with me in the comments.
