Company > Press Room

Press Room

ActiveTrak Inc. Launches GadgetTrak® Mobile 3 Beta Through 2,300 Wireless Retailers

September 8th, 2010 : Press Releases

PORTLAND, Oregon – September 8, 2010 – ActiveTrak Inc. (www.activetrak.com), a leader in advanced tracking and data security and protection software for mobile devices, today announced the launch of a beta version of its GadgetTrak® Mobile 3 security solution through 2,300 wireless retailers.

The software is a significant update to its mobile security offerings and is the company’s first pilot project to distribute its solutions directly at the point-of-sale. In the first week over 6,000 new annual device subscriptions were added to the system with numbers expected to grow exponentially as the program rolls out to more stores in the coming months.

In addition to providing location data for a lost or stolen smartphone,the patent-pending GadgetTrak Mobile 3 includes a number of security features, such as remote backup and data wipe. Additionally, GadgetTrak® Mobile 3 is tamper-proof, preventing thieves from modifying the application settings or simply removing the SIM card to avoid being tracked.

“We’re excited about this beta launch for GadgetTrak Mobile 3,” said Ken Westin, ActiveTrak founder and CEO. “It provides peace of mind for customers by ensuring their data is secure if their phone is lost, stolen or damaged.”

During this pilot GadgetTrak Mobile 3 is currently purchased at the point-of-sale and bundled along with a phone warranty product that provides better margins for the wireless retailer. The mobile security service is a strong value-add for consumers to not only protect their devices, but also the data that resides on them.

Key features of GadgetTrak Mobile 3 include:

  • Remotely wipe the device — Remotely wipe personal data stored on your device such as photos, email, contacts and SMS messages
  • Secure data backup — Encrypt photos and contacts using government grade encryption (AES 256) and back them up in a secure location
  • Signal an alarm — Signal an alarm that cannot be disabled, even if the phone is in silent mode
  • Advanced Positioning — Locate your device using a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi positioning and cell tower positioning, even if the device is indoors
  • Tamper proof — Once activated, the software settings cannot be modified on the device and notifies the device owner if the SIM card changes
  • Alarm— Trigger the device to emit a loud siren that can be a theft deterrent or help find a missing phone even if it is set to silent mode

For more information about GadgetTrak Mobile 3 visit www.GadgetTrak.com.

About ActiveTrak Inc.
ActiveTrak Inc. is a leading provider of innovative and patented tracking and data protection solutions for laptops, smartphones, and portable media devices. The company’s consumer product, GadgetTrak®, delivers the most advanced theft recovery software available for consumers and businesses today. ActiveTrak not only provides the technology to recover and protect data on devices, but also recovery assistance. The company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. For more information visit www.ActiveTrak.com.

ActiveTrak Makes Protecting All Computing Devices Easy with Newest Version of GadgetTrak Anti-Theft & Tracking Software

July 29th, 2010 : Press Releases

Designed for families and small- and medium-sized businesses, GadgetTrak 3 uses centralized management to track laptops, netbooks and desktop computers

PORTLAND, Oregon – July 29, 2010 – ActiveTrak™ Inc. (www.activetrak.com), a leader in advanced tracking and data protection software for consumer and business devices, today made available GadgetTrak 3 for laptops, the latest version of its acclaimed GadgetTrak software. Powered by ActiveTrak’s industry-leading anti-theft technology, GadgetTrak 3 introduces new functionality that allows people to track multiple computing devices at the same time – including laptops, netbooks and desktop computers – through a centralized Web control panel that can be viewed from any Internet accessible device.

“Today’s families typically have multiple computers in their home, many of them mobile devices such as laptops and netbooks that leave the home and are vulnerable to loss and theft,” said ActiveTrak CEO Ken Westin. “ActiveTrak specifically designed our newest software platform with households with multiple devices and small- to medium-sized businesses in mind. By being able track all laptops, netbooks and desktop computers simply, in one location, people are better able to keep tabs on all their computers, regardless of what kind of computers they are.

The FBI estimates 10-percent of all laptops purchased in the United States will be stolen within the first year of ownership with only three-percent recovered. However, GadgetTrak has a successful recovery rate of over 95 percent.

GadgetTrak 3 provides the most advanced data protection and theft recovery solution for laptops, taking back control of stolen devices from the thief. The GadgetTrak software supports Windows (XP, Vista and 7) and Mac OS X Leopard and higher (10.5 and 10.6), , greatly increasing the chances of recovery for nearly every laptop, netbook and desktop computer sold in the last few years.

Key features of GadgetTrak 3 include:

  • Advanced Positioning – By using onboard Wi-Fi radios found in virtually all computers together with advanced Wi-Fi positioning technology, GadgetTrak pinpoints stolen laptops within 10 meters.
  • Location Notification – When tracking occurs, a subscriber will get an email with detailed information about a device’s location. This information can also be found on a web control panel at www.trak.me.
  • Webcam Support – Using a laptop webcam, GadgetTrak can remotely snap a photo of a thief, providing crucial evidence that police can use to get a laptop back.

With GadgetTrak 3 people can protect their computers and their valuable and private data for $34.95 per device per year. More information can be found at www.gadgettrak.com.

About ActiveTrak Inc.
ActiveTrak Inc. is a leading provider of innovative and patented theft recovery and loss prevention solutions for laptops, smartphones, and portable media devices. The company’s consumer product, GadgetTrak, delivers the most advanced theft recovery software available for consumers and businesses today. ActiveTrak not only provides the technology to recover and protect data on devices, but also recovery assistance. The company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. For more information visit www.ActiveTrak.com.

95 Percent of Stolen Mobile Devices Protected by GadgetTrak are Recovered

June 17th, 2010 : Press Releases

– ActiveTrak’s GadgetTrak helps law enforcement recover stolen electronics and protects the sensitive data people store on their mobile devices –

PORTLAND, Oregon – June 15, 2010 ActiveTrak™ Inc., a leader in advanced theft recovery software for consumer and business devices, is proud to announce a 95 percent recovery rate for laptops and smartphones running its GadgetTrak® application. Compared to FBI crime statistics that reveal only 10 percent of all burglaries are actually solved, owners of a mobile device should be advised that using GadgetTrak dramatically increases the chances of recovery should their device be stolen or lost. In addition to ActiveTrak’s high recovery rate, over the past year the company has helped law enforcement catch burglary suspects, and break up device and identity theft crime rings.

“Remote theft recovery software like GadgetTrak gives detectives a new weapon in their arsenal that surpasses any other tool available to help catch burglary suspects in a matter of days,” said Special Agent Marc Hinch with California’s San Mateo County Vehicle Theft Task Force. “GadgetTrak is key to catching criminals this summer, a season notorious for an increase in thefts.”

GadgetTrak offers the industry’s most advanced theft recovery software for laptops, smartphones, and portable media devices, including the first such security product for the iPad. Protected by GadgetTrak, a lost or stolen device can be pinpointed on a map within roughly 10 feet using GPS, Wi-Fi positioning or cell phone triangulation. Using a device’s onboard camera, GadgetTrak can automatically take a picture of a theft suspect and remotely lock the device as well as completely wipe any data.

“Most homeowners do not keep track of product serial numbers, so finding common electronic devices once they’re sold at pawn shops, or on Craigslist or eBay, and returning them to their owners is virtually impossible,” said Ken Westin, ActiveTrak founder and CEO. “With GadgetTrak, we’ve been catching thieves in the act for years, not only recovering laptops and mobile phones for our customers, but also solving larger crimes including theft rings.”

ActiveTrak has been retrieving devices and catching criminals around the world since its founding nearly three years ago. Recent recovery stories include:

  • GadgetTrak provided police with the location of a stolen laptop, photo of a suspect and ultimately led them to a theft ring responsible for at least four burglaries that had plagued public schools in Portland, Oregon.
  • GadgetTrak remotely captured photos of a thief who had stolen a laptop and jewelry, ultimately leading to police catching the suspect and recovering the stolen goods within a couple of days in Springfield, Oregon.
  • A customer in Oregon had his laptop stolen and ActiveTrak worked with law enforcement to track the criminal down all the way in Missouri.

To read additional ActiveTrak recovery stories visit:
http://www.activetrak.com/company/pressroom/category/recovery_stories/.

Advanced features of GadgetTrak include:

  • The ability to trigger a remote ping that initiates a loud noise from a lost or stolen smartphone (even if it is in silent mode)
  • Remote device lock
  • Remote data wipe
  • Recovery assistance and much more

About ActiveTrak Inc.
ActiveTrak Inc. is a leading provider of innovative and patented theft recovery and loss prevention solutions for laptops, smartphones, and portable media devices. The company’s consumer product, GadgetTrak, delivers the most advanced theft recovery software available for consumers and businesses today. ActiveTrak not only provides the technology to recover and protect data on devices, but also recovery assistance. The company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. For more information visit www.ActiveTrak.com.

ActiveTrak to Launch Anti-theft Software for Android Smartphones at International CTIA WIRELESS 2010

March 18th, 2010 : Press Releases

– Industry’s most advanced data protection and theft recovery software expands GadgetTrak Mobile Security with new Android Edition –

PORTLAND, Oregon – March 18, 2010ActiveTrak™ Inc., a leader in advanced theft recovery software for consumer and business devices, will be unveiling its new GadgetTrak® Mobile

Security software for Android at the upcoming International CTIA WIRELESS 2010 show, March 23-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in the Protect Cell booth # 5755. GadgetTrak Mobile Security provides the most advanced data protection and theft recovery solutions for smartphones, enabling control of user devices and data in the event of theft.

The new Android Edition allows users to track devices when they are lost or stolen, as well as ensure that data is protected by enabling remote data wipe and scheduled data backup of critical information. The new Android software works on both GSM and CDMA networks worldwide. The software is easily installed and administered from a simple web-based control panel. If a smartphone running GadgetTrak Mobile Security Android Edition is lost or stolen, the user logs into their account and activates features to track and remotely wipe data, as well as download backed up data.

“Today’s smartphones are more than just tools for communicating and running applications, they store vital personal information and/or corporate data that often times is more valuable than the device hardware itself,” said ActiveTrak’s founder and CEO Ken Westin. “The ability to track these phones and keep data safe is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Our software offers the most advanced and cost-effective solution for consumers and businesses looking to easily protect and recover smartphones. The new Android release further expands our capabilities and shows our commitment to customers and the marketplace.”

ActiveTrak’s new mobile software uses a combination of methods to determine the smartphone location, including GPS. If GPS is not available – for example if the device is indoors or in a dense urban environment – the software will use Wi-Fi positioning or cell tower triangulation, making it the most advanced positioning technology available for mobile devices today. If the smartphone is simply lost, the software has the ability to trigger a remote ping that initiates a loud noise from the smartphone – even if it is in silent mode.

Subscribers can schedule daily or weekly backups of data. GadgetTrak Mobile Security also offers notification of SIM card changes, device lock and signal alarm, tamper proof measures, remote messaging to devices, remote call back and more (device applicability may vary).

Furthermore, GadgetTrak Mobile Security is not just designed for consumers. Organizations and businesses of all sizes use ActiveTrak’s software to protect and recover smartphone inventory. With a robust control panel that allows administrators to manage devices and data easily, it offers the industry’s most compelling and effective anti-theft and recovery solution on the market today. For a complete list of features please visit www.ActiveTrak.com

About ActiveTrak Inc.
ActiveTrak Inc. is a leading provider of innovative and patented theft recovery and loss prevention solutions for laptops, smartphones, and portable media devices. The company’s consumer product, GadgetTrak, delivers the most advanced theft recovery software available for consumers and businesses today. ActiveTrak not only provides the technology to recover and protect data on devices, but also recovery assistance. The company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. For more information visit www.ActiveTrak.com

ActiveTrak Inc. Closes First Round of Funding, Accelerates Enterprise & Mobile Development

March 9th, 2010 : Press Releases

PORTLAND, Ore., March 9 /PRNewswire/ — Mobile endpoint security innovator ActiveTrak Inc. announced its first round of funding. The round is led by strategic investor ProtectCell, a leader in mobile phone warranty and handset protection, based in Michigan.  The investment provides ActiveTrak Inc. capital to accelerate development of its enterprise and mobile security solutions, as well as provide ActiveTrak with direct distribution through 1,300 wireless retailers at the point-of-sale and other sales channels and opportunities.

Tracking your gadgets, Boston Globe

March 9th, 2010 : In The News

Perhaps the worst thing about portable devices is that they’re so easy to carry around, we can barely hang on to them. Asurion, a Kansas City company that insures portable devices, says Americans lose about 60 million cellphones every year. Our laptop computers don’t fare much better. A 2008 study by Ponemon Institute LLC, a research outfit in Traverse City, Mich., calculated that every week, 12,000 laptops are lost or stolen in the nation’s airports alone.

Luckily, some gadgets are smart enough to call for help. A Portland, Ore., company called GadgetTrak has created some smart software to help them do it.

Read Full Review



GadgetTrak retrieves 95 percent of stolen laptops, puts RoboCop to shame, Engadget

February 22nd, 2010 : In The News

Want your stolen gear back? Don’t call some gung-ho superhero who’s as likely to blow up your small grocery store as he is to catch those perps, call GadgetTrak instead. The little startup company has grown since we last heard of it back in 2007, and is now operating a $25 per year tracking service that has delivered a statistically significant 95 percent success rate on reuniting gadgets with their owners. Available for Mac OS and Windows laptops, as well as mobile phones (BlackBerrys, WinMo, and iPhone) and even removable USB storage, the software’s intelligent enough to remotely activate your webcam and ping the incriminating info back directly to you — no data is sent to GadgetTrak. Check out some recent news coverage of the software and its implementation in local schools after the break.

Read Full Story

ActiveTrak Unveils Theft Ring Targeting Portland Schools

February 19th, 2010 : Recovery Stories

Over the past few months Portland area schools have been victimized by a number burglaries targeting computer equipment. One of the schools had enough and installed GadgetTrak software on a number of laptops. Within a week the school was broken into again, but this time they stole the wrong laptops. The software was activated and started sending photos of who was using the stolen computer and location, with this information the police were able to work with GadgetTrak to identify the location of the device. The police recovered the laptop and identified key suspects for at least four of the school burglaries that have occured over the past few months.

GadgetTrak Recovers Stolen Laptop & Jewelry – Springfield, Oregon

January 27th, 2010 : Recovery Stories

Another laptop has been recovered thanks to GadgetTrak. A Mac was stolen from our customer Kari Hardre during a home burglary along with jewelry, the GadgetTrak software activated and sent location, network data and images of the thief back. “They kicked the front door in, so I would invest that $50. It’s an investment well worth it,” said Kari Hardre.

5 Tips to Keep Your Gadget Gifts Working Like New, Good Morning America

January 17th, 2010 : In The News


We were featured in a great piece by Good Morning America on Christmas Day regarding how to protect the gadgets your received on Christmas Day. GadgetTrak was featured as tip number two:

GadgetTrak uses GPS and WiFi signals to locate your lost electronic and lock it down remotely so a thief cannot use it and police can track it.

Read the full story on Good Morning America