Found an iPod Touch

[MoneyGuy]

There are no emails, email addresses or calendar info stored - nothing that might ID the owner. He or she does have odd taste in music. Looks like it may have been wiped clean. If I leave this thing on is there any way the owner might be able to track its location? There are a few apps but no tracker app so I'm guessing it's impossible to track. It's on now just in case.

[CrusaderPi]

No chance. Your options are keeping it, turning it to the police / manager of wherever you found it or selling it to me for a case of beer / bottle of rye (I deliver).

[pylon]

There is a good chance if you take it into an apple store, they can track down the owner via the serial #. That is as long as they registered it, which you pretty much have to do with any device using iTunes. I found a nano last year, and that is what I did. Apple store gave me a $20 gift card for my troubles, and honesty.

[MoneyGuy]

If I registered it on my iTunes would Apple know I have it and can track it to me that way? Does that help?

[wooohooo]

So what you're really saying is you stole it!!! I doubt they know or really care that much. Kinda the same with stolen cellphones.

[Russic]

You're handing it in, I don't think anybody would care that you registered it on your itunes. Just say you plugged it in to see if anything would pop up to ID the owner.

edit: You could try downloading an app. The owners Apple ID (usually a personal email address) should pop up as the username. You could then just email that address and ask if it's them.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Apple and local police work together regularly to return devices to the "Registered Owner".

At the VERY LEAST, I wouldn't get attached to the device for a while. Realistically, I would remind you that doing to right thing is never the wrong choice. Who knows, maybe a dying Billionaire planted it in the hopes of finding a worthy heir......

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Russic

edit: You could try downloading an app. The owners Apple ID (usually a personal email address) should pop up as the username. You could then just email that address and ask if it's them.

Great tip!

[Prototype]

Does it have a whole bunch of random finger prints all over it, and scratches on the back of it?

If so, pretty sure it's mine.

[MoneyGuy]

I'm willing to do a little to see if I can assist in its return. I like the dying billionaire idea, but if a rich guy had planted it, it seems to me he would have made it easier to find the owner. Just sayin'.

[Titan]

As someone that works in compliance at an investment dealer I am a little concerned a guy named MoneyGuy is trying to figure out whether a "found" ipod touch can be traced back to him!!!






Just yanking your chain. I know you wouldn't do that.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I like the dying billionaire idea, but if a rich guy had planted it, it seems to me he would have made it easier to find the owner. Just sayin'.

Not if he was trying to find a worthy heir.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Titan

As someone that works in compliance at an investment dealer I am a little concerned a guy named MoneyGuy is trying to figure out whether a "found" ipod touch can be traced back to him!!!

Just yanking your chain. I know you wouldn't do that.

I'm not at your dealer so rest easy.

[MoneyGuy]

I found the owner. I shoved it into my glove box and the other day was driving by where I found it near a small hotel with little of note nearby. I went into the hotel and at the front desk was the name and phone number of the owner also a description of the case and the apps on it. I left it there and when the owner picked it up he left me a coffee card for my trouble and honesty.

[doozwimp]

You should of kept it and lived the dream of owning an ipod without giving any money to apple...that would of been glorious.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by doozwimp

You should of kept it and lived the dream of owning an ipod without giving any money to apple...that would of been glorious.

Except he would have been directly responsible for the guy buying a replacement. Apple wins. Apple always wins. Muhaha.

[HeartsOfFire]

Slightly off topic, but I have a curious question about the memory wipe feature on Apple's recent devices.

Specifically, my iPad has an option whereby after 10 failed attempts to get through the password, it will 'erase all data.'

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but would that not be the equivalent of it acting like it's fresh out of the box again? In a hypothetical situation, if the iPad were stolen and the thief failed to decipher my password after 10 attempts and all data erased, would they not then be in possession of a 'like new' iPad? Would I as the owner just have to sigh with disdain and give up on ever seeing my property again, but be glad that at least my identity is kept secure?

Personally, I think if you fail 10 attempts to get the password right, the device should brick, but that is unrealistic. :P

[Russic]

Originally Posted by HeartsOfFire

Slightly off topic, but I have a curious question about the memory wipe feature on Apple's recent devices.

Specifically, my iPad has an option whereby after 10 failed attempts to get through the password, it will 'erase all data.'

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but would that not be the equivalent of it acting like it's fresh out of the box again? In a hypothetical situation, if the iPad were stolen and the thief failed to decipher my password after 10 attempts and all data erased, would they not then be in possession of a 'like new' iPad? Would I as the owner just have to sigh with disdain and give up on ever seeing my property again, but be glad that at least my identity is kept secure?

Personally, I think if you fail 10 attempts to get the password right, the device should brick, but that is unrealistic. :P

I don't know exactly how the process works, but this is the reason I turned off that option. I initially had it but realized at some point the individual who finds it or steals it might try the password 10 times and I'd lose the ability to track it via gps. I'd only use it if I had something incredibly important on the phone with very little encryption.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I found the owner. I shoved it into my glove box and the other day was driving by where I found it near a small hotel with little of note nearby. I went into the hotel and at the front desk was the name and phone number of the owner also a description of the case and the apps on it. I left it there and when the owner picked it up he left me a coffee card for my trouble and honesty.

You're a class act. Bravo.

[mykalberta]

Should have sold it on Kijiji.

Finders Keepers.