US Mobile Carriers Won't Brick Stolen Phones 269
WheezyJoe writes "NBC News has some disturbing security video of people getting assaulted for their smartphones. Such offenses are on the rise. Police chiefs like D.C.'s Cathy Lanier are asking U.S. mobile carriers to brick phones that are reported stolen, in order to dry up what must be a big underground market for your favorite Android device or iPhone — but right now the carriers won't do it. Such an approach has had success in Australia and the U.K."
Comment removed (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Brick it yourself (Score:4, Funny)
That's why I wired my phone's flash circuit to an alternating stack of my grandma's nitro-glycerin patches and vintage cinema film soaked in 100% proof rubbing alcohol and stuffed between the lithium battery and the phone. Obviously I never use my flash when I take pictures, but I wrote my own self-destruct app that can only be activated by a text message from my other cell phone number, which I will not reveal for privacy and safety reasons.
The hardest part of the project was building the miniature spark plug to ignite the whole thing. I can't wait to get my phone stolen so I can try it out and see if it works.