Android Device Manager now rolling out, allows you to track lost devices

Last week, Google finally announced something many people have been waiting for in its new Android Device Manager feature. Similar to Apple’s Find My iPhone, the service allows you remotely track a device, play a sound on it, and even lock and delete all the data. The service is now live on many Android devices, as well as the web. In order to use the service, your device has to have received the backend update that gives the site permission to access your device. To check for this update, head into Settings > Security > Device Administrators and look for a new “Android Device Manager” field. 

If you ended up dropping your phone between those couch cushions, Android Device Manager lets you quickly ring your phone at maximum volume so you can find it, even it’s been silenced. And in the event that your phone or tablet is out of earshot (say, at that restaurant you left it at last night), you can locate it on a map in real time

The service doesn’t appear to cooperate with Google Apps accounts, but works fine with regular Gmail accounts. I had some issues getting Android Device Manager to find my Nexus 7, but once it did, it stayed connected and worked fine.