Mickey Papillon

iHound for iOS 4 Review
Earlier this year, I posted my review of the iHound application for the iPhone. Since then, iHound has been busy putting together its latest version that now runs in the background on the phone.  This means that if your iThing is ever lost or stolen, you can track it in real time through the iHound website.  The software used in this review was provided by iHound.  It can be purchased from the iTunes app store for $2.99, which includes the first 3 months of service. Additional subscriptions are available for 2 years at $19.99, 1 year for $10.99, 6 months for $5.99 or 3 months for $3.99.  It runs on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.  Here are some of the features in the new version:

• The app checks-in with iHound every 10 minutes, and sits in an idle state otherwise to conserve power.  This means that at any given time, you can see the location of your iPhone without having to do anything.  Here is what it looks like as I am sitting at home.  Every 10 minutes, picking up the location.  I have been all over the house, and into the back yard.  It’s pretty accurate, but still has some difficulty keeping the exact location when inside.  I was never in the neighbors house, even though it shows me there.
  

• Once you determine your phone is missing, simply go to the iHound website, turn on Full On Tracking, and your device’s location is tracked constantly in the background.  You can see instantly where your iPhone is, and keep track of it while the app runs silently in the background.
• If someone turns off your phone, then iHound launches and reports your location when the phone is turned on.
• Siren: Plays a siren alarm on your device. It will not quit until you shut it off from the website.

Of course the website interface still allows for sending of alerts to the device as well, which may assist in the return of the device:

Finally, the Security Dashboard has been updated, and now shows more information about your device when you log into iHoundsoftware.com.  You are also able to initiate Full On Tracking to start immediate tracking of the device.  This would come in handy if you expect your device was stolen.

Overall, the update to coincide with the iOS4 is much needed.  iHound is definitely a piece of software that should be used by anyone that cares about keeping tabs on their phone.  You never know when it will go missing, and with iHound, you stand a much better chance of getting your device back with the power of being able to track it anywhere, anytime.