Testing results:
Remote Tracker: This trashes the GPS in my phone requiring a hard reset to fix. Fortunately I use Sprite Backup, so restoring to a previous point in time is easy to do and always works. It is easily the most capable product out there, but from reading the threads, the common denominator is it works flawlessly with Windows Mobile 6.1, but has major issues with 6.5. The original developer bailed on it for Android although I don't see a product from him for Android. You can use it to send SMS replies or e-mail. It can be made very secure and has a huge command set. You can even connect to your phone using My Mobiler after someone steals it, and see what is happening on screen. They have special commands for the HD2. My guess is because the HD2 uses 6.5 because to get it to work at all with my TP2 with 6.5 I needed to use the HD2 commands. Not withstanding, it killed my GPS and return SMS and E-Mail message timings were unreliable and sporadic. If this program worked right with 6.5, all of the rest might as well go home. I wish the author would fix this program up and charge for it.
SmartPhone Tracker: This is a simple program. There is no password, and only one command to send the GPS location, but you define that command. You can have it send you the GPS location when events occur on the phone such as a SIM change. The maps when you test them with no issues, but whether you select Google Maps, Virtual Earth, or Yahoo!, you always get Google maps. Like Remote Tracker it will work with SMS, e-mail, but also both. The maps display correctly on mobile devices. However, I could not get it to respond. I found this later in the author's site, which may also may be the key to getting Remote Tracker to work:
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"HTC has, since manila 2.5, designed and developed a completely new text messaging application (HTC Messaging App) to replace the old Windows messaging application for the entire SMS/text messaging functionality.
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Quote:
Apart for poor performance it does not support message interception."
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It continues on with links on how to rip and replace the HTC SMS, which I'm not convinced I want to do at this point.
Sprite Terminator: This is a commercial program, and it works correctly Windows Mobile 6.5 out of the box. It has limited capabilities, but the ones it has are focused on security. It will report your phones location, wipe your MicroSD as well as your phone, or lock your phone. It has no e-mail capabilities. The program has password protection, and thus cannot be reconfigured or uninstalled without it. You can set it up to have only certain trusted SMS numbers work with it or any. In both cases, you must include the password with each command. You can choose Google Maps or Virtual Earth for the link path the SMS returns. The path, however, uses the SpriteSoftware site. With the Google Maps option, if you click the link returned in the SMS with a Windows Mobile device, you will get the map, but no stick pin on the map to show you where it is. It doesn't matter if you use Opera or IE. In fact IE only shows a partial map. That same link will work fine from a PC, showing the stick pin. The links in the SMS for the Virtual Earth option don't work under any scenario. However, you also get a copy of the GPS coordinates in the SMS.
Microsoft MyPhone: This is more useful for backing up your Outlook information than anything else. The phone recover works very well, but it's cumbersome to pay to find your phone each time. A plus is if you are using it to back up your phone, and you lose your phone, you can find and or secure you phone without having to install additional recovery software on it. It uses Microsoft's MyPhone web site to address your phone, which is a plus.
Summary:
SmartPhoneTracker isn't worth the effort of getting it to work with 6.5 because what you get makes the least sense. Remote Tracker is a jaw dropper with its features and how well it works, but it sooner or later trashes your GPS, requiring a hard reset to get it back. Microsoft MyPhone while capable, is also a nuisance. The most practical choice of the four is Sprite Terminator. I don't know how SpriteSoftware got around the SMS change to HTC SMS that slayed the others, but it's evident they did.
Discoveries along the way:
When it comes to mapping, navigation routing that makes sense, finding what you want, dialing a number, voice recognition, etc., Bing slaughters Google Maps, and it works on any phone. Thus, Google, by restricting its best mapping features to Android, is actually fishing with no bait. However, when it comes to tracking yourself and a friend, such as on a trip, or coming half-way to meet each other, Google Latitude is pretty easy to use, and it requires Google Maps. You both need to have a GMail account to set up your friends. Microsoft has the same, but it requires you to have a FaceBook account to set up your friends, and thus is not e-mail specific. You can turn off broadcasting your position to any or all friends at any time.