- Galileo Software Services, Inc. developed TARA or Theft Alarm and Recovery Application
- TARA is a telco-enabled service that has a “kill switch” feature that will make smartphones unusable by thieves and their resellers
- Engineer Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, the whistleblower of the scuttled $ 329 million National Broadband Network-ZTE deal, is the president of Galileo Software Services, Inc
MANILA, Philippines – A Filipino company launched a cheap application on Wednesday that would disable a stolen smartphone and erase its data.
An article by Camille Abadicio for CNN Philippines published on March 3 said that Galileo Software Services, Inc. developed TARA or Theft Alarm and Recovery Application, which is a telco-enabled service that has a “kill switch” feature that will make smartphones unusable by thieves and their resellers.
The unique thing about TARA as compared to other kill switch applications is that it works even without Wi-Fi access, Internet data, or cellphone load.
The application user can lock, unlock, locate and even wipe out contents of their stolen smartphone with just a simple text message. The application also calls the attention of the thief with the alarm “Magnanakaw! Magnanakaw!” when the phone is activated.
Phone owners should not be worried of deleting their phone memories as a back-up and restore feature allows them to back-up their contacts and restore features even on a different phone. Galileo Software officials also said that users can also upgrade this feature to backup stored photos, videos and other files.
Photo Credit: Filipino Times
The Filipino Times mentioned in an article published on February 3 that mobile phone users can also use a red button feature that will send an SOS message, with a time stamp and location, to one’s emergency contact.
“We need to feel safe whenever we go out. This is why we developed TARA. It is like a seatbelt for your mobile phone,” said Galileo Software president Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada.
Lozada said it took the firm five years to develop the application at a cost of P120 million.
Lozada is the whistleblower of the scuttled $ 329 million National Broadband Network-ZTE deal during the Arroyo administration.
Virgil Lopez mentioned in her article for GMA News published on February 3 that those android users who are interested to avail TARA can download the app on Google Play to register their basic information.
Users will be given a free 30-day subscription, then they are given the option to renew their protection with affordable rates of P15 weekly, P50 monthly and P500 yearly.
According to a 2014 report of the National Telecommunications Commission, at least, 30 smartphones are lost every day to thieves.
“When a person is a victim of mobile phone theft, it leaves him or her feeling helpless. It can be a traumatic experience where the victim often feels as if he has been violated,” said Lozada.
He added that phone theft is one of the biggest problems in the global mobile consumer industry, a fact that was already acknowledged by Congress two years ago, prodding Ang Mata ay Alagaan Rep. Lorna Velasco to author House Bill 4511 or the proposed Kill Switch Phone Security Act of 2014.
The bill seeks to require cellphone network service providers to equip postpaid users with the kill switch software. However, the proposed measure is still pending before the House committee on information and communications technology.
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