Mobile Spy v5 enables parents, employers smartphone access

Retina-X Studios has updated their Mobile Spy 5.0 smartphone monitoring software to include the Mobile Spy Live Control Panel, which can grab screenshots from the user's smartphone (iOS, Android or Blackberry) as well as a map of its current location, updated every 90 seconds. The program also logs SMS text messages, call information, GPS locations, photos taken and other activities, and the latest version adds silent SMS commands for monitoring and recovering a child's or employee's smartphone as well as the option to have activity logs e-mailed to administrators.

"Silent" SMS commands that the software can execute include sending back GPS location, SIM card information, locking or unlocking the phone as well as a remote data-wipe operation. A version of the program can also work with Symbian OS or Windows Mobile devices. After any activity is logged, the information is silently uploaded to the administrator's private online account, which can be checked from any web browser without further access to the phone.

Apple's iOS devices must be jailbroken prior to installing the software, as Mobile Spy has not been approved by Apple and is not available through the App Store. It also does not work on iPad 2s at present, and the Live Control Panel is not available for iPad (either version) at all.

For Android devices running v2 or later, the software can be installed on any non-AT&T Android device without restriction (Mobile Spy 4.0 can support Android v1.5 and v1.6). AT&T is currently blocking third-party apps from being installed, so Mobile Spy does not work on devices using AT&T's network.

Blackberry devices running versions 4 or 5 of the Blackberry OS can also use Mobile Spy, but cannot capture web URLs visited at the present time. The software also requires that any device being monitored have GPS and an internet connection via Wi-Fi or data plan for continuous monitoring.

Mobile Spy 5.0 is available on a subscription basis, billed in quarterly instalments of $50, or semi-annual payments of $70 or a flat annual rate of $100.