screaming cellphone - technical definition

A security service from Synchronica plc (www.synchronica.com) that commands a smartphone to emit a continuous human scream even if the phone is switched to vibrate mode. If the battery is removed, the phone will start screaming as soon as the battery is replaced.

Launched in 2006, the company, which offers a line of mobile applications, added this service to help people who lose their smartphones, which increasingly carry more personal data. As soon as subscribers realize their cellphone is lost or stolen, they contact Synchronica to activate the scream over the air. The phone can also be commanded to erase sensitive data, which is simultaneously copied to Synchronica servers for downloading later to a new phone.