# remotely disabling the nexus 7 - how does google do it?



## dano272 (Jul 9, 2012)

Long story short - my Nexus 7 that I preordered during Google IO got lost during shipment through UPS and it never arrived at my doorstep. Phone calls with UPS and Google initiated the replacement process (which I'm still waiting on...). Anyway - the point of this post is that I received an email from google yesterday that asked me to confirm that I was ok with google remotely disabling the device - the pertinent part of the email here -

_- I am the original purchaser of this device with IMEI/Serial:
xxxxx
- I authorize Google to remotely disable this device with IMEI/Serial:
xxxxx
- I understand that this device will not be usable as a phone or as a
computing device for any purpose after Google disables it._

How would this work exactly that they could disable it "as a computing device"? I can see not allowing the device to connect to google's services - but altogether disable it as a device?

Any ideas?


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## adonis (Aug 25, 2011)

I assume you had them _pre-configure_ it?


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## JBirdVegas (Jun 11, 2011)

Google play has the ability to remotely remove apps I would assume once it sees that serial number attempt to login the market wipes the kernel or maybe the system partition. Good question though not really sure


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## Kpa2727 (Aug 24, 2011)

My guess would be Google black ists the serial and the build prop reports it. This is since google uses that to identify the Device in general. So the device probably can't use the play store anymore. I don't see them disabling the Wifi though. My next guess would be google side loads a app through play store that temporarly bricks it. Like how Plan B works by look out mobile security or Seek Droid does.


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## dhero (Aug 1, 2011)

Stolen device: who cares, as long as it works ...


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