SimGuard is a new BlackBerry application from Intellibits that promises to help you get your smartphone back should it be lost or stolen. How? It is smart enough to know if your BlackBerry is being used by another individual.

When a mobile phone is stolen, the first thing a thief usually does is remove the owner’s SIM (System Identification Module) and inserts his. This way you can't call your own number or locate his position. If you know your phone's IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity), you may block him from using your BlackBerry with the support or your network operator, but maybe you don't have it written down. How many of us do?

Here's how SimGuard works:

The application runs silently at startup and checks the currently inserted SIM against a list of registered and approved SIMs. If the match fails, it performs a series of tasks to try and get you your BlackBerry back.

SimGuard sends a list of pre-configured phone numbers (e.g. your friend's, partner's or company's number) an SMS alert with the new user's phone number, IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), and the BlackBerry’s IMEI. You can then block your device and report the theft to the police providing essential data to retrieve the current user’s identity and location.

An optional second alert is sent some minutes later with the thief's location. If the device has a built-in GPS, and there's GPS coverage at that time, the alert includes the latitude/longitude. In all cases, the application tries to retrieve also the area code and cell ID the phone is currently connected to, for a less accurate positioning.

The software is currently on sale for $8.99.

31,544 cell phones were left in taxis during the first half of 2008, in London and New York alone, according to Credant Technologies. Three quarters of them were reunited with their owners.