was wondering if there was an app out that could possibly use ur thumb or finger print to unlock the phone rather than the design...idk i saw something like a ritna (eye) scan thing...just a thought
Considering that the phone doesn't have a fingerprint reader or a retina scanner, I would say no.
biowallet is coming out with ritna scanner (wat there site says) and it was just a thought
One of my Beta Team Members on XDA is having to sit things out, as some punk bee-hatch stole his Desire S in a pub last Monday.
This got me thinking about how I'd be able to make a thief's life difficult (even though I have insurance) if mine ever got stolen.
Screen lock patterns are important! I know they can be a pain, but any other security measures mentioned below are useless if a thief can simply go into your settings and delete your Google account. Most people are familiar with smartphones now.
I already have tracking ability courtesy of Lookout Mobile Security. I highly recommend this as even the free version also provides scanning of apps for malware/viruses. When installed though, it's important to go into settings, select 'Missing Device' and enable 'Better Protection'. It gives the app admin rights so that you can Lock and Wipe your phone remotely, and makes the app harder to uninstall.
If you don't have this when your phone is stolen, all is not lost yet. As quickly as you can, get to a PC and log into the Android Marketplace, and remotely install something from the same makers of Lookout Mobile Security called Plan B. This will install on your phone and provide the same tracking/locking/wiping features of Lookout. It has the added trick of e-mailing you location updates every 5 minutes in case the phone is on the move. It has gotten some very glowing reviews from people who have followed their stolen phone to a thief's house!
OK but what if your thief gets indoors before you can turn the GPS on to track it? Here is where the next app (combined with a screen lock pattern) gives you another option. I've decided it's well worth the £2. Just in case the tracking software doesn't get a decent GPS lock. The police wont want to search a 1km radius from a cell tower triangulation!
It is called GotYa! Face trap! Every time a thief makes a failed attempt at cracking my screen lock pattern, the phone takes a quiet photo with the front-facing camera, and then e-mails it to me! It works! I love it! It's the first time I've found a proper use for the front facing camera. I don't video call. If you live in an area like mine, the police are very aware of who the usual suspects are, and sending them a mug-shot is definitely worth a try. They have to go outside sooner or later (possibly to take your phone to a shop to get it wiped) and it's all extra ammo in case they (and they will) deny all knowledge of having your phone.
Lookout Mobile Security: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout&feature=search_result
Plan B: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb&feature=more_from_developer
GotYa! Face trap!: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.myboyfriendisageek.gotya&feature=more_from_developer
Don't forget though, it's all for nothing if someone can get into you settings in the first place! Screen Lock!
Please add any other security apps/measures that you have found successful.
Edit 11/10/11: In further scouring of the Market for more security based apps, I have come across another one that I feel deserves a mention. It is called Visidon AppLock. It is another app for locking certain areas of your phone down, but this one uses face recognition software to determine if the owner of the phone is the one holding it. It’s another nice use of the front-facing camera.
Once properly set up it is very fast at recognising your fizzog when you try to access one of the specified protected areas. The face-training part is quite well done. So far it is proving fast and reliable enough to not prove a nuisance after already having got past a lock pattern. It’s only weakness is that it will obviously require a certain amount of ambient light to tell who it is looking at. It becomes unreliable in low light, but intelligently the developers will not allow you to set the security before first choosing a manual password to bypass the camera if light levels do not allow face recognition.
In fairness it could be more use as an alternative to a lock pattern if you just don’t like the idea of entering one every time you wake the phone up, as you only need to lock down certain areas of your phone. Again, intelligently the developers of this app make the ‘Settings’ and ‘Market’ locked by default, but you should also add any file explorers, titanium backup, or any other app which would allow a thief to remove/delete files, apps or accounts. It’s then up to you if you want to lock down your e-mail/sms/gallery.
Visidon AppLock: https://market.android.com/details?id=visidon.AppLock&feature=search_result
I will try GotYa!, SSounds Interesting ..
Nice Effort Mate
Liking the sound of that GotYa app lol
Defo gonna give it a try.
Nice guide too
Thanks! Nice Guide!
But I wonder if sombody ever had a real Virus on his Android device?
I heared that in the news sometimes, but i never heared from anyone that realy had a problem with a Virus on Android?
Awesome article!
Another useful app is Android Lost which allows you to control many of your phone's functions over the internet or through SMS. It does quiet a lot and is FREE!
I like the idea of this
Maybe a good delaying tactic in GSM based phones would be some kind of bonding material to stick the sim car in but can be taken off by the owner when needed!
f0xy said:
I like the idea of this
Maybe a good delaying tactic in GSM based phones would be some kind of bonding material to stick the sim car in but can be taken off by the owner when needed!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Gotya! App can send a text to another phone if the sim card is swapped out.
Sent from my HTC Desire S using xda premium
wnp_79 Like the sound of Gotya! have been using the paid version of Lookout for a few months now and really do like it and think it is worth the money.
EDIT Just bought Gotya! and tested it out on one of the daughters ,the lengths you go to to get a pic of your teenage daughter lmfao.
Seriuosly though this looks a really good app and also set it up to post pics to my facebook wall as well as my emails
Isn't there any app that would provide location info by triangulating off cell towers? For the indoor case.
ando roido said:
Isn't there any app that would provide location info by triangulating off cell towers? For the indoor case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the face trap does give a cell tower location of gps is unavailable. Its not much use though. In my area it would mean hundreds of houses!
Sent from my HTC Desire S using xda premium
But it would narrow down list of villains a lot though
Nice tips but useless in 90% of the theft situations. From my experience and alot of discussions regarding this subject, FIRST thing a thief is doing afer stealing a phone is to...take out the battery and power off the phone.
No software or tracking method cand be used in this case unfortunately. The thief doesn't care about your calendar or agenda (there are some rare situations when you're a public person or something but this is not the point here), it cares about the phone itself and how to sell it quickly and make some easy money. More than that, the thiefs are usualy in a group that has at least one (or connection to) a phone "specialist", good enough to reflash your phone and install some other blank new ROM on it.
And to be honest, if I get my phone stolen, my last concern is what the thief is going to do with it....the thing that bothers me alot is that I don't have my phone anymore.
Very good information, helpful for protecting your phone when you live in dodgy areas
just tried out the vidison facelock, and it works really well and quickly, so it doesn't really bother in daily usage... definately a nice way to provide my work e-mails some added security...
Kaspersky Mobile Security 9 have Anti-Theft solution.
Remotely Block your phone if it is lost or stolen. Just send a predefined SMS to your phone and your device will be blocked and no-one will be able to access its contents. You can even choose to remotely Wipe your data.
NEW! Set a prearranged message that will be displayed on the screen if the smartphone is blocked, allowing any law-abiding citizen that finds your smartphone to return it to you.
You can locate your smartphone using GPS Find. Just send an SMS with the appropriate password to the missing device and you will receive a link to Google Maps showing the exact location of the device.
The first thing a thief normally does is to remove your smartphone’s SIM card. If the SIM is replaced, SIM Watch will immediately block the device and send you an email with the new number.
I don't know is this enough to protect phone but I also know that you can find it via police and court...
I've been using Prey on the laptop for years and it works excellent and free, I'm hoping Prey Anti Theft from the market will do the same for the phone, also free.
HTC Desire S~Tapatalk
thanks good info was looking for this for a while.
must have GotYa! great post..
for desire s owners in the philippines (preferably globe telecom) i am not sure if this can also protect you from thieves. but i've been thinking about globe's sim retention program. you can sim lock your phone and if it gets lost. just rush into any globe service center and pamper yourself with a no cost sim retention program.
just my two cents
https://market.android.com/details?...DEsImNvbS5sbWF4aS5hbnRpdGhlZnRpbnN0YWxsZXIiXQ..
Hi,
My boss always forget something what did he say. Finally I get help by a seamless app which records any voices by just flipping the phone face down. So wicked!!!!
Another good feature is that it will not activate the wicked function when you put the phone in the pocket/handbag. I don't know how it does, but it works.
There are many other settings you can tune for the flip down sensitivity.
This good app is called "flip over", locate it by just enters the name in android market search.
Enjoy ....
Easily track who unlocked your device without your permission for FREE.
With Intruder Photo Log, you can see when other people looked at your device, and how long they spent on it.
Jealous boyfriend or girlfriend? no worries with this app you will be able to know when they are snooping on you phone.
Intruder Photo Log offers ability to set up a pin to keep the logs secure for unwanted eyes. Pictures taken will not appear in the phone gallery and are secured within the app.
Include the following features:
1. Logs include, Photo taken from Camera, Data and Time & Duration of the time spent on the device.
2. Set up a pin code to ensure that no one but you can see the log.
3. Configure the amount of days you want to save.
4. Save or delete specific logs.
5. Share logs with friends.
6. Smart unwatched logs notification to remind you to review the log.
7. Hidden camera that take photos in a selfie style anytime you open your device.
Make sure the your device is secured and you privacy is guarded with Intruder Photo Log!
Google play link
Thumbs up mate ! will review soon , Cheers !
Nice app
Can you add option to disable the app?
In some cases i want to shut it down without uninstalling it
Thank you!
Yes we added this option in the latest version
Checkout the new video!!!
I've seen pictures of my ex on this app and also of myself when I drew the pattern wrong but I'm wondering how accurate it is. Does it take a picture if someone just handles my phone? My ex swares he was just plugging it in for me because he was being nice because my charger was messed up. We are still friends but not if he's trying to snoop.
Dear Friends,
I wanted to make simple game which will help me to use the Fingerprint sensor.. I just made an game and posted over Google play I need your help to check weather it works on Samsung S7 EDGE FP Sensor..
App link - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.futuregames.fingerpac&hl=en
Tap either fingerprint scanner or the screen to jump and survive without hitting the danger wall.
Please note fingerprint tap jump works only android M and above devices. Below android M devices can still play the game by tapping on the screen.
Please keep me posted your feedback or suggestion to improve the game.
Look forward hearing from you.
unique game.. will give a try!
update:
so far unique and funny game, simple but addictive:good:
just tried the game, want ask first question. what is the puposed of the red box in the middle of area? it's like should i avoid the red box? but when i accidentally hit it, nothing happened
Security risk?...
I think people will need some reassurances. Interesting idea though.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Interesting idea, having to touch the screen on bounce did hinder gameplay slightly. I'll check it out :good:
Version 1.0 can access:
Identity
find accounts on the device
Contacts
find accounts on the device
Photos/Media/Files
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Storage
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Other
receive data from Internet
control vibration
full network access
view network connections
use accounts on the device