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Top 10 Best Android Cloud Apps for Data Storage

Posted by Unknown Selasa, 30 Juli 2013 0 komentar

Cloud storage was once a confusing technology breakthrough but more and more data saving is being done through online storage instead of traditional hard drives or USB’s. While many people might be familiar with Google Drive, the online cloud storage leader, there are a number of other Android apps that perform similar tasks. The shift to cloud storage is going from strictly files saved on a hard drive to preserving photos and apps from smartphones. Some of the top cloud apps for Android phones and tablets include:

Dropbox

One of the best Android apps for people who work online or do a lot of business over the Internet is Dropbox, simply because it’s one of the most popular. Many of us already use the Dropbox feature for PC’s to share information and now the service spreads among Android devices. Dropbox users are granted 2GB of free space initially with the ability to move up to as much as 16GB. Any type of file that is stored on a computer can be saved to Dropbox including Word documents, pictures, and even videos.

Download Dropbox from Google Play

Box

The Box application is successful because of two main traits – size and ease of use. With up to 5GB available users can conceivably store their spreadsheets or word processing documents for the rest of their lives. Users who aren’t particularly familiar with cloud storage have also reported that the navigation and functionality was very easy to pick up. Users on the Box service are granted 5GB for free to save documents, flash video (.flv), images (.bmp, .jpg, .gif, .png, etc), audio (.mp3, .wav, .wma, etc), video (.mov, .mpeg, .mp4, etc) and presentations (.ppt, .odp)

Get Box in Google Play

Ubuntu One

Ubuntu One is a great way to store family photos from over the years in the cloud to ensure that they’ll be protected. Users can utilize the auto upload feature so that every pic taken from an Android device will be sent to the Ubuntu server. U1 can also be set up so that every photo taken in other apps such as Instagram will be sent to the server as well. The app also works as a central location to sync apps such as Google +, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Those using Ubuntu One are granted 5GB of storage with the ability to purchase packs of 20GB extra at a time to store files, music, video, and photos.

Try Ubuntu One

IDrive

While IDrive might sound like it’s set up for an Apple iPhone; it is actually one of the top Android cloud apps for online data backup. The app is mostly used to backup the contents stored directly on a phone such as contacts, photos, calendar appointments, etc. for an easy restore. Basic users of IDrive can enjoy 5GB of free storage with the ability to upgrade to personal or business accounts with 100+ GB available. The service works as a computer backup so virtually any file type saved on a computer can be stored in the IDrive cloud.

IDrive is available at Google Play

SugarSync

For those users that aren’t constantly online with their Android devices, the SugarSync apps allows them to access files while not connected. Sugar Sync also has one of the best searching features if users have a large amount of data stored over multiple computers. The standard 5GB is available with free SugarSync account to save work files, photos, videos, and music across multiple devices besides the phone.

Get SugarSync from Google Play

Amazon CloudDrive

While the Amazon Cloud Drive mostly supports uploading of photographs, the future is seemingly endless. Users may be able to preserve some of their purchased videos or e-books for access on any device, giving them another option besides their Amazon account. The free version of Amazon’s cloud service includes 5GB of storage for .jpg, .bmp, .png, .gif and other file types. It should be noted that .mp3 music files purchased from Amazon aren’t counted towards the data storage limits.

Install Amazon CloudDrive for Android

ZipCloud

ZipCloud comes with an unlimited amount of storage space for one low monthly plan. This system is user friendly and can be set up to automatically sync to your computer on a daily basis with no prompt from the user. With ZipCloud you are able to upload files up to 1GB free of charge. If you need more storage you can take advantage of their 75GB, 250GB and Unlimited monthly subscription plans.

Download ZipCloud from Android phone

JustCloud

JustCloud has been dubbed as a “Simply Brilliant Backup Service” from many cloud reviewers. Some of the appealing features JustCloud offers are file versioning, file sharing, and the ability to have a synchronized automated backup performed. With JustCloud, the hassles of flash drives, external hard drives, and even portable storage devices are obsolete. JustCloud comes with 14 days of free trial and 3 package options: Home Plan – 75GB, Premium Plan – 250GB, Unlimited Plan – Unlimited GB. You can upload all file types to JustCloud, even .exe files.

Get JustCloud in Google Play

SkyDrive

One thing that Android cloud storage searchers must look for is longevity. As users of ZumoDrive will attest, cloud storage doesn’t do much good if the company shuts down. SkyDrive is operated by Microsoft which means it should stick around for a while and also offers more support for Excel, Powerpoint, and other Office documents that might be stored on a smartphone. New SkyDrive users are granted 7GB of storage for photos and specifically Microsoft Office file types (.doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.)

Install SkyDrive on Android device

Google Drive

Again, familiarity usually breeds success and Google Drive is constantly integrating their service with the Google+ accounts and other services that they’ll own in the future. Many online companies are working with Gmail, Google Docs, and other services that can be best stored and viewed right within Google Drive. Google has merged their services to include 15GB of storage across Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google +, and Google photos and also supports virtually every file type including .PDF”s and Microsoft Office documents.

Download Google Drive

Cloud Storage truly offers something for every Android user, from the simple photography aficionado to somebody running their online Fortune 500 Company on the road.

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13 Android Tips and Tricks You Must Know

Posted by Unknown Senin, 24 Juni 2013 0 komentar

Unless you're a geek, there's probably a lot of stuff you don't yet know about Android smartphones. And even if you are one, there might still be a thing or two to learn about the world's most popular mobile OS – things like how to make Google Maps available offline, how to manage an Android smartphone remotely, and how to track the whereabouts of a missing or lost handset, to name a few. Regardless of how knowledgeable you are about Android and its peculiarities, checking out our list of Android tips and tricks would be a good idea. Let us know in case you've learned something new and don't hesitate to share some of your Android experience with us all down in the comments!

1. Monitor what's using your data

Chances are that your smartphone is almost always connected to the internet, be it over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G. Do you know what apps consume most of that data? If not, then try Android's built-in data usage monitor, available from the Settings menu, or just get an app for the job – Onavo Count or Traffic Monitor Plus. Keep an eye out for data-hogging apps.

2. Keep your storage space clean and tidy

It seems like the on-board storage space on smartphones is never enough. That's why moving your stuff – music, videos, apps – onto a microSD card is a good idea. Also, try to get rid of apps and games that you don't use since these occupy space as well. Just go to Settings > Apps and uninstall whatever software isn't needed. To get a better idea as to what files and folders really take up the most storage space, get DiskUsage from the Play Store. It represents visually each folder with a rectangle – the bigger the rectangle, the more space it occupies. Then just move or delete all the stuff you don't need using a file manager. ES File Explorer is one we'd recommend.

NOTE: Don't delete any files or folders unless you're absolutely sure they aren't in use by an app or the operating system!

3. Monitor what apps are loaded and running

When a smartphone is turned on, it loads a whole bunch of apps and services that run in the background. Most (if not all) of these are harmless, but others just sit there, taking up memory and keeping the CPU busy. Autorun Manager is one of the apps that can show you what software is loaded on start-up and what's running on your device. Feel free to disable or uninstall apps that you don't need.

4. Avoid suspicious ad-supported apps

We have nothing against ad-supported software, but some apps take that concept to the extreme, with ads being displayed on the notification bar. Some even add links to shady search engines to your home screen and suspicious bookmarks to the browser. These apps should be avoided since their ads consume data and battery life, not to mention that they might put your private information at risk. To see what ad-supported apps you have installed on your Android device, give Lookout Ad Network Detector a try.

5. Monitor apps' battery usage

There is a built-in battery monitoring tool in the Android operating system, accessible by going to Settings > Battery. Keep an eye out for apps that consume excessive amounts of power without being used that often.

6. Make parts of Google Maps available offline

In case you use Google Maps on a regular basis, you might want to save frequently viewed areas for offline use. That will save you data whenever Wi-Fi isn't available. To do that, open the menu in Google Maps, tap on "Make Avaliable Offline" and select the area you want to cache onto your device. Note that saved areas may be up to 100MB in size.

7. Monitor the permissions of installed apps

Do you know what kind of information your apps have access to? If not, Clueful Privacy Advisor is the app you should consider downloading. It scans your Android device for suspicious apps, including apps that may leak your passwords, phone number, and other sensitive data.

8. Know how to track a lost or stolen phone

In case you have not heard of these already, there are Android apps capable of tracking a lost or missing smartphone – apps like Lookout, which is also a good anti-virus tool, and Where's My Droid. Just make sure you have these installed and configured before actually losing your phone.

9. Automate your phone

Your phone is smart enough to mute itself while you're at work, to turn the Wi-Fi and 3G off at night, and to do all kinds of stuff automatically. you just need the right app for that – an app like AutomateIt, Tasker, or Phone Schedule, to name a few.

10. Try an alternative virtual keyboard

Not entirely happy with your smartphone's on-screen keyboard? Well, there's plenty of alternatives to try, including SwiftKey, TouchPal, Swype, and many more.

11. Get an SMS counter

Obviously, this tip is for people who don't have unlimited text messages included in their monthly plan. To them we recommend trying the SMS Counter app, which will keep count of both incoming and outgoing text messages.

12. Take over your notification light

In case you have a notification light on your phone, you may customize the alerts it displays using the Light Flow app. And in case you don't have one, make your camera's LED light flash at specific events with the Flash Notification app.

13. Cut the wires

There's this neat application called AirDroid, allowing one to manage their Android smartphone from a computer over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G connection. In other words, with this app you can access your phone from a PC and then copy files from and onto your smartphone, send text messages, install or uninstall apps, view photos, music, video files, and much more.

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5 great apps to customize your Android home screen experience

Posted by Unknown Rabu, 05 Juni 2013 0 komentar

Of all the great features that come with Android, I think perhaps my favorite is endless customization. If you don't want to root the device to go deep into modifying, there's still so much you can do with just apps. For example, you can give yourself a fancy home screen.

I've gathered a small handful of my favorite home screen apps here, but nothing that requires root access. Rather, these are the sorts of apps you can install and play around with on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Come next weekend, you just might have a completely different-looking Android experience.

Nova Launcher Prime

There are a number of launcher applications that let users override the standard look and feel that comes with the phone's out-of-box experience, but Nova Launcher Prime ($4.00) is one of my favorites. Don't like the preset shortcuts across the bottom of your handset? Not a fan of the app drawer setup? You can change all that.

In a nutshell, Nova Launcher alters the way your phone behaves when tapping the Home button. Specifically, you can define how many panels you have, the number of icons that fit on the home screen, scrolling effects, and much more.

Among Nova Launcher Prime's options is selecting the grid size (number of rows and columns), placing a persistent Google Search bar, and tweaking margins. I love using the launcher's revolving door effect. It looks much cooler than a simple slide. Additionally, users can opt to remove icon labels, allow for widgets to overlap, and lock the desktop in place.

I also appreciate the way I can sort my app drawer, hide unused titles, and organize content into tabs. Other minor touches include infinite scrolling panels, custom grouping, menu transparency, and transitions. Suffice it to say, I'm constantly backing up and restoring fun layouts all the time.

A particularly fun, and easy, way to spice things up is to replace the icons representing apps and games. There are innumerable icon packs or themes that one can download to adjust the overall aesthetics. Some of the more popular ones I've encountered along the way are Tersus, Snack Pack, and MIUI 5. Again, hit up some forums or search Google Play and you'll find some rather inspiring stuff.

Nova Launcher Prime isn't the only option for those looking to customize the home screen; the free version is a great way to take advantage of most options and settings. At nearly 5 million installs, the free Nova Launcher is a popular and feature-rich home screen launcher. Others you may enjoy include Go Launcher EX, Apex Launcher, and ADW.Launcher.

Ultimate Custom (Clock) Widget (UCCW)

As the name implies, the free Ultimate Custom (Clock) Widget app lets users create custom widgets that can be placed on just about any home screen. Regardless of whether you're using a stock launcher or something more tailored, UCCW can enhance the look of your desktop. While it's possible to create your own clock, weather, or battery widget, UCCW can also be used for tweaking notifications, alarms, and other options.

Indeed, it might feel a bit daunting the first few times you try to design your own widget with all your choices for color, transparency, shapes, and fonts. I suggest looking around for templates and already-existing widgets being shared by the community. Poke around the Google Play Store and forums for UCCW UZIP files and go from there.

One of the features I appreciate most is the ability to mimic the feel of other smartphone experiences; it's a breeze to sample the HTC Sense 5 UI or Motoblur without much effort. Once you're feeling confident, try overlapping a couple of widgets (like time and weather) for a nice layered effect.

HD Widgets

If you're the type who prefers to dress up your existing home screen without heavy adjustments, I recommend checking out HD Widgets. As one of the more flexible $2.00 you can spend, this app provides endless widget layouts.

Regardless of whether you're looking to add a full-screen weather and combination widget or a simple app shortcut, HD Widgets does it in style. Users have myriad options to choose from, including text colors, fonts, background transparency, and layout.

The developer, Cloud.tv, recently rolled out an entirely new subset of themed widgets that adds another 60 free templates to the mix. Centered around the aesthetic of Android Jelly Bean, the Colourform pack features Google's Roboto font and even more ways to jazz up the home screen.

SO.HO(SOHO Social Launcher)

If you like the idea of a Facebook Home experience, but aren't quite ready to go all-in, you might enjoy SO.HO., a free home launcher that provides a similar effect.

In addition to displaying Facebook status updates, this app also lets users pull in Twitter and Instagram feeds on the home screen. Indeed, one can Like, tweet, comment, and check-in without having to open the app individual apps. It's a neat way of delivering your social network feeds in one place and it gets better with each iteration.

Setup is painless and you can mix and match wich social media account to pull from. Things work best, however, for those who use all three.

DashClock Widget

Those of you running Android 4.2 may have encountered the ability to create widgets on the lock screen. As one of the more handy features in Jelly Bean, lock screen widgets provide at-a-glance information such as text messages, calendar appointments, and other notifications. The DashClock Widget app takes this to another level with a more customized and robust list of what you can see.

Among other bits of info, DashClock Widget provides users with current local weather, missed calls and unread messages, unread Gmail and/or priority e-mails, and your next calendar appointment. What I like most about this app is that it can deliver all of this on a single panel. Rather than swiping through various screens, DashClock Widget puts it all in one, easy-to-read spot.

Also worth noting is that the app is extensible, meaning it plays nice with other apps. Developers are able to take advantage of extensions that add relevant details to the lock screen. Two such apps that I've found to be helpful are DashClock Keep Extension and DashClock Battery Extension.

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10 Great Free Widgets for Android Phones You Should Try

Posted by Unknown Selasa, 14 Mei 2013 0 komentar

Widgets – you probably got a whole bunch of them pre-installed on your Android smartphone. That's great and all, but did you know that there's tons more for download from the Google Play store? Yup, there's a whole section dedicated to them.

However, not all of those widgets are really worth your time, and going through all that are available can be a tedious process. That's why we decided to save you, guys, some valuable time by shortlisting a handful of great Android widgets. Nearly all widgets picked here come free of charge. Only one widget needs you to pay extra $0.99, which indeed does nothing to you I think. Go check them out and get as many of them as you wish!

Minimalistic Text

Unlike other clock & weather widgets, Minimalistic Text displays information in a very simple, straightforward way. It can be configured to display time, date, battery and weather information. The looks of the widget can be customized to the user's preferences. Combine it with the Barcode Battery Bar widget for the ultimate minimalistic homescreen layout.

Tasks

As the name suggests, Tasks is made to keep one's life organized. Place its widget on your home screen and you'll always have a quick access to your personal to-do list. The application can be synchronized with Google Tasks. While Tasks can be downloaded and used for free, there's a paid version that contains no advertisements.

Google Keep

This is Google's answer to the popular Evernote application. It's made for keeping track of thoughts and ideas by putting them down on notes and lists. Voice and images can be attached to a given note as well.

Power Toggles

Some Android launchers come with toggle buttons built-in. Some phones have a widget dedicated to the purpose. Yet no stock widget is as functional as Power Toggles with its 40+ switches that one can customize and rearrange.

Ultimate custom widget

Want something done right? Do it yourself! With this app you can create a widget of your own displaying time, date, battery or/and weather information. Best of all, no programming skills are required.

Battery HD

Here's a nice battery widget that displays not only a smartphone or tablet's battery level, but also tells you how much usage time you have left, depending on what's the device being used for.

1Weather

Need detailed, reliable weather information delivered to your home screen? Then here's the app to download. It comes packed with customizable widgets of multiple sizes, displaying anything from temperature and wind speed to the forcast for the upcoming days.

Car Widget

This app makes it easier to access apps and features while driving, although you shouldn't really be using your phone behind the wheel anyway. It places huge, easy to press shortcuts to apps on your home screen.

Shady Camera Widget

This sneaky widget is for taking photos of things without the knowledge of the people around you. Use it responsibly and don't blame us in case you get caught! Price: $0.99

Dictionary.com

In addition to being a great dictionary, this wonderful app comes with a widget for quick access to its database. Heard a word you didn't know the exact meaning of? Just look it up! Also, there's a "Word of the day" feature added to the widget.

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Top 10 Android Tips and Tricks to Let You Use Android Devices More Efficiently

Posted by Unknown Senin, 06 Mei 2013 0 komentar

The Android world is sometimes wild, often wonderful, but always fascinating! Chances are the Android OS is a bit different than what you're used to, even if you are moving over from another smartphone platform. We want to help you get settled in and familiar with your phone or tablet as painlessly and quickly as possible, and what better way than to pass along the ten best tips from a bunch of salty old pros?

One thing to note here -- your screen may not look like the screens you see below. Android comes in many different flavors, and while they all are pretty darn good, they do often look and act different. But that's OK! Chances are the instruction that go along with the pictures will work just fine, and if you get stuck somewhere, someone has likely already figured it out for your specific model of phone, and you'll find it in the forums. Besides being generally awesome, Android users are also a pretty crafty bunch of folks.

Tip 1. Use Adobe Flash "on demand"

Plug-ins on demand You've probably heard that Adobe Flash is available for Android devices. Maybe that's even a big part of the reason you've chosen an Android phone -- you want the full web experience on your smartphone. While Flash on a mobile device isn't the big resource-eating monster some make it out to be, it does make web browsing a little bit slower. And let's face it -- a lot of Flash content is punching monkeys to win a prize-style ads, and often we aren't interested in seeing those.

That's an easy fix. Open your web browser, and tap the menu key. Look through the menu until you find the settings. In the browser settings you'll find an entry titled "Enable plug-ins." Tap it, and choose On demand. This way once a web page is loaded, you'll be able to tap any Flash content to view it, and ignore any you don't want to view.

Tip 2. Set your Wifi sleep policy to never

Wifi sleep policyThis one sounds counter-productive, but trust us here. If you have access to Wifi

throughout the day, and use it often, this will help save your battery. Use this tip with a Wifi toggle widget (see the homescreen section below) and it's easy.

On your phone, tap the menu button and choose settings. From the list, choose Wireless & networks, then "Wi-Fi settings". this is where you can choose what Wifi access point to connect to, but there's also some options hidden. To see them just tap the menu button again and choose advanced. What we're interested in is "Wi-Fi sleep policy". Tap it, and set it to "Never". What this does is keep your phone from switching to the 3G or 4G radio when the screen shuts off. Those radios need more power than the Wifi radio does, so any time we can keep Wifi alive we're saving energy. Remember to put a shortcut or widget on your homescreen to quickly turn Wifi on and off for those times when you're not around an access point. This will keep your phone from scanning for available networks.

3. Set up your Homescreens

Add to homescreen You've got several of them, and with Android you can really put them to good use. Besides choosing a picture or a live wallpaper app for your background, there's all sorts of ways to put information and tools right at your fingertips with widgets, shortcuts, and folders.

Widgets are a favorite of many, including yours truly. You can find one for just about anything, ranging from instant weather information to rolling dice. While many are important tools, a lot of them are just plain fun, too. A good number of them will come on your phone, and the Android Market is full of many, many more.

Some apps will add items to the Shortcuts menu, and give you a one-click way to perform the associated tasks. Same goes for folders; included with your phone are a few live folders for contacts and files, but apps like Facebook can give you new ones. Of course, you can also create a regular folder to store app shortcuts in.

To have a look at what's included with your phone as well as anything you've downloaded, just long press on a blank area of your home screen. Choose the option from the list, and drop it somewhere it fits. If you change your mind, Just press and hold on the widget, shortcut, or folder and in a second or two you'll be able to drag it down to the trash can. This doesn't delete the app from your phone, it just removes the content from your home screen.

4. Move apps to your SD card

Move apps to the SD cardSince version Android 2.2 (Froyo), Android has included the ability to move apps from your device's internal application storage to the microSD card you've placed in your phone. Not all apps can be moved -- the developer has to code them properly and things like widgets, live wallpapers and anything else that needs to run as soon as the phone boots up shouldn't be moved to the SD card at all. But things like games and other big apps will usually move right over, leaving only a small bit of information behind.

Moving them is easy as pie. From your homescreen, press the menu button, then choose settings. From the settings menu, choose applications, then Manage applications. Find the app you want to move in the list, and tap it's list entry. If it can be moved, you'll see a button that says "Move to USB storage". Press it, and go!

5. Enable "sideloading"

Unknown sourcesSideloading simply means the installation of apps without going through the official Android Market. That in and of itself is by no means nefarious, as there are several other marketplaces and app stores for Android. There's no need to root or jailbreak your new Android phone to do it, it's a simple affair. Smell that? It's called open :)

From your homescreen, press the menu button and choose Applications from the list. At the top of the screen, you'll see an entry called Unknown sources. Check the box, and read the warning. The warning is real, so be mindful of what apps you download -- there are some folks out there that get a kick out of hurting others. But if you get your apps from somewhere reputable, you'll be just fine.

If you use an AT&T-branded Android phone, you won't have this option. In their infinite wisdom they have decided that not allowing this somehow keeps you safe. But that's easy to work around, just have a look at the Sideload Wonder Machine.

6. Uninstalling downloaded apps

With over 150,000 apps in the Android Market, and countless others from other app stores, you're bound to install something and decide you don't want it any longer. You can uninstall an app tied to your Android Market account right from it's page in the Market, but for those sideloaded apps (and if you want to do it offline) there's an easier way.

From your homescreen, press the menu button and choose Applications from the list. In the next screen, choose Manage applications. Find the app you no longer want in the list and press it's list entry. After that, uninstalling is an easy affair -- just press the button.

7. Copying ringtones to the right place, so they appear in the ringtone menu

Ringtones foldersCustomizing your Android phone with your favorite sounds is easy! Download a few in either .mp3 or .ogg format and save them on your computer. Connect your phone to your computer as described right here and look for a folder named media. If you don't have one, that's not a problem -- just create it. Inside the media folder, you can place your sounds in one of three places; notifications, ringtones, or alarms. Again, if those aren't there just create them. Decide what your sound would be best suited as, and place it in the correct folder. That's all there is to it. Unplug your phone following the direction in the link above, and you'll find your custom sounds bundled in the menu with the built-in sounds, ready to use.

8. Change your screen brightness level

Screen brightnessWe throw words like AMOLED, or Super-LCD around like candy, because Android phones usually come with the latest technology. But no matter what type of screen you may have, there will be times you need to adjust the brightness, and it's quite easy to do.

From your homescreen, press the menu button, and choose settings. From the list that appears, choose Display. Tap the Brightness entry, and from there you can either have the screen change the brightness depending on the surroundings (Automatic brightness setting), or uncheck it and use the slider to set it to a level that's most comfortable for you.

Like we mentioned in the Wifi sleep policy section, this is another great candidate for a widget. One may have been included with your phone, but if not, there are plenty of options in the Android Market. One thing to keep in mind here is that the brighter you keep the screen, the more battery it will use. Choose wisely.

9. Setting individual volume levels for different types of alerts

System volume levelsWhile there's a handy volume rocker on the side of your Android phone, there's also a settings menu that lets you adjust things with a bit more control. It's a great way to make sure you're going to hear your morning alarm, even if you have lowered the ringer volume for class or an important meeting.

From your homescreen, press the menu button and choose settings. In the window that opens, choose Sound, and you'll see a whole slew of options for control of the noises your phone makes. Check them all out, but be sure to tap the Volume entry and you'll get a set of sliders for individual levels for Ringtones, Alarms, Media, and if you like you can set Notifications to their own level separate from the phone ringer.

There are a few other settings that are hidden, including a master volume level. If you need to get to these, you can download apps from the Market that show all the volume levels for the ultimate in control.

10. Password-protect your phone

Password protectionIf you're like any of us, you have your phone with you 24/7. That means there will be plenty of chances to lose it, or even worse to have it be stolen. While the cost of replacing the phone is a big concern, often the chance that someone can get into your stuff is the biggest nightmare.

With Android 2.2 and higher, you have plenty of options for locking your phone. There's the tried and true pattern unlock (which will be the only choice on phones running 2.1 or lower), and we also have the ability to lock via a personal identification number (PIN), or by alpha-numeric password.

To get to the security options, from your homescreen press the menu button, then choose Settings. From there your phone may say Location and Security, or it may just say Security. Security is what we're looking for so choose what's appropriate. Once there, choose Set up screen lock and follow the instructions for whichever method you choose. Once you set your security option, you can set how quickly you want the phone to lock itself. Could be immediately, could be after five or 10 minutes. If you use your phone in a corporate Exchange environment, you may have other options or even set rules to follow, but for most of us this is the best way to keep things safe.

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