Mobile Security - 2/3 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Sep

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 15] Kaspersky Mobile Security Offers Familiar Security Features, Adds Few New Twists

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Applications, Mobile Security App Shootout

Kaspersky, a huge name in computer security, not only protects your home and office computers, but your Android device as well. Kaspersky Mobile Security, now in its 9th revision, is a robust app packing anti-virus, anti-malware, call blocking, and theft/loss protection into one lightweight package.

At A Glance

Kaspersky's security solution for Android comes in a relatively lightweight app, costing only 1.5MB in storage. The app's loss/theft protection relies totally on SMS commands, meaning your phone is still protected even if data is turned off. Personally, I always like to see an online interface option, because it makes using the app that much easier in case you've lost your handset and don't have someone with a cell phone handy to send commands to your device.

Sep

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 14] ESET Mobile Security RC Still In Development, Offers Strong Features Nonetheless

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

The developers behind the already popular ESET Security solutions for various desktop platforms is responsible for the next entry in our Mobile Security App Shootout: ESET Mobile Security for Android. Before we get started with reviewing the app, it's important to note that right now ESET for Android is in its Beta stage, and the app available on the Market is a Release Candidate, meaning it's not quite finished yet. The good news, however, is that the app is free throughout its stages in beta. ESET's other mobile solutions (for iOS and Symbian) run about $30.00/year.

At A Glance

ESET Mobile Security is a well-designed, easy to use app.

Sep

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 13] Trend Micro's Mobile Security Personal Edition Provides Strong, Basic Protection

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Trend Micro, the company that "Secures Your Journey To The Cloud" with an extensive line of security products for home and business, also offers a mobile security solution for Android users, called simply Mobile Security Personal Edition. This app is what we'll be discussing in the thirteenth installment of our Mobile Security App Shootout.

At A Glance

Within Trend Micro's security app we find another smoothly designed, well functioning security solution that sets up quickly and is exceedingly easy to use. The phone app has a nice set of features, but the real practicality in Mobile Security Personal Edition is its loss/theft protection.

Sep

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 12] Webroot Mobile Security Pairs Useful, Unexpected Features With Functional, Reliable Controls

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Applications, Mobile Security App Shootout

Webroot Software Inc. are the developers behind the popular security solution of the same name for desktops, and have brought the same protection to Android users with Webroot Mobile Security. This app, unlike its desktop counterpart, has features specifically for lost or stolen devices, giving the user the ability to track, lock, and wipe the device remotely from the handy online console.

At A Glance

Webroot Mobile Security has a free version and a paid version coming in at $14.99. The free version is only different in that its features list is more constrained than in the full version. I go back and forth on whether this app is worth the price -- on the one hand there are free apps that do much more for lost and stolen devices; on the other hand, Webroot is a trusted name, and the app comes with antivirus/malware protection and a handful of other features that I haven't seen combined with a security app yet.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 10] Anti-Virus From AVG Mobilation Can Handle Loss, Theft, And Malware With Ease

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Looking to protect your mobile devices as well as it protects your computer, AVG has cooked up Anti-virus, available in free version, or a Pro offering for a one-time payment of $9.99. It's an app that not only helps you locate your lost device, but also protects your phone or tablet in real time by scanning apps, web pages, and settings to be sure you're safe.

At A Glance

AVG's anti-virus/security app comes in a small package but packs a lot of features. It installs easily and goes right to work scanning your apps for malware.

You can easily register your device for remote control and in seconds you'll receive an email with a link to the online console, which is exceedingly easy to use and has a total of just 7 buttons which do everything you could want security-wise.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 8] Overvi3w Provides Intuitive, Feature-Rich Experience In A Discreet Package

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Overvi3w from Unfairware is our next entry in the Mobile Security App Shootout, bringing a nice set of features for free (and a bevvy of other features with a subscription) in a lightweight, battery-friendly package.

At A Glance

Unlike the past two apps in the Shootout, Overvi3w relies on an online interface to remotely control and receive data from your phone. The app itself installs pretty quickly and is out of your hair after that - it automatically hides itself after setup (if you reboot), making it more secure against clever thieves.

The online interface has much the same aesthetic as the phone-side app, providing a slick orange-and-grey look that is pretty much self-explanatory as far as utilization is concerned.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 7] Where's My Droid Will Help Find Your Lost Phone, But Probably Won't Do Much If It's Stolen

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Utilizing the same phone-centric implementation that we've just covered with PhoneLocator, Where's My Droid by alienmanfc6 is a light-weight, free security app that promises to help you recover your lost Android device.

At A Glance

As with most other security apps, Where's My Droid sets up with ease, asking only your name and zip code, and automatically using the email address of the Google account connected with your device. Likewise, WMD uses your Google account to push information to your phone once it receives an SMS containing a keyword for the desired command. The implementation of ads into the app was off-putting at first, but it's no hassle to bypass them with a single button press.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 6] PhoneLocator Pro Ditches Online Interfaces For SMS-Based Controls, Offers Detailed Reports And Advanced Location Tracking

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

PhoneLocator is the latest entry in the Mobile Security App Shootout, coming to Android users from the developers at RVO. Another loss/theft-focused app, PhoneLocator has most of the normal features that we've seen before, but with a slight twist in functionality that may make or break the app for some users.

At A Glance

The app comes at a very low one-time payment of €1.99 (or about $2.84) and installs very quickly. The twist I mentioned earlier is that PhoneLocator has no online interface and therefore relies on your email address or a second phone number to relay information and receive commands.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 5] Prey Anti-Theft Pairs Basic Security With An Innovative Approach And Coverage For Multiple Devices (Including Laptops And Tablets)

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Prey Anti-Theft is an open source cross-platform app focused on helping you monitor and locate your lost or stolen device that offers a very unique set of features among its competitors, and implements those features in an even more unique manner. One very important note about Prey is that it offers support for all your devices - not just Android, but Windows, Mac, and Blackberry as well. This makes it a very apt solution to protecting all your devices. Prey also offers trial functionality that allows the budget-conscious user to use just about everything it has to offer, but allows a limited number of "reports" and supported devices (more on reports later).

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 3] Cerberus Faithfully Guards All Your Devices With Ease

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Developer LSDroid has raised the bar in our Security App Shootout series with the popular security app Cerberus. Another app looking to help those who dread the thought of their lost or stolen device out there all alone, Cerberus brings a lot to the table while maintaining a relatively low price point.

At a Glance

Playing off the name of the guard dog of Greek and Roman myth, Cerberus’ name alone gives a good first impression among security apps. Installing is your standard procedure -- choose a username and password and, well, that's it. As with the other apps we’ve covered so far, the real functionality of the app comes into play at the online dashboard.