Kudos to the "pattern screen lock" feature

[expidia]

I figured it was time to use a password to protect prying eyes (namely my Wife hahaha) from accessing my Charge's personal info. Unless you actually choose a password that puzzle piece only locks the Charge from the inadvertent and sometimes embarrassing "pocket dial".

I must say coming from a Blackberry the "Pattern Screen Lock" feature is pretty cool.

Menu>settings>Location and security>Change screen lock>Pattern

Choosing a simple swipe pattern eliminates that annoying puzzle piece slide to unlock and changes unlock to a protected swipe pattern you choose yourself.

What I found most cool (and a lifesaver) was the way they built a default way to get back into the Charge if you forget the pattern . . .

When I initially chose a pattern and confirmed it somehow I screwed up remembering what pattern I confirmed was because it wouldn't let me back in. Yikes . . I was panicking because I didn't really want to have to do a factory restore and put everything back into the Charge just the way I had it!

But after somewhere entering like 15 "wrong" patterns (it makes you wait 30 secs after you enter 3 wrong tries too) all of a sudden it came up with a message that if I enter my Google email and password it will let me in . . . And it did . . . How cool was that? This is my first Droid platform so I don't know if older Droids had this or even iphone's but I thought that was great when that message finally came up and I didn't have to do a full restore.

If you are new like me and don't know about "pattern unlock" check it out. It's way better than to have to enter like a string of numbers or letters on the key board to unlock your Charge.

 

[papa54]

why have anything to unlock it other than a glass slide... it can be accessed just like a cpu because it is after all a cpu that happens to have a phone to use ...

 

[geochemical]

But if the intent is to stop the casual alternative user (or typical thief) from accessing your phone and its data, then using the pattern swipe or password is a very wise idea. Like any computer, using a login and password won't stop a determined hash buster or assembly language forensics search, but it will prevent the generally uneducated from stealing your data if they happen to grab your phone. So why discourage smartphone security behavior that stops 99% of the cretins who would steal your data? It's like saying not to lock your doors and windows to deter the common thief.

 

[expidia]

But if the intent is to stop the casual alternative user (or typical thief) from accessing your phone and its data, then using the pattern swipe or password is a very wise idea. Like any computer, using a login and password won't stop a determined hash buster or assembly language forensics search, but it will prevent the generally uneducated from stealing your data if they happen to grab your phone. So why discourage smartphone security behavior that stops 99% of the cretins who would steal your data? It's like saying not to lock your doors and windows to deter the common thief.

This feature is great. I've been using PDA's for like 15 years and most of them had a swipe to lock, but I always hated having to enter a password unlock which protected my data from prying eyes, so I never used one. Blackberries had swipe and lock, but still always pain to fumble getting a password in on it's tiny keyboard.

When a call comes in the puzzle slide to answer still comes up without the need to enter a pattern. And also an emergency call can still be made when the device is locked.

I like your analogy of "why lock your doors with a key?"

I would have thought Android stole this feature from Apple. But it must be a good feature because it seems Apple is stealing it from Android who has had it since their G1:
Apple adds pattern locking to an iPhone app that you can't have? -- Engadget

Apple is already using it on some of their internal computer systems, I bet most of us newer to the Android platform don't even know it's already on our Charge's until they see someone using it on an iphone 5 and say "how cool is that" hahaha

 

[anon(94115)]

Why use it at all? I am with the OP, to stop the wife

 

[dubge]

Or if you are like me and have a group of friends who like to update your facebook status if you happen to turn your back on your phone for a couple of seconds. And let me tell you, we have left some pretty good remarks.

 

[dyslexicbunny]

The only thing you have to remember is to clear the glass if you have oily fingers. Or just smear the pattern.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

 

[anon(94115)]

Or if you are like me and have a group of friends who like to update your facebook status if you happen to turn your back on your phone for a couple of seconds. And let me tell you, we have left some pretty good remarks.

For some reason I never thought of that.....new bar game!