[How to] Lock applications on your Android device

Smartphones are getting smarter day-by-day with cool new features but the major concern with them is the privacy. From your smart phone, you might want to access your personal mail accounts, bank accounts. etc. Are they safe? Though Android supports different ways of screen locking security options (Pattern, Pin, Password), they work as a master key for the entire device. ES Security Manager is a free app which helps you to keep your private data and apps safe.

Steps to password protect your app

• Install ES Security Manager from the Android market. If you use App Brain for managing your applications, install it from here.
• Open the application. It offers three services:
  • Application Protector – Adds password to protect app privacy.
  • Threat Detector – Detects if there are any threats on your system.
  • Remote Locker – When phone is lost, lock it remotely, get its location,contacts,SIM card info,SMS back.
• Click on ‘Application Protector’. You can either use a password or a pattern to lock your application. Choose a password or pattern.
• Lock the applications you wanted to protect. Whenever someone opens the locked application, he / she will be prompted to enter the password.
• ES Security Manager helps you to keep your private data and apps safe.

-- Varun

SPARSH - Touch to copy, Touch to paste

SPARSH is a research project worked upon by Pranav Mistry of the MIT Fluid Interfaces group. The project SPARSH explores a novel interaction method to transfer data from one digital device to another device in a real fun way using the underlying cloud. Touch to copy the data and touch on another device to paste the saved content. "Touch whatever you want to copy. Now it is saved conceptually in you. Next, touch the device you want to paste/pass the saved content." Technical details and the timeline of this project are not yet available.

-- Varun

[Review] IP Webcam – Turn your phone into a network camera

Earlier, I have reviewed two applications “USB Webcam” and “DroidCam Wireless Webcam” for turning your phone into a web cam. “IP Webcam” is another application which does almost the same but in a better way. The best thing about this app is its support for multiple view options. You can view the video feeds of your phone from a browser or stream it on your favorite media player.

Steps to setup IP Webcam

• Install the app from Android market. If you use App Brain for managing your applications, install it from here.
• Open the app from your device.It will open the settings page.
• Specify an user name and password if you want to password protect your video feeds.
• Choose the desired image size and frame rate.
• Choose the TCP port (Default: 8080). Don’t change this field if you are not sure about what you are doing. (IP Webcam will start a server on your device and listen to this specified port)
• Click on ‘Start server’. This will start the server on the specified port and will start streaming your video feed.
• The server information will be shown at the bottom of the page after it is started. Visit the page from your browser to view the video feed and other viewing options.

Highlights

• Multiple view options.
  • Stream it on your favorite media player like VLC
  • Use Java browser plug-in and view it on browser
  • Use JavaScript to update frames in browser
  • Use browser’s built-in viewer
  • Connect to PC for use with Skype and other video chats
  • Take immediate photo.
• No need to setup server on your laptop.
• Easy to setup the Windows driver.
• Ability to change the image size and the frame rate.

Lowlights

• The app drains more battery if you allow it to stay awake. (But, its quite acceptable though)

In short, IP Webcam is an excellent piece of work by the developer Pas. Really appreciate it. If you like this app, please rate the app from the Android market.

-- Varun

Crochet Doily Art Car

Its been a while but this Crochet Doily Art Car was found Prague and its an old Skoda Octavia Combi was well worth the wait.via

Nexus One OTA – Android 2.2.1 FRG83D build Part 1

I received an OTA update this morning. The update is the first one of a two-part System update. This part is required to prepare the device to receive the new Android System. The second update containing the new Android System will be received soon after. This confirms that Android 2.3 GingerBread is coming to Nexus One soon. :) Update: This has turned out to be yet another disappointment for Nexus One owners who are waiting for Android 2.3 code named as GingerBread. Both the updates are related to Android 2.2.1 FRG83D build. People who have got the second update confirmed the same. Thanks to @sreekanthnaga for the info. Apologies for the misleading information. I wish Google sends out more technical details in the OTA updates. I originally thought that the first update was for FRG83D and the next one for Android 2.3.

-- Varun