Lookout Security & Antivirus Premium (for Android) 8.13

Lookout has been a stalwart companion in the Android security space, providing protection from malware and anti-theft features all while keeping a down-to-Earth outlook on security. A sleek design, smart features, and good malware support mean it has all the pieces of a solid Android security app.

Free or Premium?
Lookout comes in free or Premium flavors. The free subscription gives you anti-malware protection, backup of contacts, remote locate, and scream. If you simply don?t want to pay for security, Lookout's free version provides sufficient protection against current mobile malware threats.

For $2.99/month, or $29.99 annually, Lookout Premium adds four more features: 2GB of cloud storage to backup your photos and call history, a Safe Browser feature that blocks malicious links it detects in the stock browser and Chrome, a privacy advisor for your apps, and remote lock and wipe. If you really can't find your device, whether it was lost or stolen, the Premium remote wipe and lock features are far more important to have than remote locate and scream.

Revamped Interface
Your start screen displays a dashboard with a live activity feed, and shortcuts to features underneath. The activity feed tells you things like when Lookout last scanned your device for malware, or whether that last app you downloaded was safe. I prefer this to what other antivirus products do, which is to send you constant push notifications every time it does something on your device. Lookout's approach makes it clear that the app is working behind the scenes to keep your device safe.

Lookout also revamped its Web portal (www.lookout.com) from which you can manage all your remote controls, namely remote wipe/lock, backup/restore, remote locate/scream. The site is HTML 5 powered and notably allows you to remotely unlock your phone and even remove your personal information from Lookout's servers.

Recover a Lost or Stolen Device
These days every major Android security suite offers the same basket of recovery options, typically executed through a Web-based admin portal or text message-based command. Like Kaspersky Mobile Security ($14.95/year, $24.95/2 years), Bitdefender Mobile Security ($9.99/year), and Trend Micro Mobile Security ($29.99/year), Lookout lets you remotely lock, wipe, scream, or geolocate your device. Like TrustGo, Lookout allows you to remotely de-activate some of its security features as well.

One thing Lookout does not do is alert you when the SIM card has been removed?a glaring omission since this is usually the first thing a thief does. ?Also problematic is that Lookout's lockscreen can be circumvented if you do not enable Lookout as a device administrator. Without this configuration, it's possible to access the task managers well as the Wi-Fi controls and messages in the notification center. It is not possible to deactivate Lookout. With access to GPS, WiFi, and mobile data controls, an attacker could prevent further security options from being activated on a device secured with Lookout.

However, this problem is easily avoided by granting Lookout device administrator access. You can do this by tapping "Enable Better Protection" button in the Missing Device section the first time you fire up Lookout.

The developers of Lookout have struck me as a careful, prudent bunch and I think the decision to not have you enable administrator access during start up was made with an abundance of respect for how users want to use their device. Viewed one way, it's a good thing that they allow you to activate the anti-theft tools even without device admin. The problem is, I didn't understand the option until my contacts at Lookout pointed it out to me; the average user might not understand it either. I think users would benefit having this option made more obviously accessible. Bitdefender, for instance, uses a red badge to encourage first time users to investigate the anti-theft settings.

Both TrustGo and Trend Micro both allow you to access things you shouldn't when locked, though the latter does a better job of resisting. Of course, you should always keep you Android device secured with a passcode?a point Lookout makes when you unlock it, and one I appreciated being highlighted.

Lookout also emails you photos of a would-be thief taken with your device's front facing camera, but only after an incorrect passcode has been entered three times. Lookout tries to keep unneeded features out of your way, but I prefer apps like Kaspersky that let me remotely trigger photos and stores them online.

Signal Flare and Back Up
A basic requirement for executing any remote locate command mentioned above is that the device has to be turned on. If your battery's dead, well, you're out of luck.

Lookout has a novel feature that increases the chance of finding your device?Signal Flare. This automatically records your phone's location right before its battery dies out. It's not foolproof. For instance if your phone's been stolen, chances are it's not in the same place it was right before it ran out of juice. Or if the phone wasn't connected, then the feature doesn't work at all. Make sure you opt-in.

Lookout also backs up contact data on your phone, which you can restore on a new device. Premium users get a generous 2 GB to backup call history and photos. If you need a more comprehensive backup solution for free, consider the MyBackup app (Free, Google Play) which backs up your apps, app settings, photos, contacts, browser bookmarks, music playlists, text and MMS messages, and system settings.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/6qYp7MRNyjo/0,2817,2418358,00.asp

sandra fluke costa rica Earthquake Costa Rica Clinton speech Michael Strahan Griselda Blanco Michelle Obama Speech