Stop Thief Keep your phone and data safe from burglars

With mobile phone theft at an all time high, security is a subject that nobody can ignore. Common sense measures like not leaving your phone or tablet unattended will go a long way, but that’s just a start. We’ll look at Android features, third party apps and products that will make your devices harder to steal or, if the worst does happen, improve your chances of getting it back. The risk of theft doesn’t end with the loss of your device. Increasingly, the data on your phone is more valuable than the handset itself. Your photos have sentimental value, but if a thief gets hold of your emails or any spreadsheets relating to fi nance, the consequences are worrying. So we’ll also look at ensuring your personal data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands

Samsung Pay Moving beyond the credit card

The battle of the mobile payment system has been kicked up a notch as Samsung Pay gets rolled out for the first time. Samsung CEO, JK Shin, has said that users should be able to use their mobiles to pay for goods at nearly every merchant location where you can swipe a credit or debit card. This is because it uses the same technology that most cards do The major development for Samsung Pay is that it also supports store cards and membership cards, so you needn't carry a load of cards around with you as anything that can be swiped should work when loaded onto the phone. This is the first time a payment system will support anything other than the standard credit and debit cards. So Samsung have scored a major coup here in the great battle between it, Android Pay and Apple Pay

How do I know if a house has good signal before I buy it ?

Good signal is atough thingto quantify. You can get greatcall signal in an area, but no 36 whatsoeye|L, while someone on Vodafone can be enjoying superfast 4G speeds and someone else on EE netxt tothem canteven load Twitter. This is because mobile sigialtrayelsinwavesthat arethen disn.ipted byhouses and hills,or absorbed in brickwork. Mobile phone carriers operate on different wayelengdis, sothose using a can'ier that n.ins a low wavelength will gt better signal indoors than someone with a ligh wavelength. Howevehtnnse on a ligher wavelength will get stronger,faster signalon tl"|E occasions that it reaches the phone. |fyou‘re won'ied that an area you’re going in might not get good signalespecially ifyou use your phone forwork, you can clack itout at ofoom.org.ul

How do I improve my launcher ?

My launcher is so heavy it takes aga to load up. How can I speed it up?

Teuchter Loon via Facebook We're afraid there's not a lot you can doto reducethe size ofyourlauncheras it comes in its own package. |“,rou".*e got a rootec phone anc v.-ant to celere some launch apps,then that could save you some time and spaoe. Butthe best solution will almost certainlybe downloading an alternative launcher and running that instead. We imagine you're currently running something like TouchWizor Sense. which do take a fairwhile to boot up. Sooneofa numberof alternative launchers from the Google Play store should be enough to dothe business. our favorite launcheris almost oertainlyNova Launcher. This is a su|:-erlightweight and basic launcher that should oomfortably load guicker than whateverstandardlamcher you‘re ri.nnirg atthe moment. The apex Launcheris another excellent option that will enable you to have upto nine homescreens. it's also a smooth operator. |t’s a shame thatyou can‘t really customise the stock launchers. beyond addirg andremoving widgets, but it is luckythatthere are ple nty of altem atives out there for you to choose from

Sound the alarm Set off a siren if someonepicks up your device

We’re used to car alarms that sound if a vehicle is tampered with and the very same is available for Android devices. This way you can protect your phone when you’re out and about, without having to watch it like a hawk at all times.

Get Anti Theft Alarm
Install Anti Theft Alarm and make sure you pick the one from Mmaps mobile as there are several with the same name. Without any setting up, you’re ready to activate one or both of two alarm conditions.

The motion alarm 
To use the motion alarm, select the motion icon and touch ‘Activate alarm’. A countdown starts so put your phone on a solid surface before it expires. Touch Stop Alarm before picking it up, otherwise the alarm will sound.

The charger alarm 
The charger alarm sounds if the phone is unplugged from its charger. Select the charge icon and touch ‘Activate alarm’. When it’s unplugged, the alarm sounds unless you’ve disabled it first. If it sounds, touch the button to turn it off.

Make it more secure 
Often a burglar will not hang around to try and turn off an alarm, but he might run off with your phone. Make it more secure using a PIN or pattern to silence the alarm. Touch ‘No protection’ and then select Pin or Pattern from the menu.

Top tips to keep your Android safe

1. Don’t advertise to a thief 
It doesn’t take long to take a phone out of your pocket if a call or text comes in, so don’t keep it always in your hand in full view to a potential thief when you’re walking down the street.

2. Pick more than one 
Here we look at several ways of protecting your phone and data, but you don’t have to pick just one. Use several methods to foil a burglar, certainly include at least one to protect your hardware and another for your data.

3. Take a picture of your thief 
Although Android has a built-in Device Manager to track down a stolen phone, third party apps like Prey do much more. With this app, for example, you can grab a photo of whoever is using your missing phone.

4. Report it stolen 
If your phone is on a contract, report it stolen as soon as you notice it’s missing, otherwise a burglar could rack up a huge bill in calls for which you’d be liable. Keep a contact number for your network at hand for this purpose.

5. Insurance 
Make sure your phone is insured. Check up whether your devices are covered on your household policy when they’re out of the house and, if not, consider a policy specifi cally for mobile devices.

Hardware anti theft solutions

Apps are great, but accessories can help keep your phone physical secure

Mark Gear Invisibly
Smart Water (smartwater.com) mark gear witih an inivible liquid, detectable in UV light. Each batch is unique so the police can fi nd who the stolen objects belong to.

Lock It Down
Laptops have slots for security cables to fasten them to immovable objects. Phones and tablets don’t have slots, but Maclocks sell add-ons.

A Proximity Alarm
The Kensington Proximo Key Fob (kensington. com) contacts your phone via Bluetooth. If your phone is separated, an alarm sounds. Only works with Samsung Galaxy phones.