lock

Apple may not be able to do anything to stop a mugger from stealing your iPhone, but changes in iOS 7 will prevent the thief from trying to sell the phone as new.

At its Worldwide Developers Conference here on Monday, Apple unveiled several security enhancements. Activation Lock is the most interesting. Though the company didn't go deep into detail on the new feature, Apple's head of Mac software engineering, Craig Federighi, said the feature prevents unauthorized resetting of an iPhone or iPad.

Basically, if the Find My Phone tracking utility has been deactivated, or if the phone … Read more

Speakers Lock grants you more control over your volume, but installs as an ad-supported application; therefore, caution is needed. It will drive your antivirus software up the wall and try to load your computer up with nasty adware. Once you get to the program, itself, it's a little too aggressive with how it takes over your volume; but it performs well.

Since this is an executable program, it might make your antivirus software suspicious. That could be because the program is loaded with nasty add-ons. It tries to change your search and your homepage, and install something called the &… Read more

The smart lock space is suddenly crowded with competitors, each of which want consumers to see their offering as the best way to use a mobile phone to replace the traditional door key.

But with the unveiling of its own smart lock, and an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, the San Francisco startup Goji may have staked out the most desirable position in the space.

Several companies -- including Lockitron, Kwikset and August -- have all announced various approaches to home door locks that can be accessed from a mobile phone. Common features include being able to tell remotely if the door … Read more

How many times have you stood outside your front door, fumbling with your key until you found the right one, or with arms so full of groceries you wish your door would magically open itself? For those people (admit it, that's you,) key-and-lock-maker Kwikset is introducing Kevo, a not-quite-keyless one-touch entry lock for your front door.

With the smart device within about 4 feet of the door, you simply lock or unlock it by tapping your finger (or elbow or nose) on the lock face. An LED ring lights up green when the door unlocks, yellow when it locks, … Read more

If you're trying to keep your texts a secret, Hide SMS can help. It's a stylish lockbox for all of your text messages. Sadly, it only works with plain texts. Apps, contacts, and even picture messages aren't included.

This app shows up as different names on the Google Play store and in your apps locker. You may see it referred to as Hide SMS, Keep SMS, or KeepSafe depending on how you're looking at it. Once you load it, you have to set a four-digit password to get inside. You can lock any conversation in your … Read more

Aside from monopolistic cable providers that force their customers to buy expensive bundles of TV channels they might never watch, wireless operators may be the only other businesses I know of that often force their customers to buy expensive services they don't really want.

In this edition of Ask Maggie, I answer two questions from readers who highlight this point. In the first question, a reader asks if he can avoid hefty international roaming fees by getting his brand-new Samsung Galaxy S4 phone unlocked so that he can use a foreign carrier's wireless service while he is abroad … Read more

Before Apple made "Find My iPhone" free for all users, there were quite a few security apps on the App Store designed to protect your personal information and make it possible to find your phone if it were ever stolen. Released around the time that that transition was happening, Alarm Lock was designed to provide extra features for any users concerned about the security of their iPhone. Should your device become lost, it is designed to help you find it fast.

While Alarm Lock has far more features than Find My iPhone at first glance, the interface makes … Read more

To upgrade your MacBook's RAM or hard drive, or otherwise work on its interior, you'll need to remove the bottom of the case. This is fairly simple to do with the appropriate screwdriver, but when you reassemble the system, even if you do so with expert precision, you may find that a screw is loose or even missing after a while.

The screws holding the bottom case together are fairly small, and while you can tighten them significantly, slight flexing of the bottom cover and chassis (unavoidable on portable systems) may work them loose over time. Additionally, since … Read more