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Why cell phone locks and required data plans are unfair

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

Alarm Lock 6.0 Review

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

Keep your Mac's screws from bolting

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

Look Lock a smartphone-holding boom pole for dSLRs

Look over here! The Look Lock lets you mount your smartphone to your dSLR's hotshoe to be used as an external display. Made from aluminum, the rig consists of an articulating arm that allows you to move and rotate your handset (measuring up to 3 inches wide) at any angle.

We can think of some uses for the Look Lock, such as using it as a budget "teleprompter" for video productions, or playing a funny animated clip to get laughs when photographing kids. Another idea would be to record a candid movie with a smartphone while shooting … Read more

Shipoopi adds any app to your lock screen on Android 4.2

With lock screen widgets having been introduced in Android 4.2, developers have been looking for ways to take advantage of the new feature in creative ways. Earlier this week a developer e-mailed me with an introduction to his app, Shipoopi, which allows Android users to add a shortcut to any app to the lock screen of a device.

Admittedly, the name of his app, Shipoopi, has nothing to do with what the app actual does, according to Jonathan Dharmaraj, the developer. The simple app, with a name inspired by a "Family Guy" episode (where Peter sings the … Read more

This lock hides inside your bike frame

Here in bike-friendly Portland, hipsters tend to stash their U-locks in their back pockets, which makes for an unfortunate view for the rest of us -- the heavy-duty locks can make even the skinniest of skinny jeans sag.

Enter the InterLock, which hides inside the bike frame itself and, with just a few days left on the clock, is nearly funded on Kickstarter. (As of this writing, more than 800 backers have pledged almost $37,000 of the $48,000 needed.)… Read more

Want to unlock your phone? Fix the DMCA

This week, a new federal mandate kicked in that makes it illegal for you to unlock a phone that you bought locked from a carrier. The rule states that unauthorized unlocking of a phone you bought -- even if you paid full price for it, minus a carrier subsidy -- is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Specifically, it violates a portion of the law enacted in 2000 that makes it illegal to bypass technology designed to restrict access to a certain product. And that provision has bedeviled consumers, researchers, and lawyers for 12 years -- it's … Read more

Secure your media on a smartphone with Gallery Lock

The security of one's media often happens to be an overlooked subject. Gallery Lock provides that extra layer of security. While useful to some, Gallery Lock tends to save its premium features for those willing to pay for the pro version.

Setting up Gallery Lock seems painless and takes very little time. This app presents easy-to-read, modern-looking menus that most users will find attractive. Sharp white text and colorful photos break up a black background. The general idea is that photos will be imported into a separate, secure gallery. This gallery is then protected with a password and the … Read more

Lookout locks down your cam, lock screen

If somebody tries and fails to access your phone three times, Android phones running today's update to Lookout Mobile Security (download) will be able to take a photo of the culprit.

Two new features today bolster the app's already robust security options. The Lock Cam feature -- which Lookout said in a blog post announcing the changes will be rolled out over the next week to free users -- takes a photo using your phone's front-facing camera, records the location data based on your phone's GPS, and then sends the package to your e-mail account.

If … Read more

Unlock your phone with Fingerprint Lock Screen

Unlocking your phone FBI-style with a fingerprint seems like a neat idea, but it's harder than it looks. Fingerprint Lock Screen tries to play on that idea to prank your friends, but it doesn't even work very well at that. If you can even get past the ads to try to set the app up, it's buggy and can be easily worked around.

The app claims it can fool your friends into thinking your phone recognizes your fingerprint. How it's supposed to work is that you scan the image of your fingerprint and add your name … Read more