Using an unlock pattern on the MyTouch 3G

As with any good touch-screen phone, the display on the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G will lock after a few minutes of inactivity. It's definitely a needed feature, unless you enjoy it when your phone places random calls while jostling around in your pocket.

As a security precaution, many handsets like the iPhone allow you to use a numeric code to unlock the screen for use. The MyTouch, however, takes a different tack. It lets you unlock your handset by tracing a pattern between a grid of nine dots on the display.

The pattern is customizable and you can change it as often as you'd like. And if you forget your pattern you can unlock the phone using your Gmail address and password.

Compared with just tapping a code, the unlock pattern is a fun and unique way to secure your Google Android device. You'll find the option in your settings menu, but this QuickView video will show you how to set it up.

You guys know that feature's been around since the G1 was introduced, right? It's not a MyTouch feature, it's an Android feature.

[thisislovell]

It's articles like these that occasionally make me wonder how far into a device they go when they review it. Because I been using this feature on my G1 since the day it came out.

[KentGerman]

Yeah, we know it was on the G1. We just added these Quickview video features and we used the MyTouch since that was our most recent Android review.

[soularpower]

From a G-1 owner

I really loved <---- past tense until something happened.

One too many times my son picked up my phone and locked me out from playing with it. Well I guess if you enter too many wrong codes then it locks you out all together. I had to look online to figure out what my options where because typing in my email addy and password wasn't working either. Well you can do a soft reset.

I was happy to have my phone back. The only problem was that any phone number that I hadn't synced to google or my SIM were gone. Along with all my apps. Apps wasn't a big deal cause all I had to do was download them all over again. SIM and memory card were fine. They retained all their info. So until I no longer have toddlers in my household.... I turned off the lock. Even though I loved the feature.

[ryannosaurus-rexx]

A perfect case for a backup solution, like Rerware's My Backup Pro on the Market. Backs up all of your home shortcuts, bookmarks, sms's, mms's, and more. You can even schedule regular backups. Saves the backups to SD card or to the web. Saved my butt a few times now!

[justdaven]

That is not a soft reset, then. That is a Hard reset. There is a difference, as a soft reset is basically turning off an on the phone. No information is lost except in currently running apps.

If it took a hard reset to get you going, then that is not good. I don't use this as it would take concentration during times I may need the phone, while driving for example. Easier to just push the Menu button twice...

[marisol130235]

from a mytouch owner:

i just locked myself out of my phone and tried to log into my gmail account but it keeps on saying that my password or username are invlaid... please help. how do i do a hard reset??

[hathetran]

This application has also been available on Windows Mobile for awhile as well. Its called ThrottleLock.

[trey68]

It's not an add-on application. It's part of the phone's basic software.

[hathetran]

i didnt say it part of the os..im merely saying its available on Windows Mobile as well.

[nyolsson]

you can make the trace of the pattern invisible as well... regardless of the editor's knowledge shown in this article... android rocks.

[KentGerman]

Thanks for your comment, but I actually said that in the video. And as I said above, we're aware that the option is avaialble on the G1.

[hometeam360]

Pressing numbers, or tracing lines - it's all the same...

[play7]

I like mine better........ writting patterns........its more safe.

[make_or_break]

A visual pattern is more memorable than almost any series of characters, at least for me. And one continuous sweep on the touch screen beats tapping several keys, regardless of whether it's mechanical or onscreen virtual.

[marisol130235]

i just locked myself out of my mytouch phone and have no clue how to unlock. i tried to log in into my gmail account but it says the username or password are invalid.. how do i do a hard reset? please help

[jian9007]

If you are sure you can not get in with your user name and password then here is how to do a hard reset. Remember, your gmail contacts will re-sync and you can re-download any apps by going to market, my downloads, and reinstalling them there after this reset. All other data on the phone will be reset (except things on the SD card, they will be fine) as it was when you first received your phone. Now on to the instructions:

1. Pull the battery if necessary to power down the phone

2. Re-install the battery

3. Hold down the Home and Back keys and press the power button briefly, keeping the Home and Back keys pressed

4. The phone will boot to a white screen with some green text. Below that, you will see CLEARSTORAGE in purple.

under that you will see "Delete all user data?" <ACTION> Yes - <POWER button> No

5. Choose Yes by clicking the track ball (this is the ACTION. You can also choose not to proceed by pressing the POWER button)

That's it. Just set up your phone as if you just received it and re-download your apps. Hope this helps!!!

[bethiecc]

Hi Kent,
question I heard I can change the security pattern for my mytouch. Is this true and do you know how?
bethiecc