The iCam iPhone app may have recently made headlines for alerting a man, via text
message, that his house was being robbed. But Android users have a handful of personal
and home security tools on their mobile phones as well. From iris-scanning to home
security management, there are a number of ways to protect yourself and your information.
Here are some of the top bio, home and network security apps on Android.
Biosecurity
Biowallet Signature is an app aimed at keeping information safe. It's protected
not by password, but by your retina. The free Android app takes a photo of your
eye, using your mobile phone's camera. Once your identity has been confirmed, you'll
be able to access whatever data you've kept in the "mobile safe." The app supports
digital signature and remote access options as well. The upcoming BioLock will have
an eye-scanner as well, with facial recognition security thrown in for good measure.
Priced at $2.99, this Android app lets you protect specific data, such as contacts
or documents, on your phone. For those seeking an extra layer (or two) of security,
be on the lookout for BioLock.
Home security
Alarm.com quite an inclusive app, offering complete
control of your home security system. Free for customers, you can monitor your security
system, set and disable your alarm, and change your home's thermostat settings.
With upcoming support for "flipping" light switches, this Android app will soon
have it all.
ElkDroid is an Android app for Elk Security users. It lets you monitor your home
security system, even when you're away. See which areas of your home are armed,
turn on the lights or turn up the thermostat. ElkDroid is pricy at $99, which may
be asking a lot, considering you can't actually arm or disable your alarm from the
app. But then again, peace of mind is priceless.
Network security
Rackspace has a security app too, which monitors the status of your Cloud Servers.
The free Android app comes with some management tools as well, including the ability
to delete or resize cloud servers, and run hard or soft reboots. For business users
frequently on the go, just having this app in the Market can be a comfort.