Keep your Android phone secure with Lookout

The Story

Malware on mobile phone – viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks and other nasties – are thankfully very rare at the moment. Even so, it pays to keep one step ahead of the hackers with Lookout, a security app that automatically scans your handset for such things.

Lookout offers other benefits, too, including a handy back-up feature and phone-location services should your handset ever be lost or stolen.

The Experience

Security software is often all about making you scared – sometimes with good reason, at other times a little unnecessarily. From its cartoony graphics to its reassuring messages (“Everything is OK”), Lookout dials down the paranoia and focuses on convenience.

The app’s Security scan is fast and efficient and, in tests, this checked 170 apps in less than 2 minutes. Premium subscribers can ask the app to present a privacy dashboard screen that shows exactly which apps have access to which features on your phone.

The app’s back-up features will store your mates’ phone numbers in the cloud, plus pictures and even your call history if you upgrade to the premium version (which costs around £2 a month). However, the service doesn’t yet back-up texts or emails.

Should the worst happen, and so me miscreant heists you Droid (or you leave it in a cab) you can track the missing handset from the Lookout’ website and cause it to emit a horrific scream which will, at the very least, irritate whoever has the phone. If you subscribe to the premium service, you will have the option to remotely lock the phone and wipe any personal data stored on it.

The Bottom Line

Peace of mind at zero cost. Should be one of your first installs on a new Droid.

Additional Info

Version reviewed 5.0.1

Requires Android 2.0 or higher

Mylookout.com

Premium version: £1.90 month