Here's an idea for password protection..

I have most of my email accounts come to my Storm. What this means is that if somebody gets their hands on it, they have access to all of the emails stored on the device and access to new emails until I can get onto the mail server and change the passwords. I do try to delete at all sensitive emails, but sometimes I do need them for reference on the go.

The obvious solution to this is to set a password for the Storm, but I find this incredibly clumsy. It's one more step during the unlocking process that the Storm OS can screw up on and force me to wait 20 seconds just to unlock and do something on the phone. It's just not fluid enough to be trouble-free yet, and I really don't always need my storm password protected - just when I'm out at the bars or otherwise in places I can see losing it.

So here's my proposal. Let the unlock button work for locking the screen with a simple press. If password protection is enabled, it wouldn't take effect with a simple press. When you want to engage a password protected screen lock, hold the button for a second or two, at which point a lock would appear on the screen.

Clearly this is not likely possible without RIM's implementation, but honestly, I can't see any downfalls to this method - anybody who wanted a password protected screen lock all of the time they used the lock button would just toggle a related preference.

What do you think? Does anybody else have the same sort of dilemma I do?

You could try another program. I downloaded patternlock and set my convenience key to enable it. So when I just want the phone locked without a password I hit the blackberry lock button. When I want to enable password protection, I click the convenience key for pattern lock. This program is quite fast and accurate and doesn't require you to type a password. Instead you swipe a pattern with your finger between 9 dots. If the pattern is correct your phone will unlock immediately. It doesn't offer the same level of protection as the blackberry password lock but it will defiantly slow someone down so you have enough time to change the passwords on your server and stop new emails from going to the phone. Just a thought, you might want to check it out and see it works for you.

i had the same issue, so i downloaded stormlock. looks nice, free, and is easy to unlock, then i have my storm's lock method password protected so when i need the password one its there.

I don't have a storm but I never liked the idea of setting a password then if the phone is lost someone (kids) can enter a password wrong 10x and wipe the phone.
I do try to backup but not everyday.

I do like Roblock where I can remotely lock the phone and it can't get accidently or intentionally wiped.

hope this helps!

Walshy, I love the look of patternlock if it actually does perform as smoothly as demonstrated in the demo video - it provides strong enough a layer of security for me I think, like you said, a delay long enough for me to take action. Stormlock also looks decent, I might give that a shot, and Roblock I really like the idea of, I'm going to have to do some reading on it.

Any opinions on patternlock, before I pay up?

Here's an ingenious idea...enable the password in options menu and set security timeout to 1 minute......you guys make this harder than it is....if you havin trouble with the phone freezing up get a leaked OS or another phone


Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Originally Posted by unseenme

Here's an ingenious idea...enable the password in options menu and set security timeout to 1 minute......you guys make this harder than it is....if you havin trouble with the phone freezing up get a leaked OS or another phone


Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

That really doesn't address anything the OP said.

Originally Posted by Gavvy

The obvious solution to this is to set a password for the Storm, but I find this incredibly clumsy. It's one more step during the unlocking process that the Storm OS can screw up on and force me to wait 20 seconds just to unlock and do something on the phone. It's just not fluid enough to be trouble-free yet, and I really don't always need my storm password protected - just when I'm out at the bars or otherwise in places I can see losing it.


What do you think?

Ummm...yes it does...he wants to change the password function based around faulty software. Upgrade the software from the OS forums and use the password function the way RIM designed it to be used which is simple and effective.

Oh, and try not to lose your phone.

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Okay, I purchased patternlock - and I love it. It's fun, and it does what I need it to. The preferences are extensive and just about anything I want from it can be enabled and adjusted. Well worth the money, thank you very much for the tip, Walshy.

unseenme, thanks for the response, but my issue was more around being able to password the protect the phone only sometimes - without having to go into the preferences and enable/disable it. I wanted to be able to selectively lock the screen or lock the phone with a password (or in the case of patternlock, a gesture). I'm currently running .132 and the lock function is still slightly laggy - even a two second delay is a bit much for the really simple function the integrated lock provides. I know I'm picky about my technology, but hey, patternlock is proof that I can be satisfied.

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Maybe I need to check out Pattern Lock.

Hold up, did they really figure out a way to assign it to the lock key?! If so it's sold. lol.

I understand gavvy...my point was there's a way to do it without havin to download an app and use up more memory. Seems like you got what you needed so thumbs up.

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Glad it worked for you. Just a quick tip though. The options are pretty extension so you might miss it at first. You should enable patternlock at startup or else a person who finds your phone could simply pull the battery and restart it to get in. Its obvious but could be overlooked when you first start to use it.

Ok Pattern Lock is awesome. I'm pissed at myself for not getting it before. So many options, lol.

PatternLock, PatternLock, PatternLock!!!


Oh yea, did I mention PatternLock?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

+1 for PatternLock!