In the past, when it comes to security, we are always discussing about means to protect our PC from virus, malware and hackers. With the rising popularity of smart phone, such as iPhone, Android phone, blackberry etc, we are starting to see more and more concern for mobile security. Hence, it is no surprise that more and more security apps now exist for the your mobile device. Now, if you are carrying plenty of sensitive data on your mobile device and hoping to find a way to protect yourself, then Lookout Mobile Security would be a great choice.

Lookout Mobile Security is a versatile security app that aims to protect your mobile phone from various aspects. It is currently available for Android, Windows Mobile and Blackberry (Sorry, iPhone users). It covers you from three aspects: It is a virus and malware scanner, backup tool, as well as a tracking device. Download and install Lookout Mobile Security

Once you have installed Lookout Mobile Security, you can start to configure it for maximum protection. You will be prompted to create an account with mylookout.com. We will discuss more about the Web interface later on.

Virus Scanner

By default, when you are finished installing a new app from the market, LMS will scan the app for virus and malware. It will display itself on the notification area so that you know it is working.

In the backend, you can also run the virus scanner to scan all your installed apps for any virus and malware.

Note: The Android version only comes with a virus scanner. If you are using the Windows Mobile version, you will have data and attack protection features.

Backup Tool

Other than the virus scanner, Lookout Mobile Security also allows you to backup your data online so you can easily restore them in the event that your phone is lost.

Things that you can backup include your Pictures, Contacts and Calls. All backups are synced to the mylookout.com server. There is no mention of the amount of storage space available for backup, but it seems that I have 1.5GB of storage space free to store all my pictures. There is also no premium upgrade plan for users exceeding the 1.5GB of free storage space.

Tracking device

The last best thing about Lookout Mobile Security is the ability to locate the phone in the event that it is lost. You will need the web interface to carry this out.

Go to mylookout.com and log into the dashboard (using the account you have signed up in the app). Click on the Missing Device tab. Here you will be able to locate your phone by GPS or send a ping to make your phone scream as loud as it can.

When you use the Locate feature, it will connect to your phone (either by wifi or GPS) and show its location on the Google maps below. You can then pinpoint your phone’s location.

Web interface

The web interface is a good place for you to manage your phone. The dashboard shows a list of activities done by the Lookout Mobile Security, so you know that it is actively working to protect your phone. In the backup tab, you can even view your contact, calls (made and missed) and all the pictures that you have uploaded. You can even restore your backup with a click.

There is no sharing features yet, so you are not able to share your pictures with your friends at the moment. As mentioned above, the Missing Device tab enable you to track down your devices.

Conclusion

Overall, Lookout Mobile Security is a pretty good app for your Android phone. it is definitely not the first virus scanner app, backup app or tracking device app in the market, but it is one of the best that integrated them all nicely in one place. Not to mention the web interface that gives you free space to store your photos and backup and also the ability to track down your phone. Cool!

One thing though, the Android app is not as established as the Windows Mobile version and I really hope to see the data and attack protection features coming to the Android version. It is also a good thing if it can backup SMSes, emails and other stuff.

What do you think? Do you see yourself installing, using and keeping this app?

Damien Oh started writing tech articles since 2007 and has over 10 years of experience in the tech industry. He is proficient in Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and iOS, and worked as a part time WordPress Developer. He is currently the owner and Editor-in-Chief of Make Tech Easier.

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