Smart Lock bringing Chrome and Android closer

[pc747]

​

Those of you running Android 5.0 are familiar with Smart Lock, a way to allow trusted devices (or face) to bypass the lock screen. In taking a page out of Apple's playbook Google has been working on a way for a user to bypass their chromebook lock screen with their phone as well as use the chromebook to find their phone. Right now this feature is still in beta but if you do not mind tinkering with your chromebook you can follow the instructions laid out by AC (Using Smart Lock on the Chrome OS dev channel Android Central and get an early preview. The smart lock feature is expected to make its way into the hands of everyone else soon.

 

[FoxKat]

Don't know about the rest of the Motorola line, but the Droid Turbo stays unlocked if you elect to have it, when it's connected to "Trusted Devices", such as a Bluetooth headset, or in my case;

• my Jawbone Icon Bluetooth Headset
• my first generation Caller ID watch
• my Ford F-150 with Sync
• my ZOMM Keyfob
• my Sennheiser MM 550X Travel Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth heaphones
• my Motorola MotoROKR S9-HD Bluetooth headphones
• my Motorola MOTOROKR S305 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones
• my Plantronics BackBeat 903+ Headset
• my MEElectronics Air-Fi Runaway Stereo Bluetooth Wireless Headphones

...and various other devices including portable Bluetooth speakers. For me, I love not having to "swipe to open", and even better...with Moto Display, I don't even have to hit the power button.

 

[lloydstrans]

That's the only reason I want a moto 360, to use as a proximity sensor. I hate swiping.

We must...We must...increase our boost

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I like the idea of trusted devices, but being a security minded IT guy, I worry about the number of devices people *cough*FoxKat*cough* setup. Trust enough devices and suddenly your phone is unlocked almost everywhere and you're no more secure than you'd be if you just left it unlocked all the time.

That said, sometimes I get tired of putting in a PIN and I set my lockscreen back to swipe to unlock (which I did for YEARS before becoming so security minded).

There's definitely a trade-off between security and ease-of-use, so you've got to decide for yourself where to draw the line so that you're comfortably protected, but not completely inconvenienced.

Just take a little common sense to be as secure as you can be while still utilizing things like trusted devices. Do something like taking advantage of the feature outlined in the OP, and you definitely shouldn't keep your Chromebook and your phone in the same bag while out and about. Someone swipes your bag and suddenly they've got your entire life and it's unlocked for their thieving pleasure.

 

[pc747]

I like the idea of trusted devices, but being a security minded IT guy, I worry about the number of devices people *cough*FoxKat*cough* setup. Trust enough devices and suddenly your phone is unlocked almost everywhere and you're no more secure than you'd be if you just left it unlocked all the time.

That said, sometimes I get tired of putting in a PIN and I set my lockscreen back to swipe to unlock (which I did for YEARS before becoming so security minded).

There's definitely a trade-off between security and ease-of-use, so you've got to decide for yourself where to draw the line so that you're comfortably protected, but not completely inconvenienced.

Just take a little common sense to be as secure as you can be while still utilizing things like trusted devices. Do something like taking advantage of the feature outlined in the OP, and you definitely shouldn't keep your Chromebook and your phone in the same bag while out and about. Someone swipes your bag and suddenly they've got your entire life and it's unlocked for their thieving pleasure.

Actually BT device unlock is just that. So say if someone snatched my phone. Well since it is out of range it locks. But you are right in being careful about the devices you add as "trusted". I normally have my g watch and my car as trusted devices. Yeah if someone steals my car with my phone in it then I am out of luck. But I must admit I like the convenience of being able to grab my phone and bypass the pin even though it only take like 2 sec.

Also as much as android wear has ways to go the smart watches are very convenient with checking notifications and doing some of the minor things you do with your phone. When there are times you can not reach for your phone (driving, working out, working, etc) you can look at your risk to see if the notification is important.

If you can snag a smart watch during a deal or price drop (ie cyber Monday $99 G watch deal) then it is worth it. Right now at the current prices none of then are worth the cost in my opinion. They all need to shave $100 off what they are asking.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk 2

 

[pc747]

Been playing with this feature for a week now that Google have made it a full public beta (Unlock your Chromebook with your Android phone - Chromebook Help and must say it works pretty well. If you have an Android device running lollipop you will be able to unlock your chromebook with smart lock.

 

[IIGood]

...but again...does this stuff even work if, for example, you have a corporate email account on your device that forces a PIN-lock on your phone?

 

[Sajo]

...but again...does this stuff even work if, for example, you have a corporate email account on your device that forces a PIN-lock on your phone?

I don't think so...I think the corporate account policies take precedence and you are forced to always swype / pin / password, etc. I could be wrong though...I don't have a corporate account on my Maxx and my new work phone (soon to be) does not have Trusted Devices.

 

[pc747]

Could depend on the device and the corporate account security protocols. I have a corporate account and I have been using smart lock without a problem.