Last year, Google announced the Android Device Manager, a web console that let you see the current location of your Android phone or tablet on a map and remotely wipe it. Last month, Google released an Android app so you could control Android Device Manager from your phone. Awesome as that sounds, what if someone managed to steal your phone, figure out how to unlock it, and then wanted to make your life a living hell by remote wiping all your other Android devices? Sounds horrible, right?
Which brings me to today’s news. Said Android app has been updated, and the biggest new feature is the addition of a setting that when enabled will force you to enter a password should you want to use the app. Again, the chances that you even have this app installed are relatively minor, but if you do, and you use it to manage other Android device you and your family might own, then you should be pretty happy.
What should Google add to Android and the Android Device Manager to make it even better? I would like Android to ask for a password if you want to turn your phone off. Most thieves are dumb, but the intelligent ones have figured out that as soon as you steal a phone, you should turn it off so that the owner doesn’t reset it or lock it. Again, small thing, and most thieves will simply remove your SIM card once they steal your phone, but every little deterrent helps.
