Updated review of Key Locker Applications
The updated review about the key locker applications contains information about the new freeware software of such kind called Mr. Lock from MobiFunSoft. This application is not only free of charge, but also offers interesting features to use.
Here is brief information about the applications to be analyzed:
| App name | Vendor | Price | Size, Kb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | Smartphoneware | Buy $4.95 | 107 |
| Handy Keylock | EPOCWARE | Buy $5.95 | 116 |
| KeypadLock | Tektronic | Buy $5.49 | 145 |
| Mr. Lock | MobiFunSoft | Freeware | 92 |
We analyzed the following list of aspects and application details:
• Installation
• Trial period
• Interface
• Settings
• Help and Support
• Application in action
• Special features
• Testing results
• Conclusion
Each key locker application is easily installed, so at this point you won’t have any difficulties.
| App name | Score |
|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | 10 |
| Handy Keylock | 10 |
| KeypadLock | 10 |
| Mr. Lock | 10 |
The trial version of Best KeyLocker lasts 15 days.
Handy Keylock application offers 14-day trial version.
There is no trial version offered in the KeypadLock application as it is commercial. The current review was made on basis of the KeypadLock free version given to us by Tektronic company. (Many thanks!!!).
Mr. Lock is free software, that is why you don’t have to buy it and it has no trial.
| App name | Score |
|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | 8 |
| Handy Keylock | 7 |
| KeypadLock | 2 |
| Mr. Lock | 10 |
Best KeyLocker and KeypadLock applications have similar interfaces showing the Activate (Enabled in KeypadLock app) and Settings button:
Best KeyLocker KeypadLock
The main screen of the Handy Keylock application has the following view:
Mr. Lock software from MobiFunSoft suggests the following main screen view:
| App name | Score |
|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | 7 |
| Handy Keylock | 6 |
| KeypadLock | 8 |
| Mr. Lock | 6 |
Best KeyLocker offers the following list of settings:
General:
• Lock timeout – to define the lock timeout
• Autolock on slider – for automatic keypad locking and unlocking for slider based phones
• Lock in apps – rule to lock in different applications
• Lock in profiles – rule to lock in different profiles
• Lock if charger – rule to lock or don’t lock if charger connected
Advanced:
• (Un)Lock hot key – to define hot-key for lock/unlock operations
• Sound on lock – to select the sound notification on lock action
• Sound on unlock – to select the sound notification on unlock action
• Sound volume – to select the sound level
KeypadLock allows to modify the following set of settings:
• Lock Timeout – to set the keypad lock timeout
• Activate Lock – to set the behaviour of the keypad locking service
• Play Sound – to set if a sound will be played when the service will lock the keypad
• Lock if charging – to if enabled, the keypad is locked according to the Activate Lock and Select Applications options
All Handy Keylock and Mr. Lock Settings are placed in the main application screen, where you can adjust them.
| App name | Score |
|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | 9 |
| Handy Keylock | 4 |
| KeypadLock | 7 |
| Mr. Lock | 7 |
Best KeyLocker doesn’t contain Help; the e-mail to contact a developer - support@smartphoneware.com The support department works efficiently sending the e-mail in the course of 1 business day.
Handy Keylock Help file contains comprehensible information to navigate in the application; for additional questions or suggestions turn to 911@penreader.com to receive any help from the support department, you will have to fill in the detailed on-line request, what I guess takes time and is not very comfortable for the user, as just sending the e-mail.
The Help file included into KeypadLock application will help you to orient yourself in it; support e-mail - contact@tektronic.ro The answer to any question about the application is delivered by the support department in the course of about one business day.
Mr. Lock application has no Help file; it has an e-mail (support@mobifunsoft.com) to contact a developer in case of any questions or suggestions. I received e-mail from the support department in the course of 1 business day.
| App name | Score |
|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | 5 |
| Handy Keylock | 5 |
| KeypadLock | 10 |
| Mr. Lock | 5 |
Best KeyLocker – the main screen has the following view:
When clicking left soft key Options you will see the following list of buttons:
• Activate – to activate/deactivate the application
• About – short information about the application and developer
• Exit – to exit the application
This application is very easy to use. To make the right use of it first of all you turn it on in the main screen by clicking the Activate button. Then you have to define the needed for you lock timeout, after which the Best KeyLocker will lock the phone.
In this application I liked the possibility to choose the sound of lock/unlock action. It really works, and when the lock timeout comes, the phones locks with the previously chosen by you sound (or unlocks with the corresponding sound notification).
The possibility to lock the phone in apps or in chosen profiles is also very important and works great in this software.
To simplify your work with Best KeyLocker you can define the hotkey combination for quick locking or unlocking (one combination for two actions).
Handy Keylock – the main screen has the following view:
When clicking left soft key Options you will see the following list of buttons:
• Change – to activate/deactivate the application
• Register – to enter the registration code
• Help – brief info to navigate in the application
• About – short information about the application and developer
• Exit – to exit the application
To start using Handy Keylock you have to click the Autolock keys button on the main screen. Next step is choosing the comfortable for you Timeout.
If you set the Alt. keylock combination you will be able to use it to lock the keypad; this combination will work from any application, and not only in phone standby screen.
When locking the phone the screen has the following view:
KeypadLock – when opening the application you will see the main screen:
Left soft key Options opens the following list of buttons:
• Change – to add a new alarm record
• Help – brief info to navigate in the application
• About – information about the application and developer
• Exit – exits the application
As in previous two key locker applications to start using the KeypadLock you have to activate it choosing Enabled button in the main screen.
To select the keypad lock timeout you have to click the Lock Timeout button and choose the needed value.
Activate Lock option allows you to set the behaviour of the keypad locking service. In this application you can choose to enable the sound notification only for the lock action, and you can’t choose the sound, it is default.
When the keypad is being locked by KeypadLock the screen has the following view:
The main screen of the Mr. Lock software has the following view:
Left soft key Options shows two buttons:
• About
• Privacy statement
To start using this key locker you have to select the condition on which the phone will be locked and then define the rest fields:
• Auto lock in – select the condition for phone auto lock
o No profile
o All profiles – phone auto locks in all profiles
o User defined – you can define the profiles in which Mr. Lock will be enabled
• Auto lock period – enter the idle period (in minutes), after which Mr. Lock will auto lock the keypad
• Lock keypad – you can choose to lock the keypad only on the idle screen or in every program of the phone
• Exceptions – you can choose not to lock the keypad when you are running a particular application
After the idle period is over Mr. Lock auto locks the keypad of your phone:
| App name | Score |
|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | 8 |
| Handy Keylock | 6 |
| KeypadLock | 7 |
| Mr. Lock | 7 |
Best KeyLocker offers such special features as:
• Sound on lock – to select the sound notification on lock action
• Sound on unlock – to select the sound notification on unlock action
• Lock in profiles – rule to lock in different profiles
Unfortunately Handy Keylock and KeypadLock applications so far can’t offer really interesting features.
Mr. Lock offers one interesting feature, which allows you to choose not to lock the keypad when you are running a particular application, just select the needed applications from the list of the available.
| App name | Score |
|---|---|
| Best KeyLocker | 8 |
| Handy Keylock | 1 |
| KeypadLock | 1 |
| Mr. Lock | 7 |
Having analyzed all components and settings and given them the scores from 1 to 10, we have multiplied the scores by a corresponding importance factor in order to get the total score value of the application.
We have used the following Importance factor (IF) values:
• Installation: IF 2
• Trial period: IF 4
• Interface: IF 5
• Settings: IF 7
• Help and Support: IF 4
• Application in action: IF 10
• Special features: IF 4
The total possible score for an application would be 360 points.
Multiplying the score by Importance factors we have got the following table:
| Best KeyLocker | Mr. Lock | KeypadLock | Handy Keylock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installation | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Trial period | 32 | 40 | 8 | 28 |
| Interface | 35 | 30 | 40 | 30 |
| Settings | 63 | 49 | 49 | 28 |
| Help/Support | 20 | 20 | 40 | 20 |
| Application in action | 80 | 70 | 70 | 60 |
| Special features | 32 | 28 | 4 | 4 |
| Total | 282 | 257 | 231 | 190 |
Test winner according to the overall application test is Best KeyLocker by Smartphoneware.
After updating review with the new key locker called Mr. Lock from MobiFunSoft, Best KeyLocker remains the winner of this review for being not only efficient but also for offering nice features. Best of all I liked the possibility of choosing the sound notification for lock/unlock actions.
But still Mr. Lock is the silver winner. This key locker is very convenient for allowing to define the profiles in which Mr. Lock is enabled and the possibility to select particular applications when the keypad won’t be locked. As a whole Mr. Lock is easy to use and free to download.
It’s inconvenient when user can’t try the application before purchasing it, as in case of KeypadLock software. But still this key locker has nice interface, good set of settings options and the Play Sound function, though just for the lock action.
Handy Keylock works well and is very simple in using. But it can’t boast though some interesting features, which are much in demand for most users.