I've been running the NMS beta since I purchased my first android phone a couple of months ago. I like NMS because it combines malware and anti-theft features in one app.
However, I do not have a second cell phone that I can use to communicate with the app. I do have the ability to sent sms msgs via email. I have tested this method of talking to the app by using the locate function. NMS saw the locate request and dutifully sent the reply to my android device. I would like to test the lock function but don't dare as I am not sure that I will be able to unlock the device once the app locks the phone down - I don't have a buddy handy at the moment.
Can a remote locked phone be unlocked by entering a password on the phone itself? Can the phone be unlocked by adding my own cell number to the buddy list? Is there a more detailed instruction manual for the NMS app available than the limited feature descriptions on the app help screen?
I don't know if you can lock the phone using an e-mail originated SMS but my guess it that you can. HOWEVER I am fairly confident that you can't unlock it this way as it needs a mobile number to check against when used in the buddy mode. I do not know if the message "unlock password" works in the way the "lock password" does which should allow you to use any SMS message sender.
I am fairly confident that if you do remotely lock the phone then you can unlock it using the password at the phone itself. You may however like to await a formal and authoritative response from Norton staff.
As far as I am aware there is no independent help guide other than that contained within the application and can be gleaned from these fora.
The problem with SMS via email is what happens to the message itself. When you send a standard SMS via a phone the message provides very little information beyond the number the message is from and the message contents. When you send via email there is more information added that can vary greatly. Unfortunately AntiTheft can't handle the varied content correctly so the email method would be hit and miss. If you test and it works, then that specific process will work. It would be something you would have to test, but my gut feeling is that it would not work.
As to testing out lock, as long as you remember your password you'll be able to unlock the phone after you send the lock command. Unlocking the device does not require you to do it remotely.
As to adding your own device as a buddy, I'm not sure that would work.
As to more detailed instructions, those are in progrees. In the meantime in the quick links section of the Forum is the NMS Top Issues which does go into more detail.
Great thanks for the reply. As long as I can unlock the handset from the keyboard after it receives a remote lock command, I can test away to my hearts content without fear of rendering the phone inoperable.