Help First time android user questions on lock screen

[cratemonster]

I've been a long time iPhone/Mac guy and activated my first android (Galaxy S4) yesterday. I'm trying to learn it and am doing ok but the challenge I am facing is related to the lock screen/pin lock.

Essentially, I want to use the pin lock to secure my phone but still receive the push notification previews from text messages, new gmail messages, instagram, and linkedin as I did on my iPhone. I downloaded widgetlocker but it doesn't seem to play well with the pin lock and so far only has allowed me to access the camera and drop in the dashclock widget (without pin) but I am not getting previews of new texts and other messages. This is a big deal for me as I need to have that quick preview of items that may need immediate attention without fully unlocking my phone. Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Rxpert83]

Welcome to the forums!!!

This is likely going to require a device-specific solution, so I moved this thread to the galaxy s4 portion of the site where other users who have the same phone as you can make some suggestions

 

[jejb]

I've been a long time iPhone/Mac guy and activated my first android (Galaxy S4) yesterday. I'm trying to learn it and am doing ok but the challenge I am facing is related to the lock screen/pin lock.

Essentially, I want to use the pin lock to secure my phone but still receive the push notification previews from text messages, new gmail messages, instagram, and linkedin as I did on my iPhone. I downloaded widgetlocker but it doesn't seem to play well with the pin lock and so far only has allowed me to access the camera and drop in the dashclock widget (without pin) but I am not getting previews of new texts and other messages. This is a big deal for me as I need to have that quick preview of items that may need immediate attention without fully unlocking my phone. Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Thanks!

I use the "pattern" lock on my phone. I get my text messages popping up on the lock screen. The setting for that is Messages>settings. Scroll down to Notification Settings and select Notifications and Preview Message. Not sure if the other apps will do that for you or not.

 

[Darnell0216]

Because the S4 was made with the corporate world in mind, previews and lock screen widgets are disabled when the phone is securely locked (PIN/Password). There are some 3rd party lock screens that allow app shortcuts with these security settings, requesting the unlock after choosing the app. I do not know if there's one with widgets (email) or previews since I haven't tried it.

 

[cratemonster]

Welcome to the forums!!!

This is likely going to require a device-specific solution, so I moved this thread to the galaxy s4 portion of the site where other users who have the same phone as you can make some suggestions

Ok thank you :thumbup:

I use the "pattern" lock on my phone. I get my text messages popping up on the lock screen. The setting for that is Messages>settings. Scroll down to Notification Settings and select Notifications and Preview Message. Not sure if the other apps will do that for you or not.

I may have to go that route but I prefer the pin security. I was hoping I could find an app that would essentially replace the native pin lock screen allowing me to disable it and establish a pin within the app and customize what apps I want to allow push notification previews within it. I thought the widgetlocker would do that but looks like not.

 

[jj14x]

With an unrooted device, unfortunately Samsung has locked that out (ugh).
You do have the option of rooting, and then, the xposed framework can be installed with modules that will permit lockscreen widgets on locked lockscreens.

I miss the dashclock lockscreen widget that I had on my Nexus phone.

 

[cratemonster]

Because the S4 was made with the corporate world in mind, previews and lock screen widgets are disabled when the phone is securely locked (PIN/Password). There are some 3rd party lock screens that allow app shortcuts with these security settings, requesting the unlock after choosing the app. I do not know if there's one with widgets (email) or previews since I haven't tried it.

With all the customizable options on this phone it just seems silly that they would not allow the user to determine what if any preview is displayed in secure. For most I would imagine that having the options similar to iPhone where you can at least see "gmal message from xxxx" or the first few words of a text and who the sender is would be valuable. The risk exposure is very minimal while allowing the user to be more efficient in determining and arranging priorities. It's really too bad someone has not come up with an app that replaces the lock screen with pin options and customizable preview panes.

With an unrooted device, unfortunately Samsung has locked that out (ugh).
You do have the option of rooting, and then, the xposed framework can be installed with modules that will permit lockscreen widgets on locked lockscreens.

I miss the dashclock lockscreen widget that I had on my Nexus phone.

Way too much trouble, Having an iPhone for the last 3 years and being an iMac/Macbook user I have enough to learn and tweak to get this phone setup somewhere between apple and android, but thanks anyways

I guess I can keep searching for alternatives

I'll try to figure out how to move my digital copy movies from my iMac to the phone next... ugh.

 

[jejb]

Originally Posted by jejb
I use the "pattern" lock on my phone. I get my text messages popping up on the lock screen. The setting for that is Messages>settings. Scroll down to Notification Settings and select Notifications and Preview Message. Not sure if the other apps will do that for you or not.

I may have to go that route but I prefer the pin security.

The pattern lock is just below the pin for security strength, from what Samsung shows. More secure than the new fingerprint reader on the 5s, as that's already been hacked. The pattern lock is sure fast to use, too.

 

[Darnell0216]

With all the customizable options on this phone it just seems silly that they would not allow the user to determine what if any preview is displayed in secure. For most I would imagine that having the options similar to iPhone where you can at least see "gmal message from xxxx" or the first few words of a text and who the sender is would be valuable. The risk exposure is very minimal while allowing the user to be more efficient in determining and arranging priorities. It's really too bad someone has not come up with an app that replaces the lock screen with pin options and customizable preview panes.

Well this is not all on Samsung. They wanted the S4 to be compatible with the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) business model. This goes from the average worker to someone in national security. Would you find it easier to customize a unit that already has 18 configurations even more to meet differing levels of business security or just set one rule for them all and call it a day? LoL

With Knox on the horizon, I expect some things will become even more gimped with the added layer of security.

 

[itsallgood]

I use a 3rd party app called "Executive Assistant" which has a lock screen option to include quick preview to emails for multiple acct., social media apps, next alarm, text messages, missed calls and calender events. You can have short cuts to favorite apps and add widgets to it as well. I've been using it for over 3 yrs now and haven't found anything like it. Even though it updates in real time, its not a battery hog. You can still use the stock security lock and have this as your lock screen. (You will still need to input your security code, etc. to unlock the phone to open anything.)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appventive.ExecAssist&hl=en

 

[cratemonster]

I use a 3rd party app called "Executive Assistant" which has a lock screen option to include quick preview to emails for multiple acct., social media apps, next alarm, text messages, missed calls and calender events. You can have short cuts to favorite apps and add widgets to it as well. I've been using it for over 3 yrs now and haven't found anything like it. Even though it updates in real time, its not a battery hog. You can still use the stock security lock and have this as your lock screen. (You will still need to input your security code, etc. to unlock the phone to open anything.)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appventive.ExecAssist&hl=en

Thank you, this looks promising! I don't see anything about linkedin on it though which is very important to me right now...

 

[jj14x]

I use a 3rd party app called "Executive Assistant" which has a lock screen option to include quick preview to emails for multiple acct., social media apps, next alarm, text messages, missed calls and calender events. You can have short cuts to favorite apps and add widgets to it as well. I've been using it for over 3 yrs now and haven't found anything like it. Even though it updates in real time, its not a battery hog. You can still use the stock security lock and have this as your lock screen. (You will still need to input your security code, etc. to unlock the phone to open anything.)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appventive.ExecAssist&hl=en

This is interesting. On the S4, Samsung prevents addition of any lockscreen widgets (when pin/pattern lock is enabled). How does this app get around that?
On your phone, does the lock screen widget show up if you have a pin lock on your lockscreen?

(on google play, I didn't see any reviews by a S4 user, so unsure whether this would do what op is asking for - I Emailed the dev with this question now)

 

[Goodspike]

This is interesting. On the S4, Samsung prevents addition of any lockscreen widgets (when pin/pattern lock is enabled). How does this app get around that?

The Amazon MP3 player gets around it somehow, in a rather odd/annoying way.

If in the program you don't ask for a "lock screen controls" you'll get a small lock screen widget if music is playing, that takes up about the top third of the screen. If you ask for "lock screen controls" you'll get a whole screen lock screen widget which interferes with entering your password if that's what you want to do.

 

[itsallgood]

6161940[/URL]"]6161940[/URL]]This is interesting. On the S4, Samsung prevents addition of any lockscreen widgets (when pin/pattern lock is enabled). How does this app get around that?
On your phone, does the lock screen widget show up if you have a pin lock on your lockscreen?

(on google play, I didn't see any reviews by a S4 user, so unsure whether this would do what op is asking for - I Emailed the dev with this question now)

Actually, its not a lock screen widget. Its an actual lock screen. (Over the stock lock screen). So on my S4, when I wake it up the Executive Assistant lock screen shows with all of my custom previews of emails, text, next alarm, calender for next 5 days, missed calls, some shortcut apps and a few widgets. From this lock screen, I can either slide to unlock or press the physical home button to enter my pin on the stock lock screen.

Edited: I forgot to mention, the first picture shows, the Executive Assistant widget, at the top of my home screen. The second picture is the actual lock screen from Exexcutive Assistant.

 

[DaveSyd]

Folks - I use 'Delayed Lock' with a password. The phone locks after the time I specify - I have it set as 4 hours. However when it is unlocked, it shows the normal finger swipe lock screen. If you have quick glance turned on in Air Gestures the screen will show you the notifications, mail, time etc (settings, motions and gestures, air gesture, quick glance).

It simply acts like you only have swipe security until the timer kicks in and locks the phone with a password.

 

[Goodspike]

Folks - I use 'Delayed Lock' with a password. The phone locks after the time I specify - I have it set as 4 hours. However when it is unlocked, it shows the normal finger swipe lock screen. If you have quick glance turned on in Air Gestures the screen will show you the notifications, mail, time etc (settings, motions and gestures, air gesture, quick glance).

It simply acts like you only have swipe security until the timer kicks in and locks the phone with a password.

Can you clarify how you have that setup? I'm not seeing how you have it show the swipe lock screen.

 

[cratemonster]

Actually, its not a lock screen widget. Its an actual lock screen. (Over the stock lock screen). So on my S4, when I wake it up the Executive Assistant lock screen shows with all of my custom previews of emails, text, next alarm, calender for next 5 days, missed calls, some shortcut apps and a few widgets. From this lock screen, I can either slide to unlock or press the physical home button to enter my pin on the stock lock screen.

Edited: I forgot to mention, the first picture shows, the Executive Assistant widget, at the top of my home screen. The second picture is the actual lock screen from Exexcutive Assistant.

Nice! I like the layout! I assume to swipe open any of the message previews it also prompts you for your pin?

I'm still using widgetlocker but added in Executive Assistant as as a widget to include messages, email, and missed calls. The problem I am having is that I get the sound notification however it seems with a pin lock the screen does not wake up upon receiving the message or missed call and it does not respond to the quick glance gesture. Can you tell me if using EA as my lock screen would fix this?

Also can anyone tell me why I get the little numbers over my facebook incon but not over linkedin, messenger, gmail, or vmail?

Can you tell me if using EA as my lock screen would fix this?

 

[itsallgood]

Nice! I like the layout! I assume to swipe open any of the message previews it also prompts you for your pin?

I'm still using widgetlocker but added in Executive Assistant as as a widget to include messages, email, and missed calls. The problem I am having is that I get the sound notification however it seems with a pin lock the screen does not wake up upon receiving the message or missed call and it does not respond to the quick glance gesture. Can you tell me if using EA as my lock screen would fix this?

Also can anyone tell me why I get the little numbers over my facebook incon but not over linkedin, messenger, gmail, or vmail?

Can you tell me if using EA as my lock screen would fix this?

From the EA lock screen I can preview any of my messages by selecting them. If I want to do any actions, I can press it again to launch the app and at that point have to put in my PIN.

I don't know why the number of messages appear on Facebook and not on the other apps you mentioned. As you can see on my lock screen, my Facebook is a totally separate tab. I believe this is why it displays a number, since you can't view both tabs at the same time. On the other hand, since EA doesn't give you a number of how many new emails, messages, etc. it does list them in order by date and time received. On my EA lock screen the bottom half of the screen is scrollable and you can customize how many lines should appear in the preview and what actions happen when pressed. Hope this helps

 

[jamaica168]

You might want to try nils notification lockscreen .
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roymam.android.notificationswidget
You can use it as a widget in widget locker. It is very customizable.

 

[DaveSyd]

Can you clarify how you have that setup? I'm not seeing how you have it show the swipe lock screen.

This is not a setup - it's an app. Search for Delayed Lock in Play and you'll see what it does.

 

[Goodspike]

This is not a setup - it's an app. Search for Delayed Lock in Play and you'll see what it does.

I understood that and had already downloaded the app. What I was asking was how you have it setup. How many minutes of delay in the app and how many in the normal settings of the phone.

I don't think it matters now though, because I've downloaded the location plugin and just have it setup to swipe while at my house. I had tried the network plugin, but it didn't seem to work, possibly because Android phones don't stay connected 100% of the time??? Anyway, I'm more comfortable with using location or network connection rather than just a delay, because when responding to your post I didn't realize the swipe wasn't a pattern lock.

I'm looking forward though to trying the Bluetooth plugin, because this might be exactly what I'm looking for. With my old Droid I had the car dock and could easily keep the phone from locking while driving. I've tried NFC for that, but it's somewhat of a PITA, and also a security risk if I don't undo it on the way out of the car. But if this just recognizes the BT connection, that will be perfect--automatically unlocking and then locking again as the car is turned on and off. That seems pretty secure if it works, and will eliminate having to use a pin while driving.