Usually sim card locks do that. On mine its menu, settings, location and security, sim card look.

 

Normal phones work the same way, using a lock code of some sort to prevent unauthorized use. The lock on older "dumb" phones just unlocked it when you first turned it on. Smartphones let you unlock at interval times like immediately, 1, 5, 10 mins. So you can unlock the device for use and then it won't lock again for 10mins. That way you can use it for while, set it down and use it again within that time and not have to enter the lock code again. I have noticed the Desire is limited to 15mins which may not be long enough for you. But you do realize that most smartphones are not truly locked from use since there are ways to bypass or flash the firmware without starting the phone using a recovery mode? A savvy user would just go into recovery mode and wipe the user data, and the next boot would be a reset Desire. Or they could just flash firmware and wipe the phone.

Personally I don't use a lock code because I'm very irregular with the usage, and I don't leave my phone lying around at work or anywhere else. If I'm at a party, it stays in my pocket unless I'm using it. I don't leave it where someone can snag it because I know they can easily defeat the security and have a fully working phone.

 

That only locks the SIM so they can't make calls with your account. It does not prevent them from swapping in their own SIM and using it.

 

Wavesecure then...

 

While I'm sure the app is good and it makes one feel secure, it still suffers from the same problem - recovery mode wipes the phone and app.

The best security is to not lose your phone in the first place. I know that sounds pedantic, but it's true. I've never lost or had stolen any phone, and I've been using cell phones since the good old Motorola brick days. I think people have become lax when it comes to cell phone security, especially teenagers who don't pay for their phones.

 

Hopefully you'll miss the phone and wipe it before anyone gets to go into recovery.

Can I just say how confusing it is for me with your avatar

 

Maybe download App Protector - which lets you lock any app you want, so you can leave the phone unlocked and no-one can access anything. Then set your phone's unlock to about an hour so you don't have to keep unlocking it when you turn the screen off.

 

In order to use recovery to access the phone, they need to wipe it anyway just like a factory reset, so all personal data will be gone. The only personal stuff left is whatever the memory card has on it.

Yeah I noticed that...I'm looking around for something else more unique but haven't found it yet.

 

bfkscdroid?