Android's face unlock feature could be fooled by photo

Face Unlock, one of the flagship features of the newly released Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" mobile operating system, enables users to unlock their phones via facial recognition rather than…

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Thank you for getting rid of those useless "recommendations" in the bottom corner of my screen.

Oh, goodness. Thanks to Google's facial recognition technology, I'll always be able to open my session up again on my Android phone. If I had to use my REAL face, there would be a problem -- because I'm a shape-shifter from Pluto. My face changes every five minutes or so, depending on which CNN anchor I happen to be watching on television...

In other words: I'm going to have to use Wolf Blitzer's photo to log in... okay. This post makes no sense. I need more coffee.

I agree with this statement and I'm equally thankful.

What's wrong with re-reading an old gem from March 2010?

Ditto

Back to the article, was never going to use that function anyway so big for me either way. I prefer the pattern code, its quick and easy.

I guess it would go something like this...

"Hello stranger that I just met, please hold still while I take a photo of your face (don't smile). I will be back soon once I have printed off this unrelated image to then steal your phone."

Of course it can be unlocked with a photo, as if a phone camera is going to know the difference. This problem is well known with facial recognition technology, as well as it being flakey as **** in general. And no, you wouldn't have to do anything as obvious as take a photo of the person you're stealing a phone from when you can just track people down on Facebook/Twitter/tumblr/Flickr/whatever social networking site is in vogue this week. That's not even the main issue anyway, it's about spouses, parents, children, friends, employers, etc. being able to snag your phone when your back is turned and get into it via a photo and snoop your messages, emails, contacts and such.

Sorry should have held up my sarcasm sign

In any case at this stage I would say it is more of a bragging rights kind of feature, you are not exactly going to protect your closest secrets with it.

my closest secret is my indentity! I wear a ski mask 24/7, even while making love, will it still detect my face? or will it detect everyone and anyone wearing a ski mask? dun dun dun!