Now, get paid to unlock your phone's screen

Generally speaking, ads on mobile phones are a nuisance. They pop up often in free apps, look ugly and use up a little bit of your data without offering you anything in return. But that's about to change, thanks to a small US-based, start-up called Locket.

Locket recently acquired VC funding and they plan to take over an underutilised part of your smartphone: the lockscreen - what you see immediately after you press the power button but before you actually swipe to unlock.

The action of just unlocking your phone - an action you do several times a day - could earn you 1 US cent per unlock (limited by a built in algorithm). In return, Locket will place what they call a targeted, 'first glance' ad on your device's lockscreen. You don't need to interact or click on the ad if you don't want to - you get paid anyway. Based on roughly 12 hours of usage a day, you could pull in US$ 10 a month - a substantial amount of cash for doing nothing in addition to what you normally do.

You don't need to provide bank account details or credit card info either - all you need to do is download Locket to your Android phone and give in an email ID associated with a PayPal account. You can get a payout from Locket when your balance reaches $10. Currently, Locket only works in the US but depending on advertiser interest, it could spread very rapidly. Earnings are not just limited to 'unlocks' - the company is currently offering a $1 bonus for each successful referral and they also offer random cash bonuses to loyal customers.

Locket is currently available as a free download on the Google Play Store and you can find out more information at www.getlocket.com.

How it works

* Sign up for a PayPal account (if you don't already have one)

* Get locket from the Google Play Store and give them the email ID associated with your PayPal account.
* The app replaces your lockscreen and delivers a targeted (and attractive) advertisement.

* You can interact with the ad or just unlock your phone — you get paid either way. A built in algorithm won't pay out if you keep locking and unlocking the phone to get money. If you use and interact more with the app, it pays out more.