Learn four cost-effective ways to protect the applications you develop for mobile devices. The methods described in this Mini Missing Manual won't stop people from misappropriating your secrets, stealing your name, and copying your code. But if any of those things do happen, you'll have the legal ammunition you need to recover your losses and, in some cases, get money to pay attorney fees. Taking these steps will also reinforce your legal rights in the event that another company wants to acquire your apps.

The four methods include:

• Trade secret protection. Want to show your app to others -- investors, beta testers, or contractors -- before it's available to the public? Learn what trade secrets are and how you can protect them.
• Copyright protection. Protect your whole app as well as its individual parts, such as the underlying code, appearance, and the collection of data within it.
• Trademark protection. Protect your app's name, slogan, or logo. And learn how to file an application for trademark registration.
• Permissions. Learn how and when to get permission to reuse material from other sources, like photos, data, video, or audio clips.