title: When would one use the BRICK permission?
body: <p>In Android, there used to be a permission with the name <a href="http://developer.android.com/reference/android/Manifest.permission.html#BRICK">BRICK</a> that could be used to potentially disable the device. Other than hearing it as an urban myth, I do not really know if this permission can really be used to brick a device. </p>
  
  <p>All I can think of are the following reasons:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>To build a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoJack">LoJack</a> kind of an application that can remote disable a phone should it discover that the phone was stolen. </li>
  <li>For enterprises to be able to remote-wipe a phone should the phone get lost somewhere.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Is there any other sane reason why a third-party app would require to use it? And why was it removed (not sure) from GingerBread?</p>
  
  <p>Also, what does it really do anyways? Reset the phone to its factory settings? </p>