BTW: you can check some notifications without the unlocking step (at least, in 4.2.2). On the lockscreen, swipe left. There'll be a "+". Unlock on this screen,

BTW: you can check some notifications without the unlocking step (at least, in 4.2.2). On the lockscreen, swipe left. There'll be a "+". Unlock on this screen, and you get a choice of apps to show on it (email, messaging, calendar etc). You can have several such screens (it seems, one app per screen). A long press gives allows deletion of that screen.