Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Mobile: Laptops With Security Tracking? Time for PC Makers To Include This Feature In All Laptops

An Apple Macbook Pro that was stolen during the London unrest created by criminal opportunists was recovered and the thief is headed to an extended vacation at the taxpayers' expense.

Right now, there is only one way to get security for your laptop that allows you a chance to recover it.  You buy a software and install it yourself.  A future version of iCloud should have a feature that will allow users to locate Macs as well.

In this case, the man in London used an open-sourced software that he later upgraded to a paid service to get more frequent reports and to track down the perp  He was able to eventually obtain very detailed information on the thief and gave that information to the police.

It's a great story and not the first we've heard of this.  Nor will it be the last.  

Perhaps, it's time that PC makers (not wait for Microsoft) do more to protect their customers' investments.  Again, Apple will have its Find My Mac feature working once iCloud comes out of beta.  It'll be interest to see just how well that works.  But at the same time, with the economy the way it is and more people desperate, it's just good to be prudent.

Plus, these days, most cars come with an alarm system.  It is Lo-Jack but better than nothing.  And it probably won't cost PC makers to include this in their laptops, especially those sold to business users.

This is an incredible must read story (Macworld). And it also serves as a reminder.  If you use your laptop or Macbook to work on sensitive information, best you consider one of these security options.  Tens of thousands of laptops are lost or stolen each year.  You do the math.

Anway, glad the good guys won.

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