US MACWORLD ARTICLE ON LAPTOP SECURITY AND ANTI THEFT Macworld: Mobile MacMobile Mac
Laptop Lockdown
By Jason Cook

Laptop owners adore PowerBooks and iBooks for their snazzy looks, light weight, and excellent resale value. Unfortunately, thieves like them for the very same reasons. And the person who steals your laptop not only nabs your hardware but also may gain access to financial records, corporate data, credit card numbers, and other sensitive information. There are ways to protect your computer and your data. Whether you lash down your laptop with steel cables or apply military-grade data encryption across your hard drive, protecting your laptop takes some effort -- but it may be easier than you expect.

Secure It
You spent a lot of money on your iBook or PowerBook, so you don't want to leave it lying around. Although fancy computer cases and bags are great for carrying and protecting your laptop from harm, they're also good at drawing attention to what's inside. When you're on the road, consider dressing down -- swap your flashy computer case for a protective notebook sleeve, which can be tucked into any nondescript bag or backpack. Other commonsense techniques provide security that's stronger than any gadget -- always lock your laptop in the trunk when you must leave it in a car, or stash it in a drawer when you leave it in a hotel room or an office cubicle.

Lock It Down All Apple portables include a Kensington Security Slot. It's usually located near the modem port, marked by a padlock icon. To physically secure your laptop computer, loop a steel security cable around room fixtures or hefty furniture, and then lock the cable into the slot.

Kensington markets its own MicroSaver brand of cables ($57 to $80; http://www.microsaver.com) made from aircraft-grade steel and Kevlar fiber. However, since the Kensington-size slot is a widely used standard in the PC world, too, you can often find third-party cables that cost less. Not all manufacturers boast the fancy materials or custom-key solutions that Kensington does, but let's face it -- to a grab-and-run thief, steel cables all look alike. If you'd like a thicker cable but don't want to fumble around for keys, check out the $36 Universal Combo Notebook Lock, from AppleLocks.com, which features a combination lock.

A security cable's weak link is a lazy user -- tying up a computer is a hassle, and carrying steel cables can be a drag. For some users, Kensington's travel-size $30 Retractable MicroSaver is a sensible compromise between convenience and security, since it uses a thin retractable cable that's more portable. (Note that cable locks are being confiscated from carry-on luggage in some airports, for security reasons.)

Make It Loud Sonic alarms are another way to tie down your laptop. The $50 Targus Defcon 1 Ultra Notebook Computer Security System (http://www.targus .com) greets would-be thieves with a shrieking, 95-decibel wail. Kensington's $45 SonicLock Motion-Detecting Alarm (http://www.kensington.com) offers similar protection. Both devices are motion-triggered alarms that also plug directly into the Security Slot; arming or disarming them requires a key combination.

Some alarms, such as the $60 TrackIt (http://www.trackitcorp.com), consist of a small radio transmitter and a receiver with a sonic alarm. Drop the alarm in your laptop bag, and if the signal between it and the transmitter is lost, the alarm sounds. (These devices punish thieves and absent-minded owners.)