LoJack for laptops

Face it: if you're like us your laptop is more important than your car (especially since living in the city you don't even own a car). In an effort to cash in make users feel more safe carrying their investments, Absolute Software licensed the name LoJack to make a LoJack-like system for your portable. Apparently the software installs a silent agent into the machine's BIOS which sends a IP address or phone number upon Internet connection to help identify its physical location in case it should "go missing". (We're not really sure how it pulls the phone digits, though.) A bit different from SkyHook, but hey, LoJack even offers a $1,000 recovery guarantee for your machine so you feel that much more safe cruising around at night with your precious gear. Just don't forget to freaking back up and use decent passwords though, ok? Identity theft totally sucks, and you really don't want to have to get this guy on the case.

[Via GigaOm]

[Julien @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Installed in BIOS. With Internet Connection. Somehow, I don't think that fits.

[Jay Contonio @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

And what about Mac support? They install something in open firmware that can access the network? Hmmmm nah.

[SD @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Is this really that new? I remember when Robert Urich was pushing this type of thing on a late night infomercial and called it CyberAngel. Plus, if you use a Mac or a Linux system, you can do this yourself for free using "The Beacon" according to this website.

[SD @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Forgot the URL http://www.livejournal.com/~lburstein/2005/02/05/

[sr20de @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Computrace has been around for years. This is not anything new. In fact, it's been around for years and has always ignored Mac hardware. Lame.

[Jonathan N. @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

"Computrace has been around for years. This is not anything new. In fact, it's been around for years and has always ignored Mac hardware."

Maybe its because the mac hardware with its 4% market share and its openfirmware is NOT the norm in the industry. Mac users love to push the notion that market share doesn't matter. Well look at what 90% of the computer industry and prob 95% of the enterprise desktop industry gets you.

[fLeShTwIsTeR @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Just what we need more tracking on the internet...

[Mike Cohen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

There is a Mac version (which I wrote). It supports 10.2 through 10.4 and we're working on Intel support. There's even a Mac OS 9 version (which we don't like to talk about).

[A Brown @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Yes, Computrace HAS been around for years, sounds like only the name has changed (or will). AND it does work! I installed it many times for a previous employer and it does a nice job of tracking the laptop no matter where it is. I agree, Apple doesn't own a big enough share and I like Apple equipment (but get over it). It is not perfect (nothing is) but it is some of the easiest to use, easy to install, piece of mind you find on the market.

[Paul Meeks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

The guys at Trackion http://www.trackion.com are doing the same thing, cheaper, and have a mac client.

[ColonelBob @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

LoJack for laptops is a good thing. Massachusetts started subsidizing people who bought LoJacks for their cars, and economists have evidence that it's reduced car theft in Boston. When a good number of cars have the system installed, and a thief doesn't know WHICH cars has a LoJack or not but HAS to steal several a week to stay in business, he's out of a job.

[ColonelBob @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Grammar: which cars HAVE a LoJack or not...

[Laura Burstein @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Now someone just needs to write a call home script for stolen iPods. ;)