Laptop Cop ups its security arsenal with Skyhook WiFi positioning

Skyhook Wireless' WiFi positioning technology has already found its way into quite a few previously position-less places, and it now looks like it's added one more feather its cap, with Awareness Technologies announcing that it has added the capability to its Laptop Cop laptop protection software. In addition to pinning down a location (supposedly with a "higher degree of accuracy than GPS"), the software will also let you remotely retrieve or delete files, among other tasks -- assuming it's a Windows laptop, that is. If that's not a problem, you can grab the software on its own now for $50, or get it pre-loaded on the Dell laptop of your choice. We're assuming existing Laptop Cop users will also be able to get an upgrade, although it's not clear if that's available just yet.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:03PM]

There a version for Mac.

[Daren @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:23PM]

haha

[Eptin @ Dec 2nd 2008 10:49PM]

No, sorry. Laptop Cop isn't available "on a MacIntosh" [sic].

[sk8rk @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:11PM]

'better than GPS'

sure... anything you say...

but seriously, this is pretty cool

[Greg @ Dec 3rd 2008 3:08PM]

There is MacTrak which uses the same Wi-Fi positioning, as well as takes photos with the iSight camera and uploads them to your Flickr account:

http://www.gadgettrak.com/products/mac/

http://www.skyhookwireless.com/press/skyhookgadgettrak.php

[Wasabi @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:15PM]

Apple uses this on their Itouch for WiFi location, sadly it does not work well at all for me even when I manually sent in my router addy and GPS coords to Skyhook and they added it to their database I still often get ID as being 600+ miles from where I am. It also only works from home -- when it does get my location right. Failry major fail far as my own experience has been.

[TheGeektoriousBIG @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:25PM]

It;s really called Laptop Cop?

Fire your creative department, please.

[Wolfticket @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:39PM]

Something tells me this sort of thing wont be all that helpful in getting your laptop back.
Limited battery life and wifi proof bags anyone?

[Mike @ Feb 22nd 2009 5:45PM]

Wait. What?! You must write more stream of consciousness than Emily Dickinson (no, you did not get that). 'WiFi proof bags'...

FAIL!

[bandigolo @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:43PM]

well thank God we know it works in South Central L.A.!

[tomek @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:45PM]

"I dont think i have anything here. The CIA had a program in the '60s for getting their people out of hot spots. Called Sky Hook..."

[Andrew @ Dec 2nd 2008 6:47PM]

Any type of software theft device is pointless. I mean, okay, I can see it being helpful, but if I stole a laptop or bought a laptop I assumed was stolen, the first thing I would do is reformat the hard drive. That would erase this software no matter what.

Also, this software is dependent on the thief or whoever ends up with it connecting to the internet. It will probably happen, but until they connect you get nothing.

I haven't done research into this, but why don't they just come up with some sort of device that isn't software that, when stolen you can just report it and it gives the location or something. We can make GPS the size of a flash drive, why can't we put one in our laptops?

[ZeRo @ Dec 2nd 2008 7:38PM]

Exactlly what i was thinking!

[Jon Doe. @ Dec 2nd 2008 8:43PM]

You would still fail since most of these programs are starting to integrate into the BIOS so even if you remove the HD it won't do any good. And the reality is that most thieves aren't smart enough to scrub the drive. Or if they are they would use a Windows disk which wouldn't show the hidden partition.
I love the outright arrogance of the people on this site. Acting as if they know everything. Guess what? You don't. And that is why you and everyone else who makes such bold claims without s single fact to back you up look like a 'tards when you make such claims.

[foebea @ Dec 2nd 2008 8:50PM]

my dell came with lojack for laptops which also has an embedded recovery chip on the system board and reinstalls itself even onto new hard drives, let alone formats.

they reportedly have a 4 out of 5 recovery rate.
http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2005/08/19/digilife-lojack-laotops-cx_daa_0819digilife.html

[Mike @ Feb 22nd 2009 5:36PM]

Wow. You're 'Highly Ranked' as a user? It's not a software that runs on the HDD; it runs at the BIOS level. Even if you format the HDD, hell, remove it and replace it with a new one it will re-install the necessary components to begin calling for help again. As for putting in GPS chips, great, but until there is enough consumer demand (which there is decidedly not) mfg's won't devote two quirts of **** to such a venture.

Point taken that it sucks to have to need it connect to a WiFi but at some point the thief or their buyer WILL and the unit will be recovered via them buying something online and the screen grab feature sending an image of their order confirmation page, complete with ship to address. I LOVE that the mac version actually takes a picture of the thief. Seeing as a lot of PC's have integrated cams now it might be time for a functionality upgrade for the PC side.

[bartellboy @ Dec 2nd 2008 7:55PM]

Just what I was thinking... My laptop has a password for the hard drive and for the OS. So they're going to have to crack two passwords in order to log onto my laptop and then connect to a WiFi and then I'll be able to find them! I'd think that they'd would be smart enough to just pop in a new hard drive.The only use I can think of for this is for company laptops or something of that nature. To track untrustworthy employees for some reason.

[PUnchy @ Dec 2nd 2008 8:02PM]

When you go to the Skyhook website there is a product called MacTrak listed, that does the same thing, as well as uploads the theif's image to Flickr:

http://www.skyhookwireless.com/press/skyhookgadgettrak.php

More information here:

http://www.gadgettrak.com/products/mac/

It looks like this is only for Macs though.

[Benson @ Dec 2nd 2008 8:13PM]

Well, the one at http://www.gadgettrak.com/products/mac/ is for Macs (but probably hackintosh, too), but the versions at http://www.gadgettrak.com/products/windows/ are for Windows machines...

[Sean Robbins @ Dec 2nd 2008 10:43PM]

Hey, it would be bad a** for them to make an app for the iphone. I would love to track my roommates where-a-bouts.

[Rob @ Dec 2nd 2008 11:16PM]

....creep

[Greg @ Dec 3rd 2008 12:30PM]

http://www.gadgettrak.com/products/iphone

[Fanfoot @ Dec 3rd 2008 12:07AM]

Similar experience to others. I've often used Google Maps on my
Nokia E61i (no GPS, so uses SkyHook database) in cabs while
travelling, and its often a number of miles off. Useful for pinning
down the CITY or TOWN the thief is located in, but not really
that helpful in pinning it down to a street or anything, which I
think means it wouldn't be useful...

[roach @ Dec 3rd 2008 2:20AM]

I just installed Navizon (uses GPS and wifi) on my HTC diamond and its awesome! I get GPS position even indoors.

[Howl @ Dec 3rd 2008 2:39AM]

Skyhook? The Dark Knight, anyone?

[bardov @ Dec 4th 2008 9:32AM]

This is another example of a USA only application, and even in the US, probably only in large population areas.
Google maps does not cover the world. Relying on wifi hotspots is limited to wifi hotspots.
I doubt that it can provide any relevant geo-data that will work with any other maps.

Following is my chat with laptop cop "live person" support:

You: Does laptop cop work in Israel

Tomas: Hi

Tomas: Certainly does.

Tomas: it works across the globe

Tomas: So long as the computer you want to protect is XP or vista based

you: The ad shows the location on google maps

you: there are no google maps for Israel

you: so what kind of data will it provide?

Tomas: I'm still here... I'll be with you shortly.

Tomas: The geolocate feature of the software works at any point of the globe.

Tomas: Laptop Cop will determine the location of a laptop in real-time by pinging the local wi-fi hotspots. It doesn’t have to connect to them so it can use both secure and non-secure ones. It triangulates the position based on the relative strength of each signal and then plots it on a map.

Tomas: It will show the current position as well as any historical ones.

Tomas: It is usually accurate to within 60 feet and it works better than GPS because is doesn’t rely on point of sight to a satellite. Even when the laptop is in a building, you will get its location.

you: I'm sorry but that did not answer my question.

you: You say the location is plotted on a map, which map?

you: What data does it provide?

Tomas: The geolocate feature of the software works at any point of the globe.

Tomas: When the laptopcop-protected computer is stolen, you can remotely delete/retrieve any files from it as well as monitor the activities of the theft.

you: yes, you said that before. This is not what I asked. Can you answer my question?

Tomas: Thank you for waiting. I'll be with you in just a moment.

Tomas: The Laptopcop will provide you data of every email they send or receive to the IM conversation they engage in, the websites they visit, and any usernames and passwords they type, everything will be captured. This information often contains personally identifiable information such as name, address, phone number, etc. Because this information is so revealing, it can be used to get law enforcement involved and significantly increase your chances of successfully recovering your laptop.

you: I was asking about geo-data. What kind of location information can laptop cop provide?

you: What maps does it use if I'm in a country that is not covered by google maps?

Tomas: I want to make sure we provide you the accurate information about that. You can send in an email to our specialists at [e-mail]