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Backblaze adds free Locate My Computer service to backups
Backblaze is adding a new feature to its US$5/month online backup service that adds another level of protection to your Mac or PC -- locating the computer in case of loss or theft. This morning at 6 AM PDT, Backblaze launched Locate My Computer, a free addition to the company's backup service that determines the location of your computer, displays the location on a map, provides the name of the internet service provider and the IP address being used by the thief or finder, and shows you any changes that the "new owner" has made to your computer. Gleb Budman, the co-founder and CEO of Backblaze, said that the company decided to add the Locate My Computer service after several customers used cloud-based backup information to view changes that thieves had made to their machines. One customer was able to see that the thief had taken a Photo Booth portrait of himself and also made a bad video of himself dancing to Tyga's "Make It Rain." The customer, Mark Bao, promptly posted the video of the thief's impromptu dance solo on YouTube and was later able to recover his MacBook Air. If you're already a Backblaze user, switching on the Locate My Computer service is as simple as logging into your account and then clicking the "Turn On" button on a special Locate My Computer page. It takes up to a few hours for the location to appear, but the ISP and IP address info show up almost immediately, and you can begin your quest to recover your Mac.
Get a TUAW discount on Mac theft recovery service from hidden
Apple's laptops and iMacs are attractive targets for thieves, since they're easy to move and have a good resale value. We've seen several Mac applications or services that work to help you retrieve your favorite Apple product if it is ever stolen; LoJack for Laptops (US$39.95 per year), Undercover ($49.00 for a lifetime of tracking), and MacTrak ($24.95 per year) are all perfect examples of these programs. Most of these apps have two things in common; they will attempt to locate the whereabouts of the computer and also send a picture of the thief using the built-in iSight camera. Now a new name has appeared in the field; hidden. The name is apt, since there's no visible sign on the computer that the software has been installed. There's no app in the applications folder, and no preference pane. To use the application, you simply download and install it, then restart your Mac. Most of the time, your Mac won't be sending out updates of its location. When it is stolen or lost, you go to the hiddenapp.com website, log in, and then change the status for the tracked computer from "not stolen" to "stolen." The service begins looking for your Mac, and within minutes the site displays a Google map showing its approximate location (determined through Wi-Fi geolocation) and, more importantly, photos of the person using the Mac and screenshots of what they are doing. Location updates happen every 10 minutes and also include traceroute information including the public IP address of the Wi-Fi network being used by the thief. This information can be provided to ISPs and local police to help you get your computer back.
TUAW Review: MacTrak Theft Recovery Software
There are several applications available that will help find a lost or stolen Mac. Here at TUAW, we've talked about LoJack for Laptops, Orbicule's Undercover, MacPhoneHome, and iAlertU from Slapping Turtle. Most of these apps "find" the computer by determining the IP address of the machine, and using that data to narrow down the physical location where the laptop is in use. That information can be shared with police and ISPs to find the thieves, recover your laptop, and make an arrest. There's a new Mac recovery app available called MacTrak that's different -- it uses the same Skyhook Wireless positioning technology used in the iPhone to accurately determine the location of your Mac within 10-20 meters. If your nice new MacBook Pro is lost or stolen, you simply log into a special web page with your predetermined credentials, and click on one button to start tracking your Mac. Every 30 minutes, MacTrak takes a picture with the iSight camera, then sends detailed information including its latitude and longitude to you via email. At the same time, it uploads that same information in a "Wanted Poster" view to your Flickr account. You can then work with the proper authorities to have your Mac returned to you. Read on for more info about MacTrak.
NYPD marking iPods, phones to aid in theft recovery
Myth or not, the story that muggers are specifically targeting folks with iPods has gotten a fair amount of press since it was first reported, and has convinced at least one police department to make a rather half-hearted attempt at returning peace of mind to the city's subway commuters. For the past three months, New York City cops have been offering iPod and other portable device owners a way to "register" their gear -- wherein the officers mark your hardware with invisible ink and copy down the serial number -- in order to provide victims with a slim but tangible chance of recovery. The two-pronged approach ensures that even if thieves figure out a way to wash off the ink. which is only visible under infrared lighting, they may not be wise enough to file off the serial numbers as well. So far, over 2,000 gadgets have been marked at Transit Bureau offices and tables located around the subway system, although the program has yet to help any victims recover their stolen goods, so it's probably not a bad idea to continue sporting your Thomas Pink tie.[Via NY1, thanks Leon F]
