HARDWARE
$99
Laptop watchdog
In my wife's busy office, outsiders pinch laptops at a rate of one per week. So I picked up the Caveo Anti-Theft motion-detection system to help protect her hardware.
The 2-inch PC card - which crams a battery, a two-axis accelerometer, and a siren inside - slides directly into the computer. When bumped, the machine sounds off a few beeps (even when it's turned off). If messed with further, the card shuts down Windows and emits a piercing squeal. A 16-character password gets the PC running again. (Of course, any tech-savvy thief could simply pull out the card and reboot in Safe mode, but with two encryption apps, you're secure).
My favorite option: substituting .wav files for the factory-installed warnings. Anyone who even jostles my wife's machine hears Mr. Burns say, "Release the hounds!"
Caveo Technology: +1 (617) 576 7700, www.caveo.com.
STREET CRED
RND#
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US Design: 1975-2000
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