Laptop Locks?

Mish42

I was told that it'd be in my best interests to buy a laptop lock for next year at college, but the problem is, I have a Macbook Pro, and all the locks I've looked at don't look very Macbook Pro friendly. After visiting the Apple Store website, I read a bunch of reviews that confirmed my thoughts: Not only do the locks not work very well, but they've been known to break $2000 laptops because they don't fit properly. My uncle bought me this laptop to last me for the next 4 years, I'm not interested in buying something that risks having me go to repair my computer.

The locks I looked at were the Kensington Combosaver Notebook Lock and the Kensington ComboSaver Portable Notebook Lock; I'm thinking I'm just going to have to keep a close watch on my laptop next year, but I figured I'd put up the question here just in case anyone knows of any product that's better than what I've looked up. I'm also planning on getting my dad's inscriber to put my driver's license number on the top of it tomorrow, so it'll persuade people not to steal my laptop. Any other suggestions I might want to know?

X'o'Lore

You can't just put your name on it?

bruce

I'm getting myself this one for university. Simple yet effective.

Whatever you get, do not, I repeat not get a barrel one, like those two kensingtons. They can be cracked open with a rolled up piece of cardboard.

I'll also be keeping it tucked up in a locked drawer a lot of the time.

Serephel

Well how safe is your university? I got a laptop lock freshman year, but I never once used it. There weren't any reports of stolen computers (that I can remember) from when I was a freshman, but I heard other stories from other dorms later on.

I mean, is it easy to break through your locks? If it isn't, then if you're just super untrustworthy and lock the door everytime you leave for any reason, then it shouldn't be a problem.

Inscribe a gigantic penis on the cover of your laptop. That way thieves might not want to use it in public.

Silverward

That might prevent her from using it in public too.

Hamelin

Just don't take it everywhere with you. You'll find it's not that convenient using it in class to take notes (the distractions it brings are bad news too), and if you take it to the food court or something to study or hang out with some friends, don't leave it sitting anywhere alone.

I left my laptop in my dorm room 90% of the time, just always lock your door if you're not in, and make sure your roommate does as well.

DrLeopoldStrabismus

I agree, getting a safe that will fit the laptop is an excellent idea! On top of that, you can keep all of your personal papers/correspondence/research in it! Nothing too large, but make sure you can fit your laptop in it BEFORE you buy it.

Hamelin

John the Filleau wrote: »

I agree, getting a safe that will fit the laptop is an excellent idea! On top of that, you can keep all of your personal papers/correspondence/research in it! Nothing too large, but make sure you can fit your laptop in it BEFORE you buy it.

I disagree. A safe big enough for a laptop, while heavy, just screams "I'm hiding valuable things in my dorm room!"

If I was ransacking a room and saw a little safe I'd be like "Damn son, I'll take this and crack it open later."

Serephel

The best way is to rig your laptop next to a very obviously mounted shotgun armed with pressure triggers near the laptop, right next to a very secretive hidden shotgun that has pressure triggers set to blow if the obvious pressure triggers are disengaged.

Then when you come home, if your entire room is sprayed in a terrible red mess, you know you have to reload your shotgun, because it just saved you a few thousand bucks in replacing your computer.

(I am drunk and this took me a very long time to type)

hlavco

Eh. If people want to steal my laptop they'll have to untangle all the wires and crap from behind my desk, and then the laptop itself is pretty heavy, too. And the door's usually locked. So I'm not worried.

shakeycat

My dad bought me a laptop lock with my laptop when I started university. I haven't once used it. In my 3 years there, only one computer ever went missing, and it was from a girl's dorm room. Anyway, this day in age, you will spend very little time without your laptop in your lap. (share notes, make friends!)

But hey, good idea about etching into it.

DrLeopoldStrabismus

Hamelin wrote: »

I disagree. A safe big enough for a laptop, while heavy, just screams "I'm hiding valuable things in my dorm room!"

If I was ransacking a room and saw a little safe I'd be like "Damn son, I'll take this and crack it open later."

And if I were ransacking a room, I wouldn't want to have to carry an eighty pound safe through the hallways and across campus. Also, think how suspicious one would look carrying this thing as big as your torso out of a room.

EDIT OF: I think the problem here is that we've got differing views of what's considered "little" when it comes to safes.

Mish42

I ended up just etching my name on the top of it, so if it does get stolen the theif would never be able to use it in public. What a pain right? That'll show them.

And I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in the world who has my name, so it'll all be good.

bruce

I doubt a thief will have much problem using a laptop with somebody else's name written on it.

Might I suggest this? It looks like a useful app for if it does ever get nicked, I might get it...

Serephel

That actually looks pretty cool.

Drooling Iguana

You could install Linux on it. That way if someone steals it they won't know how to use it and they'll have to give it back.

bruce

Bah, not with linux pandering to the masses these days! What happened to the good old days? Green on black, complex commands to complete the most basic tasks!