Comments on: Did you forget something?

By: Stefan

Stefan — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:09:16 +0000

You mention a few thing that you do to help identify your Mac should it be lost. One of my favorites is part of the Onyx utility app – http://www.titanium.free.fr/pgs/english/apps.html. In it’s “Parameters / Login” tab it allows you to insert a message that will display in the login window. I use this to add an “if found, contact…” line right on the login window. While not as comprehensive as some of the other things that can be done, it’s a good way to make sure your contact info is on the computer.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:49:47 +0000

Great blog! My first-time commenting….

I haven’t flown anywhere in 10 years, and back then I didn’t have a laptop… But I know how it feels to leave expensive equipment somewhere because your mind was sidetracked…

I forgot one of my cameras at an event, and didn’t realize it until a few days later when I went to get a spare memory card from it’s bag.

It’s very hard to retrace your steps if it’s been any length of time, not to mention it doesn’t help you are freaking out!

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Anyway, you (and your readers) might want to look into buying some StuffBak labels / tags:

https://www.stuffbak.com/

They have unique ID numbers, so you don’t have to give away any of your private information (which may be listed on a business card, or address label).

I looked into such labels and tags, when I lost my keys on a day-long shopping trip (I of course being the “bag carrier”).

I have no ties to Stuffbak, other than being a customer. There are other similar companies: http://www.boomerangit.com/ & http://www.trackitback.com/portal/

Every piece of technology, bags, keys, etc. I own now have either a StuffBak label or tag on it.

People have the incentive to call the phone number listed, since they say “Reward for return”. StuffBak gives them some free labels, and I can set any $ amount I feel it’s worth to get my item(s) back.

By the way, I did get my keys back. There were at the last place I was at, and the first place I called… Turns out the pizza delivery guy noticed the keys at the far side of the parking lot (we got carryout). He picked them up and forgot to turn them in until the next day he worked.

The manager said he ONLY remembered my call, because I begged him to take my number with a description of the keys.

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Also for Macs, I suggest you read up on the program “Undercover”:

http://www.orbicule.com/undercover/

In the event your laptop is lost or stolen, you can go online (assuming you have access to another computer) and report it.

Hidden software pings the Orbicule servers every-time the computer connects to a network. If it’s reported missing/stolen it can track IP addresses, take screenshots, and take photos via the built in iSight.

I’m very protective of my gear, and got this right away when a friends laptop was stolen.

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And one last thing.

Mac users should set an Open Firmware or EFI password. That way people can’t boot off a CD or removable drive and gain access to your files. That wont stop them from yanking the hard drive and connecting it to another machine… but it’s better than not having it.

More info: http://www.orbicule.com/blog/2007/05/what-you-need-to-know-about-apple.html

By: Bill Carver

Bill Carver — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:09:19 +0000

From now on, I’m getting behind Terry White while in line at the airport. There’s no telling what kind of technology you can pick up:)

By: Kevan O'Brien

Kevan O'Brien — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:30:02 +0000

Well I have similar experiences with the TSA all the time, just don’t get the SSSS on your boarding pass as that is bad.
Glad they were honest enough to turn a laptop in, I have all my work partitions password protected for such a reason.
Glad you came through it un-scared and happy to fly once more.

By: Richard Jenkins

Richard Jenkins — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:10:32 +0000

Decent review of “LoJack” for stolen/lost laptops.

http://www.forbes.com/2005/08/19/digilife-lojack-laotops-cx_daa_0819digilife.html

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:54:02 +0000

wow! amazing story, good thing you got your laptop back! whew!

By: Dennis Radeke

Dennis Radeke — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:16:31 +0000

OUCH Terry!

I haven’t done anything like this yet, but I know that it can happen to me and I’m paranoid about losing something like the laptop, the VPN Key, phone, wallet, keys! This kind of stuff can unnerve anyone and I’m so glad it worked out for you.

By: Jan Kabili

Jan Kabili — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:53:59 +0000

Terry: My heart was pounding as I read this. I could feel your pain. Something similar happened to me at LAX last year, and like you, I was rebuffed by everyone except one great LA policeman, who found my bag and returned it to me. Hard lesson learned, isn’t it? I’m so glad it turned out OK for you.

By: Matt J

Matt J — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:49:40 +0000

My bag has set off the explosive detector before. It detects nitrogen compounds, so I would assume farmers would have a bit of a hassle if they got picked for a search.

By: Donna

Donna — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:13:56 +0000

I left my laptop in the security bin in the Amsterdam airport last summer. I forgot to put it back in my packpack. What a hassle. I must say, they are very well organized as to lost items at that airport’s website, though. Dropdown menus in the language of your choice. What did you lose? Computer? What kind? What color? Where were you in the airport? It did cost me about $150 US to have it shipped via DSL courier to where I was in another country. I had an address label stuck to the outside as well as another pasted INSIDE the battery well. I have since read what I colnsider a very good suggestion. If you have multiple bins put your one shoe in the first one, put your other shoe in the bin with your laptop, which you should ALWAYS put last in line onto the conveyer belt for scanning (so it is the closest to you as you are going through the scanner. That way maybe you won’t leave solmething behind, because, hopefully, you have to put a show on each foot before you leave. Of course, that may bepend upon how jet-lagged your are. : )

By: Ajay Jhaveri

Ajay Jhaveri — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:52:03 +0000

What a story. Glad it all ended so well.
Ajay

By: mrichman

mrichman — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:51:59 +0000

That can happen to anyone, Terry, but i’m sooooo OCD in line at airport security that i’ve done the opposite:

My laptop bag is a backpack and I’ve actually pulled it off the rollers, post x-ray, put it over my shoulder, proceeded to grab the bin with the laptop, stacked it with the bin holding my jacket, etc. and then started yelling that someone had stolen my backpack! Until some TSA person calmly asked me if I was yelling about the bag on my shoulder.
I wiped the egg from my face and walked off.

By: Lynn Grillo

Lynn Grillo — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:38:12 +0000

I have my card taped on inside, left of the track pad where it takes less abuse. Good idea about marking inside the battery case.

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:19:30 +0000

Wow! I did that in Las Vegas last year, but remembered before getting on the plane.

If the Michigan State Police gets 3-4 laptops a day, and no one claims them;

I wonder what they do with them?

I would purchase a few of them at an auction or something.

Congrats on happy ending!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:15:46 +0000

In addition to taping a business card to the bottom, it is also a good idea to conceal a label with your name and address in the memory compartment or other concealed location. If someone had stolen the laptop, they can tear off the business card easily, but when making a police report, you can inform them of the location and hope that the the thief didn’t find it first. That makes easy proof that the laptop is yours (even if the hard drive is reformatted, etc).