Dig out your credit card–Lenovo is now taking orders for its ThinkPad Honeycomb tablet, which was announced last month. The tablet is $499 for the 16GB, WiFi-only model and $669 for the 64GB version, with 3G mobile broadband coming in October. According to Matt Burns writing for TechCrunch, the ThinkPad tablet might be the best Honeycomb tablet available right now. READ MORE
August 12 marks the 30th anniversary of the personal computer. So it’s either fitting or ironic that Mark Dean, an IBM engineer who worked on the company’s first PC now says of personal computers: “They’re going the way of the vacuum tube, typewriter, vinyl records, CRT and incandescent light bulbs.” READ MORE
It depends how you look at it. There’s no arguing with the fact that the iPad is one of the most successful products the world has ever seen, and that Apple is literally selling them as fast as it can get them off the assembly line. READ MORE
Much of the media attention at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) surrounded new computer styles, shapes and sizes — perhaps signaling a change from the tried-and-true laptop form factor popularized over the past two decades. One attention-getting device is the Dell Inspiron Duo, which looks like a typical netbook at first glance but actually transforms into a tablet when you remove the LCD touch display. Lenovo offers a similar model called the LePad U1, but that hybrid was first announced over a year ago. Another laptop, which uses dual touchscreens instead of a physical keyboard, is the Acer Iconia. The main advantage of this new form factor is that the keyboard can be customized or changed altogether depending on what you need the laptop to do. Another model, the Razer Switchblade, has keys that display different words or icons depending on the application — say, for gaming or for getting real work done. So, are these new form factors innovative? Sure. Practical? That’s another — and perhaps more important — consideration altogether. As usual, the hardest part about deciding whether these new form factors make sense is just being careful to avoid the lure of something being new and interesting, and then determining whether they will actually make sense for real work. To find out, we caught up with industry experts to weigh in on the pros and cons of alternative computer styles. Does ‘one size fits all’ work?“We’ve all been conditioned into believing that something that’s remained fundamentally unchanged for decades is a classic, successful, perfect design that needs no additional modification,” begins Carmi Levy, an independent technology analyst based in London, Ontario. “In the case of the basic laptop, however, classic doesn’t mean ideal — despite the fact that the basic laptop has become an icon of business and consumer computing, it’s been apparent for years that its one-shape-fits-all form factor falls short.” Levy says enterprise and consumer buyers are often “complacent,” and in turn stick with a familiar design. “Because of this, hardware vendors, afraid of introducing the PC world’s equivalent of the Edsel, have shied away from stretching the form factor envelope.” Times might be changing, however. “The tablet is the first truly successful post-laptop design for a mobile productivity device in a generation — it has opened the door to other hybrid hardware designs by softening buyer resistance anything that strays too far from the trusty old laptop design.” The new laptop-tablet hybrids may just be a smart new form factor, he says. “The Dell Inspiron Duo (aka Sparta) is just close enough to existing form factors that buyers might be willing to give it a shot. It’s evolutionary, not revolutionary, and that could be more than enough to begin to give Dell some sales momentum in this emerging market slice.” Options are goodOn whether small-to-midsized businesses should invest in a nonconventional design, Leslie Fiering, research vice president at Gartner, says it all depends on the needs of the company. “A tablet, for example, is really designed for media consumption rather than content creation — therefore those who need to do a lot of typing should probably stick with a physical keyboard.” Fiering says the question isn’t “Should I go out and buy one of these new kinds of computers?,” but rather “What can I do better with an alternative form factor over my existing hardware?,” she asks, rhetorically. That said, Fiering concedes she’s not a big fan of the virtual keyboard in general. “They tend to be more error-prone because they don’t give feedback; I’ve seen people use these [onscreen] keyboards after three months and they still make the same mistakes and some start getting bone soreness through the pad of the fingertip,” adds Fiering. On the flipside, Fiering says on-the-go types who spend a lot of time viewing or listening to content might benefit from a keyboard-less computer. While she’s “skeptical” about two operating systems, Fiering says the Lenovo LePad U1 hybrid — a Windows laptop with a snap-off screen that becomes an Android tablet — offers the “best of [of both] worlds, as you get a slate and keyboard to dock it in.” Businesses open to changeThe surge in new form factors can also largely be attributed to Apple’s success with the iPad, says Levy, as they “force buyers to realize that laptops aren’t the exclusive choice for mobile productivity.” Rob Fleischer, partner and executive vice president at Sandbox Strategies, a public relations and marketing firm that handles videogame and tech clients, says they use iPads at work. “We have iPads and we use them regularly as they’re great for entertainment when traveling [and] we’ve adapted business presentations to show on iPad, which has worked out well.” While Fleischer admits there are times when a physical keyboard is a more ideal interface than touch, he’s open to new concepts. “Out of the new products on display at CES, I’m most excited about the Motorola Atrix,” says Fleischer. The Atrix is an Android-powered smartphone that can be docked in a 2.2-pound laptop shell with 11.6-inch screen, full-sized keyboard and trackpad. Therefore, when docked, users can interact with the smartphone’s content as if it were a PC — and the dock charges up the phone at the same time. “Sure, we’re all using iPhones right now, but the idea of having a single phone/laptop is awesome,” says Fleischer. “The phone with the laptop dock looks like a really great solution for us: we can travel light, work remotely, and have the ability to really get stuff done.” In the end, that’s the ultimate goal: being productive, even if the laptop is completing new and different.
It’s a word every small business IT manager wants to hear: free. But does this popular F-word — especially given today’s ailing economy — also apply to computer security, too? While there are a number of paid products and services designed to protect data while employees are on the go, there are also solutions and tips to guarding your sensitive business data — and in some cases, customer information, too — that won’t cost you anything to implement. “There are thousands of cases of security breaches on laptops that have hurt the owners of those laptops and compromised the privacy of customers, citizens, and others,” explains David Daoud, an analyst with IDC’s personal computing for PC trackers and green IT programs. Examples include the recent announcement from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services about a laptop security breach involving an estimated 85,000 citizens. “Travelling can be an important source of theft and the consequences can be devastating from a legal and personal standpoint,” adds Daoud, whose offices are based in Framingham, Mass. If budgets are tight, the following are some free ways to help protect your data. Encryption The most obvious way to deal with laptop security is using existing encryption technologies and passwords, says Daoud. “BIOS-level passwords help in that they add more security at the operating system level,” along with setting up a password to launch Windows, too, he says. “For added security, you could use password protection at the folder or directory level.” Many mobile executives use Windows Vista’s built-in BitLocker encryption technology that can protect the data on the laptop should it fall into the wrong hands. Available in Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows Vista Ultimate, this data protection tool encrypts the entire Windows operating system volume on the hard disk (including user files and system files) so that the data is inaccessible unless the user provides the right password or biometric identification. Others prefer free third-party encryption options, such as PKWare’s SecureZip or TrueCrypt’s software. Biometrics Many laptops now — from the likes of HP, Lenovo, Sony, and Dell — offer an integrated fingerprint reader, so only the user can access files. Usually this finger scanner is located near the keyboard or just underneath the laptop’s LCD screen. Daoud says common sense also comes into play. “These biometrics security features are efficient on a certain level, but savvy hackers can certainly find ways to break into the system if they really need to,” he says. “So during travel make sure you keep your laptop with you all the time.” Another tip is to avoid unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks — even if they seem tempting because they’re unlocked — because these could be rogue connections by malicious types out to steal your data. On a related note, wherever possible, users should log into their company’s secured network to send messages or files rather than relying on free Web-based e-mail programs. Try to avoid using a public PC, such as at an airport lounge, but if you must, be sure to delete Internet history, cookies and clear cache before you’re done. Virtual desktops Some business owners prefer their employees not carry around any company files with them. Instead, mobile workers must log into the company’s secure network “in the cloud” and access files remotely. This technology is sometimes referred to as a “thin client” or “virtual desktop” solution. “The hosted virtual desktop concept is good for data security, in that data is not attached to a hard drive. The industry is still relatively immature, however, and users should balance the need for data security with other needs such as information accessibility,” advises Adam Hils, an Atlanta-based principal research analyst with Gartner’s security, privacy, and risk division. “It is true that users should limit the information on their laptops to what they need for the trip.” Daoud agrees: “The best advice is to have some centralized storage system at home or in the office where all the critical data is stored and secured… that can be securely accessed via Web browsers when someone needs to access the data.” Back-up Finally, there are free ways to back-up important data, in case a laptop is stolen, lost, or damaged. For example, Microsoft offers up to 5 gigabytes (GB) of free storage per month with its Windows Live SkyDrive service. Not only is this password-protected online file storage solution easy to use but you can access your files from any Internet-connected computer in the world, which can prove very handy while traveling. “And because remote laptops are outside the protection of the corporate firewall, every laptop should also have a personal firewall installed,” adds Hils. “These are available with Windows, and with most anti-virus products, for free.”
“Never listen to the guy in the pickup who says he’ll take your old equipment away for free,” says Gina Chiarella, COO of e-waste disposal company We Recycle!, Inc. “That’s the quickest way for your data to end up on a flea market table.” Getting rid of old technology can be hazardous, since there’s very likely sensitive data still on it. Even if you’ve erased and reformatted, computer hard drives contain loads of data you don’t want to let outside of your firewall – e-mails, contracts, planning documents, employees’ personal information, credit cards, and much more reside on these hard drives. Besides identity theft, data loss may leave you or your company liable under federal laws such as HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, Graham-Leach-Bliley or under state laws. Criminal penalties include fines and prison terms up to 20 years. Not to mention the civil suits that can result. As many as 150 million computers are trashed each year, often without having their hard drives erased. According to the U.S. Department of Defense standards, secure deletion requires three complete rewrites on the drive before it’s considered clean. But some of the newer forensic data mining technologies could potentially retrieve material that’s been treated to even higher levels of erasure. If the wrong people were to gain access to it, they could hurt a business very seriously. The best way to eliminate data “Software that overwrites the whole drive, as the DoD recommends, is the best way to eliminate any data left on it,” said Chiarella. “If companies want to dispose of equipment that contains highly sensitive data and they don’t trust simply erasing, even when that erasure is considered secure, then they can go all the way and take it to a disposal company that uses a mechanical shredder and have the drives destroyed completely.” If you intend to reuse or recycle the drive yourself, there is excellent software that will do data erasure securely. Any program used for erasing a hard drive should follow the DoD’s clearing and sanitizing standard. A couple of the best are Darik’s Boot and Nuke, a free open source application, or Eraser, also free, from Irish software maker Heidi, Ltd. Beginning with Mac OS 10.3, Apple enhanced its security by introducing the Secure Empty Trash feature, which follows the DoD standards, and overwrites data seven times. If that’s not secure enough for you, then download the free program Permanent Eraser from Edenwaith Software, which overwrites your data 35 times. Disposing of hardware The problems of e-waste are even more complicated than just data security – the EPA estimates that over 220 million tons of old computers and other tech hardware are trashed yearly in the United States. E-waste contains high amounts of dangerous chemicals like mercury, cadmium, lead, and other toxins and carcinogens, and is often illegally exported to other countries where the material may not be disposed of properly. With too little oversight and regulation, much of this toxic waste ends up in places like Nigeria and China, where local populations now have high incidences of birth defects, infant death, cancer, and other illnesses. So what can a small or mid-sized business do when it needs to eliminate old equipment responsibly? “We recommend organizations deal with a licensed vendor to dispose of their technology,” said Robert Johnson, executive director of the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID), an international trade association for companies providing information destruction services. “A company interested in the quality and security of its data destruction needs to personally inspect the facilities of any disposal firm before dealing with them. Ask about how they manage their own business, and most importantly find out specifically how they dispose of the e-waste.” “When getting rid of tech equipment,” said Chiarella, small and mid-sized businesses “should also look at the website of the manufacturers of their equipment to see if they offer a ‘take back’ program for old equipment. OEMs do very good due-diligence to carefully and completely dispose these dangerous materials.” Sony, Apple, HP, Dell, and Lenovo, as well some other companies, all have programs to take back their products and recycle the materials — but just for safety, make sure you pull the hard drive for secure erasing or destruction. Check the company websites to find out if this is an option for your equipment. Also check with the Electronics Take Back Coalition for more information on companies offering this service. But while doing the right thing ecologically, make sure it’s done securely and carefully. Dealing securely with the disposal of your equipment and data destruction is something you can’t afford to scrimp on. “Cutting corners,” said Chiarella, “is never a good idea with data security. The fee that is associated with managing data destruction is far less than your cost of exposure of that data.”
“Never listen to the guy in the pickup who says he’ll take your old equipment away for free,” says Gina Chiarella, COO of e-waste disposal company We Recycle!, Inc. “That’s the quickest way for your data to end up on a flea market table.” Getting rid of old technology can be hazardous, since there’s very likely sensitive data still on it. Even if you’ve erased and reformatted, computer hard drives contain loads of data you don’t want to let outside of your firewall – e-mails, contracts, planning documents, employees’ personal information, credit cards, and much more reside on these hard drives. Besides identity theft, data loss may leave you or your company liable under federal laws such as HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, Graham-Leach-Bliley or under state laws. Criminal penalties include fines and prison terms up to 20 years. Not to mention the civil suits that can result. As many as 150 million computers are trashed each year, often without having their hard drives erased. According to the U.S. Department of Defense standards, secure deletion requires three complete rewrites on the drive before it’s considered clean. But some of the newer forensic data mining technologies could potentially retrieve material that’s been treated to even higher levels of erasure. If the wrong people were to gain access to it, they could hurt a business very seriously. The best way to eliminate data “Software that overwrites the whole drive, as the DoD recommends, is the best way to eliminate any data left on it,” said Chiarella. “If companies want to dispose of equipment that contains highly sensitive data and they don’t trust simply erasing, even when that erasure is considered secure, then they can go all the way and take it to a disposal company that uses a mechanical shredder and have the drives destroyed completely.” If you intend to reuse or recycle the drive yourself, there is excellent software that will do data erasure securely. Any program used for erasing a hard drive should follow the DoD’s clearing and sanitizing standard. A couple of the best are Darik’s Boot and Nuke, a free open source application, or Eraser, also free, from Irish software maker Heidi, Ltd. Beginning with Mac OS 10.3, Apple enhanced its security by introducing the Secure Empty Trash feature, which follows the DoD standards, and overwrites data seven times. If that’s not secure enough for you, then download the free program Permanent Eraser from Edenwaith Software, which overwrites your data 35 times. Disposing of hardware The problems of e-waste are even more complicated than just data security – the EPA estimates that over 220 million tons of old computers and other tech hardware are trashed yearly in the United States. E-waste contains high amounts of dangerous chemicals like mercury, cadmium, lead, and other toxins and carcinogens, and is often illegally exported to other countries where the material may not be disposed of properly. With too little oversight and regulation, much of this toxic waste ends up in places like Nigeria and China, where local populations now have high incidences of birth defects, infant death, cancer, and other illnesses. So what can a small or mid-sized business do when it needs to eliminate old equipment responsibly? “We recommend organizations deal with a licensed vendor to dispose of their technology,” said Robert Johnson, executive director of the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID), an international trade association for companies providing information destruction services. “A company interested in the quality and security of its data destruction needs to personally inspect the facilities of any disposal firm before dealing with them. Ask about how they manage their own business, and most importantly find out specifically how they dispose of the e-waste.” “When getting rid of tech equipment,” said Chiarella, small and mid-sized businesses “should also look at the website of the manufacturers of their equipment to see if they offer a ‘take back’ program for old equipment. OEMs do very good due-diligence to carefully and completely dispose these dangerous materials.” Sony, Apple, HP, Dell, and Lenovo, as well some other companies, all have programs to take back their products and recycle the materials — but just for safety, make sure you pull the hard drive for secure erasing or destruction. Check the company websites to find out if this is an option for your equipment. Also check with the Electronics Take Back Coalition for more information on companies offering this service. But while doing the right thing ecologically, make sure it’s done securely and carefully. Dealing securely with the disposal of your equipment and data destruction is something you can’t afford to scrimp on. “Cutting corners,” said Chiarella, “is never a good idea with data security. The fee that is associated with managing data destruction is far less than your cost of exposure of that data.”
Thanks to falling prices, increased selection, and many more applications targeted at small and mid-sized businesses, it might seem like the right time to consider picking up a tablet PC — or several for your staff. For the uninitiated, these small and lightweight handheld computers let you comfortably write on the screen using a stylus pen. Bundled optical character recognition (OCR) software can also transcribe your chicken scratch into text, making it easy to search or insert into documents, presentations, or e-mails. With built-in wireless functionality, such as 802.11 (Wi-Fi), tablet PCs are also online-ready. Microsoft has an entire operating system devoted to these computers — Windows XP Tablet PC. The software giant has also spent considerable marketing dollars to promote OneNote, a tablet PC-centric note-taking and information-management program for Microsoft Office. OneNote allows you to effortlessly record, organize, search, and share digital notes. Computer makers offering more tablet PCs Many laptops available today also offer tablet PC functionality. Aptly named “convertibles,” these computers feature LCD screens that can swivel around and lay flat — so the user can hold it like a clipboard and write instead of type. It’s no wonder many computer manufacturers have jumped onboard, including the likes of Acer, HP, Lenovo, Dell, Gateway, Toshiba, and Fujitsu. It might seem as if the tablet computer was the latest rage. But, truth be told, the tablet PCs are hardly flying off the shelves. So, why aren’t they selling? According to a recent IDC report, the market is relatively tiny. Convertible tablet PC shipments, for example, will reach barely one million units this year and more than four million by 2010, IDC estimates. Compare this to approximately 72.6 million laptop PCs sold during the same period. “Tablets are still a pretty niche market and I don’t see that changing anytime soon,” says Gary Chen, senior analyst for Small and Medium Enterprise IT Infrastructure and Applications at the Yankee Group. “They’re good for certain vertical applications, but for the mainstream I don’t see it ever becoming the primary form factor.” Determine whether you need tablet functionality Other analysts are more optimistic about the tablet PC’s potential in the small and mid-sized business market. Michael Gartenberg, Jupiter Research’s vice president and research director, says that businesses need to assess whether they can utilize the additional mobility and functionality that the tablet PC has to offer. “The technology has matured — in both the hardware and software — but the big question is ‘do you need it?’” Gartenberg says. For many businesses, the answer may be, “Yes.” Gartenberg suggests that IT decision makers at small and mid-sized businesses consider whether staff members in their business have certain requirements that may be appropriate for tablet PC usage. Tablet computers can provide benefits when used in the following scenarios: When employees are in meetings and want to use their computer as a white board to best demonstrate a product or concept by using a diagram or pictorial representation. In mobile environments, such as health care, where workers need to record information while standing or in other situations where a keyboard isn’t appropriate. In businesses that can cut out a data entry step by enabling field workers to use a stylus to take notes or record observations, which can then be ported into a text file with a few clicks. Another selling point of the tablet PC is that there is no longer a considerable difference in quality between tablets and other laptops. “A few years ago, there was a clear sacrifice in quality of screen, battery life, and power,” Gartenberg says. “But now you’re not trading any functionality.” Chen concedes the price for tablet PCs isn’t much of a barrier of entry any longer for a small or mid-sized business. “Cost was initially a big factor,” he says, “and they’ve definitely come down in price.” That said, Chen maintains most users are “pretty happy with a standard laptop and don’t really see a need to be able to write on the screen.” “I just haven’t seen large demand from users for tablet PCs,” he adds. Time will tell whether the additional development of tablet PC technology by computer and software makers gives businesses a reason to switch to the tablet computer.
In 2006, Forester Research surveyed nearly a thousand IT decision makers at small-to-mid-sized businesses in North America and Europe, and asked what operating system was employed at the company. The results were as follows: Linux — 1 percent Mac OS X — 1 percent Windows XP — 71 percent Windows 2000 — 20 percent Windows “other” (primarily Windows 95, 98 and ME) — 7 percent. “This data is not surprising,” says Ben Gray, an analyst at Forrester. “These businesses see no major drivers to get off the Microsoft roadmap.” But there are signs that the landscape has changed over the past year. Windows Vista launched at the start of the year, touted as the most secure and feature-rich operating system Microsoft has ever released, but criticized by some because of cost, usability, and hardware requirements. And then there’s the upcoming Mac OS X Leopard, which is set to launch in October with more than 300 “innovations,” as Apple puts it. And, now, there are even Intel-based Macs that can also run Windows. “It’s interesting to see how these numbers will hold up a year later and we’ll be getting this data soon,” answers Gray. Still, he’d be surprised “if we saw a jump in Mac or Linux more than 1 percent.” And so we thought it a good time to chat with experts to see which operating system is best for you and your growing business. The cost equation On average, Windows-based machines cost less than Macs, but the gap is narrowing, says Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at Jupiter Research, a New York City-based technology advisory firm. “You’re not paying that much of a premium anymore, and pound-for-pound, the Apple hardware can offer better value,” says Gartenberg. “Obviously there are pros and cons for each choice, and your decision will also come down to what kind of business you’re running, if you need laptops or desktops, and what software you want to run on the machines.” While Windows machines are cheaper, it might cost your employees more time when it comes to configuration and support, says Carmi Levy, senior vice president of strategic consulting at AR Communications, a Toronto-based consulting firm. “One must factor in the costs associated with managing your PCs,” says Levy. “Mac machines are, on average, more reliable and stable, which means less problems and fewer calls to the help desk, which has long-term cost implications.” Vulnerability to viruses Compared to Windows-based machines, it’s no secret Macs are less vulnerable to viruses, malware, and other security and privacy threats — largely because they are less often targeted. “Part of this reason is because Macs are not as popular as Windows, therefore rogue writers of malicious software will more often target the most-used operating systems,” Levy says. But some users say that Macs are also more architecturally resistant to attacks. With the introduction of Windows Vista, Microsoft has added extra security measures to prevent users from falling victim to malware and other security threats. Does this new operating system change the game? “To a certain extent, yes, Windows Vista is less resistant to incursion than previous versions. It represents an improvement. But it’s still not everything Microsoft has laid it out to be as there have been attacks since it launched,” adds Levy. “Close, but no cigar.” Software selection There are far more third-party software programs available for Windows, likely because it’s the world’s dominant operating system, than for Mac operating systems. “If you buy a Mac you’ll have less choice. Period,” says Levy. “Instead of 10 choices [on a piece of software] you may only have one or two, which will likely result in higher costs because there’s less competition among developers and if you don’t like dealing with this company, they may be the only game in town,” he adds. Gartenberg, however, believes there is “more than enough Mac software these days” and quickly points out Mac users can run the Windows operating system now anyway, providing they have an Intel-based Mac and a program such as BootCamp or Parallels. “Now you can have best of both worlds,” Gartenberg says. “There is no longer a penalty for using a Mac today.” Other considerations While Levy says employees might save time with Macs because of less calls to call centers, he believes Windows, on the other hand, might be more familiar and intuitive than the Mac platform. “The majority of staff members already use Windows at home, so keep in mind there might be a significant training challenge on Macs — plus it might be more difficult to find IT staff that can support the Mac environment because there are fewer of them,” Levy points out. Gartenberg acknowledges that there are a few benefits to Microsoft’s platform. “You will find more selection with Windows-based PCs, such as those manufactured by Sony, Lenovo, HP, and Dell,” he says. “You will have more choice in laptop sizes and weight compared to the Mac,” he says, as Apple’s lightest notebook is about five pounds, compared to some Windows compatible machines that are now hovering right under three pounds. “And there are no Tablet PCs on the Mac, a form factor that is important so some businesses,” Gartenberg says.
Small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly mobile, with up to 38 percent of the company out of the office at any one time, according to The Yankee Group. With mobility comes the need for protecting company laptops from being lost or stolen when in airports, hotels, restaurants, and even when left in the back of a cab. And that’s not all. The unfortunate reality is losing the computer itself may be the least of your firm’s worries if there is valuable company data that resides on that portable computer. “Because your critical data is walking out the corporate door every day, employees need to know how to protect that data,” says Carmi Levy, senior vice president of strategic consulting at AR Communications, a Toronto-based consulting firm. “The difference between a laptop in the field and a desktop in the office is the latter has more security around it, such as locked doors, card access, and a receptionist who allows the right people in and [keeps] wrong people out,” adds Levy. “In the field, there’s no physical barrier around a laptop, so leaving it alone in an unprotected areas is an invitation to thieves.” It’s hard for authorities to get a handle on the magnitude of the problem with laptop theft in the business world, primarily because businesses sometimes don’t want to admit that it’s such a big problem. The 2005 Computer Security Institute/ FBI study of computer crime found that $4 million in laptops were stolen that year, but $31 in theft of proprietary information occurred at the same time. However, a private firm, Safeware Insurance, which sells insurance protection against computer theft and other damage, reports that more than 600,000 laptop thefts occurred in 2004, totaling an estimated $720 million in hardware losses and $5.4 billion in theft of proprietary information. Last year, a study by the Ponemon Institute, an IT think-tank, reported that 81 percent of companies reported a loss of at least one laptop during the previous year. The good news is there is no shortage of hardware and software solutions — and a bit of common sense — that can greatly reduce the chances of being separated from your laptop and the potentially sensitive corporate information embedded on it. The following are a few laptop theft prevention tools to consider: Lock it If you must be away from your laptop for a couple of minutes, such as going to the bathroom while in an airport lounge, physically secure your PC with a cable and lock solution. “Locks are the best insurance against notebook theft — they provide security against opportunistic theft, the most common threat,” says Roma Majumder, senior global product manager for security at Kensington, a manufacturer of notebook locks. Kensington’s products include the $40 MicroSaver Notebook Lock, which features a retractable aircraft-grade steel cable and keyless four-wheel combination lock. Levy cautions users, however, a hardware lock should only be considered a deterrent: “If thieves are determined enough they can get your laptop, but you want to make it as hard for them as possible.” Encrypt it While third-party options are available, many mobile executives are using Windows Vista’s built-in BitLocker encryption technology that can protect the data on the laptop, should it fall into the wrong hands. Available in Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows Vista Ultimate, this data-protection tool encrypts the entire Windows operating system volume on the hard disk (including user files and system files) so that the data is inaccessible unless the user provides the right password or biometrics ID. “Any mobile machine must have some sort of full-drive encryption,” says Levy. “A thief may walk away with a $2,000-machine, but nothing else.” Scan it Many laptops now offer a fingerprint reader, so you — and only you — can access your important files and folders. Usually this finger scanner is located near the keyboard or just underneath the laptop’s screen. Many PC manufacturers are offering laptops with biometric security, such as HP, Lenovo, and Sony. Some companies encourage employees to use both a password and biometrics solution. A few third-party fingerprint scanners exist, such a USB-based model from Microsoft, but the Redmond, Wash.-based company suggests this accessory be used for convenience, such as not having to remember many passwords on your favorite websites, rather than to secure your company’s data. Secure it “Another risk,” maintains Levy, “is when the data leaves the machine, such as when you’re using e-mail on your laptop.” Specifically, users should log into the company’s secured network to send messages or files rather than relying on free Web-based e-mail programs. Another issue is fake Wi-Fi networks, set up by thieves in an effort to steal personal, financial, or corporate data. “Most of us think nothing of finding a free service at an airport or hotel, but we may not realize these could be rogue connections set up by criminals to steal our data — it doesn’t take much,” Levy says. That’s why it’s important to use only trusted Wi-Fi networks, such as the hotel’s secured connection.
