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| Absolute Software Computrace LoJack For Laptops |
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PCT Reviews April 2008 • Vol.6 Issue 4 Page(s) 56 in print issue |
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Absolute Software Computrace LoJack For Laptops Thwarting Thieves |
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BOTTOM LINE: $49.99 for a one-year license or $99.99 for a three-year license • www.lojackforlaptops.com Best case, you get your laptop back unscathed; worst case, Absolute Software will pay for a replacement.  The price we pay for mobile devices that regularly decrease in size yet increase in power is that they’re more likely to get lost or stolen. Laptops are an especially hot item as they’re practically part of the uniform for college students, people on the go, and business travelers. However, they can disappear in the time it takes to run to the restroom in a coffee shop or to grab a soda from an airport vending machine. Aside from the cost of the notebook itself, when you realize how much valuable and sometimes sensitive information is on your machine, there is good reason to be concerned about a theft. If you have Absolute Software’s Computrace LoJack For Laptops installed on your machine, the first thing you should do if your laptop is stolen is report the theft to the police. Step two is to notify Absolute Software’s Recovery Team. Your final step is to wait. Once the thief attempts to log on to the Internet, your computer will silently notify Absolute Software’s Monitoring Center. Based on the IP address or phone number used by the thief to access the Internet, Absolute’s Recovery Team will identify your computer’s location and dispatch the local authorities. In terms of guaranteed results, Absolute Software is prepared to put its money where its mouth is: If it fails to recover your laptop, it will give you $1,000 to replace it. The Computrace Lojack For Laptops software that notifies the Absolute Software Recovery Team with its location resides in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) firmware of a computer, so it can survive all manner of attempts to deliberately or accidentally remove it, including operating system reinstallations and hard drive reformats. This makes it exceedingly difficult for a thief to get rid of the program—if he even notices that it’s on your computer in the first place. LoJack For Laptops is easy to install. After first ensuring that your computer is connected to the Internet, pop in the installation CD. Click the large Install button, which leads to the LoJack For Laptops Web site, where you will download and install an EXE file. Run the downloaded file to open a registration wizard. Fill out the requisite information, click OK, and your computer will be registered with the Absolute Software Recovery Team. Hopefully, the next time you’ll need to think about the software is in one to three years, depending upon your service agreement. Unlike some anti-malware programs, which may occupy a great deal of your computer’s memory, Computrace Lojack For Latops lays dormant on your computer until needed. It will “call home” once per day, but it doesn’t affect your computer’s performance in any way. (If your computer is reported stolen, it will call home every 15 minutes.) It’s a program that provides peace of mind for a nominal fee and no maintenance. In the event of a theft, Computrace Lojack For Laptops also provides a course of action for reclaiming your goods.  by Seth Colaner
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