Pages

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A little bit of Safety goes a long way



I am a college student.  As many college students do, I own a laptop.  Sometimes it happens that when I am sitting in the computer lab, or maybe eating a quick bite at and on campus venue, something comes up where I need to get up and leave for a few minutes.  This could be a phone call, bathroom break, smoke break.  Sometimes you just don't feel like packing everything up for the 5 minutes that you'll be away from your computer.

Now.  There are hundreds of students, faculty, and staff walking around ALL the time right?  So it should be relatively safe to get up and walk away for a few minutes and trust that you're stuff will be left alone.  I have actually done this a number of times.  It is however, becoming more and more unreasonable to trust ANYONE (i really don't trust many people anyways) with anything so I've decided to install a little program called Prey.  Prey is a free, lightweight application that will track you're laptop or other device (works on windows, mac, linux, even android) if it is stolen through its wireless card and even use a built in webcam to take snapshots of the perpitrator for you.  As long as the thief does not plan on wiping your HDD before using the computer, you should be able to get it back.  Once your device is stolen, you can view any of the info including location and webcam shots through any browser you can get to and do several different things including setting off alarms and locking the user out remotely.

Sounds like win to me.  So just to be on the safe side, I'm gonna go ahead and install this on my laptop.  Never can be to careful.  It might just save me a few hundred dollars.

Check it out here.
Posted by Kontingency at 11:48 PM

37 comments:

  1. StevesonaplaneMarch 25, 2011 at 12:33 AM

    Prey is good stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  2. foot-equivalence-ratioMarch 25, 2011 at 1:29 AM

    Totally feel you. Also in college.

    ReplyDelete
  3. McGormickMarch 25, 2011 at 3:39 AM

    Maybe I should get it. Even though I am never leaving the laptop it might still be worth it. I mean, it is a free insurance.

    ReplyDelete
  4. EmoGothMarch 25, 2011 at 4:58 AM

    Prey sounds really useful for people.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MrBunniMarch 25, 2011 at 5:50 AM

    I might actually install that when i get my laptop, for now i just have a desktop, i doubt that i'ts gonna get stolen ^^

    ReplyDelete
  6. husarMarch 25, 2011 at 7:06 AM

    good post

    + follower:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. ElucidMarch 25, 2011 at 7:08 AM

    I'm going to download that for my Droid. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  8. ErikaMarch 25, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    Yeah, I have Prey installed. It is a really good idea. I don't know what I'd do if my laptop was stolen otherwise!

    Followed.

    ReplyDelete
  9. R3tardedm0nkeyMarch 25, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    this is an awesome idea! totally gonna use this!

    ReplyDelete
  10. YooklyneMarch 25, 2011 at 1:03 PM

    Thanks for sharing, gonna use it for shure

    ReplyDelete
  11. IzzoSkizzyMarch 25, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    We need to start setting up bait laptops, and catching thieves. Haha

    ReplyDelete
  12. +KudaMarch 25, 2011 at 1:15 PM

    That is a very good idea. Is it activated remotely, or upon the wrong entry of a password?

    ReplyDelete
  13. AstyMarch 25, 2011 at 1:27 PM

    nice alternative to taking my laptop wherever i go while on campus

    ReplyDelete
  14. SchullerboiiMarch 25, 2011 at 1:35 PM

    sounds useful, i always thought about situations like this for my future life in college

    ReplyDelete
  15. Drab MaestroMarch 25, 2011 at 2:03 PM

    Man, I still wouldn't risk it...I got my iPod stolen this way, when a friend was supposed to be watching my stuff...I recommend just packing it up yourself :\

    +followed, sounds like a coop program!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Liter.Of.ColaMarch 25, 2011 at 2:12 PM

    I need to send this to my friends with droids. +Following

    ReplyDelete
  17. NateMarch 25, 2011 at 3:00 PM

    Excellent call, though oftentimes IT departments can track your computer if it's stolen by someone who then logs onto the campus network using its MAC address.
    For the ipod touch/iphone, check out an app called "where's my ipod," it does pretty much the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnoMarch 25, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    Excellent!

    ReplyDelete
  19. IssacMarch 25, 2011 at 11:31 PM

    love the po
    st

    ReplyDelete
  20. GuyMarch 26, 2011 at 12:44 AM

    Thanks for the tip!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Colin and NickolasMarch 26, 2011 at 1:30 AM

    we are all prey in a way!

    ReplyDelete
  22. techdelverMarch 26, 2011 at 4:29 AM

    really great, its cool

    ReplyDelete
  23. TeukkaMarch 26, 2011 at 4:49 AM

    Hmm i need to get this program!

    ReplyDelete
  24. dreamatlanticMarch 26, 2011 at 6:36 AM

    Wow. That program is sick. I HAVE to get it

    ReplyDelete
  25. TibbleMarch 26, 2011 at 8:11 AM

    Nice link, my laptop def needs this

    ReplyDelete
  26. Phillip J FryMarch 26, 2011 at 9:07 AM

    college raped my wallet

    ReplyDelete
  27. JaroszMarch 26, 2011 at 9:28 AM

    usefull stuff in my opinion

    ReplyDelete
  28. WhereasMarch 26, 2011 at 10:44 AM

    interesting,really felt the same about a lot of that.

    ReplyDelete
  29. IssacMarch 26, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    awesome

    ReplyDelete
  30. McGormickMarch 26, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    I tried it now, really nice program. Free too!

    ReplyDelete
  31. MalkavianMarch 26, 2011 at 3:08 PM

    DAMN thats a great program i needs me some of that.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Buzzy LightsMarch 26, 2011 at 4:19 PM

    Wow i've never heard of this. its so much win!! thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  33. AnonymousMarch 26, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    Good idea. I never leave my laptop laying around unattended in a public place. Ever. However this would be good for those times where everything just seems to be working against you. Like someone breaking into your room/house.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Brett H.March 26, 2011 at 4:39 PM

    Thats actually pretty neat. Thanks for share.

    ReplyDelete
  35. LaurentMarch 26, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    I never knew this existed. Thanks for sharing. :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. FlamebreakerMarch 27, 2011 at 5:58 AM

    Nice program and indeed you can't trust to many people nowadays <_<

    ReplyDelete
  37. greensurvivalismMarch 29, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    Hey a program to remotely access your web cam, at all times, from anywhere....

    There was a school that put a program like this on their laptops, laptops kids took home to use.

    http://boingboing.net/2010/02/17/school-used-student.html
    TL;DR
    "The issue came to light when the Robbins's child was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence."

    Spying on kids at home? What the hell.

    You sure you want this stuff on your computer?

    ReplyDelete

What do you think about it?

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)