Have your laptop shout for help when stolen

This is something that while not new is a new twist on an old idea. The folks over at Front Door Software have developed an application that can help in the recovery of stolen laptops.

The way it works is pretty simple; you install the software and setup an online account. After this if someone steals the laptop, you simply logon to your account and report is stolen. From there the laptop will display owner contact information and can also play a loud recorded message indicating it is stolen. There is also an IP tracer function that can allow you to track the stolen laptop as well as a lock down feature.

The application is available as a 90-Day trial while purchasing a full 3-year license is only $29.95.

Read more here.

The main concept behind the software is that simply by displaying owner information, with full details on how to contact them, most individuals will be honest and return a laptop if found. On its website the company claimed that this data will increase chances of recovery from three per cent to 97 per cent, though it provides no evidence for this.

Once a user finds that the laptop is stolen, the user logs into their online account and can then send a message to the computer, or even get it to play a message out loud repeatedly at intervals from either five minutes to every four hours. A lockdown code can be sent to prevent its use, and owners can even try and track the laptop using an IP location feature.

This software is one of many attempts from technology companies to protect laptops. At the end of last year, Lenovo revealed a system that would remotely deactivate laptops via an SMS message, while Intel announced that it was working with Ericsson on putting a 'kill switch inside' laptops.