I had a laptop stolen about a year ago during a business trip.  I was in my hotel room typing on my notebook when I suddenly realized the lateness, of the evening.  I was already late for a date with a long time friend.   I jumped up, grabbed my keys and rushed out of the hotel to pick her up.  The date turned out absolutely great.  However, when I arrived back at my hotel room the next morning, my door was slightly open. 

My first thought was, room service was doing their thing.  But to my surprise the room was empty.  I quickly realized when I had rushed out of my room last night, I had failed to completely shut my hotel room door tight.  Well, needless to say, my laptop computer was stolen along with some cloths and a few bucks off the top of my dresser.  I felt sick at the bottom of my stomach.  I had some important business files on the laptop.  But lucky for me, I had a good backup of my data files, on an external USB flash drive attached to my key ring.  My normal scheduled data backup was performed only a day prior to my trip. I felt a little better but really stupid.

I had lost a very expensive laptop, that was less than a year old.  I was out a good $1500.00 dollars for the laptop. I called the police and made out a police report.  Hotel management expressed concern and assured me they would look into it.  I have not heard from them since.

A few days had gone by before my mind had started to settle down over the lost laptop.  I began thinking about what I could do to prevent this from happening again.  I searched the Internet for some possible solutions.  What I found was a laptop lock under laptop computer security.  A really simple and straight forward solution.  Lock up my laptop with a security lock when ever I left it sitting alone and unguarded.

There was just no way I could watch my laptop 24 hours a day during my daily travels. I looked at several laptops locks from many stores.  I decided on one that gave me the best theft protection for my money.  Today I have several laptop locks.  I carry one around with me in my laptop case to be used on trips. A few more securing a laptop at home and in my office.

Now this is certainly not the only solution, nor is it the best and is far from full proof.  It will however, help prevent my laptop from being an easy target.  And I have done something, so I can sleep a little bit better at night.  Like the old saying goes, “something is better than nothing”!

Now for a short update:  Lately I having been looking around for other solutions in preventing my laptop from being stolen.  I have found a program on the Internet called Adeona.  You install a little software program on your laptop.  If it is ever stolen you can track it.  The software will send back to an Internet server the physical location of your laptop.  If you have a Mac it will even send a picture of the thief.  You will than be able to give this information to the police, who hopefully will be able to recover your laptop.  It sounds extremely promising. It is now installed on all my laptops.  I only hope I will never have to put it to use!

Copyright (c) 2008 - 2009, http://www.coolestcheaplaptops.com - Author Scott Pheulp - All Rights Reserved.

Laptop has become one of the essential gadgets for most people today. It has become more popular than the desktop computer. Care should be taken to protect the laptop by providing a laptop bag of good quality.

A laptop bag is used for the purpose of preventing the laptop from any damages such as scratches to the frame or screen or any accidental bumps while traveling. Laptop bags are available in the form of briefcases, big purses and backpacks. College students prefer the backpack kind as they are particularly designed according to their age group with trendy designs. Students usually do not prefer the normal black designed cases; instead they go for backpack types that are chic and sporty.

For professionals, the briefcase varieties of laptop cases are available. Such laptop bags offer a classic look most suitable for businessmen who are always on the move. These laptop cases are also available in leather. Leather laptop bags give a classy and ultra modern look. You can see most senior level professionals having such bags, which also have more pockets for holding documents.

As laptop bags are available in different sizes, shapes, styles and functional designs, you can find a laptop bag to suit your taste and need. Many designers offer laptop bags that have cool and classy designs available in different materials and colors. You can find a range of laptop bags such as single compartment bags, multi-pocketed bags and backpacks. The main types of laptop bags are briefcases, backpacks, sleeves, shoulder bags, trolleys, hardtop cases and tote bags for ladies. You can find lightweight messenger bags with sleeves, bags with matching and detachable sleeves and high-end totes for laptops.

Metropolitan dwellers and students use the lightweight messenger bags with sleeves with detachable shoulder straps. As an option, you can insert an additional removable sleeve for added protection for carrying the messenger bag for everyday use. Similarly, the laptop sleeve is now available with detachable shoulder strap for using it as standalone so that the laptop sleeve will protect the laptop inside a normal non-padded bag. This type of bag can also be carried over the shoulder for moving quickly across places.

The laptop bags with detachable and matching laptop sleeves are popular today. This bag has light padding for the matching and detachable sleeve also for extra protection. With the use of sleeve, it is easy to carry the laptop from one place to another instead of carrying the full laptop bag. You can also carry the bag by itself minus the sleeve. You can find good quality laptop bags from brands such as Tucano, Piquadro, Kipling, Frances & Grace and Melissa Beth in the market. Some bags are also available with extra padding of foam for extra protection suitable for frequent travelers. These bags have also storage pockets for gadgets like pen drives, CDs, mobile phones, business cards and other stationeries.

You can also find a padded pouch that is reinforced to keep the laptop cord and also a strap for securing the laptop inside. Ensure that the shoulder strap is strong and the bag buttons should have good grid feet for keeping the laptop bag down.

Totally Free Spyware Removal is a good concept. One to be sought after and adored. Alot of people search and search for it, but they always fail to find it. Why is that?

One reason could be that it doesn’t actually exist so to say. Much like the lochness monster, many people claim it exists, but there is no real proof.

The makers of spyware programs make alot of money off of your personal info and browsing habits. And they intend to keep it that way. In order to ensure they are making the most amount of money, they are constantly coming out with new spyware, adware, and malware, and trojan programs all the time.

Totally free spyware removal programs just can’t keep their databases updated to protect against all of these new threats. It cost money to be able to update and maintain a current spyware, adware, malware, and trojan database.This is why ANY program that can actually permenately remove your spyware, adware, malware, or trojan infection usually requires some sort of registration fee.This fee is used to pay their employees and programmers to keep up to date on all the latest threats.

You should always be wary of the so called “free spyware removal programs”. Some of these programs are actually put out by the same makers of the spyware, adware, malware, and trojan infections. Yet another way to trick you into installing their software, so they can make even more money off of your personal info. The program seems legitimate, but infact it is a sneaky spyware program coming to reek havoc on your computer.

I strongly suggest doing your research before buying any kind of program to fix your computer. You should visit a spyware removal review website to get a feel of what legitimate programs are available.

Click on this link for a Honest Spyware removal program review.

Many people who have a computer and access to the Internet don’t even know what a trojan horse virus is. Sadly, there are even others who seem to assume the trojan and spyware and viruses are the same and this is a misconception.

A trojan is a bad type of program that is attached to a useful program that can be downloaded from the Internet. I am not saying all programs on the Internet are dangerous, but some are. When you run the downloaded program the trojan quietly installs itself on your computer.

Often trojans are disguised as helpful programs that will scan and remove adware or malware from your computer. The unsuspecting computer user thinks that clicking on a graphic link that says their computer is infected and this ‘tool’ on the website will clean up their computer. Unfortunately, they are misled and the tool that got downloaded just installed a trojan whose payload may cause all sorts of havoc. I have even heard of video player codecs having a trojan horse virus attached to it.

What can trojans do? They can carry just about any kind of destructive payload. They can crash your computer, collect personal information and send it to a specially set up web site in another country. However, the most sinister thing they can do is install what is called a key logger. A key logger records every key press and mouse movement. Do you use your computer for online banking?

There are several ways a computer user can actually get one of these viruses on their computer and not even know it. Unless of course, you have a good computer security software program installed on your computer and warnings will show you that you are attempting to download something that has some kind of threat attached to it. Some of the common types can be remote access, data sending, destructive or malicious, proxy, FTP, security software disabling and DOS, so these should be considered when you download from the Internet.

You can understand the differences by learning more about what you are up against and also will have a better understanding of just what it is that is trying to invade your computer when you download things from the Internet and in some cases other sources such as checking your email. This is how destructive these trojans really are.

There are big differences in the types of viruses, worms and trojans. Much like the trojan horse is named after these programs are designed to make a computer user assume the program itself it for the use of detecting the bad programs on your computer hard drive, when it in fact is the culprit of disaster.

While you might think of it as some kind of worm it is not. A worm is in fact something that will initially spread from computer to computer without the computer user having to do anything.

So, you see why there should be more emphasis on the concept that these two problems are not the same, although both are just as destructive and you need security to actually see what you have installed on your computer, or what is being downloaded on to your computer.

If you have no security programs installed or firewalls present, you are setting yourself up for a bad ending to an invasion of your computer that you won’t believe until it literally hits your computer. Then you will be calling your computer friend and ask them to ‘fix’ your computer by deleting everything and starting over.

Trojan horse viruses are on the rise along with malware, spyware and viruses. Make sure you take the time to learn how to protect your computer from these and other threats lurking on the internet.

John(at) bestantivirusguide.com

s are portable systems, it is very essential that the laptops must be placed in secure and safe laptop cases. Huge varieties of laptop cases are widely available in the market such as the leather laptop cases, aluminum laptop cases and feminine laptop cases exclusively for women.

The waterproof laptop cases

Waterproof laptop cases are counted best among other laptop cases. At times, the users who extensively commute might get caught in snow or rain and in such situations the waterproof laptop cases significantly protects the device from nay kind of damage. Even at office or home, it is possible that water or any other form of liquid might come in contact with the device and can impair your laptop, thus, to avert damage it is very essential to secure the laptop from water by using the waterproof laptop cases. The waterproof laptop cases are normally made from plastic that being highly water resistant is an ideal material for the waterproof cases. A waterproof laptop case protects laptops not only from water or moisture but also from scratches, dust, shock, damages, corrosion and heat.

The waterproof laptop cases have padded compartments so that the user can easily keep various other things as well such as binders, diskettes, lose files, business cards and pens. Also, few varieties of the laptop cases are equipped with an unseen telescopic handle or ergonomic handle. Majority of the waterproof laptop cases come with quick release straps and an integrated lock system. In addition, some laptop cases manufacturers have also introduced waterproof laptop cases with customizable fit. At the time of choosing the appropriate waterproof laptop case, the foremost thing to be considered is the size of the laptop so that the device could fit in snugly and easily. A laptop is a very delicate electronic device and has a huge risk of being damaged when transported.

So, those people who travel a lot and carry along various other things such as loose documents, binders and various other things to carry along, should certainly invest in the waterproof laptop cases as no one is sure what kind of weather you may get where you are traveling. One can buy the waterproof laptop case that has wheels attached to it or the laptop case with shoulder straps. If you are buying a waterproof laptop case make sure it is made out durable quality and has guarantee period in case of any production faults. There are various cheap laptop cases available in the market but such covers do not provide extra padded compartments, have a short life and may not fulfill the purpose of protection against water effectively.

Apart the cheap waterproof laptop cases, and discount waterproof laptop cases are also accessible in the market. These laptop cases come in various sizes, shapes, styles and designs and can be picked accordingly. Unlike the cheap waterproof laptop cases, the discount laptop cases comes in more reliable quality, have longer life and protects the device from every kind of damage. The discount waterproof laptop cases provides different compartments to carry extra stuff along the laptop such as CD’s, data cable, USB, Bluetooth and many more.

Trojan Horse removal can be one of the most difficult of computer viruses to overcome. They take refuge in spyware and adware and disguise themselves to the point that they are hard to recognize, hence the name Trojan Horse. This is why most general virus scan software programs have a miserable time removing them.

The easiest way to rid of them is to obtain a quality anti spyware, anti adware software and let it do the work for you. If you are trying to save money by either doing it yourself or by getting free anti spyware to remove it, be extremely careful. When doing it yourself, executable files can be impacted thus creating bigger problems for you. The problem with free software is often you accept the injection of more adware on your system via accepting the EULA (End User License Agreement) since most people rarely take the time to read what the cost of free is!

A few of the many symptoms telling you Trojan Horse removal may be needed include:

1. Files opening randomly

2. Slow computer problems are common

3. Websites come up that you did not request

4. Your standard homepage is hijacked and another site is present (often adult content)

5. Autoload Toolbars emerge and pop-ups are common

6. Mouse cursor leaves a shadow or the right and left buttons are reversed

7. Navigation options, for example, Windows start button, disappear

8. Your PC reboots and possibly turns off on its own

9. Alt + Control + Delete does not work

10. Your internet speed drags

If you suspect that you have the need for Trojan Horse removal, follow the three steps below:

Step One: Take Notes of the Symptoms and Problems you Have Experienced

There is a method to the madness. By logging your PC problems on paper, you will have a better idea of what results come from the later steps in this process. In other words, you will have a pre and post list of what you experienced and how many of the issues are cleared by the repair.

Write down everything that you can think of related to your computer. Obviously it is not all related to Trojan Horse viruses, but that will give you some other issues you can research later. Plus, a good scan and repair might resolve the issues anyway even if they are not related to the Trojans infections.

Step Two: Complete a Free Scan with a Quality Spyware Utility

It can be overwhelming choosing a quality product to use for this process, but you will be guided in the right direction. To be entirely honest, there are a variety of great products that can assist you in this process. To be effective the software just needs to perform decently across a number of categories vital to Trojan Horse removal.

When deciding on a quality product to use seek software that is simple to comprehend, one that contains complete help files (either local or online), an extensive definitions (solutions) database, and look for a product with great reviews and little bad online coverage.

When you decide on software to use for the free scan, just download the software interface and do the most complete scan offered. The scan will determine what errors exist and will show you the severity level of the threats.

Step Three: If Problems are Found, Simply Purchase the Repair Function in the Software

Once the download and scan are complete, you have already completed 99 percent of the process. The only remaining issue is the repair, which takes just seconds once you purchase such functions. It is important to notice the severity of the threats found. These are the ones that will create the biggest problems on your system.

Whether you find tons of errors or only a few, a good Trojan Horse removal product is always good to have on an annual basis because the same tool will remove spyware, adware, malware, keyloggers, worms, pop-up generators, and other parasites that attach to your system. Get in a good habit of running the scan and repair as often as convenient.

Many products preach something called real time protection. This feature is overated as most of the products that have this function use up your system resources and kill performance and speed on your computer. You are better off looking for a product with a huge definitions database of 250,000 or more solutions files that can detect and remove problems fro you on the first round.

After completing Trojan Horse removal, adware, spwyare, malware and other threats, it is good practice to restart your computer to allow the changes to apply. Keep in mind that it is rare to get rid of 100 percent of the problems, especially on the first scan. Remember that threats are an ongoing problem and you need to just be consistent and keep the software on your system and use it often.

If you continue to experience problems, it may be good to add a good triple protection to your system including quality registry repair software, a solid general virus scan, and of course anti spyware as discussed in this article. You should notice a huge difference with just one type of software but with all three you will be much further ahead.

The Trojan horse type of virus and malware gets its name from the classical tale of the Trojan horse. In the story, a horse is sent to the city of Troy. The horse was a cover rather than a gift; it contained a number of soldiers planning to destroy Troy.

That is why calling this a Trojan horse virus is particularly appropriate. Initially, a lot of them seem perfectly normal. However, truly they are malicious and enable hackers to enter a person’s computer and do damage.

You could get a virus by downloading a simple screensaver. When run, the screensaver runs hidden programs, scripts, commands, and functions that the user doesn’t know about. These programs may be able to usurp your virus protector and get into your computer.

Deleting Trojans can be a problem because they come in so many forms. However, there are a lot of programs available. In fact, since Trojans are viruses, your virus scanner should pick them up.

The first step is letting your virus protector scan your computer. You can delete any files you know to be corrupted. Since your temporary Internet files can hide Trojan viruses, the next step is deleting those.

The next step is restarting and scanning your computer. Any Trojans on your computer will be deleted or quarantined by your virus scanner.

Booting up from a CD and viewing any files before they are loaded can help if you still have problems. They like to hide in registry files and processes. It can be hard to find the files that don’t belong in your computer, which is why your virus protector comes in handy.

The problem with Trojans, unlike adware or spyware (sometimes Trojans hide or work in accordance with these things) is that they can come in any file. Take our example for instance, a screen saver file, who’d have thought it?

A good measure to take is to scan every file you download with antivirus software to make sure it’s safe to open before you do. Most times it’ll be okay, but some times it won’t be, when these times occur you’ll be happy you spent money on anti-virus software.

If, after you’ve done all you think you can, the problem persists, then it’s time to consult a professional. A computer tech will be able to purge your computer. Of course, expunging your computer’s files yourself is also an option. If you have the CD for your operating system, you can reformat your computer. This is necessary because reformatting will delete your OS as well.

This might seem like a huge step, but it’s always possible to reinstall your programs afterward.

However, you still need to take care of your computer so the Trojans won’t come back!

Laptops, regardless of the reason you buy them, are very important, not only because of their monetary value but because of the data that is stored on them. Furthermore, if your laptop stops functioning properly, then the time it spends in the repair shop will be time that you can’t spend doing your work, studying or whatever it was you used the laptop for.

Here are some tips to help you keep your laptop in the best shape possible, year after year:

1. Vent Cleaning: The vents on your laptop need to be looked at every week to make sure there is nothing blocking them or impeding their performance. You can buy a can of air at a local store and use this to clean them out, as it is best not to poke anything in them.

2. Fan Functioning: A malfunction in the fan can lead to your laptop overheating, so make sure that your fan is working properly. Check the website of the company that made the laptop and look for software that will help you determine if the fan is working correctly.

3. Surface: Try and use a hard surface to keep your laptop on, and avoid both your lap and pillows as this will reduce the airflow to the fans and vents, causing the laptop to heat up.

4. Storage: Buy a good quality laptop bag or sleeve and store the laptop in this every time you turn it off. This will stop dust from getting into the laptop, as well as protect it from spills, or bumps. Make sure you only store the laptop when it is completely shut down, as putting it in a bag when it is on could make it overheat.

5. Liquids: Keep all liquids away from your laptop at all times. If you are in the habit of drinking water while working, make sure the bottle is covered at all times. If possible keep the water bottle on a different table to avoid mishaps.

6. Shocks: Make sure the laptop is well protected when you move it around, and always move it gently to avoid jarring it and breaking something.

7. Humidity: Protect your laptop from humidity at all times. It can cause damage to the motherboard and the screen. Don’t use your laptop when at the beach, or outside when the weather is humid.

8. Dust: Always protect your laptop from dust. Keep it away from open windows, put it in a storage sleeve when not in use, and every week clean the screen and keyboard with a soft cloth to remove dust.

9. Floor: Never put your laptop on the floor for storage, as someone is undoubtedly going to step on it or put something on it, damaging it permanently.

10. Surge Protectors: Always use a surge protector when charging your laptop to protect the battery.

These few tips should keep your laptop in good condition for years to come and enable you to get great performance from it.

Today, more and more people use laptop computer for their daily life. and laptop becomes a important part of us. from home to school, from one office to another, laptop keeps our life portable. but along this benefit, we should take care of some laptop crime. and protect us from laptop theft.

Even worse, if a laptop belonging to your business were stolen that contained the personal data of customers or clients, it could put all of them at risk of identity theft and you could be held liable.

Having a laptop stolen is personal nightmare if it is your own machine, but so much worse if you lose information that compromises your friends, co-workers, and clients. At Marks & Spencer’s, a laptop lost in 2007 contained sensitive data about 26,000 employees, including their national insurance numbers and other personal identifying information. That cost Marks & Spencer’s free credit checks for all employees and a promise to cover them for any damages if their identities were compromised. In the Nationwide case above, the company was fined just under a million pounds.

This crime draws both the common thief and the more sophisticated identity thief alike, and it’s on the rise in England. Last year, a laptop belonging to the Nationwide and containing the personal information of over 11 million customers was stolen and never recovered. In London, laptop theft is up 15 increase, and a 15% increase in Manchester.

And even if you get the laptop back, even if the laptop was only “borrowed” its data can be copied off in minutes, putting any data on it at risk even after the machine is returned.

Two simple steps protect yourself against losing your personal computer?

The First Step: Protect Yourself

Laptops are at risk due to the very portability that makes them useful. It takes only seconds for someone to carry off your unguarded laptop, along with all its precious contents. The first thing to do is not leave it unprotected, even for a minute; keep it in sight. Get good security on your wireless connections while you’re at it, and carefully choose the places where you use that connection.

You can also get physical barriers against using a stolen laptop. For instance, biometrics including fingerprint scanners has become increasingly popular with laptops, and key cards that you keep in your wallet or luggage separate from the laptop can been used to secure it. Computers with hard drives mated to internal workings prevent your hard drive from being removed and copied. And if your laptop is used to access the Internet after it is stolen, there are subscription services that can trace it remotely and render it unuseable whilst it connects to the web.

The Second Step: Consider Laptop Insurance

Laptop insurance is becoming one of the fastest growing specialist insurances. With low-cost monthly premiums having some form of insurance policy could be the one thing between you and financial ruin. Laptop insurance is cheap, and if you have used other protections for your laptop, it gets even cheaper. Many providers offer worldwide cover, accidental damage protection and a 48 hour replacement service.

Protect yourself physically with laptop security and financially with good laptop insurance. With luck, you’ll never have to depend on either. But if the worst comes about, you’ll be glad you did.

For most people owning a laptop is all about convenience. Being able to sit where your want to work, wander around from office to office, sit in front of the television or even browse the web in bed are the reasons why laptops have become so popular.

It has also become much more than a work tool. For many people it is the place where you keep all the things that are important to you: your email and financial information, business secrets, personal writings, even irreplaceable media like photos, film, and writings.

So if your laptop were stolen from you tomorrow, what would it do to your life?

Even worse, if a laptop belonging to your business were stolen that contained the personal data of customers or clients, it could put all of them at risk of identity theft and you could be held liable.

This crime draws both the common thief and the more sophisticated identity thief alike, and it’s on the rise in England. Last year, a laptop belonging to the Nationwide and containing the personal information of over 11 million customers was stolen and never recovered. In London, laptop theft is up 15% on last year, with over 6500 laptops stolen in 2006 (not including laptops stolen out of homes and offices). Other metropolitan areas in Britain have similar statistics: over 2000 in Edinburgh with a 31% increase, and a 15% increase in Manchester.

Having a laptop stolen is personal nightmare if it is your own machine, but so much worse if you lose information that compromises your friends, co-workers, and clients. At Marks & Spencer’s, a laptop lost in 2007 contained sensitive data about 26,000 employees, including their national insurance numbers and other personal identifying information. That cost Marks & Spencer’s free credit checks for all employees and a promise to cover them for any damages if their identities were compromised. In the Nationwide case above, the company was fined just under a million pounds.

And even if you get the laptop back, even if the laptop was only “borrowed” its data can be copied off in minutes, putting any data on it at risk even after the machine is returned.

Two simple steps protect yourself against losing your personal computer?

The First Step: Protect Yourself

Laptops are at risk due to the very portability that makes them useful. It takes only seconds for someone to carry off your unguarded laptop, along with all its precious contents. The first thing to do is not leave it unprotected, even for a minute; keep it in sight. Get good security on your wireless connections while you’re at it, and carefully choose the places where you use that connection.

You can also get physical barriers against using a stolen laptop. For instance, biometrics including fingerprint scanners has become increasingly popular with laptops, and key cards that you keep in your wallet or luggage separate from the laptop can been used to secure it. Computers with hard drives mated to internal workings prevent your hard drive from being removed and copied. And if your laptop is used to access the Internet after it is stolen, there are subscription services that can trace it remotely and render it unusable whilst it connects to the web.

The Second Step: Consider Laptop Insurance

Laptop insurance is becoming one of the fastest growing specialist insurances. With low-cost monthly premiums having some form of insurance policy could be the one thing between you and financial ruin. Laptop insurance is cheap, and if you have used other protections for your laptop, it gets even cheaper. Many providers offer worldwide cover, accidental damage protection and a 48 hour replacement service.

Protect yourself physically with laptop security and financially with good laptop insurance. With luck, you’ll never have to depend on either. But if the worst comes about, you’ll be glad you did.