It's not just data security that's a worry when a laptop is stolen. SyNET's nTracker Anti-Theft, upgraded to version 2.2 recently, helps with recovering the laptop.
A SyNET spokeswoman said more than 1,000,000 laptops reported lost or stolen each year on average, and 97 per cent are never recovered.
nTracker Anti-Theft 2.2 secretly e-mails its location to the owner, in under a minute of going online whenever the laptop (or any PC) has an IP address change, the spokewoman said.
The system uses a global directory of IP location addresses at ARIN (American Registry for Internet Numbers) available via a WHIOS query.
The spokeswoman said SyNET strongly recommends this info be given immediately to police "so they can contact the ISP directly and re-confirm the address through their internal tracking."
"There are no 3rd party monitoring centers or monthly subscription fees," she said.
In addition to the IP address, if the thief connects via dialup, the caller ID info is included in the tracking e-mail from nTracker, she said.
It's not found in Windows' add/remove funtion, or detected by antivirus or firewall programs, she said.
The company intends to deliver similar protection in coming months for cell phones and PDAs such as RIM's BlackBerry.
The nTracker Anti-Theft 2.2 software is $29.95 and available at CompUSA, Staples, Office Depot and Circuit City.
Posted by Mike Barton on May 12, 2006 04:56 PM
