Stolen laptops and an opportunity to win one

Patric Welch founded Noobie, Inc. in 2006 to help others effectively choose and use technologies to enhance their work and lives. He shares some great advice!

A couple of my friends had their cars broken into. This hit a little close to home for me for a couple of reasons. For one, one of the cars broken into was parked right next to me. I can't help but wonder if my car would have been next on the list if the thugs had just a little more time. Another reason is that one friend had his laptop stolen from the front seat of his car.

I'm writing to caution you about leaving gadgets in plain sight in your car. I can't tell you the number of times I walk past cars in parking lots and see a portable GPS mounted on the dashboard. Nobody deserves to have their car broken into but it doesn't help when you announce what you have in your car.

I also want to stress how important it is to have a backup of the data on your laptop. Stop and think whether or not you could replace the data if it was stolen. Along those same lines, think about how sensitive your data on your laptop is. Do you have customer account numbers on your laptop? Social security numbers? Credit card information? It might be time to look into encryption software to make sure your data is unreadable if your laptop is ever stolen.

And this brings me to the need for an inventory of your belongings. Did you know that a stolen laptop is covered by your homeowners insurance, not your auto insurance? Do you know the model and serial numbers of your laptops – and all of your other electronics? If you have a theft or other loss, you’ll need this information for your police report and insurance claim.

Whether you've had your laptop stolen, or just want a new one, here's an opportunity to win a brand-new ASUS Eee PC Netbook (valued at $399!). Link to giveaway from Noobie!