A few months ago, my house was broken into at 2 in the morning when the garage door was accidentally left open. The thief was only in the house for about 10 minutes while we slept upstairs, unaware of what was going on downstairs, until an odd noise woke someone in the house and when they went downstairs to see what was the matter, the thief ran out of the house. They only had enough time to grab a few things, but they ended up taking an HP laptop and an iPod as well as a purse and a container full of change. When I think about that night, I always go back to the question of why we felt safe enough to just leave the laptop sitting out on a table. Had we tucked it away in a desk drawer or someplace of out sight, it most likely wouldn’t have been seen, and therefore wouldn’t have been taken. Since then (although the stolen gadgets weren’t my own) I have learned my lesson and I keep my own tech gadgets hidden away when not in use. I think, however, accessory manufacturers need to come up with some good solutions beyond the traditional heavy wire Kensington locks that are just not practical for everyone.
There was one accessory I found though, that did a good job of being functional and I thought I would share my thoughts with you. The Belkin Laptop Hideaway seems like a great little hiding spot for a laptop. It appears to be nothing but a simple magazine and book holder that a family would keep next to a desk or sofa, but it actually has enough room for a laptop, books and accessories as well. What I like about the design is that it does not draw attention to itself, it seems like a common enough addition to a family room that could hide your tech goodies from strangers who are unfamiliar with your home and no one would think to bother with it. Of course, this hideaway isn’t a sure bet to prevent your laptop from being stolen, but I think it is a good start for a family who can easily tuck their computers away out of sight when not in use. Perhaps this accessory would be a good solution for you, perhaps not, but I just wanted to put it out there that I think people need to do something to protect their gadgets because you never know when you could have a bad situation of your own and loose valuable electronics.