<p>I'm thinking of buying a laptop for college, since the desktop I have right now is about to blow up anyway. But I've heard (from parents and some other people) that laptops get stolen easily, and I've even heard about someone's laptop getting stolen from their dorm. Can anyone tell me if it's really that bad? Or are the people who get theirs stolen just careless or something?</p>
<p>you can get one of those little security cords that locks up your lappy in the dorm.</p>
<p>or you can carry it around with you 24/7...eitehr way.</p>
<p>well i haven't heard about it happening yet in the plazas, but the dorms it's more susceptible (sp?) because you usually keep your door open and people walk in and out all the time. people just usually steal laptops when you're careless and leave it unattended. but yea, you could buy a lock for it.</p>
<p>Get a cable lock for your laptop, and don't leave your door open when you're not in the room (make sure your roommate does this too). :rolleyes:</p>
<p>cool cool thanks =]</p>
<p>Do they sell cable locks @ the UCLA store?</p>
<p>Are they really effective at preventing laptop theft? (Can't they either be cut or ripped out of the laptop wherever it is secured?)</p>
<p>i am thinking about buying this cellphone that is probably gonna cost $500+, my dad says it is too costly for college it might get stolen, but i didn't think so earlier, but after reading this post i don't know what to say.
should i be worried?????????????</p>
<p>no, i have a 400 dollar cell phone. nobody's stolen it yet haha. i have a 500 dollar snowboard and the 300 buck bose headphones. aHAha maybe i shouldn't have posted that on here but yea, nothing stolen haha.</p>
<p>Be careful though, those cord things aren't hard to break. The ones with the circular key things I mean. They are really easy to open with a piece of folder-like paper.</p>
<p>Okay, I see lots of worrying and fussing, but no problem solving (outside of locks and flopsy's suggestions.)</p>
<p>Anyone whose parents have homeowner's insurance should be able to attach a rider to protect their cell phones, laptops, etc. If not, individual policies are not hard to come by at all.</p>
<p>For example: <a href="http://www.safeware.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.safeware.com/</a></p>
<p>There are also STOP plates and similar products: <a href="http://www.computersecurity.com/stop/%5B/url%5D">http://www.computersecurity.com/stop/</a></p>
<p>Basically, here's the deal: Parents worry too much, students worry too little. The parents imagine their little babies at college, being attacked by lions, and tigers, and bears oh my! While the students, with their barely post-pubescent mindset, flippantly leave their $4000 laptops alone in the library while they go make a phone call.</p>
<p>Don't be either one of those, and you'll be fine, I promise.</p>
<p>yeah, just use common sense. i see unattended, unlocked laptops at the libraries all the time. might as well put up a big neon sign. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>i have a cable lock for my laptop. like everything, its a theft DETERRENT. if someone is really determined to steal your stuff, nothing is going to stand in their way. locks like these just makes the casual/amateur theif look elsewhere because they just want a quick grab with no hassles.</p>
<p>what's that $500 phone you want? ;) it shouldnt be a problem since cell phones are with you almost 24/7. when you cant have it with you it should be hidden out of plain sight. again, common sense. most people wont even know nor do they care how much your cell is worth unless theyre a phone freak...its just another cell phone to them. i bought my phone for $310, but everyone just thinks its another razr. :p</p>
<p>Who the hell leaves a cell phone lying around anyway? Just slip it into your pocket if you get up. It's that simple.</p>
<p>nokia n91, i think i will buy it then.</p>
<p>i hope you're not going to use it on Cingular. the n91 doesnt have the 850mhz GSM band, so you will miss out on A LOT of coverage. (also its WCDMA 2100 when Cingular's 3G is going to be WCDMA 850/1900, so you wont be able to take advantage of 3G UMTS service either). basically if you use it with Cingular, your coverage would be idential to t-mobile's.</p>
<p>using it on t-mobile should be fine since they only use GSM 1900.</p>
<p>not to make this a nokia forum or something, but what kind of services am i gonna miss out on???</p>
<p>by coverage you mean coverage of certain services or the whole network as in i won't even be able make calls.</p>
<p>besides i am buying it mostly for its device features, such as the camera and music player with 4gb hard drive, i am just gonna use bluetooth and my computer for sending putting in and taking file out of it.</p>
<p>puting files in it or taking them out.**</p>
<p>you will miss out on parts of the network (as in you will get no service while a phone with GSM 850 would have service in the same place). cingular uses a dual band 850/1900 network, but all current and future upgrades are going to be 850mhz. just take a look at t-mobile's coverage map versus cingular's coverage map and you'll see where you will miss out on signal.</p>
<p>but yeah the n91 is a sweet phone. i'm eyeing the n80 though. ;)</p>
<p>well has anyone actually heard or had first hand experiences with things stolen like laptops?
I am confident that I will be bringing a laptop thats actually pretty flashy and expensive (2.5k+) so I really would like to know my safety with it</p>
<p>I've heard of people getting laptops stolen... but that was only from the lounge because they left them there.</p>
<p>I personally left my iPod (I know it's not quite a laptop but still) in the lounge for 2 minutes and it got stolen... makes me wonder about the people at this school, although I'm sure it'd happen almost everywhere.</p>
<p>wow, usually lounges are slightly safer since you usually know all (most?) of the people on your floor. i personally wouldnt feel right about stealing in the first place, but i definitely wouldnt steal things of people that i knew. but then again, some people are just really shady like that. i forgot where, but i heard a story of someone's suitemate stealing their ipod.</p>
<p>ipods are easier to steal since theyre small, usually have no identifying marks and EVERYONE has one. you cant lose your ipod nano and immediately accuse someone with an ipod nano that they stole it. </p>
<p>laptops are big and highly customized (wallpapers, themes, user accounts, etc.) so its easier to get caught red handed. also theres many different brands and models and unless you have a dell, very few people will have the same laptop as you. another good idea might be to customize the lid with stickers or something, but i dont like defacing my electronics like that. :D general rule of thumb: lock it, or ask someone in there that you know and trust to watch it for a few mins.</p>