Hi Vivianna, Alex, Ricardo, Chris, Jane, Garth, Gigi, Emrah, Kawal, and Marc,
First off, there is a "Find My Mac" program that is like "Find My iPhone" for iOS devices. You can register your machine for it if you are running Lion, and also have enabled iCloud services. Since I've only migrated to Lion about a month ago, and still need to keep my MobileMe services active for a while more, I can't speak directly about this program. However, I can run "Find My iPhone" even from the MobileMe pages with VoiceOver. It's not as simple as it was with VoiceOver and Safari not upgraded under Snow Leopard, but it's workable for me, so I assume this is also possible for "Find My Mac". (The truly bizarre aspect of this is how much easier it was to use "Find My iPhone" with VoiceOver on version of Leopard -- two versions back -- on a system with OS X 10.5.8 and the latest version of Safari at that time. I switched to one of these machines just to contrast the "Find My iPhone" web experience with VoiceOver, latest Safari, and Lion.) Here's a link to an old New York Times article about "Find My Mac" from last November: http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/25/using-apples-find-my-mac-feature/ Use Command-Shift-R to read this in Safari Reader. Secondly, I highly recommend that everyone register their Apple products using the MySupportProfile page: https://supportprofile.apple.com/MySupportProfile.do This is a personal service that has been around for at least 8 years, and is designed as a way for customers to keep track of their Apple products. It's not the same as warranty registration, although I think you can register products through the MySupportProfile page. This is meant to be a convenient record for you, the customer, so you can input this information at any time. Although it's obviously easiest to put in this information soon after purchase. You log in with your Apple ID and enter the serial numbers for products you own. Once this is in place, you have a permanent record of your serial numbers and product descriptions all in one place. Items can include your Mac computers, iPhones, Apple TVs, AIrport Express units, Time Capsules, etc. What makes this page useful, in addition to keeping a record of your serial numbers, is that there are related support resources. So you can read about the technical specifications for your model of device, find out whether there are firmware updates, find related articles, and also track service case issues. If you give your Mac or iOS device to a relative, or sell it, you can remove the item from the devices that are registered to you, but you can also provide them with details about the exact product they are getting from you. And, if worst comes to worst, and one of your items is misplaced or stolen, you have an accurate record of the serial number and the detailed product description. Understand that the MySupportProfile page is not meant to be a way to make Apple track lost or stolen items. It's a convenient resource for you, the user. The only information that gets added to the pages are for devices whose serial numbers you add. You can find these in your purchase receipts from Apple, or by using the "About this Mac" entry of the Apple menu. (VO-M or Control-F2 to the Apple menu, arrow down to About this Mac, and Navigate with VO-Right arrow to the Version number (e.g. 10.7.3), then VO-Space to cycle through the build to the serial number. You can copy the last phrase to the clipboard with VO-Shift-C, then paste in information anywhere with Command-V.) For those of you using QuickNav, just press Right arrow instead of VO-Right arrow, and select by simultaneously pressing Up and Down arrow keys instead of using VO-Space. And for those of you using TrackPad Commander, use a two-finger double tap near the top of your TrackPad to move to the Apple menu on the menu bar, flick down into to the submenu, then flick down again to "About this Mac" and double tap. In the "About this Mac" window, flick right to the OS version number and double tap until you cycle through to the serial number, Then use VO-Shift-C to copy the serial number information to the clipboard, and paste with Command-V. Keep a bookmark set to the "MySupportProfile" page for easy access. At present, "MySupportProfile" supports entries from the US and Canada, the UK, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. And in answer to Marc's question, you can use FileVault to encrypt your disk. Here's a link to an Anandtech article about FileVault in Lion. Again, use Command-Shift-R for Safari Reader: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4485/back-to-the-mac-os-x-107-lion-review/17 HTH. Cheers, Esther On Mar 14, 2012, at 1:16 PM, Marc Sutton wrote: > I am wondering what you use for data encryption. That's more my concern. If > someone swipes my mba then they have a lot of data. Are there vo friendly > encryption programs out there? > Marc > > On Mar 14, 2012, at 4:07 PM, Emrah wrote: > >> Wow! >> More than the hardware, I am concerned about the data, so my hard drive is >> fully encrypted. >> I don't know if you are being too paranoid or not. I just think that your >> MBA will feel very upset if you don't use it in public. :) >> You need some guts to steal a laptop like that. I must be lucky or >> something, but I tend to trust my environment quite a bit. I live in NYC. >> >> I have heard about people getting their iPhone stollen while talking on the >> phone with it. Must be so funny to watch… Sorry if it happened to you guys. >> >> Anyway, if you are too concerned, try to see if you can have it insured. I >> use it all the time in cars, restaurants, jumping from meetings to meetings, >> on the plane, train and even once from the privacy of my bathroom. O O :) >> >> Cheers! >> On Mar 14, 2012, at 6:13 PM, Gigi wrote: >> >>> Hi Viviana. >>> I think you're being cautious if you have a concern. I think paranoid is >>> when you just won't get your Mac Air out because you're afraid unreasonably. >>> >>> My sighted brother had a laptop stolen from him because two guys worked >>> together. One distracted him and pretended to be hurt; when he put his >>> laptop down and went to help, the other guy took his laptop. He never did >>> get it back as far as I know. >>> >>> I don't have an Air, but I do have a MacBook Pro. I have a case for it that >>> I got from Apple, and when I carry it around, I never leave it in the car >>> or anywhere else. Also, I put my arm through its strap all the time. When I >>> go into a restaurant, I try to choose a booth, partly to accommodate my >>> dog, but partly so I can put my computer case right up next to me. I put it >>> and my purse together, so I am unlikely to leave the both of them. Also, a >>> booth is more secure because a person would really have to work to get to >>> your computer. I'd rather make it hard for them if they are going to get >>> it. >>> >>> If there is not a booth, after getting my dog in place, I tuck my computer >>> case and purse as close under my feet as possible. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Gigi >>> >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Mar 14, 2012, at 3:14 PM, Vivianna <irish...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> i think you misunderstood me. yes, i have a case for my air and, i also >>>> carry it in a backpack. what is my concern is having it stolen right out >>>> of my hands. say, for example, that i am sitting outside at a coffee shop >>>> and typing away on the computer with my earbuds in and someone just takes >>>> the machine and runs off with it. this is my concern. even if i have my >>>> hands on it they can still grab it and run. >>>> are others afraid of such happening? am i being to paranoid? what do >>>> sighted folks do with their expensive machines? do they just use them and >>>> not worry about it? >>>> i am off to check out these links now. thanks a lot. >>>> Vivianna >>>> On Mar 14, 2012, at 3:01 PM, Chris Blouch wrote: >>>> >>>>> I bought a backpack so when I'm not using my MacBook I just pop it in >>>>> there. If I usually sling it over one shoulder but if I need both hands I >>>>> can put it on all the way. In other words, I don't lock it down, I keep >>>>> the laptop with me. If you must lock it then you might want one of these: >>>>> >>>>> http://www.macworld.com/article/1158830/macbook_air_security_lock.html >>>>> >>>>> where you attach a rigid case to the MacBook Air and that case has a >>>>> standard lock slot. You could also check into iAlertU which uses the >>>>> MacBook's motion sensors to trigger an alarm and notify you on your >>>>> iPhone etc. >>>>> >>>>> http://ialertu.sourceforge.net/ >>>>> >>>>> CB >>>>> >>>>> On 3/14/12 3:51 PM, Ricardo Walker wrote: >>>>>> Hi, >>>>>> >>>>>> I personally just put my macbook in my book bag when I travel. >>>>>> >>>>>> Ricardo Walker >>>>>> rica...@appletothecore.info >>>>>> Twitter:@apple2thecore >>>>>> www.appletothecore.info >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mar 14, 2012, at 3:45 PM, Vivianna<irish...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi all, >>>>>>> so, i went out and bought myself this super cool, super fast macbook >>>>>>> air. now, the reason that i bought this fine machine is because of >>>>>>> it's small size and portability. well, now that spring is here, i am >>>>>>> wanting to take it out with me to coffee shops etc. i live in a city >>>>>>> and am concerned about the safety of using such a machine in an outdoor >>>>>>> public setting. i went to the mac online store and looked up the >>>>>>> kensington lock and, alas, it does not work with the air. >>>>>>> so, here's my question to you all. >>>>>>> do you all take your portable machines out with you? and, if you do, >>>>>>> what sort of security measures, if any, do you take? have any of you >>>>>>> had problems with having your computers stolen? and, if so, what did >>>>>>> you do? did you get it back? >>>>>>> i would be extremely upset if i had my machine stolen on one hand yet, >>>>>>> on the other hand, i do not want to be restricted to using it only in >>>>>>> the safety of my own home. if i wanted to stay at home, i would have >>>>>>> purchased the less costly mini. >>>>>>> i look forward to hearing your experiences and suggestions. >>>>>>> thanks much. >>>>>>> Vivianna >>>>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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