Computrace stands behind LoJack for laptops, but read the fine print
Posted by Chris Leckness on 01/19/06 in Software
Computrace’s LoJack for Laptops is not new, but there is something interesting I noticed about it. LoJack for Laptops is a recovery service that helps law enforcement recover stolen laptops. It consists of software that runs in the background and silently connects to Computrace’s monitoring center, reporting the laptops’s whereabouts using any standard internet connection.
Don’t get me wrong, I think this a great idea. My only quandry with it is the company’s guarantee. If you read the fine print, it states that in the event your laptop cannot be recovered using LoJack for Laptops, they will refund the full purchase price of the software. That would be a small consolation to get a few bucks back when your expensive laptop is gone forever along with all of your data. They might sell a lot more of their product if they would guarantee replacement cost of your laptop if it cannot be recovered, but then that would probably cut into the bottom line. I think I will be going without LoJack until their guarantee improves.
Written by Chris Leckness · Filed Under Software
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I don’t think that it would be a very smart move on their part to guarantee replacement of your laptop if not recovered…. there are too many factors that are not dependent on their service.
1) The theif (or new owner) has to plug it into a phone line or network connection in order for it to “phone home” to Computrace.
2) The actual recovery is dependent on local law enforcement to track the laptop down based simply on the location it phoned home from.
While the LoJack software does improve your chances (which are practically nonexistant without LoJack) of recovering a stolen laptop, its still not foolproof enough for them to guarantee you a new laptop.
The only way to get it 100% reliable would be for them to physically insert a GPS location device of some sort into the laptop, and also have “field teams” that go out with law enforcemnt officers to track down exact location of the laptop within accuracy of a several square foot radius. And even that would have potential issues with power running out on the laptops battery before its tracked down, and the financial draws of more expensive equipment and having to man a field team.
Absolute do sell another product called ComputraceComplete. With this comes a $1000 guarantee and you get complete asset management thrown in.