Monday, July 18, 2011

Important accessories for your PDA

Losing a PDA through theft is one of the biggest challenges owners of personal data devices face. As the prices and capabilities of these units’ increases, so does the market for stolen PDAs, year after year. Of course, locking the unit up in a drawer and never taking it out is about the only certain way of making sure a PDA is never stolen, but that limits the usefulness. Attaching a heavy chain and a wheel hub may help, but it won't fit in your pocket. Instead of taking these sorts of extreme measures, consider one or more theft prevention accessories for PDAs.

If you're a little handy and have a steady hand, you can try the tried and true method of etching. Grab your rotary tool and lightly carve an identifier into the back of the case, like a phone number or email address. Doing this will probably void your warranty. Don't try this unless you have a steady hand and neat handwriting.

A less extreme option is a security sticker. A sticker may not seem like much of a deterrent, but what if peeling off that sticker announced that the PDA is stolen? That's the idea behind security sticker theft prevention accessories for PDA units. The self adhesive sticker is attached to the back of the unit, and gives an 800 number to call and report the PDA. The sticker also advises them that by reporting the unit, they can avoid prosecution.

The GPS functionality built into many modern PDAs is usually used for convenience for the unit's owner, but with tracking security software, it can also be a way to find a stolen PDA. This form of theft prevention accessories for PDA units consists of software that is installed on the unit and a subscription service. The software installed will be linked to the unit's built in password protection, and will automatically broadcast an emergency signal after an incorrect password has been entered. The subscription service will then pick up the signal and start tracking the PDA, informing the authorities where to find it.