How to Protect an Apple Laptop

Things You’ll Need:

• Apple laptop

Step 1:

Don't let this be you while traveling.

Use common sense. When carrying your laptop, don’t leave it lying in the front seat of your car when you park, and when traveling, be vigilant at airport security checkpoints where you’re going to be flustered dealing with the TSA. Thieves love it when you’re flustered.

Step 2:

Hang on to your laptop by all means necessary

Even if you're careful, you still might lose your laptop, so make sure you’ve secured your personal or financial information. Check through your Apple operating system and enable security and encryption applications, such as FileVault and Keychain.

Step 3:
Secure your laptop with a strong password. It should be at least 8 or more characters in length, but if you have the patience and the paranoia, 14 characters or longer is not a bad idea. One easy way to create a long password is to come up with a full sentence, with both words and letters, you can remember easily.

Step 4:
It’s the advice everyone gets, but rarely takes, and that is to back up your data regularly, especially before you take your laptop on a trip. Invest in an external hard drive, such as a Lacie Drive, and use the appropriate software to set up a regularly scheduled back up appointment.

Step 5:

Watch out for spys

Take advantage of all the other basic security precautions available on your operating system, including the anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Make sure you install operating system updates, too, whenever they announce their arrival on your screen.

Step 6:
Be aware of the heat your laptop generates. Never use a soft surface when using or recharging your laptop as it creates a fire hazard.

Step 7:
Don't let the battery get too hot. Lift it off your desk so air can circulate around it. And don’t ever leave it in you car in the hot sun. Overheating will degrade the laptop’s battery and shorten its life.

Step 8:

be careful eating around your laptop

Again, it’s obvious, but do watch out when drinking soda or coffee near your laptop. A mishap with the double espresso that’s powering your brain to write your eHow article “How to Type Faster” will have you in a bad mood for days. Think about buying a keyboard protector from Zcover.com, to protect against such accidents.

Step 9:
A hard knock can mean an expensive repair so invest in a good carrying case that suits your needs. There’s a wide range of sleeves, briefcases and backpack designs to choose from in stores and on the Internet. Check out what’s available at the Apple Web site (see Resources) or do a search and browse until you find what’s right for you.

Step 10:
Think about investing in a computer tracking system like Mac PhoneHome, if you travel a lot and are the type of person who’s in the habit of losing your valuables. Computer tracking systems help recover stolen laptops by having the computer periodically report its location. When the laptop is stolen, you contact the security company that operates the message sending software. The company determines the location of the laptop and works with the law to recover it.

Step 11:
Invest in an AppleCare Protection Plan. This is a service and support solution that extends the basic coverage on your Mac to 3 years and offers a range of services including telephone technical support, global repair coverage and onsite repair.

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