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[ Go to March 1997 Table of Contents ]
WinLab Reviews
-- by James Alan Miller
Sometimes a notebook can be too portable. Adding PORT's Defcon 1 to your arsenal will help deter notebook theft. This 6.2-ounce, black, hand-held unit is about the same size and shape as a cellular phone. It comes with a combination lock, a release trigger for its 4.7-foot retractable cable, a 360-degree motion sensor, a 110-decibel alarm and a 9-volt battery that'll last for three months. You'll find Defcon 1 easy to install. You can set it to any one of a thousand three-digit combinations. To extend or retract the cable, press on the trigger and pull on the wire. The unit offers protection whether you attach your laptop to an immovable object or not. You dial your combination, extend the cable through your notebook and around a stationary object, and plug the cable in. If anyone attempts to cut the cable or manipulate the lock, an ear-piercing alarm will sound. For added protection, the motion sensor can sound an alarm as well. My only complaint is that the speaker can be muffled a little, slightly deadening the alarm. Defcon 1 works reliably. While not the ultimate deterrent, it may prove an effective obstacle to theft. Price: $49.95 Platforms: 3x, 95, NT PORT 800-322-PORT, 203-852-1102 Circle #873 or visit Winfo Online WinMag Box Score: 4.0 Copyright (c) 1997 CMP Media Inc.
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