If you're one of those people whose lifestyles are dependent on their laptops, you probably have to live with a constant worry that your life (or the digital equivalent of it) will fall into the hands of someone - say, your little brother - who can misuse the data inside. If you are, you might like this piece of news: Intel is developing new anti-theft technology for laptops. Details in the full article.

Developer TRStealthX passed by the forums earlier announce the release of PSAFE v3. The latest release of this anti-theft application for your PSP includes a Connection Log that will show you all of your handheld's connections. The changelog and introductory video await in the full article.

Download: PSAFE v3
Visit: QJ.NET PSP Development Forums

Protecting your Sony PlayStation Portable from theft can be a touchy affair, but with Sony PlayStation Portable homebrew developer TRSTealthX's app, PSAFE, it's definitely easier. Version 2 of PSAFE contains much-needed bugfixes and whatnot. Check out what's new with the updated version in the full article.


Download: PSAFE v2
Visit: QJ.NET's PSP Development Forums

Here's a radically simple way to discourage people from stealing your iPod: prevent them from being able to charge it. Yep, that's the new concept that Apple has filed as patent.

You know how the iTunes in your computer instantly recognizes if that iPod is the one it's matched with? Well that's the little trick that Apple wants to employ in the new anti-theft concept. If the iTunes in your computer fails to recognize the iPod as the one matched to it, it sends out a command to the iPod so that it will not allow further charging.

The concept would work for any device with a rechargeable battery because the device recognizes the charger. All it needs is a little modification to commit "recharge harakiri" on command. Here's how Apple describes it in their filing:
 

For devices that are mainly powered by a rechargeable-power-supply (eg. music-players, phones, Personal Digital Assistants), disabling the recharger effectively renders the device inoperable when the power of the main power-supply has run out. As such, disabling the recharger should serve as a deterrent to theft.

How about an iPod taser? That'll be a real effective deterrent to theft.

Miniaturization's good and all (it leads to a lot of cool ship upgrades in Galactic Civilizations II) but this recent post on Pink Tentacle is something else entirely.

Remember the whole RFID issue? While it certainly has its uses, a lot of people are still kind of freaked out by the whole RFID thing. If you're one of those people, prepare to get even more scared. The aforementioned Pink Tentacle article zooms in on Hitachi's new "powder" chips, which measure in at 0.05mm x 0.05mm. These new chips are 64 times smaller than the previous record holder - 0.4mm x 0.4mm mu-chips - yet are still able to hold a 128-bit ROM that can store a unique 38-digit ID number.

We concur that these chips will most likely be used for anti-counterfeit and anti-theft stuff, but since these things are actually small enough to get inhaled, conspiracy theorists should find it ridiculously easy to formulate new theories regarding Big Brother and the Number of the Beast.

Bawls (previously known as realn0whereman) from our forums, has released an update to his PSP anti-theft application ATPSP today. It has been a while since we've heard about this nifty, little application so here's a reminder of what it does - ATPSP allows you to track your PSP online via an email that is sent to you at a specified address every time the PSP is connected via USB. The email includes the thief's browser, IP address and Windows version and if you have a helpful local law enforcement agency, you may be able to track down the thief via these details.

This is a necessary update for anybody that has ATPSP v3.0 or other versions installed because they will no longer work due to a few changes that Bawls had to make. This application uses your computer so whatever firmware version you have on your PSP is irrelevant. In order for this to work and for you to recover a stolen PSP, certain situations should occur.

First, the thief has to connect the PSP to their computer via USB on a Windows PC which has internet access. Second, you have to hope that the he has an IP address unique to an address so that it can be traced. As you can see, lady luck should be on your side for the app to really work, but still, it can help in some situations - which isn't bad for 15kb worth of space on your memory stick.

Remember, if you have any previous versions of ATPSP installed, please download this version and update it or it will not work. Full installation instructions can be found in the download.

Download: [ATPSP v3.1]
Discuss: [Forum release thread]

Bawls (also known as realn0whereman) from our forums has released version 3 of his ATPSP anti-theft tool for the PSP. ATPSP allows you to track your PSP online via an email that is sent to you at a specified address every time the PSP is connected via USB. The email includes the thief's browser, IP address and Windows version, which you can contact a law enforcement agency in order to track the thief via these details.

Along with customizable icons and PSP titles that were included in ATPSP v2.0, this version adds a netsend popup, telling every PC on your network that a person on this network has stole your PSP, pretty much forcing them to own up! Full instructions on how to set up ATPSP v3.0 can be found in the readme and at the download link. I would post the instructions here, but frankly they're too long. ATPSP is easy and quick to set up, but the instructions are quite thorough. This uses your computer as a base to send the email, so PSP firmware versions are irrelevant! You can even use this on firmware 2.71!

Download: [ATPSP v3.0]

Hitachi has teamed up with the YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory to create a RFID smart tag that can be read from up to 30 meters away. The tiny battery powered tag comes encased in a small cube 15mm wide that will protect it from whatever life will throw at it. RFID tags have been dubbed by many as the future of the way we live our lives. It has even been suggested for food in Supermarkets to be tagged with RFIDs in order to eliminate the need for the checkout. A reader would add up the values stored on the RFIDs in seconds to give you the bill.

This move into the RFID market could be Hitachi's preparation for the custom that will ensue when the technology becomes more widespread in places like supermarkets. This 30m long range RFID would be better suited to a dock/harbour where containers are transported in order to keep logs, or sticking with the supermarket idea, could be used to catch thieves. The price of the new active smart tag will start at around 500 yen ($4.40), not bad for an anti-theft device.

GMDude66 from our forums has released the third version of his PSP Anti-Theft System (PATS) for the PSP. This nifty little application helps to safeguard your PSP in the event of it being stolen. I'm sure most of you know how this works, but just in case you don't I'll go over it one more time.

When you double click the "install.reg" file, information will be added to the registry stating that your particular computer is the TRUE owner of the PSP. When you plug the PSP into a computer "autorun.inf" will run the new and improved program for PATS3, "PATS3.exe" and if it doesn't read the registry of the owner data, a browser window opens up and sends the users IP address to the TRUE owner's email, which has to be set in the "index.htm" file.

Although PATS is not a bulletproof way of securing your PSP, it sure helps. If your PSP is stolen and they don't plug it in to an internet-connected PC, then it won't work, and currently it only works on Windows. But for a 9kb download, you won't even notice it's there! You never know, it may come in handy one day.

Enough of the ranting, here's whats been changed for PATS3:

• PATS now uses a different exe file coded in C++ that should resolve errors with autoplay not opening the file
  
• Removed password because people didn't like it
• Added Icon of a black PSP

Thanks for the heads up GMDude66!

Download: [PSP Anti-Theft System3]

If you've ever lost your beloved gadget's to theft you'd certainly appreciate the security that DataDots has to offer. I for one have sulked over lost mobile phones and mp3 players, out of carelessness and theft.

DataDots are a state of the art identification and anti-theft security system applicable to most assets. Made from polyester substrate micro-dots with a unique information laser etched into it. It is mixed with UV-based adhesive which you apply into your gadgets like cars, laptops, mp3 players, mobile phones, etc. Each kit contains its own unique code and cannot be manufactured again. Basically, it is like a fingerprint for your gadget.

The product has been tested by insurance and Government agencies world-wide as to their theft-deterrent capabilities. By simply escalating the chance of being caught, drives the theft deterrence. Police need to find only 1 dot to prove ownership and make an arrest. This is proven by an independent study by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Council in Australia identified that BMW's, Subaru's and Holden vehicles fitted with DataDots displayed over a 60% reduction in professional theft.

The company claims that DataDots are virtually impossible to reproduce and irremovable. You'd have to register at their website to get a PIN. Anti-theft kits and inspection equipments go for $14.95 up to $19.95 along with instructions on how to apply DataDots.