3 ms·

Kensington Security Slot

26 points by larsberg 16y ago

edw519 16y ago
Or you could just wear "iPad-Compatible Clothing"... http://www.scottevest.com/company/ipad.shtml http://www.scottevest.com/company/ipad.shtml (Scroll down and check out the picture of Woz with his iPad in his iPad-compatible jacket. Hilarious.)
pclark 16y ago
it seems like the Kensington Security Slot is an interesting market that Kensington pretty much have a monopoly over. Does anyone know how they got to this point?
- smackfu 16y ago
  "The designer met with each of the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and convinced each computer manufacturer to add a small, security slot in their laptop designs. Compaq was the first OEM to incorporate the Kensington security slot in 1991." http://uk.kensington-press.com/news/article.aspx?id=232&core=E http://uk.kensington-press.com/news/article.aspx?id=232&... The also are very open with the details, not trying to charge a licensing fee or anything: http://us.kensington.com/html/1356.html http://us.kensington.com/html/1356.html
- Kadin 16y ago
  I'm not sure how much money Kensington really makes from it. They make locks that fit in the slot, but so do a lot of other people now. And I don't think that they charge licensing fees -- it's just a slot in the plastic, occasionally (in better implementations) backed up with sheet metal. What surprises me is that nobody thought to standardize on something like it sooner; I remember the pre-Kensington PC locks and they always sucked. Most of them sold you big plates and tubes of epoxy that you were supposed to attach to your computer's chassis, and then loop a cable through.
mootothemax 16y ago
False sense of security? A bit of a coincidence, I've been looking at bicycle locks before this and can't help but think that the cables used in Kensington security locks could practically be cut through by a pair of scissors, let alone cutters actually made for the job! Edit: I /really/ need glasses, ipAd not ipOd...
- larsberg 16y ago
  iPad, not iPod. It's the bathroom problem. Want to go to the bathroom, but I'm in a shared office space -- do I put it in a bag and bring the bag? Carry it with and place it on top of the urinal (ick...)? Leave it in a drawer in an unlocking desk? Or just hope it doesn't walk off? This is a real issue in our office space (frequent theft issues, as it's a college campus so the building doors are open access). I just need a couple minutes of relative security at a time, honestly.
  - mootothemax 16y ago
    Do I put it in a bag and bring the bag? If theft's that big a problem then yes! Seriously, that's several hundred dollars-worth of gear you're leaving out in the open, all for the sake of two minutes of convenience. I think my point about false sense of security stands as well - how much do a pair of clippers cost against the value of your iPad? Again, if theft issues are that bad, it won't be long before someone notices that your iPad gets frequently left behind during the day and that it's a 10-second job to cut and steal.
    - deleted 16y ago
      [deleted]
  - WillyF 16y ago
    The iPad is the ultimate bathroom device. Take it with you! Then all you need is an iPad condom to keep from contaminating it.
  - stcredzero 16y ago
    Just lock it in a desk drawer or tuck it under your arm. (The under arm method is what I use when getting my order at Panera.)
stcredzero 16y ago
My tc1100 slate has this. It makes the thing much less mobile. No surprise there, since this is the purpose of the slot and the lock that goes in it. However, it also interferes with the purpose of the iPad. Imagine how you'd like to use a sketchpad that was chained to the desk.
- dagw 16y ago
  I don't think anybody is advocating keeping it chained to your desk while using it. I imagine it is more along the lines of being able to pop in a lock when you go to grab a coffee or go to the bathroom and unlocking it when you come back.
  - stcredzero 16y ago
    I should think that locking it in a drawer or carrying it with you are much more convenient and secure. For one thing, it isn't obviously visible.
    - bmelton 16y ago
      But I so seldom have access to lockable drawers in the coffee shop.
      - stcredzero 16y ago
        Then you should carry it with you.
        bmelton 16y ago
        To the bathroom? Ew.

26 points by larsberg 16y ago

Or you could just wear "iPad-Compatible Clothing"... http://www.scottevest.com/company/ipad.shtml http://www.scottevest.com/company/ipad.shtml (Scroll down and check out the picture of Woz with his iPad in his iPad-compatible jacket. Hilarious.)

pclark 16y ago

it seems like the Kensington Security Slot is an interesting market that Kensington pretty much have a monopoly over. Does anyone know how they got to this point?

smackfu 16y ago
"The designer met with each of the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and convinced each computer manufacturer to add a small, security slot in their laptop designs. Compaq was the first OEM to incorporate the Kensington security slot in 1991." http://uk.kensington-press.com/news/article.aspx?id=232&core=E http://uk.kensington-press.com/news/article.aspx?id=232&... The also are very open with the details, not trying to charge a licensing fee or anything: http://us.kensington.com/html/1356.html http://us.kensington.com/html/1356.html
Kadin 16y ago
I'm not sure how much money Kensington really makes from it. They make locks that fit in the slot, but so do a lot of other people now. And I don't think that they charge licensing fees -- it's just a slot in the plastic, occasionally (in better implementations) backed up with sheet metal. What surprises me is that nobody thought to standardize on something like it sooner; I remember the pre-Kensington PC locks and they always sucked. Most of them sold you big plates and tubes of epoxy that you were supposed to attach to your computer's chassis, and then loop a cable through.

mootothemax 16y ago

False sense of security? A bit of a coincidence, I've been looking at bicycle locks before this and can't help but think that the cables used in Kensington security locks could practically be cut through by a pair of scissors, let alone cutters actually made for the job! Edit: I /really/ need glasses, ipAd not ipOd...

larsberg 16y ago
iPad, not iPod. It's the bathroom problem. Want to go to the bathroom, but I'm in a shared office space -- do I put it in a bag and bring the bag? Carry it with and place it on top of the urinal (ick...)? Leave it in a drawer in an unlocking desk? Or just hope it doesn't walk off? This is a real issue in our office space (frequent theft issues, as it's a college campus so the building doors are open access). I just need a couple minutes of relative security at a time, honestly.
- mootothemax 16y ago
  Do I put it in a bag and bring the bag? If theft's that big a problem then yes! Seriously, that's several hundred dollars-worth of gear you're leaving out in the open, all for the sake of two minutes of convenience. I think my point about false sense of security stands as well - how much do a pair of clippers cost against the value of your iPad? Again, if theft issues are that bad, it won't be long before someone notices that your iPad gets frequently left behind during the day and that it's a 10-second job to cut and steal.
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
- WillyF 16y ago
  The iPad is the ultimate bathroom device. Take it with you! Then all you need is an iPad condom to keep from contaminating it.
- stcredzero 16y ago
  Just lock it in a desk drawer or tuck it under your arm. (The under arm method is what I use when getting my order at Panera.)

stcredzero 16y ago

My tc1100 slate has this. It makes the thing much less mobile. No surprise there, since this is the purpose of the slot and the lock that goes in it. However, it also interferes with the purpose of the iPad. Imagine how you'd like to use a sketchpad that was chained to the desk.

dagw 16y ago
I don't think anybody is advocating keeping it chained to your desk while using it. I imagine it is more along the lines of being able to pop in a lock when you go to grab a coffee or go to the bathroom and unlocking it when you come back.
- stcredzero 16y ago
  I should think that locking it in a drawer or carrying it with you are much more convenient and secure. For one thing, it isn't obviously visible.
  - bmelton 16y ago
    But I so seldom have access to lockable drawers in the coffee shop.
    - stcredzero 16y ago
      Then you should carry it with you.
      - bmelton 16y ago
        To the bathroom? Ew.