Tips for Preventing PDA Theft

Having your PDA stolen is one of the hardest issues for owners of such devices. As the cost of PDAs increase every year, so does the demand for stolen products. It's true that shutting the unit away somewhere and never removing it is the best way of ensuring your PDA stays safe, but obviously that won't be very useful to you, nor would attaching it to a large chain and cinderblock. Instead of taking these kinds of extreme measures, think about using one or more theft prevention accessories for your PDA.

If you consider yourself a handyman (or woman) and have a good eye, you can always try the popular etching method. Use or borrow an etching tool and gently carve any identifying information into your case, such as a cell phone number or email. Keep in mind that doing this may cause your warranty to be voided. Also, don't use this method unless you've had some etching experience.

A less final option is using a security label. At first a label may not seem like that much of a prevention method, but consider the fact that removing such a label gives away that it's stolen. That's the point behind security label accessories for PDA devices. The self-sticking label is attached to the device, and displays a toll-free number to call and report the theft. The label also lets the would-be purchaser of a stolen item that, if they reporting the device stolen, they won't have to worry about legal ramifications.

This way, if the label is removed, the words "stolen PDA" and the toll-free number are imprinted on the case in large printing that can't be scratched away. This form of theft prevention for your PDA device deters those who might grab the device when you're not looking and sell it on the streetcorner. No matter what their morals are, there aren't many people, who will purposely buy something that lets the world know it's been stolen.

The GPS technology built into many current PDAs is used primarily for the device owner's convenience in finding their way around, but when coupled with security measures it can also be an effective method to recover a stolen PDA. This method of theft prevention is installed on the device, and through a subscription service the user has a virtual "eye in the sky" that can track where their PDA is at any given time.

With all of these devices, possibly the best theft prevention measures, is still regular street sense. Never leave your PDA lying unattended anywhere, even for a second. Even if you think you're in a safe area, you always run the risk of someone picking it up. Never leave a PDA within sight in your car, even if it's locked. And lastly, always use your device's own built-in security features; sometimes all it takes is a password to keep your personal information private.