Bill, I am working for a company right now that is in the process of making a 'tracking device'. I cannot go into details in public... While it is not oriented towards tracking 'laptops', it certainly will be small enough to do it. I am going to approach my boss today or tomorrow and talk to him about this as an additional market. Regards, James Jackson Oztronics ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brooks,Bill" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 1:22 PM Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events > Yea! I'm serious.. are you kidding? > > This is a great product idea with great potential... and a huge market. > > I think a company could easily be formed around it or at the very least it > could be a product for someone in the business already... > > Heck yea... > > I think I can pull together a team to design it an build it.. there are > costs involved with development however... getting financing is not my > strong suit. But I know a few guys that have managed to acquire 9 mil in VC > money before... it could be done. Let me make a few phone calls... > We could go public in about 2 years... heck it might make a nice retirement > account for someone... > > Who knows... stranger things have happened before... > > > > Bill Brooks - KG6VVP > PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I. > Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510 > http://www.dtwc.com > http://pcbwizards.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Sally Price [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 11:14 AM > To: (Designers Council Forum); Brooks,Bill > Subject: RE: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > Pulling my tongue out of my cheek, Bill, you got my joke, I really do > think it is brilliant and I have a couple bucks if you are serious! > > Sal > > Sally Price > > Senior PCB Designer > > NVISION, Inc > > 125 Crown Point Ct. > > Grass Valley, CA 95945 > > Phone: (530) 265-1049 > > FAX: (530) 265-1055 > > e-mail: [log in to unmask] > > > -----Original Message----- > From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Brooks,Bill > Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 11:09 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > Anybody have some investment capital to put into it? I'm ready... let's > design it... where's the Samuel Adams Lager? We'll need at least a keg > to > get started... Let's see at 5 cents a share... times 2 million or so.... > hmmm... we could be going someplace with this... > :) > > > Bill Brooks - KG6VVP > PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I. > Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510 > http://www.dtwc.com > http://pcbwizards.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Sally Price [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:59 AM > To: (Designers Council Forum); Brooks,Bill > Subject: RE: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > I think you all have found another source of business, the design to > secure both laptops and desktop computers! The last idea, having a car > alarm hand held type device that can be activated as you walk away from > it. Simply Brilliant! Let's go have a beer and celebrate. > > Sal :o) > > Sally Price > > Senior PCB Designer > > NVISION, Inc > > 125 Crown Point Ct. > > Grass Valley, CA 95945 > > Phone: (530) 265-1049 > > FAX: (530) 265-1055 > > e-mail: [log in to unmask] > > -----Original Message----- > From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Brooks,Bill > Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:50 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > Or better yet. I might be more like a car alarm, with a key ring clicker > that you activate if you leave it unattended for any length of time... > and > if someone disturbs the Laptop, it sends the alarm to you remotely on > your > clicker and sounds a local alarm and tracking device option... > Just another possibility. > > Bill Brooks - KG6VVP > PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I. > Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510 > http://www.dtwc.com > http://pcbwizards.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Brooks,Bill [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:11 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > Great idea Dee! > > If someone picked it up and moved it could have a screen pop up that > indicated the Alarm system was activated... start screaming a siren > noise > and dial your cell phone to notify you... then transmit its location so > it > can be tracked. If the Lap top had a 'cell phone' type video camera > built in > you might even get a shot of the perpetrator! > > I like it...:) > > Best regards, > > Bill Brooks - KG6VVP > PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I. > Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510 > http://www.dtwc.com > http://pcbwizards.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dee Stover [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:03 AM > To: (Designers Council Forum); Brooks,Bill > Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > A motion sensor - transmitter / receiver so the you have an idea when > the > laptop first gets on the move. Alarm goes off and tracking starts. That > way you can get on the move to find it as soon as the alarm goes off. > > At 09:46 AM 10/19/2004 -0700, you wrote: > >Thanks George, > > > > The theft of Laptop computers seems to be more common than I > suspected... > >This could be an opportunity for a EE, a programmer and a PCB designer > to > >come up with an add on product that would protect or at least help > recover > >your laptop in the event someone tired to steal it. > > > > I like the idea of some sort of 'LoJack' tracker built into a > Laptop... > >I was discussing the subject with a friend of mine... One idea was some > sort > >of a virus-like program that occasionally pops up and asks for an ID > and if > >it's not forthcoming, the first time it's connected to the Internet it > sends > >e-mails out to the authorities with your Laptop's GPS location... > > > > Another idea was some sort of radio beacon that can be tracked with > the > >right equipment, but that might be rather expensive, how about say > something > >built into your cell phone for example... With text based cell phones > it > >could give you direction finding information... right over your > phone... > >that might make the chase more possible... and immediate. (you can't > run or > >hide... we will find you). > > > > I don't know if there is anything like this out there, but it sounds > like > a > >great product enhancement... Laptops cost as much as Cars used to... in > the > >1970's anyway, and they are expensive enough that they qualify as > 'Felony > >Grand theft' larceny. > > > >Maybe if there is someone out there that wants to work on a project > like > >this we could get together and create a product and sell it to the > Laptop > >manufacturers. > > > >GPS receivers are very small now and easy to add into the Laptop > geometry... > > > >It could work. > > > >Thanks for the kind words, George... I could find great satisfaction in > the > >'thermite charge' idea.. but I want my Laptop back... :( > > > > > >Best regards, > > > > > >Bill Brooks - KG6VVP > >PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I. > >Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510 > >http://www.dtwc.com > >http://pcbwizards.com > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: George Patrick [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > >Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 11:09 AM > >To: [log in to unmask] > >Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > > >What a drag... > > > >It is an absolute hassle to lug everything around with you when you > leave > >the room, but with the way things are now it's the only way to keep > things > >like this from happening. > > > >Too bad they don't put thermite charges in notebooks that are set off > by > >cell phone (or LoJack trackers, but that's less fun to think about) ;D > > > >-- > >George Patrick > >Tektronix, Inc. > >Central Engineering, PCB Design Group > >P.O. Box 500, M/S 39-512 > >Beaverton, OR 97077-0001 > >Phone: 503-627-5272 Fax: 503-627-5587 > >http://www.tektronix.com http://www.pcb-designer.com > > > >It's my opinion, not Tektronix' > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > >Brooks,Bill > >Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 10:52 > >To: [log in to unmask] > >Subject: [DC] Warning... when attending events > > > > > >Designers, > > > >I know some of you use laptop computers in your work as I do, and I > just > >want to share this experience with you so you do not have to experience > what > >happened to me and Mary Sugden last weekend... > > > >Mary was leading the CID+ Workshop and exam in San Marcos California, > and I > >was attending it along with some other fine designers. We broke for > lunch > >and were gone from the room for a very short time... only to return to > the > >room to find that someone of low scruples decided that our laptop > computers > >would make a great addition to their personal collections... Mary had > to > >continue the workshop and test from her hand written notes... it was a > very > >difficult experience. Mary was a real trouper and still did an > excellent > job > >of covering the material and we went on to take the exam on Saturday. > > > >The most painful realization occurs when you recall that you left your > >checkbook(s), and your personal information in your carrying case, and > they > >now know where you live, what your home phone number and work number > is, > >what your bank account numbers are, e-mail, stocks, you name it... > etc... > >etc.. Not to mention the data that you have on your hard drive, that > you > >have not backed up... Laptops are terribly portable... it takes only 30 > >seconds for someone to pass by and grab them and stash them for later > >retrieval. We looked high and low and searched the entire area for the > >thief(s)... and they had vanished. > > > >Mailing lists, passwords, lost reference information, jobs you may have > been > >working on, etc... this can be a very sickening experience... > > > >The laptops can be expensive, mine was over 2,700 dollars (a Dell > Inspiron > >8200 with 64MB DDR ram, 40G hd, leather case, high end video, extra > >batteries... ugh...)and they are targets of thieves, who seem to watch > and > >wait for you to make a mistake or get careless for an instant, even > when > you > >think your stuff is safe in the confines of a classroom environment... > don't > >let your equipment out of your sight... And think about what you have > on > >your computer... and what it would mean if someone managed to walk away > with > >it. > > > >Please don't let this happen to you... > > > >Best regards, > > > > > >Bill Brooks - KG6VVP > >PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I. > >Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510 > >http://www.dtwc.com > >http://pcbwizards.com > > > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > - > >----- > >DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using > LISTSERV > >1.8d > >To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text > in > >the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. > >To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET > >DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) > >Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & > Databases > > >E-mail Archives > >Please visit IPC web site > http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 > >for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] > or > >847-615-7100 ext.2815 > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > - > >----- > > > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > - > >----- > >DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using > LISTSERV > >1.8d > >To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text > in > >the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. > >To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET > >DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) > >Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & > Databases > > >E-mail Archives > >Please visit IPC web site > http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 > >for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] > or > >847-615-7100 ext.2815 > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > - > >----- > > > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > ------ > >DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using > LISTSERV > >1.8d > >To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text > in > >the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. > >To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET > >DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) > >Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & > Databases > > >E-mail Archives > >Please visit IPC web site > http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 > >for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] > or > >847-615-7100 ext.2815 > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > ------ > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ---- > ----- > DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using > LISTSERV > 1.8d > To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text > in > the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. > To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET > DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) > Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & Databases > > > E-mail Archives > Please visit IPC web site > http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 > for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] > or > 847-615-7100 ext.2815 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ---- > ----- > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > --------- > DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using > LISTSERV 1.8d > To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text > in > the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. > To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET > DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) > Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & Databases > > E-mail Archives > Please visit IPC web site > http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional > information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 > ext.2815 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > --------- > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > --------- > DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using > LISTSERV 1.8d > To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text > in > the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. > To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET > DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) > Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & Databases > > E-mail Archives > Please visit IPC web site > http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional > information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 > ext.2815 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > --------- > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- > DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8d > To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in > the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. > To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) > Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & Databases > E-mail Archives > Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8d To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & Databases > E-mail Archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------