Industry Information:
The Solution is the Anti-Theft Power Cable
What if the equipment was its own first line of defense?
The Anti-theft Power Cable detects when the power plug is removed from an outlet and demands a password before the equipment will operate again.
Since most expensive electronics are seldom moved after they are installed, the minor inconvenience of entering a password offers the confidence of knowing that your equipment will be there when you need it.
The Anti-theft power cable can make it uneconomic to steal devices. Stolen products that will not work have no resale value.
Independent of special monitoring systems, the Anti-theft power cable is the only device available that can be used in all plug-in electrical equipment.
A similar way of thinking about property security "Universal Ink Tag" from which an ink vials erupts, spilling permanent ink onto a garment, has seen the very successful in discouraging spontaneous theft. Another successful exercise of this approach to theft prevention is the "Kill Switch", best known in car stereo systems and starter disablers, for making equipment inoperable.
Successful marketing and consumer awareness of products marked with a distinctive logo and cable head will make a thief think twice before stealing property.
The power cable can address both the consumer and manufacturer's needs to protect their electrical and electronic products.
Limits and Potentials
The primary drawback of the Anti-theft power cable is the inappropriate application for laptops and highly portable equipment. A good part of the annual theft of computer products, over 50% as of the 2003 FBI report on data security, is focused on portable equipment that could not be protected.
There has been some serious interest in further developing the technology to provide the same levels of security for portable devices that can now be offered to stationary equipment.
The Anti-theft power cable has the potential to foster open access to equipment that is currently locked away. It can foster more distributed user spaces in large institutions such as universities. It can reasonably be expected to reduce the loss prevention and insurance costs of owning expensive electronics equipment.
The price point of the electrical or electronic products limits the market for this product. It would be pointless to add the anti-theft power cable to products that are highly portable or so inexpensive that they would otherwise double in price with its inclusion.
last page: Computer Submarket of the Electronics Devices Market