ALKHOBAR, 10 July 2007 — It’s vacation time and this summer loads of people are taking their notebooks on holiday. Whether it’s to watch DVDs during long flights or to keep in touch with friends and family by e-mail, the fact is that portable PCs are now being packed along with bathing suits and sun cream. So before you rush off on your dream vacation, follow these tips and get the most out of your machine.
Pack Smart. Don’t forget essential hardware. Be sure to pack chargers, external CD/DVD drives and a short Ethernet cable. Consider purchasing and charging a back-up battery. Keep everything together in one bag and make sure it isn’t a “laptop bag” which can be spotted easily by thieves. The bag should be clearly marked with your name and contact details.
Be wary of strangers: You’ll probably want to use your notebook at WiFi hotspots, but remember that not every connection is equally secure. Check that the security settings on your laptop have been tweaked correctly, that you are using a firewall and antivirus software and consider encrypting sensitive files on your machine. It’s best to do such tasks as Internet banking only from secure, reputable networks. Ask about network security before you log on.
Passwords are key: At home you might not password protect your notebook but make sure that this feature has been activated before traveling with your machine. Password protect important files and sensitive information on your laptop, too. Passwords need to be at least a little complex so they aren’t easy to figure out. Passwords such as “12345” or “password,” make for poor security and a thief will break through such lame protection in seconds.
Back It Up: Studies show that nearly 40 percent of people will lose something important from their PC each year. Back up before you go. It is extremely common for a notebook to sustain damage during travel. If the hard drive has to be thrown away, you won’t be crying if all your important files were backed up before leaving home. Consider making two copies of digital vacation photos too. Save the photos on the notebook and on CD/DVD/flash drive or post them to a photo site on the Net.