Trackitback, which calls itself as a lost and found service, is esentially in the business of insuring laptops (and other gadgetry) against theft.

Here’s their official pitch:

Trackitback is a 24/7 Lost & Found Service for portable items. In today’s world, almost everyone owns a cell phone, camera, notebook, MP3 player or other valuable item. And the more gadgets we have, the more likely we are to misplace them. Unfortunately only 5% of lost items are ever returned to their rightful owners due to a lack of identification and convenient return process. Until now!

I think that it’s a half-assed attempt at laptop insurance. Disclaimer: I have never used their service, but I do have half-a-brain to understand how it works.

The label you buy is actually the premium you pay you avoid a small probability of loss in the future. So in case your laptop gets lost, there’s a label attached promising the finder of your laptop a reward if they call a phone number and turn it in.

The company is betting on the fact that there are more folks who worry (willing to buy insurance) than there are honest people in the world (who have to be paid a reward). It’s a crude way of doing business, but you can say that about the insurance industry in general (insurance/warranty premiums are always greater than the expected payouts — that’s how they make money).

The fact that their in business means piece-of-mind is worth something to people. Maybe a sticker on the side of your iMac helps you sleep better at night. For you folks, Trackitback is at your service.

UPDATE: Trackitback’s President, Jason Wagner, just commented gave me the some stats about the rate of recovery:

We have a recovery rate of over 80% and actual clients to prove it.

I was probably a bit too critical with this post. Just like I said, I’ve never tried the service before. So thanks for clarifying the facts, Jason.

A papertowel is the worst way to clean your sensitive laptop screen. A tissue is a little better, but it still leaves bits of fibers that may be noticable.

eHow has a fantastic article on cleaning your laptop screen:

1. Dilute isopropyl alcohol into a mix with no more than 50% alcohol and the rest distilled water.
2. Apply as needed to a terry cloth, like an old T-shirt or other very soft cloth.
3. Wipe cloth against the screen, in a counter-clockwise or other consistent motion.

In my younger days I cleaned my laptop screen with a towel (only if I had known). My mother now uses that laptop, and after a few years of cleaning with a towel, there’s a permanent film on the LCD screen. I’m not sure if the towel cleaning is what caused it, but I’m willing to bet that it was the towel.

Don’t make the same mistake. Use a softer cloth or a very soft old t-shirt.