Engraving my name and number on the lid

[duggram]

What are the drawbacks to having my MBP engraved with my name and phone number?

A few weeks ago I had my MBA stolen. I got a MBP to replace it. Now I'm thinking of having my name and phone number laser engraved on the lid behind screen so that it would always be visible.

I searched this forum and found two threads on others that engraved with designs. A lot of sarcastic folk commented that it kills the value so you can't resell it. In 25 years of using PC's of all types I've never sold one. So that's not a problem.

One person researched and found out that it would not void the warranty. I can't think of any other possible problems.

 

[Virgo]

If you're worried about thieves... someone could just steal it and put a sticker or cover on it easily. I wouldn't.

 

[Dark Void]

what would you be accomplishing with this, exactly? are you thinking that a thief would be any less likely to steal it based on your name or give you a call as they are walking away with it?

 

[alust2013]

It wouldn't be any less likely to be stolen, so I wouldn't bother.

 

[CFoss]

Not worth it. Lion is apparently more secure, with the option of a screen popping up asking to return it to you, etc.

 

[maclaptop]

You'll own it forever. Apple will repair it but not replace it, like they would if not for that.

At least that's what happened to a friend of mine who just didn't think about having that type of a problem.

 

[palpatine]

what would you be accomplishing with this, exactly? are you thinking that a thief would be any less likely to steal it based on your name or give you a call as they are walking away with it?

exactly.

purchase insurance (will probably cost less than the engraving). purchase a cable lock. keep your computer with you. the only way someone is getting my mbp is if they rob my home. outside the home, short of a mugging, they haven't got a chance.

how did your mba get stolen? that seems like a better place to start.

 

[duggram]

what would you be accomplishing with this, exactly? are you thinking that a thief would be any less likely to steal it based on your name or give you a call as they are walking away with it?

I'm thinking it would be harder for someone to resell it, and for sure they wouldn't get as much for it. Also, it might have value as a deterrent to stealing it.

True you could put decals or lables over it, which is why I would put the name in one corner and the number in an opposite corner.

 

[Dark Void]

I'm thinking it would be harder for someone to resell it, and for sure they wouldn't get as much for it. Also, it might have value as a deterrent to stealing it.

True you could put decals or lables over it, which is why I would put the name in one corner and the number in an opposite corner.

sorry if i sounded harsh in the first post. even if it's harder for them to resell it, you're still out of a laptop, and if you are doing it this way you'd be out of a laptop that you spent money on engraving.

 

[duggram]

how did your mba get stolen? that seems like a better place to start.

You had to ask. I travel for a living. I get home late friday nights. On my last leg I was asleep before the plane took off and slept right until landing. I left the MBA in the seat back. It was a terminal flight, no one else sat in that seat before the cleanup crew went through that night just after i got off the plane. The rep on the national customer service line said that it would be in luggage lost and found the next morning. The L&F clerk said no chance, consider it stolen. It had to be the cleaning crew that go it because you can't see an Air when it's in the seat back.

So I'm thinking that if my name and number had been on that Air, there might be enough honesty in the cleanup person to not take it.

From then on I don't unplug my headphones. They're the Bose noise canceling bulky easy to trip over so i won't forget them kind. Also the MBP doesn't hide in a seat back, it's too thick.

 

[eUnique]

If someone is looking to steal something valuable then I agree that your MBP will get stolen anyways. But no one can act like it's so black and white, say if I walked by a new MBP in an empty hallway I can say that I'd be less inclined to take it if it had a name on it. And maybe someone that believes in heaven or western karma will pick it up and call you, to make sure no one steals it.

Now if you could put a picture of you on it, it would be golden because only real thieves would have the heart to keep looking at the picture of the person they ****ed over.

 

[duggram]

Lion is apparently more secure, with the option of a screen popping up asking to return it to you, etc.

Didn't know about that. Sounds interesting. I also thought about getting the Hidden app. But then I don't keep any sensitive information on my travel laptop so I'm not too concerned about losing data. I'm not rich but I do have a good job and it is a kick getting a new laptop, but it's a bitch to have to do it this way.

 

[CFoss]

You had to ask. I travel for a living. I get home late friday nights. On my last leg I was asleep before the plane took off and slept right until landing. I left the MBA in the seat back. It was a terminal flight, no one else sat in that seat before the cleanup crew went through that night just after i got off the plane. The rep on the national customer service line said that it would be in luggage lost and found the next morning. The L&F clerk said no chance, consider it stolen. It had to be the cleaning crew that go it because you can't see an Air when it's in the seat back.

So I'm thinking that if my name and number had been on that Air, there might be enough honesty in the cleanup person to not take it.

From then on I don't unplug my headphones. They're the Bose noise canceling bulky easy to trip over so i won't forget them kind. Also the MBP doesn't hide in a seat back, it's too thick.

I feel for you. I just lost my iPad at the airport terminal last week. I was so tired, got distracted by an enthusiastic passenger, and accidently left the iPad when packing up (I was in the middle of packing it when talking to the passenger.)

The good news for me is that the airport found it. The bad news is that it's going to cost me 130€ to get it shipped back to me. >_<

 

[duggram]

Now if you could put a picture of you on it, it would be golden because only real thieves would have the heart to keep looking at the picture of the person they ****ed over.

Too damn funny!!!

 

[palpatine]

lol. you are torturing yourself. easy fix. i travel all of the time as well, and i am forgetful (very absent minded). here is a trick i picked up from colleagues in japan.

wherever you go. whatever you are doing. ALWAYS turn around and spend a second looking at your seat to make sure you got everything. once you develop this habit, you don't forget anything. really.

go to a restaurant. when you get up, turn around, stop, and scan the booth slowly. so many people just get up and walk away leaving behind cell phones on the table or seat.

on a plane, stop, turn around (even if it annoys everyone behind you) and scan your seat.

on a train. turn around, check where you were standing or sitting. make sure.

once you have developed this habit, it will stop happening. basically, it forces you to be mindful of your surroundings. even when you KNOW youdidn't forget anything, do it anyway in order to reinforce the habit.

yes, it works. i caught myself leaving the kindle behind the other day in that seat pocket. i am sure the cleaning staff regularly receive bonuses from those magic pockets. your name will be unlikely to deter them.

 

[duggram]

once you have developed this habit, it will stop happening. basically, it forces you to be mindful of your surroundings. even when you KNOW youdidn't forget anything, do it anyway in order to reinforce the habit.

yes, it works. i caught myself leaving the kindle behind the other day in that seat pocket. i am sure the cleaning staff regularly receive bonuses from those magic pockets. your name will be unlikely to deter them.

Nice tip. Last week I found a Kindle in a seat back. I stopped everyone from getting on so I could return it to the attendant. I always sit in the second row so it wasn't so bad of a stop. I just knew how that person was going to feel about losing something like that.

 

[palpatine]

Nice tip. Last week I found a Kindle in a seat back. I stopped everyone from getting on so I could return it to the attendant. I always sit in the second row so it wasn't so bad of a stop. I just knew how that person was going to feel about losing something like that.

good on you. losing stuff (even small things like sunglasses) can be very upsetting. you probably made someone's day.

i've found that routines (in general) and this routine (in particular) largely alleviate the headaches i used to cause myself. i have routines for sending emails (save them as drafts and check a few minutes later before sending), packing bags (placement of stuff inside), etc.

yeah, i know there are names in the dsm4 for this disorder

but, i consciously developed it, and i kind of envy those who were born with it! at any rate, you won't be getting any pictures of my turgid body parts sent via twitter! i don't take take the pictures to begin with (no one does, right?) and i have a routine that would make it really difficult for a "reply all" or mistakenly addressed email to go out.

anyhow, i suggest changing your patterns rather than engraving your name. it will be far more effective.

 

[RoyalFlushAK(s)]

What are the drawbacks to having my MBP engraved with my name and phone number?

A few weeks ago I had my MBA stolen. I got a MBP to replace it. Now I'm thinking of having my name and phone number laser engraved on the lid behind screen so that it would always be visible.

I searched this forum and found two threads on others that engraved with designs. A lot of sarcastic folk commented that it kills the value so you can't resell it. In 25 years of using PC's of all types I've never sold one. So that's not a problem.

One person researched and found out that it would not void the warranty. I can't think of any other possible problems.

Sorry to hear about having your Mac stolen. Man----, I hate this. I love and appreciate all Macs so much that boils my blood reading your post about some lo life gangster taking something that doesn't belong to him. Anyway, I suspect engraving your name and phone number will no void the warranty.

RFlush

 

[xAnthony]

If someone is going to steal something, your name and number certainly will not stop them.

 

[evolute8]

You'll own it forever. Apple will repair it but not replace it, like they would if not for that.

At least that's what happened to a friend of mine who just didn't think about having that type of a problem.

how about if i pasted decals on my mbp?

will apple replace if it can't be repaired?

 

[duggram]

If someone is going to steal something, your name and number certainly will not stop them.

But I'm counting on the fact that not everyone thinks like you. If you go back and read my post about the situation that my MBA was stolen in the person that took it was not out looking to steal laptop. They just came up on the opportunity. How do you know that an hones person would not have turned it in?

 

[rafferty]

What are the drawbacks to having my MBP engraved with my name and phone number?

A few weeks ago I had my MBA stolen. I got a MBP to replace it. Now I'm thinking of having my name and phone number laser engraved on the lid behind screen so that it would always be visible.

I searched this forum and found two threads on others that engraved with designs. A lot of sarcastic folk commented that it kills the value so you can't resell it. In 25 years of using PC's of all types I've never sold one. So that's not a problem.

One person researched and found out that it would not void the warranty. I can't think of any other possible problems.

[doublepost=1515616227][/doublepost]Although this thread is old, I found it in 2018, & have something useful to add. One of our macbook pros was just stolen. My daughter had a large, round monogram sticker next to the mousepad, and other stickers were on it. By a miracle of events we got that back, but not $3000 of other stuff. The stickers had been removed. But, the sergeant was a good listener, and he could see the outline of the large sticker where it had been, & made quick retrieval of the laptop much easier for him in a tense situation, he absolutely knew it was ours. I had provided the serial number, but the sticker having been on there for 4-5 years, and leaving its mark, is what clinched the deal. Thank goodness for that!

I have been looking into engraving her computer with an etching tool not for decorative purposes, but for retrieval. I have spoken with many people about the burglary of our Hampton Inn hotel room by an employee. It is the rare case that a laptop is retrieved, but anyone will tell you that having identifying information easily visible is much preferable, that people HAVE called the number and returned the laptop. Am not sure I want to engrave. An apple employee used permanent marker; having kids, I think there are ways of removing that. I think we will use a combination of these ideas. Engrave a few words, very small, with no identifying information. Put a very large, heavy sticker that leaves its mark. And, permanently mark a phone number, as this may be removed, although not entirely, and could get the laptop back in your hands.

 

[Eldiablojoe]

[doublepost=1515616227][/doublepost]Although this thread is old, I found it in 2018, & have something useful to add. One of our macbook pros was just stolen. My daughter had a large, round monogram sticker next to the mousepad, and other stickers were on it. By a miracle of events we got that back, but not $3000 of other stuff. The stickers had been removed. But, the sergeant was a good listener, and he could see the outline of the large sticker where it had been, & made quick retrieval of the laptop much easier for him in a tense situation, he absolutely knew it was ours. I had provided the serial number, but the sticker having been on there for 4-5 years, and leaving its mark, is what clinched the deal. Thank goodness for that!

I have been looking into engraving her computer with an etching tool not for decorative purposes, but for retrieval. I have spoken with many people about the burglary of our Hampton Inn hotel room by an employee. It is the rare case that a laptop is retrieved, but anyone will tell you that having identifying information easily visible is much preferable, that people HAVE called the number and returned the laptop. Am not sure I want to engrave. An apple employee used permanent marker; having kids, I think there are ways of removing that. I think we will use a combination of these ideas. Engrave a few words, very small, with no identifying information. Put a very large, heavy sticker that leaves its mark. And, permanently mark a phone number, as this may be removed, although not entirely, and could get the laptop back in your hands.

Try these guys, they can do ANYthing design-wise to an Apple chassis:

www.fusionofideas.com/branding.php

They're pretty fancy, but they started off at the Irvine Spectrum (outdoor retail mall) applying screen shields to iPhones. They can easily, and very professionally, engrave WTF you want onto your devices.