Brief: Lojack Now Locates Mac Notebooks

Vancouver-based Absolute Software released a Mac version of its Lojack for Laptops theft-recovery software.

Lojack, which has long been available for Windows-based portables, surreptitiously contacts Absolute's monitoring center when the computer connects to the Internet. If the notebook is reported stolen or lost, Lojack sends back the portable's current IP address and other networking information to Absolute. The company then works with local law enforcement to pinpoint the laptop's physical location and recover the system.

"Apple notebooks, in particular, have long been a target for thieves because of their sleek design, sophisticated functionality and high resale value," said Absolute's chief executive John Livingston in a statement as he explained the move to the Mac.

Lojack for Laptops is priced at $49.99; the new edition runs on Mac OS X 10.3 or higher, and works on both PowerPC- and Intel-based Mac machines.