A notebook computer is stolen every 53 seconds in the U.S. It says so right on the box this lock comes in, citing 2005 FBI statistics. So imagine how fast your laptop — and the precious data it contains — might fly out the door if you left it unattended in a Starbucks in London or Paris? Kensington has been making notebook security systems for years now, and theirs is the brand you see most often in college dorm rooms and other areas where laptops are easily swiped. This lightweight model, with its 3-inch-to-6-feet self-coiling cable, slips easily into a computer bag. But don't leave your latte for long. The cable is no match for a pair of wire cutters.
List price: $24.99
—Philip Elmer-Dewitt