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Bad Idea Jeans or just what we're moving towards? Rikomatic caught a woman working on her laptop on the R train this morning and wonders if it's a good idea. Gothamist would have to say no, because a cellphone, iPod, PSP, or other tiny object is something you can tuck into your pocket or hold onto more easily, while a laptop gives someone more square inches to grab onto right before a stop. (Though a laptop is harder to conceal when running away with it.) Which doesn't mean we haven't seen people use their laptops before. But we much prefer seeing people sketch or work on their chain mail.
That TPS Cover Sheet Must Be Due!
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It's the same media that NEVER mentioned Muslims' hatred of Israel as a possible motive for 9/11.
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The train is such a needed place to be able to use a laptop, it's too bad it's only safe on the LIRR, Metro North or NJ Transit.
Although it's funny that iPod thefts in New York have stopped because everybody has one. Oh New York.
I used to think this was crazy too…until I started carrying my laptop around a lot and realized that I could make better use of all that subway time. In some outdoor stations, you can even get wi-fi!
Is it safe to have a $1,500 Powerbook out on the Q train? My guess is that perps would rather grab one of the many video iPods/Sony PSPs that I see other riders with – they’re much cooler and easier to run with.
Chalk it all up to a low-crime NYC.
IMO, i think it's too risky to use on the Subway. Too easy to get it swiped...
I've done it once or twice, but only in mid-day when the train's not crowded and even then very carefully. Who has time to just stand in New York?
She can't possibly be working on a TPS cover sheet. She's using a mac! She's probably drawing a picture. That what macs are good for -- and nothing else.
You're absolutely right. Macs suck. Why don't you go back to downloading the latest virus and spyware definitions, and probably your game of Tomb Raider: Legend? Nothing for you to see here.
This reminds me of this guy:
http://www.subtextnyc.com/2005/10/laptop.html
Why is she sitting next to the doors?
That's a good way to get it stolen, doors open, guy sees it and times when the door will close, snatch and on his/her way to the street.
I can imagine all the trouble/confrontations this will cause. Coffee spills, someone touching it (OH NO!)
Mind you, I'm fine with laptoppers on proper trains, such as the LIRR, because the ride is actually long.
But I hate subway laptoppers. What's the rush? I always peek over their shoulders, and they usually have some $3000 zillion-gigahertz widescreen fancy schmancey computer, and all they do is type some letter in Microsoft Word.
Subway laptoppers are similar to the loud earphone people. They only do it to show off their wares.
I got a cingular HSDPA card and now carry my laptop everywhere as my job is web driven. I recently installed low jack for laptops as I figure that an everyday criminal on the street won't know how to disable it. While I don't want my laptop stolen I secretly do just so I can track those bastards down and have them hauled off the street.
Lojack for laptops only work if the drive isn't wiped.
Who in their right mind would go on-line through a stolen laptop without first wiping it's drive?
Nothing self destructs like shown on "24".
Could one get their laptop insured against theft, damage, etc.?
That, a tracker, and a backup for all your files would be an intelligent way to be laptopping in the subway (I guess).
But I concur with hate laptoppers, they're mostly posers. If I get a seat, I take a nap.
Kevin: iPod thefts haven't stopped -- mine was stolen as I was going through a turnstile at Rockefeller Center on March 31. I was carrying a suitcase and duffel bag and was clearly singled out as being an easy target because of that. Assholes.
Yep, showoffs. Each and every one of them.
And when the train is packed, people will bump into it, not to mention people sitting next to you will stare at your shit. Like what’s the point? It’s not really worth the hassle.
What ever happened to reading a good book on the subway?
How do you folks get your ipods stolen from you? are they not in your pockets? do you leave your bags wide open waiting for someone to jack that shit? Please... if you manage to get an iPod stolen on the subway, you deserve it. Keep it in your damn pockets, where it belongs.
I use my laptop on the subway simply because I work in layout and I'm ALWAYS in the middle of working on my page spreads. I need every minute I can get because of one magical word: DEADLINE.
To the poster who said that people don't do anything but write a letter or sketch, if you saw me doing my deal, I'm sure you'd change your mind quick. I'm a mobile indesign genius; basically I leave people amazed at how fast I can work with my spreads on a 60mph moving subway car.
With the risk of getting my laptop stolen taken into consideration, my data is backed up nightly.
As far as how my occupation tracks me working, there's a little timer that is activated when indesign is active and being used to edit spreads. it'll log any inactivity and stop logging pay minutes/hours. the moment i get back to work it'll continue pay.
this is why i love my job and working on the subway means my job is getting done and my editor/printer are both happy.
Being a lifelong New Yorker, and chinese, I have one thing to say to those of you who get your laptops stolen on the subway: Hwo Gai.
As someone who had a laptop screen "negatively impact" with a subway turnstile while going through, still in its "protective" case I wouldn't worry about having the laptop stolen, but broken.
rev pays,
Who goes online without wiping the drive? How about someone who doesn't know the laptop is stolen? Like an eBay buyer? And in the wireless world of today, you don't even need to plug it into a phone jack or cable modem. It could report its location the moment you operate it in range of a hotspot or somebody's unsecured wireless router.
brightliner, It could but I highly doubt it.
All I'm saying is this Lojack stuff is not all it's cracked up to be, that is all.
What you pointed out with the ebay buyer is one concern.
Why do you doubt it? Do you think the software is tied to a browser or something? Normally, software like that checks for any available network connection when you start up the machine. Wired, wireless, it makes no difference. True, the cops might knock on the door of your neighbor if you're stealing his wifi connection and it gets traced to his address, but a little packet sniffing would have you collared in no time.
I doubt it because in order for that to happen it would need to be in the BIOS before the laptop's OS kicks in.
So far none of that is in the BIOS instructions.
Lojack for laptops still not 100 percent effective.
What the heck are you talking about? You wrote that any thief would wipe the hard drive before using the machine. Which is a blatant assumption. The fact of the matter is that most subway thieves don't know much about computers. That's why they would risk being hit with grand larceny charges. The last thing they're going to do is spend a few hours reinstalling Windows. If the drive isn't wiped, then the BIOS has nothing to do with it. You have to start up the OS sooner or later, and the moment it finishes booting, the software will kick in. Yes, nothing is 100% effective, but that wasn't what you wrote. Against your basic crackhead laptop snatcher, LoJack would be quite effective.
Zazzy: thank you so much for that wonderful advice. What was I thinking???
In case you don't realize it, that was heavy sarcasm. My iPod WAS in my pocket when it was lifted. Like I said, I had two suitcases and was being pushed by a million people at a very busy subway station.
I wrote who in their right mind would go on-line with a stolen laptop without first wiping it's hard drive.
Your blatant assumption are that thieves are crackheads. Some are, most are not.
You'll find lots of laptop theft in College campus's.
funny, i saw someone on the A this morning using a laptop, which is a rare sight. first, i thought, what kind of idiot would use their laptop on the subway, what with all the ipod theft going on? my second thought: pretentious. and, a third: what if it fell off the lap? that would suck.
Ditto.
Saw a laptoper first car of the D at B'way-Lafayette on my way home with his juicy expensive PowerBook. How could any criminal resist.
rev pays - you have to be a techy to think of that. I'm sure the average college kid or anyone else for that matter won't think of wiping the drive or even know how to do it.
hey! who said criminals do not know what they are doing. the swipers may well know more than you care to realize. plus, or, instead, they could very well work for folks who know what to do with a swiped computer. ya know, belittling (sp?) criminals is not going to make them go away or help you get your stolen shit back!
yes, supposedly new york never sleeps, but when it comes to the subway, its the best thing to do. now THAT is something you can do to increase your productivity!
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