Protecting the Pro
What’s the best way to lock a Mac Pro? I’m considering getting one of the new cylindrical models, but I’m concerned about security. My work involves running sound and lighting systems for trade shows, and the Pro would need to sit on a mixing desk over the course of a three- or fourday show. I asked in the Apple Store, but they said there aren’t currently any Kensington-style locks available. Keith Mansur The problem with the new Mac Pro is double-edged. It’s extremely valuable, and it’s extremely beautiful. There are aftermarket solutions for laptops that involve fixing a locking plate to the case with epoxy resin, but these spoil the lines of the Pro and don’t really protect it because a thief can just slide the entire outer case off and steal the computer inside. But creative solutions are starting to appear. Two that I like are the Switchd (macprolock.com, about £29) and the somewhat prosaically named ‘Mac Pro Lock Security Bracket with Security Cable Lock’ from maclocks.com (£53). The Switchd involves removing the switch on the side that latches the enclosure and replacing it with a barrel lock with an integrated cable. The other one sits over the power socket, between the chassis and the enclosure. Both of them look attractive and don’t involve damaging anything on the Pro. Either one is secure enough to deter all but a very determined thief. Which you prefer is mainly a question of aesthetics.