WEBVTT

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We're also used to carrying our phones around that it probably feels like you're missing a body part

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if you accidentally leave home without it. And to be fair, it feels this way partly

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because they're do-it-all devices that have obviated the need to carry around gadgets

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like digital cameras and audio players. But it turns out there are still other pieces

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of mobile tech that are worth carrying around. And I'm not talking about obvious stuff

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like smartwatches, fitness trackers, or the glasses that make you look like

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you just walked off the set of Star Trek. One of the first things you should throw in your bag,

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along with your laptop, is this guy, the Kensington Security Locked,

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or sometimes known as the K-Lock. If you ever wonder what this random hole

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on the side of most laptops is, it's a slot that the K-Lock uses to secure the system

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to a mobile object using a built-in metal cord. K-Locks have been around since the early 1990s

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and haven't really changed much since then. Technology has evolved dramatically,

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but the art of wrapping cables around poles hasn't. Although Kensington Locks aren't made of vibranium

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and it's possible to cut through them, they are useful for preventing opportunistic thieves

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from just running off with your equipment and data if you're in a public place like Starbucks

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and someone tries to steal your laptop while you're fetching your latte.

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Next up, hardware security key. These are small enough to fit comfortably on your key chain

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and might just be the most useful item on it. The basic idea is to use these as your second factor

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or two-factor authentication instead of a number-generating authenticator app

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or having a code texted or emailed to you. Don't use text codes, they're awful.

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Whenever you log into an account you've linked to your hardware key, you'll be prompted to either insert it into a USB

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or Lightning port, for instance, or connect it wirelessly with NFC or Bluetooth,

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especially handy if you're still using it with your phone. Some hardware keys offer enhanced durability

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so you won't be locked out of your accounts if you accidentally jump into a pool

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with your keys in your pocket and fancier ones even have fingerprint readers built in

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for an added layer of security and convenience. Many different companies offer hardware keys,

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including Ubiko, Google, Thetis, and the aforementioned Kensington.

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If you're always misplacing things, then consider picking up some tracking text.

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These can be attached to small, valuable belongings so if one of them gets misplaced,

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you can whip out your phone and find which couch cushion it's slipped under. Popular brands like Tile and Samsung

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make tracking tags that work with Bluetooth, while Apple's AirTags use a combination of Bluetooth

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and Ultra Wideband for more precise tracking. Though, predictably, AirTags can only be paired

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with iDevices, but AirTags do offer the advantage

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of leveraging Apple's Find My Device network. So if your valuable item got left behind miles away,

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there's a good enough chance you might be able to locate it as long as it's in a reasonably populated area

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because it's using everybody else's phones to track it. And if you lose your actual phone,

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some tracking tags allow you to press a button on them, which will make your phone give off an audible alarm

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if you have the connected app installed. So you can find your phone too.

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But we'd be remiss if we didn't also mention GPS and GSM tags.

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And as long as you can stomach the subscription fees, you can locate the suitcase your airline lost,

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even if it's on the other side of the continent, because honestly, it just seems like airlines

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throw your suitcases in a big cannon and launch them. Hope they land in the right damn place

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because why do I keep losing my fricking luggage?

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Thanks for watching. Hit like or dislike. You can check out our other videos.

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