VANCOUVER, Canada - Absolute Software, a leading provider of computer theft recovery and secure asset tracking solutions, has announced that its Computrace software will have embedded support in the BIOS firmware of new commercial notebook PCs from HP, including the HP Compaq 8200, 6200, 4200 and 6100 series Notebook PCs. Effective October 7, 2005, customers with any of these computers will be able to upgrade to a new BIOS that has Computrace embedded support. The announcement is the most recent success stemming from Absolute's strategic initiative to be embedded in the BIOS of the world's leading PC manufacturers.
Absolute's Computrace technology powers its Guaranteed Computer Theft Recovery and Secure Asset Tracking services. When a Computrace-enabled computer is connected to the Internet (over IP or PSTN), the Computrace software sends a silent signal to Absolute's Monitoring Center server providing its IP address or phone number to identify its physical location. For network managers, the ability to know the physical location of all computer assets at any given time is imperative. If a computer is stolen, from an enterprise or an individual, Computrace has the ability to both track down its physical location for recovery and delete sensitive data - the effectiveness of which is significantly enhanced when the Computrace software is embedded in the BIOS.
"HP's integration of support for Computrace into the BIOS further validates Absolute's leadership position in driving the de facto standard for Computer Theft Recovery and Secure Asset Tracking," said John Livingston, chairman and CEO of Absolute Software. "With this announcement, HP customers now have the best anti-theft protection on the market as well as secure asset tracking to help address the many regulatory compliance issues facing corporate customers today."
In order to activate the Computrace service, HP commercial notebook PC customers will need to purchase a subscription to Absolute's Computrace services from Absolute (or HP*) and must contact Absolute to activate the service. In the event a computer is stolen, Absolute works with local law enforcement to recover the computer and can remotely delete sensitive data from the stolen computer when data privacy is a concern. If the computer is not recovered within 60 days, the customer may be eligible for a Recovery Guarantee payment of up to $1000**. In addition, Absolute provides customers with a cost-effective solution for tracking computer location, providing computer hardware/software inventories, managing lease returns and enabling software title tracking and license compliance.
"HP has a longstanding commitment to provide businesses and consumers with robust and secure solutions for their PCs," said Carol Hess-Nickels, director of commercial notebook marketing, HP. "In an era of increased mobility, the protection of computer assets and critical data is imperative. Absolute Software's Computrace provides our users the opportunity to ensure that their commercial notebooks are safeguarded by one of the most innovative solutions on the market today."
