*Small Dog Electronics is proud to be named a finalist for the Deane C Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award!* The other finalists are BioTek Instruments, Inc of Winooski and The Foley Family of Companies of Rutland.

Governor Jim Douglas will present the award at the on Wednesday, May 26 at the 26th annual Vermont Business & Industry EXPO in Burlington VT. Until that time, one of the most important traditions of the award will remain intact; the winner’s identity is kept secret, even from the finalists, until the moment the award is presented.

From the Chamber of Commerce press release:

bq. “This year’s finalists exemplify the resourcefulness, innovation and success that radiates from all corners of the state and captures the essence of Vermont business. All share in common their dedication to their employees, communities and Vermont’s natural environment. However, each tells a unique story of vision, commitment and growth.”

“Click here to read the press release related to the announcement.”:http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/may/biotek-foley-companies-small-dog-electronics-named-finalists-vermont-business-award

It’s a great honor to be nominated. We’ll let you know how we do in the final competition following the award ceremony!

I’m hoping to get in a little more work on the Norton this weekend and of course, a ride. Grace and I will also be attending the Terry Ehrich Award dinner and cruise on Lake Champlain. The Terry Ehrich award is the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility’s prestigious award to the individual that most exemplifies the commitment to socially responsible business practices. This year’s winners are Ben and Jerry of Vermont’s finest ice cream fame. Monday is the annual spring VBSR conference in Burlington where I will be moderating a panel on defining new public policy for the new Vermont Economy. I have invited some great presenters so that should be fun.

Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

_Your Kibbles & Bytes team,_

_Don, Kali & Ed_

Last night my car was broken into, for the first time in over a decade. My wallet was stolen (though the thief discarded about $200 in Canadian money on the floor), but so was my purple 16GB iPod nano. Unfortunately,we hear about the theft of iPods, iPhones, iPads and Macs on a regular basis. Here’s what you can do to prepare for this, catch the thief, and maybe even get your gear back.

*Before Your Device Is Stolen*

*Record the serial number or all your devices.* Email this number to yourself and store it on your email server (MobileMe, Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) and also consider writing it down and filing it away.

To get a serial number on a Mac, click *About this Mac* (under the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen) and then click “More Info…” The serial number will be at the top of the list of information. Your Mac’s serial number is also etched inside the battery compartment on MacBooks and MacBook Pros, and on the back of the case on iMacs.

Click here for “an article from Apple about locating an iPhone’s serial number.”:http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1267

Click here for “a great article from Apple about locating the serial number of almost every Apple product.”:http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1349

Also, Small Dog Electronics keeps a record of serial numbers for all Macs, iPods, and iPads that we sell. If you haven’t recorded your machine’s serial number and you need it, email or call us and we should be able to provide this to you.

*Keep a good backup of the data on your device!* Your device was expensive, but the data on it is invaluable. Sync your iPad/iPhone/iPod often, and then backup your Mac often. Just another reason to keep constant backups.

*Always assign a password to your Mac.* You can assign a password in System Preferences > Accounts. You might already have a password on your Mac–it’s the one you enter when you update System Software. Don’t forget this password!

*For better security, disable automatic login in System Preferences > Security.* If someone steals your Mac, they won’t be able to start it up or wake it from sleep without the password. Likewise, make sure your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad all have passwords that are required for access. Also consider using MobileMe to find and even disable these devices (as mentioned in last week’s issue of Kibbles and Bytes and “posted here on our blog.”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/mac-treat-123-mobileme-s-remote-wipe-and-find-features/

*Give all your devices unique names.* The police mentioned to me that if they are suspicious about the history of an item, they will start their investigation with the product name. For example, my iPod nano was named “Grape Ape”. If someone suspicious is caught with a purple iPod nano in Burlington, the police will ask about the name and then use that to begin a more extensive investigation.

*Some people recommend adding your contact information to your login screen.* Here is “a tip on how to do this.”:http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20020921074429845 Ugly looking, but could be useful.

*Use a laptop lock.* This is ideal in a dorm or office setting, but not practical if the machine is hidden in a locked car. “Here are some computer locks we recommend.”:http://www.smalldog.com/search/?find=lock

*After Your Device Is Stolen*

*Call the police and report the theft immediately.* They will request the serial number of the stolen device.

*Trawl the local listings on Ebay and especially on Craigslist.* Most thieves don’t want your device — they want to sell it ASAP for money. Many devices are posted to Craigslist the day after they are stolen. Thieves may be bold but rarely are bright. Your serial number will prove ownership.

*If you have a “MobileMe”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag19829 account and use Back to My Mac, you might be able to use this feature to track the thief and disable the machine.* Here are a couple of stories about people who have done this:

“Back to My Mac Leads to Recovery of Stolen Mac”:http://db.tidbits.com/article/9608 and

“An incredible stolen Mac story without a final chapter”:http://www.tuaw.com/2009/08/31/an-incredible-stolen-mac-story-without-a-final-chapter/

Again (as mentioned above), if your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad is stolen and you have “MobileMe”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag19829, you can remotely to find and even disable these devices (see an article about this “posted here on our blog.”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/mac-treat-123-mobileme-s-remote-wipe-and-find-features/

There are also third-party software tools available to help you trace a stolen Mac. Examples include “LoJack for Laptops”:http://www.smalldog.com/search/?find=lojack, “Undercover”:http://www.orbicule.com/undercover, and “Prey”:http://preyproject.com.

*Submit your serial number to an online registry of stolen computers.* For example, “Stolen Macs”:http://www.mark-up.com/stolen/ I doubt that these are effective, but they are worth considering.

I’ve put off buying new speakers for months. I just could not justify the expense of them, and did not want to waste money on cheap speakers with poor quality. There had, however, been a set of speakers I’ve listened to and sold extensively in-store that interested me. After moving into my new apartment, I decided my bedroom would not be complete without them.

I realized that when buying my computer, I put a huge amount of effort into making sure my operation of it went unburdened, but scrutinizing monitors, keyboards, mice and mousepads. But I never considered my ears as important in being one of the senses that uses the computer. Boy was I wrong.

The Studiophile AV 40s are a set of studio reference monitors sold by M-Audio. As studio monitors, they have a very precise sound that most home computer speakers can’t match, and the clarity is generally botched by cheaper hardware. They also, being more precise, don’t fill a room in the same manner other 2.1 subwoofer/satellite speaker combos do. As M-Audio outlines right in their included comic-book style instructions, there is a very specific way to configure them on your desk based on your room and sitting position. This said, cranking them is certainly capable of filling my entire house with clean, crisp music and decent bass. The AV 40s also sound fabulous on their quietest setting, for listening to podcasts at 7AM when your housemate is asleep.

Their precision has also led me to turn off my iTunes EQ entirely, I don’t think I’ll ever use it again. Lastly, because they’re so precise, I’m finding that they’re incredibly great for gaming, as they convey the virtual world your mind is struggling to become a part of so well. Sounds like rifle shots are far different than grenades, or a peaceful flowing waterfall, which other speakers can’t put such a space between.

The packaging is pretty basic, but does the job. I like the minimal, wasteless packaging. M-Audio was also good enough to include rubber pads to adhere to the bottom of them, so they don’t slide on my glass desk. The enclosures are a soft black, with pretty solid mesh protection over the cones. On the front of the left speaker are two jacks, one for aux-in and one for headphones. This way I can conveniently connect a laptop or iPad to them when I want to switch computers. Of course, they’re classy enough to include a blue LED on the volume knob, so they’re a perfect match for my monitor, keyboard and mouse!

I give these a huge thumbs up.

$149.99. For more information, “click here”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/73166 to check them out!