Too many PC vendors load new systems full of CrapWare, a trend no one likes. A nice change comes from HP, Absolute and Parallels which add stuff users like.

Let's start with HP, since it has been tagged with the CrapWare label on occasion. Its small business notebook computers (I reported on the launch in April), include two added attractions that are often add-ons on more expensive units. The new 6715b line includes hard disk encryption and a biometric fingerprint reader, even on the least expensive ($629) models.

Think how much the Veterans Administration and a few other government agencies and large companies would love to have been able to say, "Sure, the laptop was stolen but our standard protection profile includes pre-boot disk encryption so even if you take the disk out of the laptop the data remains encrypted."

OK, that's a bit long for a sound bite on the evening news. But if the VA and others had preboot disk encryption on the lost laptops, there would be no data loss story for reporters to chase. If you're in charge of security for your company, no story is by far the best story.

For the base price, HP includes two advanced security features: the biometric fingerprint reader and the preboot disk encryption. I'd say that's a heavy metal gauntlet thrown at the other notebook vendors.

And at least one other vendor joined the gauntlet throwing: Toshiba. Its new Portege and Tecra models will include Computrace code in the BIOS chips. Sold by Absolute Software, Computrace acts like LoJack for Laptops (it even licensed the LoJack for Laptops name).

Officially the Computrace Computer Theft Recovery, Data Protection and Secure Asset Tracking solution (with appropriate trademarks here and there), the code in BIOS must be activated by purchasing a Computrace license. Although Toshiba just joined the embedded Computrace program, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Motion and Panasonic also have the tracking code in their BIOS as well. The service isn't free, but the retail cost starts at $50 for one computer for the first year. Bulk licenses added at the time of purchase drop the cost way down.

Computrace does offer a data scrambling option, but the laptop must make connection to the Internet after being reported stolen to engage that feature (that background connection is how Computrace knows where your stolen laptop is). So pre-boot disk encryption protection should also be part of the purchase package (if you don't get an HP model with encryption built in, try WinMagic.com and PGP.com for add-on encryption).

James Gaskin writes books (16 so far), articles and jokes about technology and real life from his home office in the Dallas area.