Laptop Privacy Filters from 3M
Most of you are probably reading this article on a laptop screen, since laptops have completely overtaken desktop PCs. They’re increasingly being used in public places too, sometimes putting private or confidential information on display. These easy on/easy off microlouver laptop privacy filters from 3M decrease the dangers of someone looking over your shoulder.
Why It’s Clever
Some time ago, I was sitting on a plane next to a product manager from a large automotive company. By the time we’d touched down at our destination, I knew all about the three-year product strategy of the company, without exchanging even a “hello” with the guy sitting next to me. Similar occurrences are inevitable, including with private information such as account details, when laptops are increasingly being used in public places – or when you’re sitting next to someone with whom you’re trying to do business, need to consult information on your screen and don’t want to share the information with your client.
This is where these laptop privacy filters from 3M come in handy. When you’re sitting right in front of the screen, you can see it clearly. When viewed from the side, though, the screen looks dark.
I’ve seen similar filters before, but the drawback is that you needed to stick them to the screen surface – well, I don’t like to stick things to my screen, and I don’t want to use filters when working at home. The 3M filters, on the other hand, are easy on, easy off. You attach two transparent self-adhesive guides to the frame around the screen, forming a filter holder. You can then simply slide the filter into the guides when you need it, and take it out when you don’t. And it stays in place when the laptop is closed.
This commercial shows how it works:
Summary
- Avoids people looking at your laptop screen from the side
- Easy-on, easy-off filter
- Stays in place when laptop is closed
- Available for a variety of screen sizes
- Reversible glossy side/matte side
- Gold version for better protection and increased brightness
- Protects the screen as well.
Tips
Also available for desktop PCs and for mobile devices such as smartphones. There’s a lot of information on the 3M website.
Some of the “sticky” types can be used with a stylus on resistive touch screens, which probably isn’t the case with the sliding types, although it’s not explicitly mentioned.
Where to buy
There are many places you can buy these from, for instance Amazon.com, where you can also read some customer reviews (search the site for different sizes).
Approx. price: $50 (February 2010) – privacy comes at a cost
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Categories: multimedia,PC,privacy,security,mobile devices
