iPad Strap

Your on the subway reading a iBook, and listening to music, your mind a million miles away, when all of a sudden your iPad is pulled out of your hands, and the person, and your iPad shoot out of the closing doors, Your iPad lost forever!

         This goes through my mind every time I ride the NYC subway to work.

So I decided to make a strap, that would support the iPad, as well as prevent someone from pulling it from me on a train.

Step 1 Belkin Grip View Silicon Sleeve

Actually any iPad sleeve will work, I choose the Belkin grip view,
because I knew I would be modifying it and didn't care until my ultimate case came along.
Here is the link for one:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/H0984VC/A

Comments

[Ticountaroda]

Very cool idea, but instead of making it a wrist strap, I have my strap attached to a strap on my back pack, works well for my situation since I'm a student. If anyone tries to take my iPad they end up pulling me along with it, that is if they can actually pull me that is. For times I'm with out my bag, i simply loop the strap either through my belt loop or belt itself, its actually not bad. I use my iPad in the subway all the time, and I do see people "eye" it, but I just wiggle the strap a little and then they disappear.

[futurebird]

I love this! I have just made one of my own, but I did it by sewing a ribbon to my ipad case and the other end of the ribbon loops around a silver leather bracelet I have. I also live in NYC, and I think that the problem we have here with things getting snatched on trains has a lot to do with those things *not* being secured. Purses are not often taken but phones and ipods are... why? A thief knows that they can take it quickly and then hop off the train right before the doors close.

A strap will slow them down just enough that it won't work.

As far as the danger I'd rather go down fighting.

I once witnessed a failed ipod snatch, the young man fumbled as he was reaching for her phone and she ended up dropping it. He ran out of the station clearly scared as she and two other strangers chased him. As I suspected he was like your typical phone snatcher: a young man, possibly a teen and not exactly the big intimidating type either.

I don't know why Apple can't make some more serious security software-- there should be a pin number for every ipad and it should be hardwired in. The ipad should automatically transmit that number each time it connects to the internet from a new ip address. If the ipad has been reported stolen or lost the info on the ip address should got to law enforcement and the owner. It could be use to track stolen items.

[Mnkynrnd]

Check out my DIY Hide iPad Case in Plain Site posting. It should work on the subway, unless you are flashing it around. The best security is obscurity :-) However, there are a lot of good reasons to have a strap on your ipad, like dropping it. Good Job.

[GaryD214]

If your iPad is sometimes left alone, check out the new STAYPad security enclosure for the iPad.

All metal construction, you can bolt or cable the STAYPad to a table.

Silly name.

[Culturespy]

 Great idea even if for no other reason than you won't drop it. 

You might look into GadgetTrak for a "LoJack" style recovery system.  www.gadgettrak.com/  

[MrGreggan]

It seems an easier way to prevent iPad theft is to never expose it in public. Hollow out a book and put the iPad inside. It looks like you're just reading a large book while sitting there. I doubt a thief would want to steal a book. I doubt many thieves can even read.

[randofo]

I hate to be the Mr. Stuffy-Pants-Voice-of-Safety here, but having had shoulder surgery last year, a sudden jerk on something tethered to your arm can dislocate your shoulder and wreak havoc on it. Not to mention, do you really wanna get into a game tug of war with someone on the subway trying to steal your iPad? While this may prevent your iPad from getting stolen, in my opinion, I'm not sure this is a good idea.

[karossii]

Agreed - there was a local news story just a short while ago about a man who lost the tip of his finger because of a shopping bag handle when his newly purchased iPad was stolen.

While I don't see anyone snatching with enough force to sever a wrist, it could certainly cause injuries.

[macgeek]

Are you suggesting we let people steal our technology from us.
or that we hide and only use technology in a locked, dark room
in out own home?

Sorry not for me.

Jonathan

[karossii]

I'm not saying that at all. But installing some form of lojack type device, while certainly a bit more costly, would be much safer in the long run. Yes, you'd be at a much higher risk of losing the iPad, but you have a decent chance to recover it. And you're not risking a very costly (and not just in terms of finances) injury.

I had a friend who incurred a shoulder injury while playing sports. It didn't seem that major at the time, no big deal; but it ended up impacting him permanently. He manages to do fine in spite of it, but what would be the quality of his life if he had the full use of his arm's mobility?

[randofo]

As the NYPD is always happy to remind you, the best way not to be a victim is to be aware of your surroundings. You can't be aware of your surroundings with your face buried in an iPad.

Should someone come up and decide to snatch it out of your hands with all of their might because 1) they don't see it is tethered to your wrist and 2) you are an easy mark as you are completely unaware of your surroundings, you are assuredly going to go for a ride. How much of a ride that you go on will depend on your reflexes, the initial pulling force and a host of upper arm muscles most people probably don't adequately have.

Whereas the price of a new iPad is around $500, the price of cartilage reattachment after having your shoulder forcibly dislocated from your socket is over $30K (with a 12+ month recovery period, as it is the slowest healing part of the body). I can't speak for wrist injuries, but can't imagine those are much fun either.

In my estimation, if I had to do the math, I rather lose my iPad. Or, if I was that concerned about it being stolen from me on the subway, then I might not pull it out on the subway. I'm not suggesting we should hide in a cave, but the best way not to be a victim is not to do silly things. Most sane people wouldn't pull out their Macbooks on the subway. It's unclear why they would think it is okay to pull out their iPad.

[karossii]

In defense of the OP... the iPad is designed and advertised to be used in such places as a subway, on the go... when you can't/shouldn't be pulling out that macbook.

Not that I disagree with your sentiment. But people tend to do/believe what they are "marketed" to do. Thus the power of advertising.

[Warlrosity]

Nice, It looks really sleek and Appley..? Well, I like it