Laptops ain't cheap, and unattended laptops are one of the first things a thief keeps an eye out for. What are thieves not all that eager to steal? Unattended newspapers.


The mitemite unnecessary objects lab sells newspaper laptop sleeves designed to make your laptop fade into the background in public. These laptop sleeves sell for around $86, which is a lot, but we're featuring it because, frankly, how hard could it be to make your own newspaper sleeve for a fraction of the cost?

We love the idea (it reminds us of the uglified digital camera), though it does seem to have at least one obvious downside: While thieves probably aren't going to be attracted to your newspaper, normal people "borrow" unattended newspapers all the time. Presumably most people will leave your stuff alone once they discover that your newspaper is actually a laptop, but it still might be asking for trouble. (On the flipside, we'd never suggest leaving your laptop unattended just because it's in a newspaper sleeve. The only way to ensure your stuff isn't stolen is to keep it with you. A newspaper sleeve is just a fun way to make your laptop a little less conspicuous just in case.)


If you like the idea and decide to put your DIY ingenuity to work, be sure to share your results with us in the Tip Testers Flickr pool or via email at tips at lifehacker.com.

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laptop case for MacBook Pro against crime [mitemite via Make]