Talk:Kensington Security Slot

Games Consoles

Witch games consoles actually have a lock on them? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.19.59.144 (talk) 13:51, 5 April 2009 (UTC)

Witch???

The xbox 360 has one, located on the side of the IO ports. It's in the plastic though and probably easy to remove if you don't care about destroying the plastic case --193.11.163.169 (talk) 15:34, 24 May 2012 (UTC)

Lock Circumvention

Is that link to the video about how to bust the lock really necessary? I saw it got removed earlier, but was put back because "wikipedia is not censored". This isn't about offensive material, though. This is about outright telling people how to break these locks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.181.56.75 (talk) 00:52, 5 October 2007 (UTC)

I wouldn't be opposed to the video, if it was somehow explained in the article itself. I'd be interested to know how the lock works, and it's reliability. Apparently, if it can be opened with a thin piece of toilet paper cardboard, it's not that safe. Granted, it's better than nothing. But I digress, Wikipedia has to show the positive and negative of anything to have a neutral point of view. Miggyb (talk) 16:51, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

Another Kensington Lock

Now I may be mistaken, but IIRC, "Kensington Lock" is also a lock located on the Thames near Kensington. Can anyone, perhaps a Londoner, confirm or deny this? 129.69.42.46 13:30, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

Is this statement true and/or unbiased?

The Kensington lock is a good solution for busy offices, but given enough time and/or proper tools, thieves can easily circumvent it.

The proper tools for opening (certain) Kensington locks within a minute are a pencil, a roll of toilet paper and some tape. I guess you can indeed call it easily circumvented, but can you call it a good solution?

- personally I think the Kensington Lock is merely a deterrent, something you use in the office, coffee shop or library, where you are always nearby. It will prevent people from snatching a laptop locked with a Kensington lock. It won't prevent theft if the notebook is left alone for a period of time. JonC

JonC, Please provide proof that people actually use Kensington locks while in a coffee shop. I will be removing your comment shortly if you can not provide proof. IE a picture.

Attachment?

How would you attach them to a table? Are there tables with Kensington security slots too? -- Frap 10:18, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

- there is a loop at the end of the cable which you can then loop it around a secure area. JonC

Yup, normally a small loop at the end. You pass the lock body end around an object and through the loop, like a running bowline. 128.232.228.174 (talk) 16:17, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

True?

I have heard that the lock holes in laptops are near / a part of the CPU cooler system. Thus if somebody was to pull out the lock by force, CPU would get damaged. JohnnyBatina 14:56, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

Not really. The best place for the lock hole is in the chassis, so that it has the most resistance to being forced out. This has a side effect of causing damage to the laptop should someone try. NeoThermic 01:07, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

"Mechanical PIN device"

"Locks are generally secured in place with a ... mechanical PIN device" --

(a) "mechanical PIN device" is apparently what is properly called a "combination lock", but I don't know how to straighten out the syntax of this sentence.
(b) PIN links to Personal identification number, but that article seems to have nothing relevant to this context.

-- 201.17.36.246 (talk) 16:43, 31 August 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, I agree. Fixed. 67.164.125.7 (talk) 07:00, 1 February 2009 (UTC)

The attached video is no longer available

the video is no longer available, the link should be removed (http://www.toool.nl/kensington623.wmv) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 190.31.105.209 (talk) 16:27, 22 October 2008 (UTC)

There is a copy up @ daily motion http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17l_kensington623 129.21.55.72 (talk) 13:48, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

History of the lock

It would be nice if someone could provide information on how the lock came into being. There must have been a kind of "chicken and egg" problem because the lock is no good without equipment having the right "hole", and there's no point putting the hole on equipment if there are no locks available. How did it happen? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Broadya (talk • contribs) 12:48, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

I second this 68.65.75.50 (talk) 04:18, 16 September 2009 (UTC)

Alternatives

While one could argue that the absence of a kensington slot is in fact an alternative to presence of one, it does not seem appropriate to mention the MacBook Air in the alternatives section. I found that the phrase "a notable exception" adds too much flair to what should be an impartial and neutral article. Thoughts? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.42.48.201 (talk) 04:35, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Noble Wedge / Microsaver: Am in the midst of researching this personally, but Kensington has a new, smaller slot design (microsaver) and there is a 'Noble Wedge' design that seems to shift toward squareness. Neither shows in perfunctory wikipedia searching. In my trying to understand what I'm up against (old lock, new 2-in-one with too-small slot), k-slot seems to be a common name for this design. Any objection if I rough in a section with mention of the other slots, perhaps headed Alternatives? ArtDent (talk) 16:34, 4 October 2018 (UTC)

Mini Security Slot: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/laptop-lock-guide shows Kensington Security Slot, Kensington Mini Security Slot, and Noble Lock Slot. https://www.secuplus-shop.nl/en/nano-secumate.html describes the kensington as 7mm x 3mm, the noble slot as approximately 3.2mm x 4.5mm. https://accoblobstorageus.blob.core.windows.net/literature/Kensington_slot_specs.pdf shows Kensington security slot specifications, with 3 mm (-0.00, +0.26), x 7mm (-0.00, +0.26), with corners rounded R 1.00 max. Another page shows kensington selling cable/lock mechanisms for Kensignton Security Slot, ClickSafe Security Anchor and Non Standard Security Slot Anchor (for Dell Laptops and Tablets), and Wedge Lock Slot (for the latest Dell laptops and tablets that have a Wedge Lock Slot). ArtDent (talk) 17:27, 4 October 2018 (UTC)

Kensington also announced in 2017 a Nano Security Slot: https://www.kensington.com/news/news-press-center/2017-news--press-center/kensington-celebrates-25-years-of-innovation-and-leadership-in-physical-security-with-the-introduction-of-nanosaver-keyed-laptop-lock/ ArtDent (talk) 17:46, 4 October 2018 (UTC)

any patients on this? why Kensington security slot?

Why is this article called "Kensington Security Slot"? Is that name in common usage? I have never heard it personally. Does Kensington has a patient on it? Do other laptop manufactures license this technology from Kensington? Jason Quinn (talk) 03:02, 6 April 2013 (UTC)

They do have patents, yes. I've provided a little more information. It would be interesting to know whether companies were required to license the slot - I suspect in fact that they want it put in, so they can sell the locks. GreenReaper (talk) 20:32, 20 May 2015 (UTC)

I feel that Kensington lock is a commonly used term for this type of locks.

But the cited patents (all three) claim on a different mechanism, with a screw-on part remaining in the protected mobile device and a removable part connecting to the screw-on part for locking. Actually, they describe the Kensington lock, being a single item attaching to the hole in the object's casing, as prior art, so they exactly don't patent it. this is in line with the time, I checked because by 1999 this type of lock was already in widespread use. 109.43.51.187 (talk) 14:05, 19 August 2024 (UTC)

Picture of the slot

If I came to this article wondering whether my laptop *had* a K-slot, wouldn't it be really helpful to show a picture of one? Marnanel (talk) 10:36, 18 May 2013 (UTC)

Per request, I have added a picture with the lock slot not obscured by a lock. Sorry I didn't see your request until just now. Reify-tech (talk) 04:48, 7 July 2015 (UTC)

Designed in 1999 !?

Kensington locks have been used on computers and the like since at least the 1980s. What is meant by "designed / patented in 1999"? Even if they were so remiss as to not patent it til a decade or more later (and wouldn't that invalidate it?), if "design" means, well, design, then 1999 is way too late.

If this is some misunderstanding please correct me, and consider making it clear in the article. 188.29.164.197 (talk) 02:51, 23 August 2015 (UTC)

The Kensington corporation

Links to the company redirect to the slot (this article). While the security slot is their most popular product, it's not the only one. And the company itself has a history and facts about it beyond the slot.

Thus I think it's not fair that links to Kensington as a corporation redirect here when the reader wants to know about it (for example I clicked on a Kensington link under a trackball image because I wanted to know about their history with trackballs, but got the security slot instead). ¬Hexafluoride ^(talk) 00:16, 17 April 2016 (UTC)

I agree, there should be a separate article for the Kensington Corporation. The redirect to here is useless, and should be removed. Reify-tech (talk) 00:45, 17 April 2016 (UTC)

@Hexafluoride: Normally I would suggest you be bold and create the article, however there has been an article before but it was merged into this one due to notability concerns. If you can find more reliable coverage, I would think the article could stand by itself. —EncMstr (talk) 16:53, 17 April 2016 (UTC)

@EncMstr: Since the security slot itself is notable, the company that produced it is too (be it the products, or the specification). It's also produces a line of trackball mice that are famous and well known.

The merge that was proposed was the slot into the company article, instead the opposite happened! I don't see consensus on the proposal, so why was it merged? ¬Hexafluoride ^(talk) 17:03, 17 April 2016 (UTC)

kensington — Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.67.17.60 (talk) 17:41, 18 April 2016 (UTC)

@207.67.17.60:? ¬Hexafluoride ^(talk) 16:47, 20 April 2016 (UTC)

Patent expiration?

The article claims that the K Slot was patented around 2000, but gives no reference. Can somebody find the patent(s) and add them? If it was a design patent, it doesn't expire; otherwise, it should be expiring around now. I don't know if that has any implications, since Kensington seems to have already licensed its design widely. Reify-tech (talk) 19:50, 29 July 2017 (UTC)

"Alternatives" section needs to be updated

This section is definitely showing its age. I'm fairly certain my 12-year-old wouldn't even understand why you would design a computer with a port that only worked with printers and nothing else, let alone identify one or be able to differentiate it from a VGA or serial port. The last time I bought a computer that had ports other than [micro-]USB, HDMI, or Thunderbolt was at least 10+ years ago. Maybe this section could be rewritten to talk about Kensington-like alternative physical security measures that were used in the past, and if other options exist today they could be described as well.

DadOfBeanAndBug (talk) 22:53, 6 March 2018 (UTC)

i just bought a used laptop from 2017 (a Dell Latitude 5580) which still has a VGA port. However, during the 2010s they stopped having screw-holes next to the connector, so these alternatives were doomed. All other connectors with screws (printer port, serial port) have been phased out far earlier.

However, the K-Slot seems to have been replaced by a very similar looking "Noble wedge lock slot" that locks by extending hooks along the long side of the hole instead or rotating to hold onto the walls along the narrow sides. probably because laptops have gotten so thin that they can't accomodate the height of a turned lock T bar. 109.43.51.187 (talk) 14:26, 19 August 2024 (UTC)