Absolute Software, the secure IT asset specialist says the recovery technology is based on its Computrace software and will be supplied by Lenovo on its laptops free of charge.
According to Absolute Software, the Lost & Found service of Computrace for Lenovo combines software and security tools from both itself and Lenovo, the Chinese computer manufacturer that acquired the ThinkPad brand from IBM.
Rich Cohen, senior vice president of business development with Absolute, said that, thanks to the collaboration between the two companies, customers can feel safe knowing that their data is secure, whilst Lenovo works with the finder on their behalf to get their laptop back.
"This new service - combined with our industry-unique theft recovery team - protects ThinkPad customers from both accidental loss and the theft of their computers," he said.
Peter Schrady, Lenovo's general manager, said that the new service gives anyone that finds a ThinkPad laptop a free and simple way to return a ThinkPad laptop to its rightful owner.
"In an incredibly fast-paced, mobile work environment accidents happen, and this service can provide added peace of mind for owners who misplace their laptops," he said.
A spokesperson for Absolute Software told Infosecurity that, under the new service, if a ThinkPad is lost, the owner calls a helpline to alert them to the fact.
If the laptop is turned on, the software locks the machine and displays a message advising the user it is lost and provides a freephone telephone number to arrange recovery.
The finder is then sent a pre-paid packet to allow them to post the laptop back to Lenovo, which then contacts the owner to arrange for the ThinkPad to be unlocked and returned.