Review on Doberman Security Portable Briefcase Alarm by Bret Wong

If it wasn't the best out there I would give it zero stars. It's loud and efficient, but has a few design flaws that put you off using it. First, it emits a loud beep when you activate it. Second, it beeps every time you press the button to disable it. Third, the device drains the batteries even when it's disabled, so it's likely to be dead by the time you need to use it. Fourth, the batteries require a screwdriver to open the unit to swap them out (wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have to replace them EVERY time I want to use them!). This is an extremely annoying device that will VERY quickly cost you friends and business associates if you try to use it to secure a briefcase or bag you find yourself in frequently. For example, if I'm doing a presentation and keeping extra material in my bag for people to ask, I have to tell the world that I don't trust them and yell loudly at everyone around me. sounds every time I switch the device on and off to take out a brochure or leaflet. Henli Max makes several CR2032 batteries to go with this device and they are sold in very cheap packs of 50. You can use the alarm about 25 times before you need to buy more. Luckily, the batteries don't cost more than $10 for a huge pack of 50. Just remember to take a small Phillips screwdriver to pry open the battery cover. tie my bag to something. Stuffing a bag into one of these is quite difficult and they are heavy, but combined with this alarm clock I have options on how I want to protect my belongings. Using both together makes me feel safe staying away from my valuables for long periods of time, out of sight and out of earshot. If I'm just using one, I'd rather be close to my stuff, because neither an alarm clock nor a packsafe can keep someone from getting your stuff for more than a few minutes once they're dedicated to it. In most cases, one of them is enough to deter most people who want to steal you. This product would be near perfect if it was 100% silent when arming and disarming and only drained the batteries when the product is armed. It's small, light, looks snazzy, is very thin and works well as long as the batteries don't die. The company doesn't respond to emails and they don't seem to care that their product is near perfect but horribly flawed. Since it's the best out there and there's no serious competition, there's no good reason for them to fix minor bugs that make using this device uncomfortable. By the way, the alarm clock is VERY loud. If you test it indoors, it's loud enough to damage your hearing, so be careful. second! I definitely have a love/hate relationship with this thing. UPDATE October 13, 2011: I finally had enough time to use this device to experience what it's like to have someone tamper with your belongings. I was traveling with a friend and after we reached our destination I hung the Doberman Alarm on my stuff and stowed it in the trunk of my car. Our event was within earshot of the car, so I was sure that if someone climbed into the trunk and touched my stuff, an alarm would go off. When it was time to leave, my friend was rearranging things in the trunk, I saw a bag on the floor next to the car. I didn't tell my friend about the alarm clock and it didn't work when he took it out of the trunk! It surprised me, I thought it would definitely work if someone even touched it, but it didn't do anything, even when my stuff was taken out of the trunk. They weren't taken anywhere and I think the alarm would go off if he tried to walk with it, but I'm worried anyway. If he were a thief he could easily open my pockets and take out my things without raising the alarm. You don't even have to move my bag. I decided I needed to use the alarm in such a way that the person had to touch it before they could access my stuff. The Doberman has a shackle that I use to "tie" my stuff to a chair or pipe or whatever, so a thief would have to wiggle the alarm system a lot more before gaining access to it. The mount was awkward to use. So I tried a Reliance Controls THP216 doorknob and a wired personal intruder alarm. It's as rugged as a Doberman, but it has a cord so it was a lot easier for me to attach my stuff to something. The thief has to fiddle with it to get in my pocket or get away with it, so he'll most likely sound the alarm. a cord on it that makes it easier to attach my stuff to anything. Also, the battery stays on and doesn't drain when the device is off. It's also more versatile so I can buy more and hang them on doors, windows, etc. Overall, the THP216 is better than this Doberman, but it's more complex, not as loud, and more difficult to use. I couldn't bring myself to buy more of these Dobermans, but I might consider buying more THP216s. Then I'll probably try another brand to see if there's one that's as easy to use as a Doberman but doesn't beep when arming and disarming. The main problem with all these types of devices is that they beep when arming and disarming. This tells everyone in the room that you have an alarm on your belongings. If any of these people are thieves and are familiar with these devices, they know they can take your belongings and walk with them as long as they are careful not to set off the alarm to keep it silent. If arming and disarming were discreet, would-be thieves wouldn't know you were using the alarm and they wouldn't be careful enough to disarm the alarm. Whatever the case, I'm sure I can get away with your stuff without raising an alarm from any of these devices as long as they're not tied to anything. If your alarm clock ties your stuff to something, I'll have to remove the batteries from the alarm clock (which will be tricky but doable!) or I'll have to cut open your pocket to get your stuff without touching the alarm clock. These alarms alone will stop a clever thief who knows how to bypass them. But they're cheap and useful if you can't always keep your stuff in your hands and you know where their weaknesses lie. THP216 Doorknob and Wired Personal Intruder Alarm, but it's about half the price. I bought everything and tried everything. Mace is the same, absolutely identical product. I've been using all of these devices in my hotel rooms and after about a month at a particular hotel the cleaners figured out how to bypass them without turning them off. her cleaning. I'm sure they ran her several times while figuring this out, but if no one is around or caring, then what? I've found that all the beeps they make when arming and disarming cause people to ignore them when they hear a real alarm. I don't trust these things anymore. They are like insurance stickers that the post office puts on your packages. They work just like the big "Steal Me" signs. I stick to the Pacsafe combo, hide things and never drop my bag. If I'm in the same place long enough, someone will figure out what I'm trying to protect with my alarms and figure out how to bypass them. These things are only practical if I use them somewhere and then I'm not there, like at the airport. And like I said, I don't trust them without Packseif. The alarm only makes a sound when someone tries to cut my Pacsafe wires. I only use my Pacsafe and Mace alarms when I'm at the gym and there are plenty of people who would turn their attention to someone trying to cut the wires. my pack safe. The thieves then move on to easier targets. The best part is that at the gym it doesn't matter if I'm carrying a million dollars in cash or just my smelly old socks. People don't automatically assume I have something particularly valuable in my bag because nobody wants their bag stolen during a workout, no matter how much it costs. People don't think I'm protecting anything valuable, they just think I'm smart enough to protect my stuff.