Just kindly ask someone to watch your laptop while you're away.

Scope the place out, try to sit away from doors, leave my jacket, throw my laptop in a sleeve and take it with me. I would never leave a laptop on its own.

You have to ask someone to watch your laptop. I'm a psych major, and there was a study that demonstrated that people have a _much_ higher rate of deterring thieves when asked to look after someone's items, for some reason.

Or, get a laptop with built in GPS and 3G internet, and hack the firmware to autoemail you the location on boot-up.

I'm with you. Much easier to just take it with you. Less distraction all around.

Now, asking other people to watch it can be one more nice human interaction for the day if you feel the need.

I leave mine at the table. Maybe that is an advantage of my neighborhood in Nashville, TN.

I try to find a seat close to the restroom and generally just leave my laptop there (with the screen saver lock on). The way I see it, it usually takes me under 35 seconds to take a leak: 10 seconds to get up and walk into the bathroom and 15-20 seconds to take a leak. Sitting in a long coffee shop, far from the entrance, that really doesn't give someone much time to swipe my laptop without me seeing them.

Plus, if others around me have seen me there long enough, I feel like they'll point out who/where the thief went when I come back out. You also just need to use your judgment. I'd never leave it there in an unfamiliar coffee shop or if I planned to be gone for more than 40 seconds.

Don't get open-ear headphones. I received some nice entry-level ones (Grado SR60), and they sound wonderful - but background noise is a problem. The coffee shop-office strategy takes some experimentation to get right.

I actually like working from coffee shops when they're busy. The more noise the easier it is for me to concentrate. But if I can easily make out several conversations, then I find it difficult not to listen and it becomes more difficult to concentrate.

Comfortable, over-the-ear headphones are always a huge plus if you enjoy listening to music while you work (beyerdynamic headphones are very nice, although a bit expensive).

Everyone is unique. I work well in both very quite, and very noisy environments, but not so well in-between. You just need to figure out what works for you.