Kensington introduced three new privacy screens for Mac Tuesday. They’re designed for easy on-and-off, helping to protect the 2022 MacBook Air, 24-inch iMac and Studio Display from “visual hacking.” That’s when nearby computer screens or cameras pick up what’s on your screen.
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Kensington Privacy Screen for Studio Display, 24-inch iMac and MacBook Air
The company identified the three new screens as SA270 Privacy Screen for Studio Display (K50740WW), SA240 Privacy Screen for 24-inch iMac (K55170WW) and MagPro Elite Magnetic Privacy Screen for MacBook Air 2022 (K58374WW).
The screens are directed primarily at a business audience of hybrid workers. Hybrid work policies are taking workers out of secure offices and putting them in all sorts of places. That could include home offices, coffee shops, public buses or public parks. In other words, anybody might see their screens, if left unprotected.
Designed for hybrid workers in the wild
“While the implementation of hybrid and remote work policies can provide greater flexibility and increased productivity for businesses and their employees, the ability to conduct work in public spaces greatly increases the chance that a company’s confidential or sensitive data may be compromised,” said Kensington Global Sales Engineer Santiago DelPortillo.
“As an increasing percentage of the workforce shifts to remote work policies, businesses are taking proactive steps through the increasing deployment of privacy screens and other data protection solutions,” he added.
Exposed screens are a real risk
As Kensington noted in it press materials:
According to the findings of a visual hacking experiment conducted by the Ponemon Institute in 2016, confidential data was accessed in more than 90% of cases where a screen was exposed. The experiment also found that in half of those incidents, it only took 15 minutes to harvest sensitive data, and half of the incidents resulted from the lack of screen protection.
Kensington said its privacy screens reduce the risk of “exposing information to unwanted viewers, enabling users to work comfortably and confidently whether working in the office, at home, or on the road.”
The screens are easy to install, detach and reattach, the company said. The screens limit viewing angles, cut down on harmful blue light by 22%, lower glare and help protect a device’s screen from wear.
Kensington Privacy Screen features:
Photo: Kensington
The screens aren’t just for privacy. Here’s how the company describes the screens’ features and benefits:
Limits viewing angle. Field of vision is narrowed to +/- 30 degrees. [That lets] users work in their usual position while keeping the information on screen private. [It] reduces the chances of a visual data breach in the office or in public settings.
Blue-light reduction. Filters out harmful rays by up to 30%, easing eye strain and reducing the chances of blue light interrupting natural sleep patterns.
Low-reflective coating. Reduces glare from outside light sources for improved viewing clarity.
Reversible viewing. One side has a matte finish to reduce glare and fingerprints. The other side is glossy and provides a clearer view of the monitor.
Magnetic attachment for MacBook. MagPro Elite Magnetic Privacy Screens for MacBook easily attach to, and detach from, the MacBook frame without adhesives. Even with the privacy screen attached, the MacBook can close completely to enter sleep mode.
Pricing information
Prices for the products are $119.99 for Studio Display, $109.99 for 24-inch iMac, $54.99 for M2 MacBook Air.
Where to buy: Kensington or Amazon for Studio Display and MacBook Air
Source: Kensington
