How do I keep my computer safe while in Egypt?

Depending how worried you are, (and what you plan to use the laptop for), it might be worth throwing down a few hundred for a low-end laptop.

Obviously you’ll still want to discourage theft, but it might be something to consider.

i like ben’s idea…. but if you keep it close to you, it shouldn’t be anything to worry about. I lived in New Delhi for a year and toted my powerbook around with me everywhere…. felt safer then in my own neighborhood in philadelphia.

you are much more likely to be taken for a and expensive cab ride then outright thieved.
(backup your data anyway)

I would suggest getting a backpack that fits your laptop, rather than a “laptop bag.” There’s still a chance of the backpack being stolen, but 1) you wear it on both shoulders so you can’t get pickpocketed, and 2) no one is likely to know that you have a computer in the bag, so they won’t go out of their way to steal it. I saw this “laptop backpack” at patagonia—it was really nice, and no one would know there is a computer in there:

link

on another note…having traveled with a laptop before…I’d strongly recommend leaving it at home if you don’t need it for work. Schlepping it around with you turns into a big chore, and you spend a lot of energy worrying about it getting stolen.

Agree with OCC….