Your view of human nature will play a part in deciding whether you're interested in zReturn.

The idea is this: you buy a set of labels from the site (it's $4.95 for three) and register. Place the labels on any portable electronics -- iPods, cameras, laptops. The labels encourage the person who finds your gear to go the website and put in that tag number. They don't get any of your personal info and all messages are forwarded through zReturn. It's up to the person who lost the item to work out any shipping costs with the finder.

You're depending on the kindness of strangers, but that just might work out well.