Techniques for preventing damage to a portable device

1. A method of preventing damage to a portable device using a processor, comprising:

detecting movement of a portable device;

determining, when movement of the portable device is detected, whether a port of the portable device is attached to an external device; and

providing a notification to a user of the portable device that the external device requires detachment from the portable device, when movement of the portable device is detected and the port of the portable device is attached to the external device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting movement further comprises:

detecting movement of the portable device based on output provided by an accelerometer associated with the portable device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external device is a plug and play device and the determining whether a port of the portable device is attached to an external device further comprises:

detecting whether the external device is coupled to the port.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing a notification further comprises:

providing an audible output, a visual output, or a vibrational output to the user of the portable device to indicate that the external device requires detachment from the portable device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the port corresponds to a universal serial bus (USB) port, an IEEE 1394 port, a PS/2 port, power adapter port, or a network port.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

masking the notification when the external device is a universal serial bus (USB) memory key.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

masking the notification responsive to input to the portable device from the user.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the input to the portable device is associated with a device class.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the input to the portable device is associated with a specific device.

10. A portable device, comprising:

an accelerometer;

a processor coupled to the accelerometer, wherein the processor is configured to:

detect movement of the portable device based on output provided by the accelerometer;

determine, when movement of the portable device is detected, whether a port of the portable device is attached to an external device; and

provide a notification to a user of the portable device that the external device requires detachment from the portable device, when movement of the portable device is detected and the port of the portable device is attached to the external device.

11. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the accelerometer is a multi-axis accelerometer and the external device includes a keyboard, a pointing device, an external power supply, or a network, and wherein the portable device is a notebook computer system, a laptop computer system, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a mobile telephone.

12. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the external device is a plug and play device and the processor is further configured to detect whether the external device is coupled to the port.

13. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the portable device further comprises:

a speaker coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an audible warning, via the speaker, to alert a user of the portable device that the external device requires detachment from the portable device.

14. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the portable device further comprises:

a display coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a visual warning, via the display, to alert a user of the portable device that the external device requires detachment from the portable device.

15. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the portable device further comprises:

a vibrator coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a vibration, via the vibrator, to alert a user of the portable device that the external device requires detachment from the portable device.

16. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the port corresponds to a universal serial bus (USB) port, an IEEE 1394 port, a PS/2 port, power adapter port, or a network port.

17. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to mask the notification when the external device is a universal serial bus (USB) memory key.

18. The portable device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to mask the notification responsive to input to the portable device from the user.

19. The portable device of claim 18 , wherein input to the portable device is associated with a device class or a specific device.

20. A computer system, comprising:

an accelerometer; a processor coupled to the accelerometer, wherein the processor is configured to:

detect movement of the computer system based on output provided by the accelerometer;

determine, when movement of the computer system is detected, whether a port of the computer system is attached to an external device; and

provide a notification to a user of the computer system that the external device requires detachment from the computer system, when movement of the computer system is detected and the port of the computer system is attached to the external device.