View Full Version : computer carry on luggage
TravelGal
07-02-08, 12:25 PM
"A series of newly designed carry-on bags has been given the go ahead for passengers to use that will let them pass through security without having to take their laptops out for X-ray inspection. Pathfinder Luggage and Targus are two manufacturers that are rushing to produce the new "checkpoint friendly" laptop cases and expect them to be available by the end of September or early October. The cases will include either a fold-down section in a bigger briefcase or a stand-alone protective sleeve that contains no extra clutter and can be readily viewed through the scanner."
If anyone knows more about this, I'd love to know too. :)
BTW, as a reminder, if you travel with a laptop, you run of the risk of having it confiscated. DO NOT keep data on it that has not been backed up. DO NOT keep data on it that is confidential or proprietary. This is especially true on international trips.
Methanolandbrats
07-02-08, 01:02 PM
"A series of newly designed carry-on bags has been given the go ahead for passengers to use that will let them pass through security without having to take their laptops out for X-ray inspection. Pathfinder Luggage and Targus are two manufacturers that are rushing to produce the new "checkpoint friendly" laptop cases and expect them to be available by the end of September or early October. The cases will include either a fold-down section in a bigger briefcase or a stand-alone protective sleeve that contains no extra clutter and can be readily viewed through the scanner."
If anyone knows more about this, I'd love to know too. :)
BTW, as a reminder, if you travel with a laptop, you run of the risk of having it confiscated. DO NOT keep data on it that has not been backed up. DO NOT keep data on it that is confidential or proprietary. This is especially true on international trips. Just about everyone has to travel with a laptop if business is involved...why the confiscation risk?
TrueBrit
07-02-08, 01:09 PM
Just about everyone has to travel with a laptop if business is involved...why the confiscation risk?
Ask the TSA...they are the ones not paying particular attention to the 4th amendment...
our company gives out laptops for intl so that it's only project related info that can be stolen from the hotel while at dinner. :gomer:
TravelGal
07-02-08, 02:34 PM
our company gives out laptops for intl so that it's only project related info that can be stolen from the hotel while at dinner. :gomer:
Very wise. I've been hearing extremely strident warnings about this sort of thing happening, especially in China.
As to lifting the computer completely, from what I read about the corporate business travel, it's the foreign countries that you have to worry about more than the TSA.
To back up... using a a business card in your luggage tag is recommended so you don't advertise that someone from your home address is traveling.
If the human notices a nice juicy company name (XXX.com or IBM, or XXX technology), they may pull you aside to "question" you or for secondary screening. Meanwhile your laptop is being copied. OR, they just confiscate it.
Taking your personal laptop (as I do) to avoid that still runs the risk of losing all the personal data you have, pictures, private emails, etc., because the goons taking the laptop don't know it's not business stuff.
Or, maybe they just need a new laptop and like the look of yours.
cameraman
07-02-08, 02:43 PM
The US Customs folks are grabbing machines too. Not TSA people, Customs agents. It seems to be random, they won't say why and if they take it you might not see it again for a couple of weeks if ever.
Two U.S. senators called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to back off its assertion that it can search laptops and other electronic devices owned by U.S. citizens returning to the country without the need for reasonable suspicion of a crime or probable cause.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20080625/tc_pcworld/147546
Methanolandbrats
07-02-08, 02:52 PM
Won't be long and a colonoscopy will be part of the check-in process.
Anyone heard of Customs searching ipods for movies or songs?
Insomniac
07-02-08, 03:32 PM
BTW, as a reminder, if you travel with a laptop, you run of the risk of having it confiscated. DO NOT keep data on it that has not been backed up. DO NOT keep data on it that is confidential or proprietary. This is especially true on international trips.
Why the risk? I mean, I know if you go to China and are somewhat important they'll break into your room and copy your hard drive, but why the big concern in the U.S.?
TKGAngel
07-02-08, 04:05 PM
Won't be long and a colonoscopy will be part of the check-in process.
I had a more thorough questioning from the good folks at Canadian customs than I did from the US Customs. The Canadians were more concerned about where I planned to stop in Canada than what I had in the car. The US, on the other hand, two questions and I was through. Neither side though, had a problem with my laptop.
Travelgal, my dad is a TSA employee. I can ask him about the bag you're talking about.
ChampcarShark
07-02-08, 04:54 PM
Living in the border can be quite challenging.
Taking a laptop into mexico runs the risk of being confiscated because you have no manifest for it and they argue you are going to sell it.
Bringing it back may arise questions by border patrol agents.
The BIG war against piracy is a good excuse.
If you are caught crossing from mexico into the US with a copied cd you are fined $50.00 for each disk, up to $5,000.00 for a movie.
Across the border you can get cds for about $$10.00 pesos (about one dollar) or movies not released on DVD for $$20.00 pesos (about 2 dollars). Of course the quality is not optimal but it sure beats going to the movies.
TravelGal
07-02-08, 05:06 PM
Why the risk? I mean, I know if you go to China and are somewhat important they'll break into your room and copy your hard drive, but why the big concern in the U.S.?
A lot was covered in the article cameraman posted. The rest is, with apologies to Pressdog, none of your business. (that's a joke meaning we should know but no one sees fit to tell us.) Wholly within the US the problem is not nearly so bad. But I'm glad it started a discussion. As much as we try, none of us can know everything and many people are not as informed about this as you are. It's good to exchange a few words about it. I know I certainly learned a lot from that last post by ChampcarShark!
Travelgal, my dad is a TSA employee. I can ask him about the bag you're talking about.
Thanks! It wouldn't surprise me, however, if someone who actually does the inspecting is the last to know what the higher-ups have decided.
ChampcarShark
07-02-08, 05:33 PM
Thanks Travelgal. :shy:
Insomniac
08-01-08, 09:02 AM
Not just limited to air travelers:
Federal agents may take a traveler's laptop or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.
Also, officials may share copies of the laptop's contents with other agencies and private entities for language translation, data decryption or other reasons, according to the policies, dated July 16 and issued by two DHS agencies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/content/article/2008/08/01/laptops.html
TrueBrit
08-01-08, 09:15 AM
"without any suspicion of wrongdoing"
4th amendment? Don't make me larf son...now drop 'em and spread....
:shakehead
WickerBill
08-01-08, 10:00 AM
You're all making me very excited about my trip to Australia in two weeks. :mad:
Insomniac
08-01-08, 10:19 AM
"without any suspicion of wrongdoing"
4th amendment? Don't make me larf son...now drop 'em and spread....
:shakehead
Almost the entire Bill of Rights is toilet paper at this point.
TravelGal
08-01-08, 12:58 PM
Logged on to post this and see it's already here.
WB, like we said, get a "play" computer or keep everything in zip drives so you can reload it and remove it.
Australia????? Where? It's one of my travel specialties but I have the feeling you've been there a lot.
Andrew Longman
08-01-08, 07:36 PM
Almost the entire Bill of Rights is toilet paper at this point.
One thing to always keep in mind. At the border, US citizen or otherwise, you have no rights. Period. Always has been that way.
Makes you appreciate when you cross that painted line and the constitution applied again.
That said, it is out of hand how they handle people now. Anks co's policy is becoming very common, because they can take all sorts of personal and company information and do whatever they want with it, including clumsily letting into the public domain and there is NO recourse
You're all making me very excited about my trip to Australia in two weeks. :mad:
What? We are letting you in? Sydney I assume. Enjoy the tourist trap.
BOO! :thumdown:
WickerBill
08-01-08, 08:50 PM
Sydney, for work, not for tourism, Cam. You little punk. :)
Actually TGal, I've never been. My MO on these trips to APac is leave here on Friday, arrive on Sunday, spend Sunday adjusting my clock so I can get up in the morning and feel normal, work Mon-Thurs 16-18 hours a day, fly home Friday.
At least I can say "I've been to Australia", even if I don't get to walk to the top of that bridge...
What bridge?
http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/8323/f1girl252australia2004zo5.jpg
the phillips island hos were always top shelf
Just remember, it can't be stated enough, Fosters is not beer. It is swill.
cameraman
08-02-08, 01:48 AM
http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/8323/f1girl252australia2004zo5.jpg
Foster's? Where? I don't see any beer (or swill for that matter).
Insomniac
08-02-08, 11:38 AM
One thing to always keep in mind. At the border, US citizen or otherwise, you have no rights. Period. Always has been that way.
Makes you appreciate when you cross that painted line and the constitution applied again.
That said, it is out of hand how they handle people now. Anks co's policy is becoming very common, because they can take all sorts of personal and company information and do whatever they want with it, including clumsily letting into the public domain and there is NO recourse
I meant in general, but this is starting to get out of hand. I know they will inspect your stuff at times and are allowed to search. But taking your stuff for weeks? They're working on a law where they can just destroy your iPod if you can't prove all the music on it is legitimate.
Since when was this considered a "Homeland?"
Sieg heil!
opinionated ow
08-03-08, 11:07 PM
You're all making me very excited about my trip to Australia in two weeks. :mad:
I forgot to take it out when going through Adelaide Airport the other day, got a big dirty from the x-ray man. The chick working with him saw I was embarassed and gave me a smile though...Needless to say I remembered to do it at Sydney when I left to come back...
Its a PITA if you have to go via Melbourne...to get food, you have to leave the gate area which means everytime you come back you get screened. I got stopped three times at Melbourne for drugs screening in one afternoon!
We're going to be looking at these (http://wyse.com/products/hardware/mobile/X90L/index.asp). Basically mobile thin clients with XP embedded. Data stays on the server if you'll have internet access or goes on an encrypted thumb drive if not.
TravelGal
08-04-08, 01:14 AM
We're going to be looking at these (http://wyse.com/products/hardware/mobile/X90L/index.asp). Basically mobile thin clients with XP embedded. Data stays on the server if you'll have internet access or goes on an encrypted thumb drive if not.
Looks great. Just what I was trying to find more than a year ago. I never like "call salesman for price" however. Usually means big bucks.
Insomniac
08-04-08, 08:00 AM
I never like "call salesman for price" however. Usually means big bucks.
:rofl:
Since when was this considered a "Homeland?"
9/11/01
Looks great. Just what I was trying to find more than a year ago. I never like "call salesman for price" however. Usually means big bucks.
They're not too bad - $750 - $900. A lot compared to a consumer laptop. Not bad if they're fairly rugged. They're really focused on mobile users that have a connection to a remote desktop server. I won't know how practical they are for disconnected use until we get one to try out.
9/11/01
Der Vaterland, nicht wahr?
**** that. Constitution over country. To the death.
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