It's come to this. Laptop bags created specifically to adhere to asinine TSA regulations in an attempt to make your flying experience 1% less annoying. I'm having a hard time finding a better definition of "treating the symptom, not the disease."
Regardless, with the recent addition of checked-baggage fees and the ever-preposterous liquid volume/container restrictions for carry-ons, having to take my laptop out of its case is the least of my gripes. The contradiction just occurred to me, too: Dissuade people from carrying on most items while simultaneously charging them not to. It makes so little sense I'm kind of impressed by the idiocy of it all.
A reasonably-designed top-load or slot-load bag works just as well.
There's no reason to presume TSA won't change its individual or collective minds on even permitting any bags with this feature to "speed" through the security theater, too. You could well end up taking longer to untangle your laptop if they do.
It would be easier to have custom-made a padded sleeve with lots of velcro on the side, and a big bag with the corresponding velcro inside.
I only buy bags at chain stores so i can check out the padding first (Apple, best buy, circuit city), I need burly laptop bags (like Brenthaven, Patagonia or Chrome bag). I found this out after nearly smashing in DVI port on my poor powerbook
There's this one they claim you can check in to airline(?):
No self-repsecting hacker would carry any of these, except the last one. Their designs are all geared toward "business" travelers--you know, the ones wearing a suit and using WindowsOS.
I really don't see how these bags are different than any normal laptop bag except there is some airport/security reference in the name, the price is inflated and they are made with cheap plastic zippers. I've traveled all over the world with my laptop and electronic gadgets and never once had an issue an airport because I used a simple laptop backpack bag.
Regardless, with the recent addition of checked-baggage fees and the ever-preposterous liquid volume/container restrictions for carry-ons, having to take my laptop out of its case is the least of my gripes. The contradiction just occurred to me, too: Dissuade people from carrying on most items while simultaneously charging them not to. It makes so little sense I'm kind of impressed by the idiocy of it all.