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Gadgets: Key to TSA-Approved Laptop Bag is Correct Packing
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 3:56 PM


(Source: McClatchy/Tribune)trackingLike many people today, I travel with my laptop. It's a pain to take it out of its case at security checkpoints.

The new Corporate Traveler from Targus is designed to let travelers keep their laptops _ including those with screens as wide as 15.4 inches _ in the case for the screening.

But that doesn't mean they're approved by the Transportation Security Administration. The agency doesn't approve or endorse any such products.

Here's what TSA officials told me in an email exchange:

"TSA encouraged manufacturers to design bags that will produce a clear and unobstructed image of the laptop when undergoing X-ray screening. A design that meets this objective will enable TSA to allow laptops to remain in bags for screening. Purchasing one of these bags will not guarantee that you can leave your laptop in your bag for screening. If a TSA worker finds that the bag does not present a clear and distinct image, the laptop will have to be screened again separately."

With that in mind, I headed to the airport last week for my flight to Kansas City. I packed my new laptop bag just as the instructions suggested with all my accessories in one compartment and the laptop in its own section on the other side.

The two sections are joined by a zipper, which when unzipped opens the case to lie flat while passing through the X-ray machine. Without a problem, my bag went through the machine with no questions asked. Once I got it, I just zipped it back up and moved on. There were no problems on the return trip, either: Zip it open, run through the machine, zip it closed and I'm off.

A TSA agent at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport told me the new bag style makes it much easier for his colleagues to view the laptop. Many people are starting to use the bags, he said, which helps TSA speed up the screening process.

As for the features of the bag, it's made of ballistic nylon and measures 16.9 inches wide by 6.5 inches deep by 14 inches tall.

It has plenty of room for your computer accessories, iPod, cell phone, magazines and other stuff in a variety of differently sized compartments. But remember, the laptop much be packed in its designated side by itself.

Information: www.targus.com, MSRP $99.99

___

V-MODA's latest addition to its luxury line of headphones, the Vibe II with Microphone, will be launched this Friday exclusively at the Apple Store, Apple.com and shop.v-moda.com.

The new noise-isolating headphones/headset is made with stainless steel alloy and is designed for all Apple iPhone and iPod models.

Like everything else produced by V-MODA, style and presentation are just as important as the sound itself.




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