Mobile Computing Tips: Air Travel and Notebooks

Get through security with minimal hassles, handheld tips, a test drive that crashed.

James A. Martin

Feature: Flying Safely With a Notebook

With heightened security at the nation's airports and in the skies, business travelers are dealing with many new rules and restrictions. The changes begin at the curb--don't leave your car unattended for even a millisecond--and extend all the way to powdered coffee creamers, which some airlines have banned.

How do the new restrictions affect travelers with notebook computers? What can you do to be prepared? For practical advice, we turned to Margaret Ragsdale, senior product manager for Dell Computer's Latitude notebooks and herself a frequent flyer.

Q: If you travel with a computer now, you may be asked to turn it on, even if you put it through the X-ray. Because of this, some travelers might put their computers in Standby or Hibernate modes before leaving for the airport so the machine can be turned on and off quickly at check points. But is a computer more vulnerable to damage in those modes?

A: In theory, if you drop your computer when it's in Standby or Hibernate modes, the risks are about the same as if you dropped the computer when it was completely off. How vulnerable your computer and hard drive are when traveling depends more on the notebook's design. A notebook with a plastic casing, for instance, is more vulnerable to damage than one in a metal casing. The data on your hard drive is usually recoverable, regardless--though you might not like the expense of recovering it.

One advantage of the new Windows XP operating system is the rapid resume from Standby mode. With XP, a computer comes out of Standby almost as quickly as a PDA. That's a great advantage for business travelers.

[Windows XP promises faster resume times from both Standby and Hibernate modes. For business travelers carrying notebooks, though, Standby is the better choice. Standby mode saves open documents and applications in RAM, while Hibernate stores them to the hard drive. As a result, newer computers running Windows XP can resume from Standby mode in 2 or 3 seconds, while the same computer could take 20 to 30 seconds to come out of Hibernation, according to Microsoft. Standby mode draws more battery power than Hibernate, however. Regardless of the mode you choose, remember that airlines request electronics devices be turned off completely before take-off.--Editor]

Q: X-ray machines at airports around the country have been more finely tuned to detect metal objects. Is it safe to put your notebook through the X-ray machines now?

A: I've asked a number of our engineers this question, and they all say the same thing: Not one bit of damage can occur by running your computer through the X-ray, even in international airports.

Q: Airlines are limiting carry-on items to one bag, plus one personal item (which could be a laptop or a purse). The flight attendants' union is calling for passengers to be allowed only one carry-on item, period. Given this, some travelers might be tempted to pack their notebooks into suitcases they check at the gate. Are there risks in that?

A: Absolutely. You never know what happens to your bags after they're checked. They can be lost or stolen, and if you're someone like me who uses their notebook as their desktop computer too, you don't want to be without your data. If you must check your computer, make sure it is in a large, well-padded, hard-shell case designed for computers.

The bottom line: Think of your computer as you would a passport on an international trip--it's best to keep it with you at all times and make sure it is well protected. Use password schemes to prevent others from accessing your data in case the computer is stolen. And by all means, back up the hard drive before you leave. For more on airport security, read "Airport Security Targets Tech Gadgets" from PCWorld.com Senior Writer Tom Spring.

--James A. Martin

Notebooks

Compaq's Evo Evolves

If you gotta travel, go light. With that in mind, Compaq has added new models to its Evo (stands for evolution) line of ultra slim, light notebooks aimed at business travelers. Chief among them is the new N200 ($1799), which is only 0.8 inches high and promises 8 hours of battery life.

Dude, Where's My DVD?

Long-distance travelers should check out Dell's new Inspiron 8100. Like the Inspiron 8000, the 8100's flexible drive bay configuration can run two batteries at a time while playing a DVD in the DVD-ROM drive. Now you can avoid the airline movie, which is usually on the par of Dude, Where's My Car?, and savor the first season of The Sopranos instead. PCWorld.com tested a $2413 Dell Inspiron 8100 model.

Windows XP: Look Before You Leap

Are you considering an upgrade to Windows XP? Better make sure your notebook can handle the new operating systems' demands. The Windows XP Readiness Test, created in association with PC Pitstop, checks to see if your notebook has what XP requires in terms of memory, hard drive space, clock speed, video capability, and more. It also looks for potential conflicts. The free test takes just a few minutes.

Handhelds

Wireless E-Mail Attachments?

Here's one for the "Don't Believe Everything You Read" files. A Palm Solutions newsletter recently stated: "Wireless users rejoice! Quickoffice lets you receive, open, and send attachments. You can even edit and forward them from your handheld or desktop." The newsletter added that MultiMail Pro is required as the e-mail conduit to Quickoffice, a Palm OS application suite for text, spreadsheets, and charts.

After reading this, I was titillated by visions of glorious winter vacations spent on a Hawaiian beach, bronzing contentedly while dispatching spreadsheets on a wireless Palm VIIx to pale individuals trapped indoors. So I installed both Cutting Edge Software's $40 Quickoffice and Palm's $40 MultiMail Pro.

I was immediately thwarted: MultiMail Pro's setup wizard insisted on a landline connection to work. A Cutting Edge Software spokesperson referred me to Palm tech support. After much head-scratching, the Palm support staffer suggested that I e-mail Actual Soft, from whom Palm acquired MultiMail Pro. I did, and received this reply--from Palm tech support: "MultiMail is designed to operate with an external modem connected to a Palm Organizer and a phone line. There has been no information released concerning future versions of MultiMail, so we cannot say when wireless support may be integrated."

Or, as they say on The Sopranos: Forgeddaboutit. Separately, MultiMail Pro and Quickoffice work just fine, but I couldn't verify the Palm Solutions newsletter's claims about the two programs working together to send and receive attachments wirelessly. That's just as well: Now when I take that winter vacation to Hawaii, I can concentrate on tan lines instead of deadlines.

Turn on the TV With Your PDA

Sony Electronics' addition to its Palm OS-based Clie handhelds, the Clie PEG-T415 ($300), features a slim design and an enhanced infrared port for remotely controlling audio/video equipment. New Clie modules include a camera ($150) and MP3 player ($130).

Second-Hand Handhelds

Refurbished computers are a great way to save dough, and the same is true for personal digital assistants. At Palm's new online outlet store you can pick up handhelds for as much as $60 less than when purchased new. In addition, Handspring sells reconditioned Visors at its Web site. And Hewlett-Packard's online outlet offers deals on refurbished Jornada Pocket PC devices at bargain prices. For more information about refurbished computers, check out "On Your Side: Refurbished PCs."

Mobile Services

Picture Phones (Sort of) Arrive at Last

Fuji Photo Film recently unveiled a cell phone-compatible digital still camera. The 2-megapixel Fine Pix 30i takes pictures that can be immediately downloaded to and sent by cellular phone via a wireless Internet service. Real estate agents and other mobile professionals can get more info on the $529 camera at "Fuji Shows Cell Phone-Compatible Camera."

IN THE NEXT ISSUE: The holidays have arrived, and we're here to help. Check out our guide to gotta-have gadgets for the globetrotter in your life (or even better--for yourself).

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