Gear Bags
Three great bags geared toward different types of travelers.James A. Martin
Sign up to have the Mobile Computing Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.
Feature: It's All in the Bag
Not so long ago, if you needed to travel with a notebook, you bought a notebook bag. And if you carried a PDA or cell phone, you slipped them into their own cases.
While bags designed to hold a specific device are still plentiful, a new breed is emerging. Versatile, multipurpose bags, briefcases, and backpacks can accommodate a notebook, PDA, mobile phone, MP3 player, and all of the above. Or they can be used to transport a few articles of clothing, magazines, wallet, keys, water bottles, peppermint tins, a turkey sandwich (hold the mayo), and other essentials.
Here's a look at three multipurpose bags that I tested and recommend: a wheeled carry-on from Tumi, a backpack from Briggs & Riley, and a messenger bag from WaterField. (For notebook bags designed especially for women, see this issue's "Notebooks & Accessories" section.)
Tumi's Wheel-A-Way Boarding Tote
It's difficult to find a good all-purpose bag that can (a) handle your notebook, PDA, cell phone, a change of clothes, pens, paper, files, and toiletries; (b) roll down the average airplane aisle easily; and (c) fit under most airplane seats.
Measuring 14 by 12.75 by 8.5 inches, Tumi's Wheel-A-Way Boarding Tote (in black ballistic nylon) handles all of the above with style and aplomb. The bag also has a zippered sleeve on the back, so it can be slipped over the telescoping handle of another wheeled bag. But the notebook compartment is smallish, and I'd love to see a water-bottle compartment--and a smaller price tag.
Bonus points: Tumi's Web site provides a list of notebooks the bag can accommodate and an image of the bag that you can rotate.
I own several Tumi pieces. So far, I've had nothing but positive experiences with them. So, if you're a style-conscious business professional who needs a wheeled, versatile notebook bag, look no further.
Briggs & Riley Transcend Backpack
Along with Tumi, Briggs & Riley is one of my favorite luggage makers. Both produce stylish, rugged, dependable bags with well-thought-out designs.
This new water-repellant backpack is one of Briggs & Riley's more versatile products. You can use it for hiking, going to the beach, or for carrying your gear on a trip. An unusual and ingenious removable, zip-out, neoprene sleeve protects your notebook inside. (The sleeve isn't large enough for bulky desktop replacement models, however.) Neoprene pockets also hold your CD or MP3 player; there's a CD wallet pocket; and you can thread your headphone cord (for listening to said portable music device) through a waterproof eyelet.
The backpack's front pocket includes a fleece-lined slip pocket for eyewear or a cell phone, and another pocket for keys. On either side of the backpack are water-bottle pockets. And here's one of my favorite touches: A rear pocket lets you slide the backpack over a wheeled bag's telescoping handle, for those times when you'd rather not carry the bag on your back.
The backpack measures 16 by 12.5 by 8.5 inches and comes in three colors. I'd prefer a solid black model, which isn't available, but the midnight blue color is nice. Also, the backpack may be a bit too casual to take to a business meeting. All that aside, the Transcend backpack is, well, transcendent.
WaterField Cargo Bag
WaterField's messenger-style Cargo Bags stand out for their airplane seat buckles, a tongue-in-cheek touch sure to appeal to fashionistas. But I also appreciate the bag's versatility. By itself, a WaterField Cargo Bag is a convenient, stylish tote for your cell phone, keys, newspapers, documents, and other stuff.
You can also purchase WaterField notebook sleeves, made of neoprene wrapped in a ballistic shell; various sized pouches for storing cables, discs, and other clutter; and even a case for your Apple IPod. The pouches and cases resemble the Cargo Bag's look and are designed to fit inside easily. The end result: Your Cargo Bag can serve as an urban messenger bag one day and a notebook bag full of gear the next.
Truth be told, though, I wouldn't buy a Cargo Bag or any other messenger bag for carrying a notebook. In my experience, hauling equipment around in a shoulder bag is simply too hard on your body. A wheeled bag is my preference and, if that's not possible or desirable, a backpack. Also, the airplane seat buckle, while a fun touch, also adds some weight to the bag. Still, if you're looking for a stylish messenger bag that can also hold your notebook, check out WaterField's collection.
Your Favorite Multipurpose Bag
Does your notebook bag do double duty as a suitcase, backpack, or briefcase? If so, tell me about your bag, with make and model information if possible.
Notebooks & Accessories
Tip: Where to Find Notebook Bags for Women
Bag and luggage makers are finally realizing that women carry notebooks and gadgets, too. Maybe they were tipped off by the fact that women account for about half of the $120 billion annual market in consumer electronics, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. At any rate, here are a few places to find stylish notebook bags for women:
News: Notebook Speakers That Really Rock
With an LCD screen that doubles as a set of stereo speakers, NEC's LaVie isn't your average notebook. Instead of conventional speakers, NEC put drivers behind each side of the notebook's screen to reproduce stereophonic audio; the screen itself vibrates the air. The sound is better than what most conventional notebook speakers offer, says Agam Shah of the IDG News Service. LaVie's screen also gives images a 3D effect. Currently, the notebook is available only in Japan, but the LaVie audio technology is expected to arrive soon in U.S. notebooks.
Review: Superthin Sony
The name of Sony's latest notebook, the VAIO VGN-X505ZP, is bigger than the computer itself. Less than an inch thick and just under 2 pounds, this ultraportable is gorgeous but expensive ($3000), says PC World reviewer Kalpana Ettenson. To keep the small form factor, Sony didn't add a modem, an ethernet jack, built-in wireless, an optical drive, or a parallel or serial port.
Gadgets & Services
Hands-On: Archos' Latest Portable Video Player
This fall, a new batch of portable video players is expected to quicken the pulses of TV addicts and gadget freaks everywhere.
First out of the gate is the Archos AV400 series, an update to the company's earlier AV300 models. The AV400 is easy to use and captures good-quality video and audio from a variety of sources (including a cable/satellite box or TV set). Unlike most other PVPs, the AV400 series can also record commercial encrypted DVDs, though for copyright protection you can't transfer files made from those DVDs onto your PC or display them when the AV400 is connected to your TV. The PVP is available in two models: the AV420, with a 20GB hard drive ($550), and the AV480, with an 80GB drive ($800).
And now, some shameless self-promotion. My first "Gear To Go" column, appearing in the debut of PC World's affiliated publication Digital World, provides more details about PVPs in general and the AV400 series in particular. Digital World's first issue hits newsstands in September.
Reader Review: Easy Way to Back Up Digital Images
MicroSolutions' RoadStor, a portable device that lets you back up digital camera images onto a CD, is an essential part of Lew Phillips' portable gear. Lew, of Green Lane, Pennsylvania, writes: "Normally when I go on vacation, I take my PC along to offload pictures from my digital camera." Since Lew has the notebook with him, it's all-too-tempting to check e-mail.
Now, he carries the RoadStor instead of a PC. "It allows me to easily copy my images to CD. Not only was the small device easier to take along than a PC, but I didn't have to worry about my notebook's security." And he no longer has the ability to check e-mail on vacation, which is a good thing. The RoadStor also plays DVDs and digital image slide shows on a TV, reads most flash memory format cards, and lists for $260.
News: Hotel Offers Free Wi-Fi--to Anyone
Red Lion and WestCoast Hotels, both operated by WestCoast Hospitality Corporation, recently announced free Wi-Fi Internet access for guests. You don't even have to be spending the night at a hotel to use its free wireless network, the company says. But you must be a member of WestCoast's GuestAwards frequent traveler program (your membership info is required to log in). The hotels will also rent a kit that includes the necessary Wi-Fi PC Card and software to those with notebooks lacking the necessary equipment.
Suggestion Box
Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it.