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Time-saving Belkin FlyThru laptop case now available
We've already seen a few laptop cases that are compliant with the TSA's new time and stress-saving rules but, if you still haven't found one to your liking, you may want to consider Belkin's new FlyThru case, which is now available to make your travels a tiny bit more bearable. As with other TSA-friendly bags, this one packs separate, easily-accessible compartments for your laptop and accessories, and it'll accommodate laptops up to 15.4-inch in size. At just $60 it's also a good deal cheaper than something like the $220 Tom Bihn laptop bag or Skooba's long-promised Checkthrough bag which, coincidentally, is now finally shipping as well and will set you back $140.[Via Engadget Spanish]Read - Belkin FlyThru laptop caseRead - Skooba Checkthrough
Tom Bihn's Checkpoint Flyer laptop bag in the wild, reviewed
We could tell from the press shot that this here laptop bag was far and away the most beautiful of the TSA-approved bunch, and a recent review over at Gadling confirms it. Put simply, the Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer is "fantastic," and even the reviewer found himself startled at just how much he dug it. The build quality was remarkable, the ease of use was commendable and the design itself was obviously worthy of praise. The only real rub is the bloated sticker; the price of admission is a stiff $220, and that's before you add in any useful straps or extra packing cubes. 'Course, you're probably wondering how this thing fared in real-world use, and we're happy to report that no cavity searches were required when passing through security on a flight from Chicago to Amsterdam. Check the full writeup and a hands-on gallery in the read link.
Tom Bihn's Checkpoint Flyer: a TSA-approved bag worth owning
Now that the TSA has doled out the official verbiage about what it considers a checkpoint-friendly laptop bag, expect to see the usual players toss in an option or two for frequent fliers. Thus far, all we've seen are cases that get the job done while throwing style to the wind in the nearest dumpster; now, however, we've a better option to choose from. Tom Bihn's stylish Checkpoint Flyer meets all of the TSA's requirements while still looking like a briefcase we wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with. The 2.6-pound bag is crafted from US 1050 denier ballistic nylon and 500 denier Cordura and includes a trio of pouches on the outside, splash-proof zippers and ten smaller pockets for stashing those increasingly rare bags of peanuts / pretzels. It's available now in three colors for $220 (yeah, we know, but it's made in the US of A).[Via Electronista]
Flying today? Say hello to the TSA for us
If you hadn't heard, TSA's new laptop bag rule went into effect today, so we're wondering: what sort of experience are you getting at the checkpoint? Like many TSA policies, they can take a few days to trickle down to the rank and file, plus your line compatriots could muck everything up by misunderstanding the fairly strict new guidelines for scanner-compatible bags, but hopefully somebody, somewhere is having a better flying experience this weekend.Update: TSA's official guidelines are here, the cheat sheet is above.
Mobile Edge intros TSA-approved ScanFast laptop bags
We can definitely see where this is headed, but shortly after Skooba came clean with actual images of its TSA-approved laptop case, along comes Mobile Edge with a trio of alternatives. The new ScanFast lineup features that oh-so-coveted TSA stamp of approval, meaning that you won't have to remove your precious lappie from any of these cases when passing through airport security here in the US. The entire collection is set to land later this summer for undisclosed amounts, though we'd plan on paying a steep premium for the integrated convenience.[Via Gadling]
Skooba's TSA-approved bag -- for real this time
Okay, third time's the charm -- here it is, a pre-production picture of the Skooba Checkthrough TSA-approved bag, direct from Skooba's CEO, Michael Hess. Michael got in touch after our last post to say that the Checkthrough will indeed be a multi-pocketed bag and have several unique and patented features, including a special 3-1-1 liquids compartment and a see-through window for rapid ID of contents. There's also a number of minor changes coming to the design, but no matter what, you should be able to get through security without having to take your laptop out of your bag. That's much more like it -- although now we actually kind of miss that gigantic nasty "Checkthrough" logo after all.
Skooba makes with the pictures of TSA-friendly bags (update: not really)
The TSA got a lot of frequent travelers fairly excited a couple months ago when it announced that it was soliciting bag manufacturers for "checkpoint-friendly" designs that would allow laptop owners to leave their machines safely tucked away as they passed through security, but we didn't know what any of these bags would look like until now. As you'd expect, Skooba's first design, the Checkthrough, is pretty minimalist, in keeping with the requirements that approved bags not have any straps or zippers and not feature any space for items that could interfere with the X-ray image. That also means it's pretty useless if you only want to schlep one bag around, so it looks like we're stuck with the Bucket Dance for now -- hey TSA, would pockets on the sides be such a threat to our nation's security? Just a thought.PS.- We're hoping against hope that nasty "Checkthrough" logo isn't actually printed on the bag, but given some of the TSA experiences we've had, we'd half expect it to be there as a cue for screeners let the bag pass through.Update: Skooba's CEO let us know that this still isn't the checkthrough bag, just another illustration (sigh) and that the "the actual bag will be a full-featured, top-of the-line ballistic nylon business case, packed with cool and unique bells and whistles." Alright, so let's see it then.
BUILT's Laptop Backpack keeps your files close, peripherals closer
Not one to just follow the crowd, BUILT has thrown an interesting twist on the oh-so-popular Neoprene laptop case. The Laptop Backpack enables users to tote their 12- to 17-inch machine right on their back along with textbooks, LAN party flyers and a copy of The Daily Bugle; you'll also find a couple of smaller compartments for storing peripherals and accessories. The material itself is water- and stain-resistant, and the pack is available in two sizes to fit all but the most atypical of frames. According to BUILT, the new wave of laptop carrying should begin today at $80 a pop.[Via BeSportier]
Soyntec Wiffinder bags can detect WiFi nets, can't be traded for bail
Soyntec is prepped to release their latest Wiffinder WiFi detection bag in February. The €43 / $63 nylon Wiffinder 400 Executive Case fits laptops up to 15.4-inches and features an integrated WiFi finder with signal strength indicator to tell you when the 802.11 airwaves are ready to leech. The integrated clock will remind you of the exact time the 5-0 arrived.P.S. "Wiffinder" is not a typo. We agree, WiFinder would seem a more appropriate name. [Via coolest-gadgets]
Voltaic's new Generator solar bag can charge a laptop
There are plenty of solar bags on the market which can squeeze some extra juice into your phone or handheld, or perhaps even trickle a charge into your laptop over a few days, but Voltaic is launching the first member of its lineup to fully charge a laptop with a day of sunlight. The "Generator" bag produces 14.7 watts from a single solar panel, but that's only with a full day of sun, so we're guessing you'll end up getting much less of a laptop charge with a normal day of use. In addition to a laptop plug the bag includes adapters for phones, USB devices and a car charger, and there's a battery inside the bag to improve the efficiency of the panel and to keep the juice flowing when you're in the shade. It all sounds great, but the bad news here is the price: $599. Yeah, your money might be better spent on a few spares batteries, but if you're going to be spending a week or so away from plugs, the Generator just might be the ticket.
Eleksen slaps SideShow on a messenger bag
SideShow ain't just for laptops anymore, Eleksen just grabbed a few of its nifty "ElekTex" fabric controls, a 2.5-inch LCD, and some SideShow functionality and pasted it all onto a hip little messenger bag. The SideShow module can communicate with your laptop via Bluetooth or USB, and the unit supports MP3 playback, photo albums, videos and more, beamed straight off your laptop's on-board memory cache. We spotted a non-working prototype of this thing last night, so be sure to check out those pics after the break.[Via Carrypad]
A quick glance at MacBook sleeve cases
Now that laptop case manufacturers have had a few weeks to react to the new MacBook, they've started to release an array of sleeves that fit perfectly around the MacBook's refined curves. There's something for everyone here, whether you want a sleeve with a little more padding than usual, a sleeve that makes a colorful statement or one that keeps your nether regions nice and cool. Read on for the round-up.