Searching Laptops

by Neil Woodburn on

Here’s something I’ll bet you didn’t know; fly into an American airport and security can actually search the hard drive of your laptop. They can turn it on, rummage through your files like it’s just another piece of luggage filled with dirty socks, and hold you liable for anything illegal which might be located on your hard drive. And, they don’t even need probable cause. It could simply be a random search, a few oddly named files, and there goes your laptop.

According to a column by Joe Sharkey in the New York Times, this has become a rather hot topic for businessmen traveling with propriety information on their laptops. Some TSA schmuck is going to learn about the next big merger and run out to buy stock in the company along with 200 of his closest friends.

Me? I’m just worried that those digital photos of Keira Knightley and I might be stolen and posted online somewhere.

Taboo Costumes to Wear while Flying

by Neil Woodburn on

Today is Halloween.

For those of you who happen to be flying on this day and want to participate in the festivities with a little costume, please take a moment to reconsider what you might think is funny.

James Wysong, writing for MSNBC.com highlights a handful of costume faux pas he has seen at the airport over the years and the consequences experienced by passengers (and flight crews) perhaps a little too creative for their own good–like the gate agents who dressed as bombs, the New Yorker mocked-up as a tampon, or the passenger donning a fake pilot’s uniform and pretending to be drunk.

Sure, there are some pretty creative ideas out there but realize that the TSA, last time I checked, has no sense of humor. But, you have to admit; wouldn’t it be great if they all dressed up in bondage outfits and Nazi uniforms today? “Sir, step aside, we really need to search you.” I don’t know about you, but that would be the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen on Halloween.

Plane Power Plug-in for Powerbooks

by Erik Olsen on

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to close the silver lid to my Powerbook while in mid-flight because my laptop battery was dead. And forever I’ve pondered two things: 1. why can’t planes install power outlets for fliers since so many of us now carry gadgets the need the juice. and 2. why can’t laptop and gadget batteries overall hold more juice? The second question I know is more of a long-term tech nical solution. As for the first, part of me suspects that airplanes would need a complete architectural overhaul to get outlets installed. And then there is the concern the people would have that by plugging in they’re somehow diverting pow from the plane so they can watch the Little Mermaid DVD on their laptop. It turns out, though, that the power on plane issue may already be addressed and that all you need is an adapter. Yes, according to this post found via Worldhum, owners of Apple’s new Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro ca purchase a new product that will allow them to plug in at 30,000 feet.

Called the Magsafe Airline Power Adapter, this handy gadget apparently works with the in-seat DC power ports found on many commercial airliners. The adapter supports both EmPower and 20mm ports…which means nothing to me. I merely wanted to point out this exists, ad so if anyone out there can explain whether this adapter will allow you to plug-in on a, say, JetBlue flight, we’d like to know. Anyone who can shed some light on this will get our endless admiration.

Bogus Boarding Pass Saga

by Erik Olsen on

In case you haven’t been following the saga of Christopher Soghoian, the guy who created the Fake Boarding Pass Generator website, you can tune in to either Boing Boing or Wired News to catch up. It all seems rather convoluted and complicated in a legal sense to me, and far too much to try and condense into digestible form for a very early Sunday. So let me direct you to the Boing Boing coverage to satisfy your curiosity. Suffice it to say that the guy printing these passes…or who had a Web site saying he could print passes…has been visited by the FBI for doing so. He’s trying to point out a certain flimsiness is the security system, the Feds are saying one should not go around printing boarding passes, and so on. A congressman, one Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) called for Soghoian’s arrest, and for the takedown of his website, which generates phony Northwest Airlines boarding passes that, as I say above, tries to show off airline security weaknesses. I suppose I salute the gu for pointing out a weakness…should it really exist…but one does have to wonder whether the Feds are correct as well in cracking down on the guy. I mean, we can’t have people running around printing passes for themselves, even if they’re just trying to get a free spring break trip to the Bahamas out of it.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of October 22

by Adrienne Wilson on

Can everyone say TGIF? Boy, am I glad the first hint of the weekend has arrived. It’s been a long one and if your week happened to have been as hectic as mine then you may have missed some of these Gadling pieces, but never fear – they are here.

5. Paris Too Hardcore for the Japanese?:
Culture reads are always fun in my book and seeing how different tourists react in certain countries is also good info to know, but something about this piece on Paris being too tough on Japanese strikes me as odd. I’ve never heard of a city that caused one to seek psychological counseling after your return. Is there anyone out there who can back this up?

4. World’s Most Expensive Restaurants:
Follow poor Erik as he accidentally gets in on a dinner bill at one of NY’s most priciest restaurants and regrets ever showing up. After sharing his own personal story he points those that like having restaurant tabs starting at about $370 a person to this Forbes List of most expensive restaurants. Chow down for me, because you won’t find me there.

3. New York Times Looks at Los Angeles:
Erik lives in New York. Neil lives in Los Angeles. I live in Limbo. What better set of travel bloggers could one possibly find? While I stay out in the land of Limbo I can thank Neil for holding his ground in LA to help provide honest criticism on the City of Angels when folks like the NY Times try to sum it all in one go. If you’re considering travel to LA, read Neil’s blurb and this pretty good read from the NY Times as well. Then let us know what you think.

2. Dirty, Filthy, Nasty, & Unclean Airplanes:
Some find horror in film, but I find horror in real life. I call it soiled seats, filthy carpet and greasy windows 35,000 feet in air. I’m sure you’ve been on a dirty airplane a time or two. Well, reading this piece will probably have you reaching for that barf bag next time you fly.

1. Smoke-Free Hotel Rooms:
With this news I’m sure some non-smokers lungs are singing praise and screaming hallelujah! Yes, it looks as though Westin Hotel & Resorts along with the Marriott are banning smoking altogether in their chain of hotels. Good news for us, but I’m sure those not ready to kick the habit are either pouting or puffing it up in some shady smoked-filled motel room.