Travelling With Laptop FAQs

[Aberforth]

Laptop have the advantage that we can carry our computers as we wish. However a lot of us have concerns when travelling with laptops so I think I reproduce this FAQ made by a friend of mine for the benefit of Digit Readers.

Can I carry a laptop as check in baggage in planes?
Yes you can, but it carries the risk of getting stolen or facing the extreme handling of check-in baggages. Your laptop is best kept with you in the cabin as a hand/cabin baggage as it is safe from theft or torturous handling this way.

Can I use my laptop on short haul flights?
Yes, you can use your laptop on short haul flights if there is enough battery power available and the airline permits using it while on flight. It is best you confirm the case with the airline while booking or while boarding the plane. Normally all electronic items are switched off before take-offs and landings. Laptops can be used while in the air a while after take-off and a while before landing when the announcement is done.

Will airport security screening hurt my laptop?
In most cases, no. The baggage security screeners at airports use X-rays unlike the magnetic metal detectors used to screen humans. X-rays are safe and harmless to laptops and would not cause any damage to the laptop in normal circumstances. Keep a backup of your hard disk in case the screener uses magnetic fields which could corrupt data (such scanners are very rare, however).

Can I use Wi-Fi hotspots while travelling?
Yes you sure can. But you have to remember, open and public hotspots like those in coffee shops, airports, parks, etc. are usually unencrypted. This means your private data can be spied on or stolen by data thieves and hackers, in that case sensitive transactions are best left to secured internet connections.

Source -- Travelling With Your Laptop

[rocket357]

Ever worry about having a laptop stolen? What about all of the personal information you *might* have hidden in some remote nook or cranny? It's a nightmare, right? Have to revoke keys, change passwords, etc...etc...etc...

Well, there's a solution...I give you the fully encrypted Linux laptop:

http://www.debianhelp.org/node/1116

[infra_red_dude]

that made an excellant read rocket! i'll try it on my system when i haf time. but i'll surely try it!

[Sridhar_Rao]

I used to carry my laptop with me to my office on bike, then somebody told me that bad roads can create jerks that can damage the hard disks platters. Now whenever I carry my laptop, I travel in car. Am I justified in doing this or my fears are unfound?

[infra_red_dude]

laptops are meant to be portable and hence they are expected to withstand some jerks and shocks. and they do.. their parts are definitely more robust when compared to their desktop counterparts. i don't think so called 'bad' roads can damage them unless its more of potholes than roads!