Laptop Travel Tips

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Watch the Weight

The smallest, lightest laptop I ever owned was that Actius. At three pounds and just two inches thick, it was the perfect size and weight for true mobility. My next model weighed four pounds, and my current machine is five. Other computers tip the scales at six, eight, or nine pounds. Why are supposedly portable machines getting heavier? Some notebooks are really "desktop replacement" units, not designed for true mobility. And manufacturers have decided that consumers want larger, widescreen-style monitors to watch movies and other videos. Maybe so, but each extra pound feels like 20 when you're dragging it around airports and hotel lobbies. If you never leave home without a laptop, consider the thin and light "ultra-portable" machines from Thinkpad, Sony, or Dell, or the Mac Air from Apple. They may cost twice as much as other units and entail some functional trade-offs, but your back and shoulders will thank you.

Add Some Bling
I'm a fast (but sloppy and fat-fingered) typist and I always inadvertently drag my thumbs on those below-the-keyboard touch pads. So I've purchased an ultrasmall mouse that plugs into a USB port. I love my Aviator Laptop Stand. It's light, stable, folds flat, and puts the laptop at a perfect typing angle on an airline tray table or hotel desktop. I carry a lifetime of data on a half-dozen thumb drives and I've found the perfect organizer case for them: an empty Altoids tin. I'm okay with the wired and wireless high-speed internet access I get on the road, but if you're not, get yourself a wireless card from a mobile-phone service provider. I throw it all in a formfitting neoprene sleeve from Incase.

Use Software Tricks
I wouldn't think of telling you what software to use, but two programs have made my life on the road with laptop more productive and satisfying. LogMeIn allows me to access (and work on) my desktop machines from my laptop over any internet connection. And Slingbox software works with the Slingbox connected to my home television. From anywhere in the world, I can watch Keith Olbermann railing against President Bush or the New York Mets blow another one in the late innings. My frequent-flying wife reports she gets HGTV and the Food Network just fine on her Slingbox-enabled laptop.

Be Prepared to Walk Away
The day will come when you have to break up with your laptop. I last an average of 18 months before I bolt for something newer and better. But now you need to be prepared to leave your laptop long before the passion cools. A federal appeals court last month ruled that laptops are the equivalent of luggage and Customs officials may search--and, if they choose--confiscate your portable when you enter the country. As with any border search, no "reasonable suspicion" is necessary. You need to safeguard your proprietary data. Always have it backed up somewhere other than on your laptop.

The Fine Print
Get ready for WiMax, a superfast form of wireless internet access. Sprint Nextel and Clearwire announced a $14 billion joint venture last week, and they have the backing of some major cable companies too. WiMax promises to deliver data faster than existing 3G wireless networks and operate at speeds equivalent to wired broadband access.

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