Tips for Travel with a Notebook PC
Keep Laptop Computers Safe to Use on Airplanes and in Cars
Laptop computers are useful for business travel. Notebook PC accessories make travel with laptops easier. Other tips from M. Miller are useful for work trips as well.
Those of us who use airlines to travel a lot for work, know how important it is to have a laptop computer. Air travel takes a lot of time, and an efficient way to spend time on the airplane is by getting work done on a notebook PC. As annoying as it is to take our laptops out of their cases or bags to get through security, having that notebook PC on board helps time fly by. No pun intended.
Michael Miller's new (October, 2007) book, Your First Notebook PC, has said, "If you frequently take a notebook PC with you when you travel, try out these tips." Be it by airplane or car, business travel with laptop computers doesn't have to be complicated. A few laptop accessories, in fact, make it almost...easy. These 10 useful tips for traveling with a laptop are all worth considering before a business trip.
10 Useful Tips for Air Travel with a Laptop PC:
- If there is not enough room to place a notebook PC on the airline coach class tray table, consider investing in Keynamics’ Aviator Laptop stand, which positions laptop computers at an angle to make the most of the available space.
- Don’t be tempted to place a notebook PC in a plane’s overhead storage area; it can easily get knocked around or even stolen by fellow travelers. Instead, store it under the seat in front of you, where it’s always in sight.
- Some long-haul flights provide power ports that supply 15V direct current to power a notebook PC and other devices. The best bet for finding such power ports are on cross-country and international flights on American, Delta, United and US Airways. To use a power port, get a compatible DC auto/air power adapter. Keep in mind that power adapters are device and model specific – although the iGo Juice power cord, that connects devices to any AC or DC power source, is an all-in-one power adapter.
- If a car is used for business travel, consider investing in a mobile notebook desk, that provides a good resting surface for notebooks. Some of these mounts attach to the passenger seat, some mount permanently to the front floor of the car, and others just sit on your lap.
- If traveling by car, use a cellular data card for roving Internet access. You’ll find lots of Wi-Fi hotspots when you stop your car at rest stops and hotel parking lots, but not on the highway. For connecting from anywhere there is cellular phone service, invest in a broadband cellular data card for the laptop, and also the accompanying data service.
- If there is Internet service, there’s no reason not to use the laptop computer to help navigate – and find gas stations, restaurants and hotels on the road. Google Maps is popular for these tasks, although any general-purpose mapping site will do the trick.
- If traveling with kids, let them use the notebook PC for in-car entertainment. It can function as a mobile game player and a portable DVD player. For long trips, consider a rear seatback notebook mount.
- For safety of the notebook PC, identify it before the work trip. Try taping a business card to the bottom of the laptop; if it gets stolen and found, you can identify it as yours.
- Take an extra battery – it doesn’t hurt to travel with a second fully-charged battery. When the main battery runs out, replace it with the auxiliary battery.
- Want to keep a nosy seatmate or the guy at the next table from seeing what's being typed? Use a privacy screen filter. It fits on the notebook screen and uses microlouver technology to reduce off-angle viewing. You can see what’s on your laptop computer screen, but people on your left and right can’t.
We all know that business travel with laptop computers is the way to go. Go easier, with less annoying holdups and problems, by following these 10 useful tips. You'll get more work done, and the notebook PC accessories make for smoother flights; it's one less thing to worry about. If it could, your notebook PC would thank you.
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