Select your MacBook Air.
|
|
|
 |
Posted on 03/18/2008 2:49:18 AM PDT by Jet Jaguar
The suspiciously thin, port-free laptop sends airport security into a tizzy, until cooler heads prevail. Maybe it's time for some tech briefings at the TSA, no? On his blog, programmer Michael Nygard (by way of the Unofficial Apple Weblog) writes that during a recent trip through the airport, his solid-state MacBook Air stopped TSA agents—puzzled by its lack of rear-facing ports or a standard hard drive—in their tracks.
Nygard said the agents put him and his suspicious "device" in a holding cubicle as security staffers huddled nearby, looking at X-ray printouts of the sinister-looking Air and scratching their heads.
A younger TSA agent—who, apparently, was aware of Apple's newest laptop—tried explaining to the group that the Air uses solid-state memory in place of a traditional hard drive. The senior staffer, however, was still reluctant to let it go: "New products on the market? They haven't been TSA approved. Probably shouldn't be permitted," Nygard writes.
Finally, after booting up the Air and running a program, the agents let Nygard go, he said—but only after he'd missed his flight.
I've been hearing stories like these all too often, which leads to the question: how exactly are TSA agents being trained, anyway? How about, I dunno, some regular briefings on the latest gadgets that might be making their way through security checkpoints? And while TSA agents are wasting time fussing with laptops, undercover investigators with bomb parts in their bags have been sailing though security checkpoints.
Anyone else out there get stopped by airport security because of a "suspicious" gadget in their luggage? Feel free to vent right here.
ping, in case you have not seen it.
He could have turned it on, surfed the web, and come up with pictures of it. Come to think of it, in TSA’s custody he probably couldn’t do any of these things.
That chunk of flash memory looks like Semtex on the X rays
|
|
|
|
Looks to me like a weapon of mass distraction.
When will computer makers adapt to the world they live in, and start placing nice messages in the hardware, only visible by xray? (Greetings TSA! This is the latest from Apple! Wouldn’t you like a laptop this thin? If you know what a laptop is, of course! P.S. The 90-year-old granny third in line behind this guy - let’s just say you should really search her well. The six Muslim men, don’t bother searching them. I know, I know, you weren’t going to.)
How about Apple writes a big “BOMB” across the flash memory -— only visible when x-rayed?
Mass destruction of the contents of your bank account
Misses Flig?
I lost my flig 30 years ago.
I’m bringing my ASUS eeePC through a TSA checkpoint on Thursday. I’ll let you know how it goes...
The worse part about all this was the flig he missed.
Missus Flig, please pick up the white courtesy phone...
I would appreciate a ping. Thanks.
"This device has no idea what you're looking for, so here's a picture of Mohammed with a BOMB on his head."
How many port does that thing have? BTW I did a quick look up. You have 2-4gb flash memory space on that. I had a real laptop in 1999 that had a 2.5gb hard drive so one can certainly deal with that capacity. Even more so if you have USB port to plug in an external hard drive. Especially one with a laptop hard drive in the enclosure
Ah yes, the TSA gangstaz strike again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7AWw7t5zj0
rabbit pancake—— Muhammad bomb-——
How about you have Muhammad bomb for your screen saver when TSA orders you to turn on laptop -—— KA-BOOM!!!!
Says right there in the title that she is the owner. No wonder Michael Nygard had problems. Imagine, taking Misses Flig's laptop and trying to slip it past TSA. TSA is too sharp - no way was he going to get anything by them. He should have known better. What a maroon.
"It was the will of Apple."
Rap sucks! The only thing worse than rap is country music...
As someone who flies every week, TSA does the best it can with what it has to work with.
They see tens of thousands of laptops at major airports. The Mac Air looked different and that throws up a red flag.
TSA did the right thing. Booting it up is the correct procedure.
The author must have been cutting his flight time close to miss his flig.
Not bad... ;0)
As usual, Mac is a generation behind in hardware technology
“Misses Flig?”
Misses “ht” :-)
Who needs ports, especially the USB variety? The Mac Air was designed to use wireless connections.
I’ll be surprised if they can make those prices stick in this kind of economic environment
“They haven’t been TSA approved. Probably shouldn’t be permitted,”
This statement could only come from a government-fascist. Too much power is given to the government. It has created thousands of little dictators who enjoy harassing citizens.
“This statement could only come from a government-fascist.”
Oh cmon its only coming from a high school educated guy making $15 an hour who can screw up your life with a single word.
Is that a Cray?
Nice post.
Pookie,
One more for your consideration.
Sorry they used that one on peanut butter
MORONS!
I love it that one of the American Idols was a TSA inspector. Just beautiful...
Only using D Cell batteries.
Basically, it's an external power source with USB interface, that you can use to recharge, or extend run times of Cell phones, iPods or any other electronic device that can be charged via USB port.
Parts are a couple of resistors, some caps, inductors, diode, 5V booster.
Apparently the TSA thought it suspicious.
The guy was able to convince the TSA of its purpose, but had to do a lot of explaining on why you'd want to have a portable backup power supply for a device that normally lasts 3 hours, but you're on a 20 hour trip.
The biggest drawback, as far as I am concerned, with the the ASUS eeePC is the teeny tiny keyboard. But with flash drives and SD cards, capacity is no problem.
Why does the computer in your photo need a STEERING WHEEL? Where is it supposed to be going?
Thanks. Being the modest fellow that I am, I accept all gratuitous acknowledgments for something I merely "borrowed" from other sources and posted herein to inflate my perceived brilliance and acumen. LOL
I've taken several international trips through Newark and ATL with my EEEPC without an issue.
That's because that's a famous hoax picture of a submarine control with a printer and TV 'shopped in.
It was the best flig ever.
So these people get any training?
Oh. I thought I was finally getting a glimpse of the creaking, elderly computers that run the company where I work. I'm told they're steam computers, but I don't think so; they don't run that well.
Article 8 is the reason.
At the very least, you'd think that they might have sen one of the numerous TV commercials or magazine ads Apple put out for the thing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
