Latest Posts in Mobile Mac

Transferring files securely

If you're traveling and you need a key document, such as the latest draft of your business plan or the presentation your colleagues just finished, there are many ways you can get it: e-mail, iDisks, and online file services such as SendThisFile or YouSendIt. But if the document you need is super-confidential, you may not want to trust any of those file-transferring tools, because they aren't secure; if someone really wanted to, he or she could probably intercept and open the file somewhere along the line. There are several alternatives, however, and most of them are quite simple.

Sending Securely

E-mail is the most straightforward way to transfer files or information in text form, but it has its limitations: most ISPs restrict the size of e-mail messages to 10MB or 20MB. If you have files of moderate size that you want to transfer, e-mail is the best solution, and it’s easy to do so securely. The key is to set up your mail program to encrypt the message you’re sending, and then make sure the person at the other end can decrypt it.

To work with encrypted e-mail, you first need to obtain a certificate—a way of proving who you are and providing a private key for encryption. You can get a certificate for free from Thawte’s Personal E-Mail Certificates page. Create an account there, choose the appropriate browser and level of protection, and then download the certificate and add it to your keychain. (For more information, see Keep Your Secrets with Mail. That story explains how to set up Mail to send and receive encrypted messages; the procedure is similar for Entourage, but check its help files for details.)

‘Checkpoint friendly’ laptop bags explained

Back in early August, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced new rules covering “checkpoint friendly” laptop bags. The goal of these regulations is to increase the speed and efficiency of airport security checkpoints by allowing passengers to keep their laptop computers in their bags during X-ray screening. However, there’s quite a bit of confusion about what, exactly, constitutes a checkpoint-friendly bag and the specific rules for using one. Today’s Mobile Mac gives you the lowdown.

What is a “checkpoint friendly” bag?

According to the TSA, these are the criteria a laptop bag must meet to be considered checkpoint-friendly:

• It must have a designated laptop-only section.
• The laptop-only section must unfold completely to lie flat on the X-ray belt.
• No metal snaps, zippers or buckles can be located inside, underneath, or on top of the laptop-only section. (In other words, metal elements must be positioned so they do not overlap the body of the laptop in an X-ray image.)
• It cannot have pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section.
• Nothing can be packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself. (This is more of a guideline for packing than for designing a bag, although a laptop compartment that fits a computer perfectly makes it more difficult to fit additional items.)

Not listed in the guidelines, but mentioned on the TSA Web site under the topic of Industry Process and Guidelines, are warnings against thick bag dividers and thick emblems or seals on the laptop-only section. These elements can prevent security-checkpoint X-rays from obtaining a clear image of your laptop.

Brenthaven Trek Sleeve

Back in June 2007, I covered Brenthaven’s $20 MacBook Sleeve, an impressively protective case at an impressively low price. As I explained at the time, the Sleeve was originally designed for some of Apple’s “one-student-one-laptop” initiatives:

The challenge, according to Brenthaven, was to come up with a protective bag that would hold up to the abuse of school-age kids but that was also inexpensive enough for school districts to buy in bulk. The company settled on a rigid sleeve design that could be put inside whatever bag or backpack each student preferred.

The company has since updated the MacBook Sleeve to give it a less-utilitarian appearance; the new version is called the Trek Sleeve and is priced at a still-reasonable $30. (Education customers continue to pay just $20.) I’ve been testing the Trek Sleeve for a few months, and it’s impressed me as much as the original, offering very good protection and some basic organizational features—as well as a lifetime warranty—at a price many vendors charge for a simple fabric or neoprene sleeve.

Mac MagSaver protects MagSafe connectors

I’m a big fan of Apple’s MagSafe power connector, which uses a nifty magnetic design to connect the power adapter to the laptop. As we explained back when Apple announced the original MacBook Pro models, “The MagSafe power connector safely disconnects from the notebook when there is strain on the power cord, helping to prevent the notebook from falling off its work surface if the power cord is inadvertently yanked.”

That said, a number of Mac laptop users have been disappointed in this connector. Not because it doesn’t work as advertised, but because the connection between the MagSafe connector and the power cable has proven to be less than reliable for some. Specifically, the cable has cracked or frayed at this connection for some users. The problem isn’t widespread, relative to the number of MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops out there, but it’s common enough to have generated many posts on Apple’s Discussions forums, as well to reward you with a knowing look when you plop your damaged adapter down on the Genius Bar at an Apple Store.

ExpressCard/34 Buyers’ Guide

With the MacBook Pro, Apple discarded the old PC Card slot in favor of ExpressCard/34, a more compact expansion slot that offers greater transfer speeds and an increasing array of uses. The ExpressCard format has a couple of advantages over the old PC Card format.

First, it’s narrower: ExpressCard/34 cards are 34mm wide, compared with the 54mm PC Cards. (ExpressCard/54 cards do exist, but they don’t fit in the MacBook Pro.) ExpressCards also require less power—1.5 volts, compared with 3.3 volts for the PC Card. But their biggest advantage is speed. An ExpressCard passes data to the system at up to 2.5 Gbps; PC Cards supported speeds of only 1.06 Gbps.

Here is just a sampling of the ExpressCards available. It’s by no means encyclopedic, but it should give you an idea of how you can expand your laptop’s powers.

Stay-at-home mobile accessories

Most laptop gear is designed to enhance your mobile life, but what about all those hours you spend using your portable at home? Today’s Mobile Mac takes a look at a couple laptop accessories for your humble abode.

Belkin Laptop Hideaway

I don’t know about you, but in our home, laptops are often used away from a desk—for example, on the couch, sitting in bed, or at the kitchen table. Belkin’s magazine-rack-looking Laptop Hideaway offers a convenient and attractive solution for carrying your laptop and its accessories around the house—and for storing them when not in use. The rigid shell is covered in good-looking, snag-resistant fabric, with the inside lined with softer material over thick padding. One side of the Hideaway holds a 15.4-inch (or smaller) laptop; the other is split into two smaller pockets: one for your power adapter and other small accessories, the other for larger accessories or books and magazines. The handle on top makes for easy room-to-room toting.

MacBook Air shells and sleeves

A big appeal—perhaps the biggest appeal—of the MacBook Air is its size and weight: at just three pounds and thin as can be, it slides into places most other laptops can’t fit, letting you bring a laptop without adding much to your load. At the same time, while the Air’s size—and, let’s face it, looks—may tempt you to carry it by itself, chances are you want to give it at least a modicum of protection.

Among the most-popular types of laptop protection—especially for the MacBook Air—are sleeves and shells: slip-on or snap-on covers designed to hold just the laptop, either for protection when carrying the computer by itself or for throwing it inside a larger bag or a suitcase. I’ve been testing several of these models for the MacBook Air; here’s a quick rundown on each. One drawback to such cases worth mentioning up front is that they add a bit of weight and bulk to your laptop. That’s to be expected, but when you’re talking about a laptop as light and thin as the MacBook Air, such additions are disproportionately noticeable.

Hard shells

A while back I covered several hard shells, polycarbonate covers that snap onto your laptop—a top piece for the laptop’s screen and a bottom piece for the body of the laptop—and stay there, offering excellent all-the-time protection from scratches, as well as moderate protection against dents and dings. I got a chance to try two such cases for the MacBook Air, and both work well. As I mentioned last year, you need to thoroughly clean both your Air and the interior of the shell before putting on the shell—and periodically remove the shell and brush out any dust and dirt that’s gotten inside—in order to prevent such debris from scratching your laptop. There’s also another potential drawback: heat. Although both of these shells keep the Air’s cooling vents unobstructed, I found that the Air still got noticeably warmer when inside.

Wheeled/rolling laptop bags

In our recent Essential Mobile Gear article, I recommended a rolling bag or case instead of a backpack or shoulder bag. As I wrote at the time:

If you travel frequently…you’ll be able to carry more—possibly even a change of clothes—without putting stress on your shoulders and back.

I’ve been taking my own advice as I’ve recently tested four rolling laptop cases. While they all help you more-easily transport your gear, thanks to standard features such as hard-rubber inline-skate-style wheels; locking, telescoping handles; and padded laptop compartments, and all fit in an overhead airplane bin, they’re otherwise very different bags with different designs and advantages.

Brenthaven Expandable Trek laptop backpack

A few weeks ago, I covered several compact laptop bags ideal for carrying a 13-inch laptop and a few vital accessories. Today’s bag, Brenthaven’s $100 Expandable Trek Backpack (), is (almost) at the opposite end of the spectrum. Although it won’t hold a 17-inch MacBook Pro—it’s limited to 15-inch models—it will hold more gear than most people will ever need to cary.

Available in black/gray, black/orange, or black/blue, the Expandable Trek measures approximately 19 inches high by 15.5 inches wide by either 9 or 11 inches deep (more on this in a bit)—it’s definitely a large pack. The bag is constructed of thick ballistic nylon, and the laptop sleeve, located against your back in the largest part of the bag, has thin padding on the sides and two very thick layers of padding on the bottom. (The bag doesn't use Brenthaven's CORE system.) Overall, like other Brenthaven bags I’ve tested in the past, the Expandable Trek feels exceptionally sturdy and well-made, and it includes a lifetime guarantee. But despite this size and construction, the bag weighs just over 3 pounds empty, which is less than several other large backpacks I’ve tested that offer less protection.

Incipio Continental Companion Cables

The white, rectangular power adapters included with recent Apple laptops are 110-240V models, which means they work around the world; you just need the right plug. Apple offers a useful World Travel Adapter Kit ($39) that includes six plugs for electrical outlets around the world; you just slide out the stock plug on the power adapter and replace it with the appropriate plug for the country in which you’re traveling. (This adapter kit also works with Apple’s USB and FireWire iPod power adapters.)

But one complaint some users have had about Apple’s adapter set is that, because the plugs connect directly to the adapter, it can be difficult to plug in the adapter in tight quarters; in fact, if a wall outlet doesn’t have much clearance, you may not be able to plug in the adapter at all. (Apple’s six-foot power cable works only in the country of purchase.)

One solution to this problem is to instead buy a standard international plug adapter (such as this Belkin model) and then use your U.S. cable. Another solution is Incipio’s Continental Companion Cables ($35), a.k.a., the Companion World Travel Cables. This set of cables gives you functionality similar to that of Apple’s collection of plugs, but in cable form. Specifically, you get four foot-long cables, each with a connector for Apple’s AC adapters on one end and one of four international outlet plugs on the other. The result is compatibility with most non-U.S. outlets as well as a foot of flexible cable. Incipio includes a mesh travel bag for carrying the cables and your AC adapter.