Expat Community > Ecuador

withoutego
Joined 2010
Posts: 2276

Banned laptops & compute sticks

7 years ago

A flight ban on laptop computers is being crafted. The water is being tested very carefully.

Nobody who flies will want to break the habit of carrying a laptop computer everywhere. Crying and wailing over such a ban will be the chorus accompanying the daily story of airline vs passenger incidents.

Why? it seems intel suggests laptops are where the bad actors are now putting explosives. The ban may extend down to tablets with only the phones allowed.

Enter the "compute stick". Imagine a fat memory USB stick. One that plugs into an HDMI monitor with USB ports for KB, mouse, printer, memory, etc. A PC boiled down to its essence.

All you need is the HDMI monitor at the other end....and the KB, mouse etc. Your data and apps will be on your memory stick (data should be there now).

The upside, aside from increased security, will be not having that albatross around the neck.

Anyway, start thinking about this.

The authorities have an unenviable choice. They can institute the ban before an incident and catch hell from the public....or they can wait for a tragedy to highlight the need. This is the inescapable logic.

Understand that predicting is not wishing for something. That is head in the sand logic.

Given the above, the slow introduction of a ban now or the overnight ban in the aftermath of an incident, the bad guys might logically choose several simultaneous attacks using laptops. Their window of opportunity would snap shut quickly and they know that.

The "911" commission's finding, boiled down, blamed a "failure of imagination" for intel not preventing that atrocity . What I've said here does not stretch an informed imagination. Anyway my point is that we should consider alternatives to our beloved laptop. Start considering now.

I will be flying next week. I will not carry a laptop although my clipboard will travel in the laptop's carry bag. I don't want to give up even a cubic inch of luggage volume.

I believe in reverse mojo. I have a painting in my studio up north of a 737 entering the drink. I pat it for luck each fall when I head south.

Viaje bueno y seguro a todos

sinego

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