In March 2008, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced plans to implement new security procedures that would allow travelers to pass through airport security checkpoints without having to remove their laptops from their cases. Simultaneously, the TSA issued a request to laptop bag manufacturers to create “Checkpoint Friendly” laptop bags to help speed up security lines, allowing passengers to get to their departure gates in a timely manner. These new cases help shorten wait times for more than 250 million passengers that travel annually in the U.S.

TSA gave specific guidelines they required for each laptop bag to comply with in order to be TSA compliant or Checkpoint Friendly. The laptop compartment must be independent and clear of any other gadgets, cords, metal zippers, etc. TSA screeners must have a clear unobstructed view of the laptop itself. As long as these strict requirements are met, the new designed laptop bags would be cleared for use at all U.S. airports. If laptop bags do not meet these specific guidelines that will not be considered Checkpoint Friendly and the traveler will have to remove their laptop or Ultrabook from their case.

Mobile Edge was among the first manufacturers to offer Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bags in the marketplace. Their ScanFast™ Collection of Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Cases exceeds all TSA guidelines to be Checkpoint Friendly. In fact, the Design Team at Mobile Edge took the TSA requirements one step further and made the padded computer compartment see through with large writing for TSA agents to easily read, “Checkpoint Friendly.” Business travelers sent feedback to Mobile Edge announcing how easy their trip was going though security checkpoints thanks to their new ScanFast laptop case they purchased.

The TSA does not officially endorse any private company’s products, so companies cannot claim their cases are “TSA Approved.” However, companies can say their laptop cases are TSA compliant if they meet their astringent criterion.

Mobile Edge leads the Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bag category by offering 14 different styles of TSA compliant laptop cases designed for both men and women. Mobile Edge is known for their stylish women’s laptop cases and now offers six different styles of Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Cases as part of their ScanFast for Her Collection. All Mobile Edge Laptop Bags come with a Lifetime Warranty.

By Jennifer Gaines, Techlicious, Travel & Entertainment Editor

Confession: I think checkpoint-friendly laptop bags are the anti-fashion. Because of this, I’ve chosen to forgo function and maintain style, but many of my more practical traveling companions would happily ditch fashion for the chance to move through the security line a bit faster.

I talked to those practical travelers to ask them their opinions of checkpoint-friendly laptop bags, a.k.a. TSA approved, and the response was overall very good. The frequent flyers who use these bags often say they typically get through the line without hang-ups. The most common complaints: cost and style.

This takes us back to my function vs. fashion dilemma; I searched high and low for TSA approved laptop bags that aren’t ugly, and the selection of ladies’ bags is quite dismal, I must admit.

But here are a few that made the cut for style and function:
The Mobile Edge ScanFast Element Briefcase is one of the most high-tech bags out there. It not only includes a section just for your laptop, making it TSA compliant, but it also has a wireless security shield to keep your devices safe.

If you’re in the market for a checkpoint-friendly laptop bag, it’s a good idea to cross-check its components with the Transportation Security Administration guidelines for compliant laptop bags. That said, I should remind you that the airport security screening process can be random, so just because you have one of these bags doesn’t mean that you won’t be asked to remove your laptop. As many of the practical travelers told me, the bags usually do the job, but not always.

To read the complete blog post from Jennifer Gaines click here.

By Shama Kabani, Portfolio.com

Shama Kabani, CEO Marketing Zen, international speaker, and traveler, shares her best-kept travel secrets.

Everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned from experience. Just these past six months alone have seen me in more than seven countries—from Hong Kong to Egypt. I travel mostly for business, and here are my best-kept secrets.

What to Pack: Anyone who has ever seen my closet will tell you I am not a minimalist. My luggage tells a different story. Convenience trumps choices when I travel more than 18 hours. If traveling overnight or for less than two days, I recommend only a carry-on. If you check a bag and it gets lost, the chances are you won’t have it back until your trip is over.

In my carry-on, I have my iPad 2 (I leave the Kindle at home since the iPad has a Kindle app), my laptop (only if I am giving a presentation, otherwise the iPad works), a sleeping kit (eye cover, socks, and a mini toothbrush), quality headphones, sunglasses, a packet of gum, and an extra shirt just in case. If the carry-on is my only luggage, I add a suit and a mini makeup and medicine bag. I stick to only one pair of shoes in which I can walk and present. Want to get through security faster? Use a TSA compliant, checkpoint friendly laptop bag. You can keep the laptop in its case. Mobile Edge makes a few good ones.

To read her full article click here.

Here are a few time saving tips that will help you the next time you need to travel with your laptop.
1. Pack light, and be organized. Your carry-on luggage or briefcase should be packed neatly so the TSA agents can get a clear unobstructed view of your bag and the contents inside. You do not need a gray bin to place your bag in if it is TSA compliant.
2. Place your cell phone, wallet or purse, and all valuables inside your Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bag. When you walk through the screener you will not set off any alarms and your valuables will be safe inside your bag.
3. Be prepared to take off your shoes and belt if you have one on. By preparing yourself you will fly through security like a seasoned traveler.
4. Keep liquids and gels in a packed or checked bag inside a clear plastic bag. This helps screeners get your baggage to the right plane quicker and without delay.

These are just a few tips on how to speed up your security screening process. For more information about TSA guidelines, click here.

Mobile Edge is a market leader in Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bags, and has one of the largest assortments of bags on the market. Mobile Edge offers five TSA compliant laptop cases made just for women. Additionally, Mobile Edge makes 12 different men’s Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Cases. Visit the ScanFast product page today and travel smarter.

Mobile Edge has always made quality laptop bags, so it’s no surprise that their new lines for 2011, which offer something for every taste, continue to meet that high standard. First, and in my opinion most impressive, is the ScanFast™ 2.0 line (Retail $99.99), a checkpoint friendly and Eco-friendly series that is made of a new corn based material called Sorona®. Not only have they created a bag that is comfortable to use, keeps your laptop and accessories well protected, and eases your way through airport security, it’s also green. This material contains 37% renewable resources, and requires 30% less energy to produce than other fabrics, resulting in 63% less green house emissions. Who wouldn’t want to help keep our planet healthy while being stylish at the same time?

The laptop pocket is well padded and folds out completely flat, with a clear pouch to make your laptop visible to airport security. This eliminates the need to remove your laptop for the scanner. The other interior compartments have many convenient little pockets for all of your accessories and office materials. The ScanFast 2.0 line comes in a messenger bag, briefcase, or backpack style. Another ScanFast™ series is the Alienware line (Retail $99.99), for all the hardcore gamers to protect their awesome Alienware super gaming laptops. And, I particularly love the gorgeous ScanFast models designed especially for women. The ScanFast Onyx Briefcase and backpack (Retail $99.99) are black and very chic, and the ScanFast Element (Retail $99.99) is so pretty and feminine, in faux leather and suede. It comes in brown, green, or pink, with a cool striped interior, perfectly suited for making a girl feel a bit more girly when toting her big ole laptop around. All of these models have the dedicated laptop compartment as well, which folds out flat for security screening.

Checkpoint Friendly laptop bags are not the only great lines from Mobile Edge this year. There are several lines that really pop with personality and color, and are sure to turn some heads. The Sumo Sleeves (Retail $19.99), which are designed to fit Netbooks, iPads, and MacBooks, are made from water resistant neoprene, to sleekly cushion your device. They come in multiple colors of a Camo or graffiti pattern. The Maddie Powers limited edition line (Retail $59.99-$99.99) is very unique, featuring bags with pulp magazine images from the 1940’s and 1950’s. These bags come in various styles, all with excellent protective padding, and some have matching removable neoprene sleeves, for when you only need to carry your laptop. Most of the Maddie Powers models are for women, but there are a few for men as well.

They also have a very pretty selection of Eco-Friendly Totes (Retail $69.99-$79.99), in interesting colors like polka dots and spring pastels. This model has a removable laptop section so it can double as a purse, complete with removable cell phone case and hide-away water bottle holder. They are eco-friendly due to the natural cotton canvas exterior.

I’m all about keeping our planet healthy, so the ScanFast™ 2.0 and Eco-Friendly Tote series are top of my list. But, I also love to stand out from the crowd, so I’m excited about the ScanFast Element and Maddie Powers collections too.

To read the full review click here.

When you are going through airport security, what’s the most important thing? I mean, aside from making sure your socks don’t have holes in them, that is. You want to get through it fast, right? And it sure is a hassle having to remove your laptop from its bag and then put it back in the bag on the other side. Well, no more worries mate. The Mobile Edge ScanFast Checkpoint Friendly Briefcase 2.0 is the bag for you!

In the past month I went on 2 trips so I had to go through airport security in several different airports around the country. I was intrigued by this bag that claimed I didn’t have to remove my laptop before going through security, because they are pretty strict at airport security, right? I wondered how all the airport security folks around the country got the message about this bag and what I was going to say if they made me remove the laptop. I wondered if Julie was going to bail me out of jail for refusing to remove the laptop, because my review just wouldn’t work if I had to remove it! Luckily, Julie didn’t have to come to my rescue.

I was successful at every airport getting through security without having to remove the laptop from the bag, and it was simply a breeze with this bag! As you can see from the picture below, you just unzip the main zipper and open the bag completely flat. Lay the bag on the conveyor belt and shazam, that’s it. I didn’t have to get an extra bin to put the laptop in, thereby saving me a couple minutes and lots of hassle. If I traveled a lot, this bag would be extremely valuable because over the long run the minutes you save having to stand in line add up.

I am very pleased with this bag, and even though it can’t hold as much stuff as some of my larger computer bags, this has become my daily-use bag of choice. And because of the quality of materials, and a lifetime guarantee, I think this is going to last me a long time. Some added benefits of the bag for traveling are that it fits in overhead bins of course, but also, because of its small size it fits under the seat in front of you.

To read the full review click here to visit the Gadgeteer Blog Site.

Here is the official blog post from the TSA.

E-readers, Net Books and other small gadgets are becoming more and more popular for travelers to bring along in their carry-ons. (iPad, Kindle™, Neo, Nook™, Sony® Reader™ etc.)

Not only are they essential to those who need to stay connected and work or study on the go, but they are also fantastic time killers, which makes these gadgets extremely popular carry-on items. I’ve read many a post from people wondering if these items should be treated like a laptop and removed from their carry-on bags for checkpoint screening.

Great question! Electronic items smaller than the standard sized laptop should not need to be removed from your bag or their cases. It’s that simple.

It’s important to remember, however, that our officers are trained to look for anomalies to help keep air travel safe, and if something needs a closer look, it will receive secondary screening. The key to avoiding bag searches is keeping the clutter down. The less clutter you have in your bag, the less likely it will be searched.

Only electronics the size of a standard laptop or larger (for example Playstation®, Xbox™, or Nintendo®), full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes must be removed from their carrying cases and submitted separately for x-ray screening. Removing larger electronics helps us get a better look at them and also allows us to get a better look at the contents of your bag. If you you have a TSA “checkpoint friendly” laptop bag, you can leave your laptop in. For more information click here.

The redesigned ScanFast Netbook Briefcase is ideal for traveling with your small ultra light Netbook computer. Now when passing through airport security checkpoints, you can leave your Netbook in the briefcase keeping it safe and secure.

In an independent study conducted by the Ponemon Institute, more than 12,000 laptops are left behind or stolen at airport security checkpoints each week nationwide. By using a ScanFast Checkpoint Friendly Laptop or Netbook Bag, you will not have to worry about someone easily slipping your Netbook or Laptop into their bag. Your worries are gone as your computer will safely be secured in your case.

In addition to possibly being pilfered, you will not have to worry about dropping or damaging your laptop or Netbook when taking it out of the case. You will be one of the studious travelers as you pass through security checkpoints like you work for the TSA. (metaphorically speaking)

Lastly, the new Apple iPad will fit securely into the ScanFast Netbook Briefcase, however I would recommend the iPad be in a protective sleeve. Because the iPad is so thin (a mere 1/2 inch thick), it may be a little loose in the Netbook compartment. However, if the iPad is in a sleeve it will give your new tablet enough girth to be fastened down by the overlapping Velcro tab.

Check out our full line of ScanFast Checkpoint Friendly Laptop and Netbook Cases by clicking here.

By Michelle Higgins – New York Times

Since the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began tightening security in response to the Christmas Day bombing plot on a flight to Detroit, travelers have faced increasingly rigorous screenings at airports. They’ve been forced to cope with extra bag checks, closer scrutiny of their identification, and full body pat-downs for children as well as adults.

The new measures come on top of the already arduous process familiar to any regular traveler: the ritual offering up of shoes, jackets, belts, watches, laptops, cell phones and keys. But it’s the inconsistencies in the security measures — from country to country, airline to airline and airport to airport — that have left many passengers exasperated and confused. Some say they have encountered the usual routine, while others tell of undergoing multiple screenings at various stages of the itinerary, mostly on international flights bound for the United States.

More changes are expected to come to airports around the world as governments explore new security technology, including the much debated full-body scanners, which will soon be used in more American airports. Passengers traveling within the United States may notice an increase in random screenings, behavior detection officers who look for signs that passengers may be hiding something, and a wider use of tools like explosives trace detection devices, not just at the checkpoint but throughout the airport.

For passengers, all of this means coping with an onerous, shifting security routine fraught with privacy concerns. But travelers are a resilient bunch and many are already adapting to the new realities. Here are a number of things you can do to navigate the new measures.

Pack carefully
Innocent items can appear to be potential threats on an X-ray image, simply by the way they’re packed. Tying up loose headphones and cell phone cords so your luggage doesn’t look like an ominous jumble of wires can help expedite screening, for instance.

Use a special laptop bag
These “checkpoint friendly” bags provide a clear and unobstructed X-ray image of the laptop, allowing travelers to keep the computers in their cases at airport security checkpoints. This eliminates the hassle of having to unpack the laptop, place it in a bin and repack it at the end of the conveyor belt.

Mobile Edge offers a huge collection of TSA compliant Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bags they call their ScanFast Collection. They offer the largest selection of security approved laptop cases on the market for both men and women travelers.

Follow the rules

It may sound simple, but anyone who has been to an airport recently knows how frequently this point is overlooked. Shoes must be placed on the X-ray belt, as opposed to in a bin, to help security officers get a good look at them. Liquids, aerosols or gels must be packed in containers no larger than 3.4 ounces in one clear, quart-sized zip-top bag. A list of prohibited items is at www.tsa.gov/travelers.

To read the full story click here.

By Scott Carmichael, Gadling Travel Editor

Flying can be a stressful way to spend your day, especially if you only fly once or twice a year. Reports of terror attempts and airport evacuations don’t make things any better. Thankfully, if you follow some simple tips, your trip through the checkpoint can be really simple, allowing you more time to enjoy the dreadful airport food, or to waste your money at the airport duty free shop.

We’ve gathered ten tips that can make your checkpoint experience as stress-free as possible. Not just for you, but for the hundreds of others trying to make it to the other side of the checkpoint at the same time.

Are you an “amateur” traveler? Were you allowed to carry box cutters and knives the last time you took a flight? Then chances are you are not up to date on the latest airport security rules. It is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, a prepared traveler is a rare breed, so consider yourself lucky that you are showing an interest in it.

The best starting point (other than this article) is of course the TSA web site. Their “what to know before you go” has the nitty-gritty on airport security, prohibited items and of course their own tips on getting through security as efficiently as possible.

Invest in a Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bag

If you regularly pass through the checkpoint with a laptop, do yourself a favor and invest in a checkpoint friendly laptop bag. These bags are specially designed to fold open, allowing the x-ray machine a clear unobstructed view of your computer. They cost about 25% more than a normal laptop bag.

The advantage of a TSA friendly laptop bag is obvious – you don’t need to take your laptop out of its bag, greatly reducing the risk of damage. It also shaves about 30 seconds off your trip through the checkpoint. A good place to find a large assortment of checkpoint friendly bags is Mobile Edge. This company makes stylish bags for men and women, with bags starting at just $49.95.

Frisk *yourself*
Before you even think about stepping into the security line, frisk yourself. Really – run your hands up and down all your pockets, front and back. Remove anything metallic, and you’ll reduce the risk of missing that loose change or pocket knife. Don’t just assume the metal detector will find it for you.

Find the right line

Many airports have introduced separate TSA lanes for the different kind of traveler. The black or diamond lane is for the experienced traveler. These lanes won’t have as many staff members assisting you. The casual traveler lane may have someone helping point out the bins, and the family/medical liquid lane is where you’ll get the most help. Especially if you are traveling with kids, you’ll want to pick the green lane. Sadly, not all airports have adopted this system.

The lanes are not a contest – don’t worry if you need to go to the casual traveler lane, because picking the right lane will make life easier on you, and your fellow passengers.

To read the full article click here.