Flying with the Pocket Pro

[Davimee]

Next week I'll be flying with my girls to see my parents. For anyone who has traveled with their ebook readers, is there anything in particular I should be aware of before we leave? I know for my netbook I'll have to run that through the scanner separately, but can I leave my Pocket Pro in my purse? Or do I need to put it in a separate bin? Or do I not even need to tell them about it? We're staying in the States, so it's not an international flight.

And slightly off topic, does anyone have any suggestions for keeping my girls entertained? They're 9 and 6 years old, and none of us fly very often. Unfortunately my husband can't make this trip. But the girls and I will have fun! I want to pack as light as possible in my carry on. I'm thinking maybe just my purse, my netbook, and our cameras. Does anyone have any suggestions for other small (inexpensive) items I could bring along for the girls? I thought about those "magic books" or whatever they're called, where you color with the special pen provided and the picture turns up. I also thought about putting some of their videos on my netbook, but I'm not sure they'd really be able to hear it very well on the plane. Both legs of our trip are less than 2 hours, so there won't be any in-flight entertainment (movies, or whatever). Oh, but they both have a tendency to get car sick, so maybe those coloring books wouldn't be so good, although they'd work for the layover.

Oops, sorry for getting so off topic. I'm mainly wanting to know about flying with my Pocket Pro. Thanks!

[IndecisiveMe]

I can't help you with the ebook/flying question, but I can try to help with the kids and flying question

I get carsick myself if I'm a passenger, but I've never been sick in a plane, never even felt slightly motion sick. For me it's about the images flying past the window and you just don't get the with a plane. I doubt colouring would be a bad idea for the kids, in fact, it's possiblel the airline will supply the kids with a colouring/entertainment pack. You can get headphone adapters that let you contect two sets of headphones into one headphone jack, that might make it easier for them to watch movies on the netbook. Do they have portable game consoles like the DS, that would keep them entertained for the flight.

You can get motion sickness meds from the doctor if you're worried about it. I tend to avoid them, though.

Good luck!

[toomanybooks]

Take a magazine to hide your ebook reader in so you can read during takeoff and landing.

[bob1xxx]

Look if TSA is evolved don't be surprise if you get strip searched....just kidding. It is a electronic device best have it X rayed like any laptop, cell phone mp3 player etc.... just put it in a tray separately from your purse . Its all solid state so Xrays cant hurt it. I had a dark skinned Italian friend (who could pass as a saudi) left his Iphone in his back jean pocket by accident and was found when he went though the metal detector.TSA got into their tinny little minds his Ipoo was a 1 megaton pocket tactical nuke and he was Taliban . He got strip searched for his troubles. Moral don't surprise the TSA just let it be scanned seperately from your purse turn on if they ask and you be ok. Thats my 2 cents

[Dr. Drib]

My experience has been that ebook Readers do not need to be in a separate bin, unless they ask you to put it in a separate bin. I travel with ebook Readers every time I'm on a plane.




Don

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by toomanybooks

Take a magazine to hide your ebook reader in so you can read during takeoff and landing.

I do not recommend this at all.

When they ask you to turn it off, then that would be my suggestion. There's no need to break the law in order to finish a paragraph or a chapter.


Don

[omk3]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

My experience has been that ebook Readers do not need to be in a separate bin, unless they ask you to put it in a separate bin. I travel with ebook Readers every time I'm on a plane.




Don

True. I fly from UK to Greece and back quite a lot, and no one ever asked me to put my reader(s) in a separate bin. May be different in the USA, I have no idea. I always read on the plane no problem, but on takeoff and landing, when they tell you to turn off any electronic devices, I dutifully turn it off, though I have no idea what harm it could do. Nothing probably, but I'm usually in no mood to argue. It's a for a few minutes anyway.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I do not recommend this at all.

When they ask you to turn it off, then that would be my suggestion. There's no need to break the law in order to finish a paragraph or a chapter.


Don

Remember, you will have to reset the clock after a Power OFF (only needed if you are reading a Library book that expires.)

This is one of those crazy rules that comes from the early days of Air Travel.

Modern electronics is rarely completely OFF unless all batteries are removed and keep alive capacitors are discharged (not easy to get at).

[Sweetpea]

The last time I flew I only turned off those devices that had some form of connectivity (phone, pda) but I had my photo camera on. Hey, I don't fly that often and it was the first time I went to London. And London City Airport is an awesome airport to fly to (it's tiny!)

[omk3]

Oh, when I say I turn my reader off, I really mean I put it on sleep mode. There's no wireless connectivity on my reader. The only problem it might cause would be the stewardess making it an issue - that's what I wanted to avoid. So if it looks off, it's off.
And I'm sure cameras are equally safe

[Xochipilli2012]

Hi D-Girl,

Just put the reader in your purse or backpack when going through security. If they really need to figure out what it is, they'll take you aside and have a look at it. But I'd rather doubt that they will.

I get "randomly screened" all the time, and have learned that taking it in stride, being cheerful and cooperative, always makes the process go smoother. Occasionally it seems a TSA person whose having a bad day might be looking for an excuse to do their job with greater enthusiasm, and I just remember that they are allowed to have a bad day, just like the rest of us, and to not take it personally.

I have to agree with not trying "get away with anything" while the plane is taking off. Even though I'd rather doubt the PP's electronics could interfere with navigation, you can never be sure a flight attendant wouldn't take exception to that.

As for your daughters, I think the DS idea is a good one--though they'll face the same sound issues as they would watching a video. If you can afford to get them noise-cancelling earbuds (some are very affordable), that should take care of that. Just make sure they are comfortable. Normal iPod ear-thingies don't work for me on planes. I need something that can keep most of the ambient noise out. Add a splitter to the noise-canceling earbuds, and your girls could also enjoy some entertainment on the netbook.

Have a great trip, eh!

[cvkemp]

I traveled here in the USA and never had any issues.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Davimee

Next week I'll be flying with my girls to see my parents. For anyone who has traveled with their ebook readers, is there anything in particular I should be aware of before we leave? I know for my netbook I'll have to run that through the scanner separately, but can I leave my Pocket Pro in my purse? Or do I need to put it in a separate bin? Or do I not even need to tell them about it? We're staying in the States, so it's not an international flight.




And slightly off topic, does anyone have any suggestions for keeping my girls entertained? They're 9 and 6 years old, and none of us fly very often. Unfortunately my husband can't make this trip. But the girls and I will have fun! I want to pack as light as possible in my carry on. I'm thinking maybe just my purse, my netbook, and our cameras. Does anyone have any suggestions for other small (inexpensive) items I could bring along for the girls? I thought about those "magic books" or whatever they're called, where you color with the special pen provided and the picture turns up. I also thought about putting some of their videos on my netbook, but I'm not sure they'd really be able to hear it very well on the plane. Both legs of our trip are less than 2 hours, so there won't be any in-flight entertainment (movies, or whatever). Oh, but they both have a tendency to get car sick, so maybe those coloring books wouldn't be so good, although they'd work for the layover.

Oops, sorry for getting so off topic. I'm mainly wanting to know about flying with my Pocket Pro. Thanks!

Dear Davimee:

My wife works for TSA and says there is NO trouble leaving the Pocket PRO in your purse or carry-on bag.

I travel to Trade Shows often with 3-4 eBook Readers in my bag. Never any problem.

I do not turn my Pocket PRO off for take-off or landing. I simply close the case and hold it... or set it aside and read a magazine until they say you can turn on electronic devices.

20 times out of 10, the Stewardess is so enthralled with the Pocket PRO that she stops to check it out and say I it looks gorgeous. In other words, it is no problem at all and you should not at all worry.

Do not forget that planes carry coloring books and crayons for children. Just ask the Stewardess for something to entertain your kids with.

The Pocket PRO is not a computer and needs no special bin or anything at all going through security. I leave mine "on" all the time and never turn it off anyway.

Enjoy your flight and relax!!

[QIbHom]

I flew last week in the US. Forgot to take a magazine or book to read during take off and landing. I just locked the keyboard on my PP and closed it during take off and landing, although, coming home, I didn't hear the announcement to turn off electronic devices, so I read through takeoff. My understanding is that there is nothing really going on electronically if you aren't turning a page, and I think of a keyboard lock as "off."

I left the PP in my backpack or my coat pocket during screening, no problem there. TSA can do, by their own rules, anything they wish, but unless they say to specifically put all electronic devices in a tub, I see no reason to. It doesn't look like a computer, after all.

[Davimee]

Wow, thanks for all the replies!

Originally Posted by IndecisiveMe

You can get headphone adapters that let you contect two sets of headphones into one headphone jack, that might make it easier for them to watch movies on the netbook. Do they have portable game consoles like the DS, that would keep them entertained for the flight.

That's a good idea! I think I have one of those, somewhere... I'll have to dig around and see if I can find it. If we don't use it on the plane, we might be able to at least use it in the airport during our layover.

Originally Posted by toomanybooks

Take a magazine to hide your ebook reader in so you can read during takeoff and landing.

I think I'll skip this one... it's not worth the risk. Thanks for replying, though.

Originally Posted by bob1xxx

I had a dark skinned Italian friend (who could pass as a saudi) left his Iphone in his back jean pocket by accident and was found when he went though the metal detector.TSA got into their tinny little minds his Ipoo was a 1 megaton pocket tactical nuke and he was Taliban . He got strip searched for his troubles. Moral don't surprise the TSA just let it be scanned seperately from your purse turn on if they ask and you be ok. Thats my 2 cents

Oh, your poor friend! I can't imagine having any trouble with TSA, especially just me flying with the kids. We've all got very light skin and hair, so we've got that in our favor.

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

My experience has been that ebook Readers do not need to be in a separate bin, unless they ask you to put it in a separate bin. I travel with ebook Readers every time I'm on a plane.

Thank you for posting! That's great to know!

Originally Posted by theducks

Remember, you will have to reset the clock after a Power OFF (only needed if you are reading a Library book that expires.)

That's true... I'll probably just leave it in my purse during take off and landing. I don't want to mess with having to reset the date and time. I've done it several times since I've had it, but I always forget if it's mm/dd/yyyy, or dd/mm/yyyy. I usually have to do it a couple times before getting it right.

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

The last time I flew I only turned off those devices that had some form of connectivity (phone, pda) but I had my photo camera on. Hey, I don't fly that often and it was the first time I went to London. And London City Airport is an awesome airport to fly to (it's tiny!)

The only time I've ever flown out of the USA was once flying in to Mexico City. I'd love to go to London someday, though! I'd like to see all the cool places the Doctor visits in Doctor Who.

Originally Posted by omk3

Oh, when I say I turn my reader off, I really mean I put it on sleep mode. There's no wireless connectivity on my reader. The only problem it might cause would be the stewardess making it an issue - that's what I wanted to avoid. So if it looks off, it's off.
And I'm sure cameras are equally safe

I hadn't really even thought about the cameras. Yeah, keyboard lock sounds good!

Ok, this is getting a bit long, I'll start another post...