March 23, 2010
Frank@OBOW
March 23, 2010 Thanks to OBOW poster Ivan P. for this review:
Well, after my first 4 trips with this bag (ranging from 4 days to 2 weeks) I thought I’d put down some of my thoughts and findings in my first attempt at a gear review.
LOWE ALPINE TT CARRY ON 40
After looking at the vast array of convertible travel packs available to our friends across the pond, I decided to see what was available to us here in Blighty.
Very few of the US manufacturers ship to the UK, so it was a case of looking at what was available domestically.
With our love of the wheeled suitcase, it soon became apparent that choice for a “proper” convertible bag was limited. In fact, the TT40 was really the only bag to really come up to standard.
THE SPECS:
The bag is specifically designed to use as a carry on bag measuring 55x35x23cm (21x13x9in)
The capacity is stated as 2600cubic inches or 40 litres.
It is constructed from a strong and durable polyester fabric, uses No.10 zips (the main compartment being lockable)
The bag consists of 1 main compartment with internal compression straps, 1 mesh compartment in the lid, 1 large exterior pocket with organiser pockets and a fitted key ring and 1 front stash pocket. OH, and an exterior mesh drink bottle pocket a la rucksack style (a nice touch I thought.
As well as the interior compression straps, there are 4 exterior compression straps too.
The carrying options are pretty comprehensive, having both a top and side carry handle, fully adjustable shoulder strap and of course the pack-away backpack straps.
IN USE:
Having a full opening top makes this bag a breeze to pack, easily swallowing 4 large Eagle Creek cubes with room to spare. If you pack traditionally and don’t use packing aids, the internal compression really helps to keep the load stable. The internal mesh pocket in the lid is almost made to measure for a pair of shoes or any items you need to grab quickly (liquid bag etc)
The front pocket contains a variety of organiser pockets which will hold everything from a pen and mobile phone to keys and credit cards (should you wish). A real plus going through security as nothing was left in my pockets.
The external pocket will hold passport, tickets etc, and the mesh water bottle pocket is a real boon and not something you normally find on this type of bag, although only really works when being carried by the top handle or in backpack mode.
The external compression means that even when the bag is not full, you can cinch everything down to make a well balanced and compact pack.
I tried all modes of carrying and all work perfectly well, although without a waist belt, backpack mode may not be to everyone’s tastes. The one fault I did find was that it was rather difficult to pack the backpack straps away when the bag was full. Not impossible, but needed a bit of work.
OVERALL:
As per most soft sided bags, it is possible to overpack it making it bulge, though the compression system goes a long way to help[ing avoid this.
Easy and comfortable to carry in all modes.
And….it can do something a lot of convertible bags can’t…. in backpack mode, it looks like a proper backpack, in suitcase mode, it looks like a proper suitcase and in shoulder bag mode, it looks like a proper shoulder bag.
For anyone interested, here is a link to a pic and brief description.
March 23, 2010 I’ve been touched recently — not by a Parisian pickpocket, or all the Forum activity (though it has been entertaining). No, I’ve been iPod Touched. This is my mobile device mea culpa. I love the thing, though I wrote disparagingly of it just a couple of months ago. All it took was one long, bad-weather, indoor weekend with it and I was hooked. The Touch has also reduced my blogging. Many mornings and evenings I don’t even fire up the netbook; the Touch is just quicker for e-mail and headline browsing. To be honest, I’ve had other things that kept me away from the site, but the Touch played a part. I’ll try to do better.
This has become a truly interactive site, which his how I always wanted it. Thanks to everyone that contributes! OBOW readers are kind and helpful to one another. Of how many sites can you say that?
Here’s a great armchair travel use for the Touch: set all your favorite travel destinations in the built-in weather app. Browsing the current conditions in these places takes you there. Want to know what it’s doing in Holmfirth, Melchtal, or Nice? Just ask me, I can always tell you.
NETBOOK WEBCAM PHOTOGRAPHS ITS RIVAL
Frank@OBOW
One of the better Touch tips posts I’ve read.
Frank@OBOW
March 4, 2010 A few Friday stories of interest:
SHOES
In an attempt to put an end to the frustration of trying to get cleared for a flight at the airport and make the trip through security a little smoother, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is looking to revive an old idea which would handle checking footwear.
Since 2001, the TSA has pushed to have passengers remove their shoes after Richard Reid tried to ignite explosives in his boots on a flight heading to the United States. By 2006, show removal was mandatory after another failed attempt to blow up planes with liquid explosives.
With close to a dozen companies developing shoe scanning machines, the TSA has stated that it is in the process of buying 100 of these innovative pieces of technology by 2011. - hiphopwired.com
REFUSAL
Two Muslim women in the United Kingdom refused a full-body scan at an airport, becoming the first fliers to do so, the Daily Mail reports.
The women were traveling together to Islamabad when they were selected at random by security officials to be screened with the full-body scanner.
According to the London newspaper, one of the women refused to pass through because of religious objections, while the other cited medical reasons. - nydailynews.com
BINS
Before I could wipe the stunned look off my face, Mr. Wu hoisted my compact but fairly heavy suitcase stuffed with shoes, books and too many clothes, and gingerly stowed it above my seat. Thanks Larry! Then he proceeded to do the same for other harried passengers as they boarded.
It’s not standard Virgin America procedure but Mr. Wu said it helps speed up the boarding and deplaning process. “I get my workout for the day and people are happy,” he said. He can generally fit more bags in the overhead bins by skillfully flipping them sideways or piling them on top of one another, like a game of Tetris. And he can help ensure passengers don’t bilk the system by placing their bag at the front of the plane when they are seated farther back. - NYT
Frank@OBOW
Frank@OBOW
March 1, 2010 Here’s the garment bag from Filson’s new ballistic nylon/leather-trimmed Passage series:
It’s a Filson, but - alas - is not made in Seattle — imported. The price is made in the USA though ($325). No word on the weight, but the size is carry-on friendly: (Open) 22” W x 44” H x 2” D. (Closed) 22” W x 14” H x 7” D.
March 1, 2010 “Travel naturally lends itself to simplicity, since it forces you to reduce your day-to-day possessions to a few select items that fit in your suitcase or backpack. Moreover, since it’s difficult to accumulate new things as you travel, you to tend to accumulate new experiences and friendships instead — and these affect your life in ways mere “things” cannot.” - 5 Travel Lessons You Can Use at Home (Tim Ferriss/Rolf Potts)
Frank@OBOW
February 27, 2010 
Tyler Brûlé (he of the fabulous lifestyle) is rethinking his luggage strategy. Wheels and - gasp - possibly even a baggage claim ticket beckon.
“You do know that one of the easiest routes to back injury is placing bags into overhead luggage bins when you fly,” said Doktor George. “You should really make sure you take care as it’s so easy to throw your back out.” “What are you suggesting, then?” I asked. “It might be time to rethink your luggage,” he said.
At this point I think my eyes might have narrowed as I stared at Doktor George. I was trying to read what the good doctor was suggesting and whether he was baiting me in jest or serious about a complete rethink of my no checked luggage, no carry-on wheely-bag policy.
“Definitely something to think about for 2010,” I said with a smile.- ft.com
TB promises a conclusion to this quandry next week. In the mean time I must say again, going one-bag is a bad idea if that one bag is too heavy. Maybe that’s the point of the above-quoted exchange. Take the 10%-of-body-weight rule seriously unless you’re quite fit and quite young!
February 26, 2010 Take time to read the whole story, even if you’re skeptical…
“The biggest challenge is that we are trying to find a needle in a haystack because the fraction of criminals in the population is very small,” Cavusoglu said. “What we say is that it’s not enough to have a screening system, but if the screening system and profiler complement one another, we have a better shot at finding the needle.”
Although previous studies explore the effectiveness of profiling, Raghunathan says this is the first major study that examines how profiling can work with screening devices to create a system that balances the needs of airlines with that of customers. The UT Dallas professors began looking for a security system that provides the benefits of catching attackers while effectively outweighing the costs – in money, time, inconvenience, privacy, and liberties. - entire story at Pegasus News
February 22, 2010 Even the Roman pontiff is speaking out against the latest prop in security theater:
Pope Benedict XVI has spoken out against airport body scanners, insisting that “human dignity must be preserved.”
Although the pontiff did not use the words “body scanner” during the audience with airport workers, it was clear what he meant as he said: “It is above all essential to protect and value the human person in their integrity.”
Acknowledging that airports were in the forefront of the terrorist threat and suffering economically, he added: “Even in this situation, one must never forget that respecting the primacy of the human person and attention to his or her needs does not make the service less efficient nor penalize economic management.” - National Post
Frank@OBOW
by Matt, telegraph.co.uk
February 18, 2010 
With all the talk of SCOTTEVEST clothing and the like I wonder if pockets in travel clothing are not subject to an arms race — like the one between automakers for who could carve out the most minivan cupholders (I know, so 90’s). Here’s an interesting BBC H2G2 article on the history of the pocket. An excerpt:
Looking to the modern pocket, we must go back to the trousers again. We are now in the late 1700s. Let’s say it’s 1784 before some poor soul gets sick and tired of having to remember to tie his pocket on every day before he gets dressed. Most likely, you know a person like this. This is a person who has problems remembering to put his trousers on before his shoes, let alone remembering to tie his pocket on before his trousers.
Yet, absent minded as he is, he is no dunce. Therefore, in a fit of pique, he asks his wife to sew the pocket right to his trousers so he will never forget it again. And suddenly, there you have it. The pocket. The real, true, ultimate pocket. The friendly pocket you and I know and love that has been our most intimate friend since childhood… warming cold hands or holding fluff, bits of string and useless notes from friends long past and best forgotten.
I find one pocket to be absolutely indispensable: the inside breast pocket on a jacket, provided it’s deep enough to secure a wallet and ticket. And why shouldn’t there always be one on both sides instead of just on the left. This must be irritating to left-handed folk.
February 18, 2010 European airports will keep restrictions on liquids carried onto aircraft for another three years because the rollout of scanning technology is behind schedule, EU nations have agreed.
The 27 European Union nations have reached agreement to maintain the restrictions on carry-on liquids until April 2013, a European Council document showed Wednesday.
Under the agreement “all airports must have the capacity to screen those products by April 29, 2013.” - AFP via Vancouver Sun
Never fear; the US will help the Euros develop another equally irritating jump-through hoop by 2013.
February 17, 2010 USA Today reports that roving bands of swab-wielding TSA agents will make “random” explosive residue checks of carry-on luggage at and around checkpoints and gates. Pack neatly so as not to inconvenience our public servants.
Frank@OBOW
Apparently the prime target for swabbing will be your grubby little hands:
Security experts consulted by CNN said swabbing hands is a good move, and privacy advocates said they support the new swabbing protocols, provided the agency tests only for security-related objects and does not discriminate when it selects people to be tested.
It’s a “very good idea,” said security expert Tony Fainberg. TSA screeners currently swab luggage handles and parts of bags that are likely be contaminated by human hands, he said, and swabbing a person’s hands increases the chances of finding explosive materials. “Looking at the hands means you will probably get a better dose,” he said. - CNN
Frank@OBOW
TSA official presser:
TSA Expands Use of Explosive Trace Detection Technology at Airports Nationwide
Press Release
February 17, 2010
WASHINGTON - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it is expanding the random use of Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) technology at airports nationwide as an additional layer of security.
“Explosive Trace Detection technology is a critical tool in our ability to stay ahead of evolving threats to aviation security,” said TSA Acting Administrator Gale Rossides. “Expanding the use of this technology at checkpoints and at departure gates greatly enhances security to keep the traveling public safe.”
Since the Christmas Day failed attack TSA has increased its random use of ETD technology within security checkpoints to screen passengers’ hands and carry-on luggage. In addition, TSA piloted the use of ETD technology in both the checkpoint queue and boarding areas for two weeks at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Pitt-Greenville and Coastal Carolina Regional Airports in North Carolina.
Passengers can now expect to see the increased random use of ETD technology in areas where TSA currently conducts screening such as the security checkpoint, as well as in the checkpoint queue, and boarding areas. Officers may swab a piece of luggage or passengers’ hands, then use ETD technology to test for explosives. The swab is placed inside the ETD unit which analyzes the content for the presence of potential explosive residue. To ensure the health of travelers, screening swabs are disposed of after each use. Since it will be used on a random basis, passengers should not expect to see the same thing at every airport or each time they travel.
To date, the Department has awarded $15 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for 400 fixed ETD units. Additionally, President Obama’s fiscal year 2011 budget prioritizes key investments in aviation security, including $39 million to purchase approximately 800 portable ETD machines.
February 12, 2010 The TSA says the “story” that was the basis for the following post is a fabrication. I was skeptical from the beginning but couldn’t pass on the entertainment value (note my question mark on the caption). Unfortunately, the level of trust between travelers and the security agencies is so low that we are ready to disbelieve them almost reflexively. The TSA says:
A rumor is going around that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan had an Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) image of himself leaked by UK Security officers at Heathrow. This rumor, though juicy, is unfounded.
TSA reached out to the UK’s Department for Transport (DFT) and learned that, just like advanced imaging technology machines in U.S. airports, they do not have printers or the ability to store images in the airport setting.
Additionally, DFT pointed TSA to the source of the rumor: an interview with BBCs Jonathan Ross. Though he doesn’t explicitly say that he’s joking, we can confirm in all seriousness that the machines don’t do what he jokingly describes.
Original post:
Like Casablanca’s Captain Renault I’m sincerely SHOCKED at this one (not):
Claims on behalf of authorities that naked body scanner images are immediately destroyed after passengers pass through new x-ray backscatter devices have been proven fraudulent after it was revealed that naked images of Indian film star Shahrukh Khan were printed out and circulated by airport staff at Heathrow in London. - Prison Planet
KHAN SCAN?Wow, that didn’t take long. Thankfully, most of us aren’t desirable or bizarre enough to warrant such attention. Doesn’t make it any more pleasant though, does it? OK, actually Khan didn’t seem to mind since he supposedly signed the printouts for airport workers (SEE VIDEO BELOW).
Frank@OBOW
February 10, 2010 Invasion of the body scanners:
Body scanners that look under airline passengers’ clothing for hidden weapons could be in nearly half the nation’s airport checkpoints by late 2011, according to an Obama administration plan announced Monday.
The $215 million proposal to acquire 500 scanners next year, combined with the 450 to be bought this year, marks the largest addition of airport-security equipment since immediately after the 9/11 attacks. There are only 40 body scanners in a total of 19 airports now. - USA TODAY
And, chillingly, a USA Today/Gallup poll says 78% of respondents are “OK with TSA full-body scanners.”
February 9, 2010 
MAGELLAN’S 12 OZ. OFFERINGWith American Airlines charging $8 for a blanket and pillow combo in coach, the next need for the cold-natured light traveler may just be a super-light travel blanket. Let the search begin. Share your suggestions.
February 5, 2010 As we embark on the era of no scan/no fly:
Pregnant women and children should not be subject to scanning, even though the radiation dose from body scanners is “extremely small,” said the Inter-Agency Committee on Radiation Safety report, which is restricted to the agencies concerned and not meant for public circulation. The group includes the European Commission, International Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Energy Agency and the World Health Organization.
A more accurate assessment about the health risks of the screening won’t be possible until governments decide whether all passengers will be systematically scanned or randomly selected, the report said. Governments must justify the additional risk posed to passengers, and should consider “other techniques to achieve the same end without the use of ionizing radiation.” - Bloomberg
Stangely enough, I know a scientist who works with one of the groups mentioned above. This person mentioned this very issue just two days ago when I asked them about a recent trip and whether they had been body scanned. I see a future workplace safety issue here. Lawyers take note.
Frank@OBOW
February 2, 2010 (News release from Skooba)
Rochester, NY, February 2, 2010—Skooba Design has announced that several of its new products are “iPad-ready”:The Netbook/iPad Messenger, Neo Sleeve, and RAPS “portable padding” are all available now.
The Netbook/iPad Messenger is a slim, lightweight but full featured courier-style shoulder bag with over a dozen pockets and organizer compartments. It has a dedicated, padded sleeve that’s perfectly sized for the iPad, with or without Apple’s optional leather folio cover. The sleeve also fits all popular netbooks, for those who prefer computers that fold. Available in 4 color combos at $49.95 suggested retail.
The Neo Sleeve is a stretchy, neoprene (wetsuit material) skin that hugs and protects the tablet, keeping it safe from the daily bump-and-grind, as well as the elements. And it’s “checkpoint-friendly,” so it can go through airport screening without taking the iPad out of the case—faster and much safer than throwing the tablet in a gray plastic bin. 4 color combinations, $19.95 suggested retail.
Skooba RAPS take a different, much simpler (and very economical) approach. These padded squares wrap around the iPad and self-fasten. The medium size wrap is perfectly sized to “origami” itself around the tablet, creating a nearly weightless, bulk-free envelope to protect the device in a school bag or briefcase. Other sizes available too, to wrap and protect just about anything. The medium wrap retails for $14.95
February 2, 2010 New security rules took effect today at two major British airports that require selected passengers to undergo full body scans. If they refuse, they will not be allowed to board a flight. - AOL
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5 will see the scanners implemented in the next few weeks.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘We understand the concerns expressed about privacy in relation to the deployment of body scanners, which is why we have drawn up a code of practice for their use.
‘This will ensure operators are separated from the passengers being screened, and these anonymous images are destroyed after scanning is complete.’
And the case of “scan everybody” advocates will be bolstered by this unsettling possibility: breast implants of death.
January 28, 2010 On the day of the iPad’s introduction my wife received a new iPod Touch from her employer. That meant her old Touch came to me. I spent my first serious time with it last night and that time confirmed what I already knew: I’m just not a Mac person. I’ll stick with the netbook until it burns up or breaks down. Maybe by then there’ll be something in the Apple section that tempts me.
From RegHardware:
Apple CEO Steve Jobs was rather dismissive of the netbook at the iPad’s launch last night. He needed to be: he was trying to win over journalists and analysts who’ve spent the last 18 months or so asking when his company will release just such a product - and telling readers why it really should.
Jobs’ criticisms were certainly unfounded. He slammed them as “slow” and sporting “low-quality displays”. The problem with them, he said, is that ” netbooks aren’t better than anything”.
Wrong on most counts, Steve. (more)
Frank@OBOW
Frank@OBOW
OK, after watching the above video I am tempted… as a reader if nothing else.
Frank@OBOW
“No netbook killer” and would you believe “Touch now outselling iPhone”?
January 27, 2010 (Press Release)
TOM BIHN Introduces Two Bags for Apple iPad
January 27th, 2010
SEATTLE, WA —
TOM BIHN (http://www.tombihn.com), a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of laptop and travel bags has introduced the Cache sleeve and Ristretto vertical messenger bag for the Apple iPad.
The Size iPad Cache
The Cache: http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0350
The Cache is available in Size iPad - designed specifically for the Apple iPad. The Cache is designed to protect the Apple iPad against scrapes and scratches from all sides. Its 1/4” (6mm) thick foam padding laminated with an exterior of four-ply Taslan and an interior of brushed tricot cradles your iPad. The Cache for Apple iPad fits the iPad on
its own or encased in its Apple iPad Case. Made in Seattle. Lifetime Guarantee.
Available for pre-order; ships within 10 days of release of the Apple iPad. $30.
The Ristretto for iPad
The Ristretto for iPad: http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0222
The Ristretto for Apple iPad is a vertical messenger bag with a interior padded compartment of .25” (6mm) open-cell foam that protects from all sides. The Ristretto for Apple iPad fits the iPad on its own or encased in its Apple iPad Case. Made in Seattle. Lifetime Guarantee.
Available for order; ships within one business day. $110.
The Cache and the Ristretto are available exclusively through the TOM BIHN website or Seattle Factory Showroom.
TOM BIHN has been designing and creating bags for over 30 years. The TOM BIHN Inc. headquarters and factory are located in Seattle, Washington, where the company is dedicated to creating quality products and quality jobs. The public is welcome to visit the TOM BIHN Seattle Factory
showroom and Retail Store and see where the bags are made. TOM BIHN products are available for order and worldwide shipping at the company’s website.
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