Laptop on holiday

[STONEISLAND]

I'm thinking about taking my laptop on holiday.

Do you?

If so any advice? I'm thinking of the 4 1/2 hour flight to watch a movie or play games on it. Or being in the hotel room to watch a movie or play games on it. I have my lttle boy who I know will want me to take it.

however its a new laptop and I'm worried it will get nicked or I will be stupid enough to forget it, ok that would not happen.

But if it gets nicked would I be insure though my holiday insurance?

[Rob]

I've taken laptops with me. Unless it was a netbook size it might be a bit bulky for use on the aircraft. Consider the weight in your handluggage too. You've still only got that 5Kg overall on most plances. Also if used heavily will the battery hold out for the flight?

Read the small print on your insurance. It might or might not be covered, in part depending on where it get's nicked from. Perhaps it might be covered under your house contents all risks instead?

[Hom3r]

get a kensington lock and lock it somewhere secure in your room when you out.

pack the AC in the suitcase

[v0id]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

get a kensington lock and lock it somewhere secure in your room when you out.

A netbook should be small enough to put in those safes you get in hotel rooms

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by v0id

A netbook should be small enough to put in those safes you get in hotel rooms

Safes that other people probably have access to..

[superbiatch]

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Safes that other people probably have access to..

Yes be wary of this, I had a mobile phone and money stolen from mine by hotel staff in Turkey a few years back

[Halcyon]

I take my netbook on holiday with me.
I bought a protective bag for it that protects it against the odd shock or two and stops dust getting to it.
It's probably worth making sure you have an up to date firewall and anti-virus if you are going to be connecting to a hotel or free hot spots.
Also, turning off file and print sharing and client for Microsoft Networks should help in reducing your expsure to hacking too.

[bopdude]

Originally Posted by STONEISLAND

I'm thinking about taking my laptop on holiday.

Do you?

If so any advice? I'm thinking of the 4 1/2 hour flight to watch a movie or play games on it. Or being in the hotel room to watch a movie or play games on it. I have my lttle boy who I know will want me to take it.

however its a new laptop and I'm worried it will get nicked or I will be stupid enough to forget it, ok that would not happen.

But if it gets nicked would I be insure though my holiday insurance?

Nope, not on holiday
In flight movies, and or geta puzzle book
Why would he want you to take it ?
If your worried, leave it
Maybe, check small print, but remember.............

It's a holiday, get out and enjoy it

[AndyCambs]

If you take it on the plane, you'll have to remove it from the bag as you go through security - laptops cannot be in bags as they go through the x-rays.

If you use it on the plane, you can't switch it on until the seat belt sign has been switched off, and in the meantime it should be in the overhead locker. There's always the possibility that someone might put something heavier than you would expect on the top and damage it there. You should also remember that you cannot have WiFi enabled whilst on the plane. Remember that the drop-down tables in front of you aren't that big, so there's limited space for a laptop as well.

You'll probably be able to use it at the airport if you have WiFi (both airports) but it's unlikely this will be free and you will need to subscribe for an hour/day as appropriate.

I doubt very much whether your normal holiday insurance would cover the laptop for loss or damage. Most general holiday insurances have a maximum item value, and this would be classed as a high value item, If you do take it - then it might be better to look at your household contents insurance and get cover for the items away from home.

If it's just DVDs to watch - then there should be entertainment on the plane

[Raistlin]

If you take it with you make sure you install some sort of full-drive encryption on it (TrueCrypt will do the job) to protect your information from casual thieves should the laptop be stolen.

[Graham M]

X-Ray machines shouldn't do any damage to the laptop at all imo

[STONEISLAND]

Thanks all for your feedback on this.

Still undecided, it’s like a gamble it seems.

Originally Posted by Halcyon

I take my netbook on holiday with me.
I bought a protective bag for it that protects it against the odd shock or two and stops dust getting to it.
It's probably worth making sure you have an up to date firewall and anti-virus if you are going to be connecting to a hotel or free hot spots.
Also, turning off file and print sharing and client for Microsoft Networks should help in reducing your expsure to hacking too.

What bag is it you have a link?

[Scarlett]

I've taken mine when we're staying in a hotel, a couple of DVD's we haven't seen are a good cheap night (when the rains coming down outside, our fault for holidaying int the uk I suppose). I'll be taking it again this year partly to allow me to pull photos off the camara. Security wise as long as you don't flaunt it and put it out of sight, you should have no problems. It might help if you have a non-branded laptop rucksack which is far less obvious than those laptop bags

In my experience, laptops have no issues with airport X-ray machines apart from the obvious bag full of wires but they'll just make you open the bag and show them. (oddly my wife was considered a larger risk (i.e. had a full bag search) because of her half a bottle of chocolate milkshake as opposed to my bag full of cables and lumpy objects (DVD's, speakers, PSU etc))

[STONEISLAND]

Originally Posted by Scarlett

I've taken mine when we're staying in a hotel, a couple of DVD's we haven't seen are a good cheap night (when the rains coming down outside, our fault for holidaying int the uk I suppose). I'll be taking it again this year partly to allow me to pull photos off the camara. Security wise as long as you don't flaunt it and put it out of sight, you should have no problems. It might help if you have a non-branded laptop rucksack which is far less obvious than those laptop bags

In my experience, laptops have no issues with airport X-ray machines apart from the obvious bag full of wires but they'll just make you open the bag and show them. (oddly my wife was considered a larger risk (i.e. had a full bag search) because of her half a bottle of chocolate milkshake as opposed to my bag full of cables and lumpy objects (DVD's, speakers, PSU etc))

I would not have a problem in the UK its over sea that I worry a little.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

I have never taken a laptop on me on holiday. For me a holiday is to get away from my pc, rarely browse the web, and if i do most places I've stayed in have free wifi so I can use my mobile if I really have to.

On my recent holiday at the beginning of the month I saw a lot of people with laptops in Terminal 3. Yes, they might kill a few hours when waiting for your flight, biut overall I think they are not worth taking, and there are plenty of solutions to get round the reasons for taking your laptop in the first place.