TSA on new laptop screening procedures

The TSA has announced the new laptop screening procedures which will allow the following laptop bags through without removal of the laptop as we've had to do for some time:





However, backpacks and trifold packs will still require that you REMOVE the laptop so it can be properly x-rayed for irregularities by TSA screeners.

Laptop and Sprint phone use in China

For the China trip to Biejing Airport code is PEK! Shanghai, Xiamen, and probably Hong Kong, I'm starting to plan how to get WIFI and/or use of my cell phone. Flyertalk has a forum page listing some of the challenges. People there suggest that a US Sprint modem card won't work because it's a different MHZ rating, though there may be China cards available. Also says Sprint has no agreement with China for mobile serve (this seems odd - I'm skeptical of that).

One suggests the hotel is likely to have power adapters but I'm guessing this is only in upscale places. During my 2003 trip to France and UK I would up jerry-rigging a plug adapter I bought in Paris for my laptop, chipping away until I got a way to plug it in. This worked partly because most laptop power supply adapters work at 240 and 120v.

Looks like a lot more research will be needed here. I'm shopping for a lightweight laptop so I can blog this trip.