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471 points tosh | 2 comments | | HN request time: 0.604s | source
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sylens ◴[] No.41859318[source]
Just reading this blog makes me feel like it is actually not a great device to travel with. For me, a good travel device is one that takes up minimal room when packing to the point where it becomes easy to forget I even have it in my bag. The Vision Pro typically requires its own dedicated spot on top of your carry on as you go through the airport - kind of the opposite. The author talks about just packing it with a single cover for the goggles but that also makes me nervous given its MSRP
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dfxm12 ◴[] No.41860306[source]
A kindle/book/tablet seems superior in this regard. You get your entertainment for the plane and you don't have to worry about unpacking it on the plane, being precious with a very expensive piece of equipment and they are negligible in terms of lugging around/storing in your hotel. You can even reasonably use these if you have a little down time waiting in a line, during quick trips, will be without power for a while, etc.
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cryptoz ◴[] No.41862377[source]
The last time I remember flying with a tablet, it was so suspicious that airport security hauled me into a private room and interrogated me about it. They questioned why I didn't take it out of my bag for the scanner (since it was a 'laptop'). They asked what it was. They made me turn it on and use it. They were extremely rude and kept me holed up for a long time while investigating it.

So I don't fly with a tablet any more haha! Although, I get that time has passed and I would no longer be accosted so much, I assume. Must be pretty common now. My story takes place in ~2011 with the Motorola Xoom tablet. I guess they had never seen a tablet before.

I was also working hard on a plane one time, writing code to access barometer data on mobile devices to build a distributed weather sensor network that could be activated in software. The flight attendant came by and told me, "okay, time to put your toys away sweetie" referring to my tablet and phone. Oooooooooh my god.

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1. ValentineC ◴[] No.41864710[source]
I believe the main reason laptops have to be separated is because they appear as just a large chunk of metal on the X-ray. A tablet would look similar.

Pre-iPad, most airport staff (who aren't hardcore techies, or might not have the privilege of higher education) might think of a tablet as a laptop anyway.

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2. jnsie ◴[] No.41865454[source]
I was under the impression that because the components are packed so tight it is difficult to scan anything beneath the laptop. Happy to be corrected.