Friday, August 18, 2006

How to Pack Your Laptop for a Business Trip - What if I have to Check my Luggage?

One of the most daunting aspects of the fall-out from the bomb threat at Heathrow Airport and the resulting security changes is that people may no longer be allowed to carry ANY liquids, cosmetics and personal electronics with them on Airplanes. Forgetting about the minor inconvenience of having to go shopping for toiletries when you arrive at your destination or stuff them into your “checked baggage” before you leave... what about your Laptop? What about the Data?

Airlines and the facilities that support them aren’t exactly known as a bastion of security when it comes to keeping your checked baggage or its contents from theft or misplacement by underpaid and overworked employees. While the incidents of lost or damaged general luggage have been declining, there is still a substantial risk of loss where valuable goods are involved. Most often your laptop contains the full depth and breadth of information that you need for a meeting with a customer, supplier or demonstration for a trade show and represents your ability to close the sale.

Why would you put your most critical asset at risk by having it roll through the airports conveyor and sorting system along with skis, golf clubs, boxes, mail and other luggage and then finally have a 300 pound gorilla drag it out to the tarmac and throw it in the belly of your airplane?

Now you don’t have to worry about losing your data or having it show up in an airport luggage counter thousands of miles away the day of your big presentation - carry the BioCert® ClipBio™ Pro or iQBioDrive™.

Each is a viable alternative to losing your most valuable asset on the day of your big presentation. I am not recommending that you do not take your laptop with you on a business trip, but the reality of the world is that you may lose your most valuable asset in a tragic luggage accident or a malicious theft when an airline or TSA employee making $9.00 per hour decides he can supplement his income by pawning your $2000 laptop. Even worse, ALL airlines specifically say that they will NOT pay for damaged or stolen computers or other “fragile items” in checked baggage, yet the TSA may REQUIRE you to check these items. This is a serious dichotomy and represents a substantial liability for business travellers.

There is an option:

Make a backup of the critical data on the BioCert® ClipBio™ Pro or iQBioDrive™ and carry it with you on the plane in your pocket or send it by courier.

  • The BioCert® ClipBio™ Pro can store up to 1GB of files secured with a swipe of your fingerprint.
  • iQBioSync™ Software included with the ClipBio Pro actually can synchronize your email, files and folders so you can carry the critical data with you.
  • The included “Portable Application Suite” allows you to create, modify, and save presentations, letters, and other documents and even create and email PDF files securely from the ClipBio Pro or iQBioDrive.
  • If the meeting is a critical meeting, synchronize multiple copies of the files and send one by FedEx or UPS to the hotel or destination.

    • Even if the ClipBio Pro or iQBioDrive is intercepted by a third party or lost it is secured by your fingerprint and cannot be used.
    • The ClipBio Pro at $99.95 is somewhat disposable and is perfectly suited for this type of application.
How important is your data? You do have to assume that when you put your most valuable portable business asset in the belly of the aircraft you may never see it again. This is only prudent planning and good business. Can you afford NOT to buy aBioCert® ClipBio™ Pro or iQBioDrive™? Starting at $99.95 each seems like cheap insurance.