If you have a notebook computer, sooner or later, you will be taking on the road with you.  Or at least moving it from one place to another.  When this happens, what you really need is a good, protective bag or case to protect your investment. And don’t forget to use a security device to keep your valuable property from taking a walk without you.

Overnight Travel Case

Company: Kensington
Product: Contour Overnight Notebook Roller
Web Site: http://www.kensington.com
Retail Price: $129.99

Kensington has been around a long time and makes a wide range of accessories and cases for the notebook user and their Contour Overnight Notebook Roller shows their experience at making bags that serve more than one function.  This bag can handle notebooks up to 17” and features:

1. Flexible overnight compartment adapts to maximize usable space for clothing and files
2. Zippered interior compartment holds enough clothes for overnight and stores toiletries in a water-resistant pocket
3. Zippered exterior compartment holds multiple files and can be expanded into the interior compartment for more room
4. 5-stage telescoping handle to adjust to your height.
5. Contour system is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association and balances weight closer to your body when you need to lift the bag
6. SnugFit and DropShield protective systems shield notebooks up to 17” from damaging bumps
7. Easy-access pockets keep tickets, phone, PDA, and keys at your fingertips
8. 1680 Denier Ballistic nylon protects against abrasions, punctures, and tears
9. Exterior Dimensions 14.5"L X 19.5"H X 9.5"W
Computer Compartment Dimensions 11.5"L X 16.0"H X 1.5"W
Contour Overnight Notebook Roller is backed by the Kensington Limited Lifetime Warranty.

This is a great bag for overnight travel and features many zippered pockets and compartments.  The back is contoured for comfort against your leg when carrying the bag by the two part handle.  The handle design is made of two part that are connected to the bag separately and fit together to give a comfortable grip and balances the weight of the bag.  A mesh pouch for a water bottle is attached to the left side and Velcro down to store it when not in use.

The rear side of the bag can be unzipped to reveal 2 large pouches and 2 smaller zippered pouches.  The top of the bag contains a zippered compartment for the telescoping handle, a zippered compartment for the top-loading notebook sleeve which can be unzipped and removed from the bag.  The notebook protection of this bag is good, but not designed for heavy abuse.  So don’t let the bag take too many bumps and tumbles. 

The main compartment is for clothing and overnight travel items.  This compartment also contains a zippered toiletry area and a smaller zippered pouch for small items.  There is a set of tie-down straps and two straps on the side to support the front of the bag when this large compartment is open, however I have found these support straps to be too long and serve no real function.

The front of the bag has 3 zippered compartments.  A smaller one on the top for small items or airline tickets and passports.  The second is business cards, pens, and other miscellaneous items.  And finally the large front pocket for magazines and documents.  The wheels are big and roll well, but are thin so they can hook on objects when turning corners.  Bigger, thicker wheels would have made this bag a lot easier to drag through an airport.

If you have a 17” Notebook and are looking for a bag for 1-2 day trips with your notebook, the Kensington Contour Overnight Notebook Roller has everything you will need for short trips and will be easy on your back too.

Maximum Notebook Protection Travel Case

Company: Targus
Product: 15.4” Global Executive Roller
Web Site: http://www.targus.com
Retail Price: $149.99

One of the biggest names in notebook cases is Targus and many of the bags that are bundled with notebook are made by Targus.  So Targus is a name that most people trust with their notebook.  However, what is you are the type of person that puts a notebook through a lot of rough handling or tough environments?  Then what you need is the Targus 15.4” Global Executive Roller.

Features:
1. Capacity - Designed to fit notebooks with up to 15.4” screens
2. Protection - Contains Safeport protection and the Dome Protection system for maximum notebook security. Includes corner guards to prevent wear and tear
3. Organization - Features top loading notebook compartments and a full workstation compartment. Also includes a removable 6-disk CD holder, retractable passport holder, trolley sleeve, ID holder, umbrella pocket, hide-away water bottle pocket, removable slipcase, 3 removable storage pouches and a large nyflex lined compartment for a second notebook or projector
4. Easy Transport - Designed with a 4 stage telescoping push button trolley handle and features in-line skate wheels for a smooth glide
5. Color - Black
6. Fits Notebooks up to 15.4”
7. Exterior Dimensions - 14” x 17” x 8”
8. Exterior Material - Nylon
9. Warranty - Limited Lifetime
10. Weight - 10 lbs.

This bag has a lot of great features.  The telescopic handle is long enough to be comfortable to pull and has a zippered compartment when it is not in use.  Externally the bag has thick wheels for easy pulling, plastic reinforcement plates in the back to protect the bag when pulling it over curbs and stairs, an identification windows in the back, and a double zippered strap on the back that is used to slip the telescopic handle of a larger bag through and roll with this bag on top of the larger bag.  The last feature is available on many bags, but doesn’t work so well on this bag, because the bag is too tall to fit easily on a larger bag unless it has an unusually long telescopic handle.

Other nice features on the outside of the bag are a small pull-out mesh pouch for a water bottle and a larger pull-out mesh pouch for an umbrella, newspaper, or magazine.  There is even a hard plastic handle on the bottom of the bag that also serves as the front legs.  This extra handle makes the bag easier to lift the bag horizontally for placing on a table or presenting to airport security.  Finally, there is a zippered pocket in the front and a really nice document and passport holder that pulls out and self-retracts back into the bag.

The bag has three main compartments.  The first is a large compartment with slots for documents, a zippered area for small items, a removable notebook pouch, and 2 large accessory pouches that stick to the back of the compartment with Velcro.  You can actually carry two notebooks with this bag.  One in the removable pouch and one in the main notebook compartment.  The center compartment in the bag is the heart of this product.  Unzip the center compartment and you have a top-load notebook compartment that has the Targus Safeport and Dome Protection systems.  This dual protection system provides protection for the notebook on its top, bottom, and all sides.  Targus claims that this protection is capable of completely protecting the notebook even if you “check” the bag as luggage on an airplane flight.  While I have not done this, I have subjected to bag to extreme amounts of bumps, drops, and rough handling with the notebook suffering no damage at all.  The compartment can only handle notebooks up to 15.4”, but has enough depth to handle almost any thickness of notebook.

Finally, the front compartment has a large zippered area for miscellaneous items, clips for pens and other items, key clip, retractable LED light, a small removable pouch, business card holders, and two large pockets each with a removable, 6-disc CD holder.  This bag has so many features that it is hard to really appreciate it until you see it and spend 10 minutes checking all the available pockets and compartments.

If you are a business traveler with a small notebook, looking for the great protection and lots of flexibility in a bag, then the Targus 15.4” Global Executive Roller is definitely worth checking out.

Lightweight Notebook Only Case

Company: Targus
Product: 15” radius Slipcase
Web Site: http://www.targus.com
Retail Price: $39.99

If you are not a frequent traveler and just need a simple bag to carry your notebook during the day, Targus offers the 15” radius Slipcase.  This case is available in different colors and is a simply bag for protection against scratches and light weather.  It is not designed to protect the notebook against rough treatment or environments and does not have room for any accessories.

There is only one main compartment with room for the notebook and two sleeves for a few documents..  A simple pair of handles and a clip-on shoulder strap complete the product.  The sides and edges of the bag are thick and well padded, but I would not suggest dropping the bag with your notebook inside.

Features:
Capacity - Designed to fit Apple notebooks with up to 15” screens or PC notebooks with up to 14” screens
Protection - Padded notebook compartment
Organization - Interior slip pocket provides added storage for documents and files
Ergonomics - Adjustable/removable neoprene shoulder strap makes this case easy to carry in order to prevent drop damage
Exterior Dimensions - 14.5” x 2.5” x 12.37”
Exterior Material - Nylon
Warranty - Limited Lifetime

The Targus 15: radius Slipcase is good for taking your notebook to the coffee shop or library and simple protection.  Its simple design makes it a good back for day-to-day use as long as you do not need to bring anything else with you.

Notebook Security Cable

Company: Targus
Product: Defcon Notebook & iPod Lock Combo Set
Web Site: http://www.targus.com
Retail Price: $39.99

If you are traveling with your notebook or just leaving it in an office with lots of unknown people walking around, you want to be secure in the knowledge that your notebook is not going to disappear.  Not only is the notebook itself valuable, but more important is all the data and software you have on the hard drive.  Especially if that data is confidential and private.  One of the most expensive ways to keep your notebook from traveling without you is a security cable and Tagus is one of the leading suppliers of notebook lock cables.  If you happen to have a notebook and Apple iPod, and so many of us do, then a good choice is the Targus Defcon Notebook & iPod Lock Combo Set.

Every notebook made in the last few years comes with a security connector port, which is basically just a standard sized hole which a lock connects to.  The Targus Notebook lock connects to this hole and secures the notebook by a cable to the desk or special hardware.  The four digit combination makes the lock harder to “pick” and there is no key to lose.  This combo set also comes with a special lock for you iPod which attaches to the docking connector and also features a four digit combination.  The iPod lock is secured by threading the main cable through its eyelet cable to keep it attached to your notebook.

The combo set features:
1. Eyelet Security Lock for iPod - Use with a Targus notebook lock and secure your iPod and notebook together. Vinyl-coated cable. Dock connector lock allows for ease of use and stationary security. User resetable 3-digit combination for increased security. Compatible with iPods with a dock connector: 5G, nano, iPod Photo, 4G, iPod Mini, 3G
2. DEFCON CL Notebook Computer Cable Lock - Galvanized steel cable attaches to any notebook equipped with a lock slot. Features up to 10,000 possible combinations that can be set at any time
3. Color: iPod Lock - Black
Defcon Lock - Silver
Defcon Cable - Grey
4. iPod Lock Dimensions - 5.5” x 1.25” x 0.5”
5. Material - Galvanized Steel
6. Warranty - Limited One Year Warranty
7. Weight - Defcon Lock - 6.2 oz., iPod Lock - 2 oz.

The Targus Notebook & iPod Lock Combo Set is easy to use and works very well.  While nothing will guarantee that your notebook and iPod will not be stolen, this product does make it harder to steal and will require time to defeat, special tools, or damage to the notebook and iPod.  So most thieves will not bother or move onto easier prey.  So if you are looking for an easy way to give yourself some security, check out a security cable product from Targus.

-- Harvey Lee,
Senior Technology Editor