MacBook Air stumps TSA agents, owner misses flight

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by uryu, Mar 18, 2008.

  1. uryu

    uryu Well-Known Member

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    MacBook Air stumps TSA agents, owner misses flight

    Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:01AM EDT

    See Comments (43)
    Buzz up!

    The suspiciously thin, port-free laptop sends airport security into a tizzy, until cooler heads prevail. Maybe it's time for some tech briefings at the TSA, no?
    On his blog, programmer Michael Nygard (by way of the Unofficial Apple Weblog) writes that during a recent trip through the airport, his solid-state MacBook Air stopped TSA agents—puzzled by its lack of rear-facing ports or a standard hard drive—in their tracks.

    Nygard said the agents put him and his suspicious "device" in a holding cubicle as security staffers huddled nearby, looking at X-ray printouts of the sinister-looking Air and scratching their heads.

    A younger TSA agent—who, apparently, was aware of Apple's newest laptop—tried explaining to the group that the Air uses solid-state memory in place of a traditional hard drive. The senior staffer, however, was still reluctant to let it go: "New products on the market? They haven't been TSA approved. Probably shouldn't be permitted," Nygard writes.

    Finally, after booting up the Air and running a program, the agents let Nygard go, he said—but only after he'd missed his flight.

    I've been hearing stories like these all too often, which leads to the question: how exactly are TSA agents being trained, anyway? How about, I dunno, some regular briefings on the latest gadgets that might be making their way through security checkpoints? And while TSA agents are wasting time fussing with laptops, undercover investigators with bomb parts in their bags have been sailing though security checkpoints.

    Anyone else out there get stopped by airport security because of a "suspicious" gadget in their luggage? Feel free to vent right here.

    source: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/14047


    i believe, that due to this security awareness of TSA, we can all have a better flight! >.>
     
  2. mr_evolution

    mr_evolution ( • )( •ԅ(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)

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    Haha..airports need to get with the times :xd:
     
  3. uryu

    uryu Well-Known Member

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    ^ wouldn't you be pissed off though, missing your flight because these people who are suppose to know a lot about technology to distinguish the potentially dangerous items from the common day technology was unable to identify a apple product? :D
     
  4. mr_evolution

    mr_evolution ( • )( •ԅ(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)

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    Doesn't the Air have the Apple sign on the cover?
     
  5. sends airport security into a tizzy....

    tizzy?? huh?
     
  6. Knoctur_nal

    Knoctur_nal |Force 10 from Navarone|

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    in saves the day with the "youhg cooler" dude...haha..
     
  7. ab289

    ab289 Well-Known Member

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    i know the TSA are just trying to ensure safety, etc ; but i do sometimes think it's way too crazy. it gets annoying especially when they are on a power trip ... only walk through the metal detector as your things are being scanned, etc. i think it's just stupid
     
  8. LOL wow.... they really need to get with the program..... of new and emerging technologies
     
  9. robsh

    robsh Well-Known Member

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    stupid dumbasses
    TSA should make all agents read PopularScience/Mechanics to upgrade their knowledge
     
  10. tonkachi

    tonkachi Well-Known Member

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    As if the TSA couldn't get any worse...they need maybe some technical briefings or something so they know whats out in the market or something o_O...i guess the staffers all don't watch tv or something
     
  11. fafeifa

    fafeifa Well-Known Member

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    Hahah apple bragarts now have something else to brag "we have a laptop so innovative that TSA can't even tell what it is"
     
  12. Knoctur_nal

    Knoctur_nal |Force 10 from Navarone|

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    time to get these guys a monthly tech update class.
     
  13. lionheart

    lionheart Well-Known Member

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    lol lucky when i was at the airport last week, i have the old mac laptop xD otherwise ill miss my flight T_T
     
  14. shw

    shw Well-Known Member

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    now we wait for the first terrorist using a macbook air