Feature: Protect Your Portables

This meeting of the Mobile Professionals' Worrywart Support Group will now come to order.

In our previous meeting I recounted the harrowing story of my friend Natalie, who briefly lost her notebook. For the story, plus tips on how to prevent gadget loss or minimize the aftereffects, read "Don't Lose Your Gadgets."

This time around, the topic is preventing damage. Because we carry our notebooks and gadgets hither and yon, they're subject to being dropped. One good "whoops" and your notebook's screen is cracked, its hard drive has crashed, and so on.

So how do you protect portable electronics from damage? The bag, briefcase, backpack, or case in which your devices are transported is often your first line of defense. Read on for some bags designed to give your gear some extra TLC.

Padded Briefcases

EBags Firewall Laptop Brief. The Firewall Laptop Brief ($70; recently on sale for $50) features a sewn-in padded notebook sleeve and another layer of padding underneath the sleeve. A long, thick piece of cushioning, called a "shim," fits into the bottom of the notebook sleeve. The shim provides an even closer fit for smaller notebooks and can be removed to make room for bigger ones. For instance, my Hewlett-Packard Pavilion DV 1000, with a 14-inch wide-screen display, snugly fit into the notebook sleeve along with the shim. But to insert my 15-inch-screen Dell Inspiron 8100, I had to remove the shim.

Of course, all this cushioning adds weight. At nearly 4 pounds, the Firewall Laptop Brief feels a bit heavy by itself. Add a medium-weight notebook and a few accessories, and you're tipping the scale at 10 to 12 pounds. Also, fashionistas may turn up their noses at the bag's orange nylon interior. These are quibbles, however. The EBags Firewall Laptop Brief feels like a sturdy, protective option for a portable PC.

Targus HP Evolution HP800 and HP800NL. The HP800 and HP800NL notebook briefcases ($80) feature a shock-absorbing, air-cushioning system as well as a sidewall-impact system especially designed to protect a notebook's screen, Targus claims (I haven't tested these briefcases). Weighing less than 3 pounds, the bags are available with the HP logo (the HP800) or without (the HP800NL).

Samsonite XL45 Large Notebook Case. Samsonite's Large Notebook Case (about $60 online), as its name implies, is designed to transport portables with up to 17-inch screens. The notebook compartment is padded with 10mm-thick foam and surrounded by casing that should give your notebook plenty of protection, according to the online reviews I've read (I didn't test this bag). The 5-pound bag is available from Amazon.com, among other retailers.

Wheeled Notebook Bag

The EBags C-Drive Mobile Office ($120; recently on sale for $100) is, in essence, a wheeled version of the Firewall Laptop Brief. Weighing nearly 10 pounds, you wouldn't want to hoist this bag into an airplane's overhead compartment. However, the C-Drive Mobile Office should fit under most airplane seats, unless you overstuff it--which is tempting, with all its pockets. Of the two EBags briefcases I tested, I'd opt for this wheeled version when flying--it's easier on your body than the shoulder-supported Firewall bag.

Hard-Shell Gadget Cases

Matias Products Laptop Armor. This line of notebook briefcases ($100 to $180) features a silver, black, or white rigid aluminum outer shell plus a padded foam interior. Cases are available for notebooks with screens ranging from 12 to 17 inches. Judging from online photos, the briefcases have a sleek, hip look. One possible downside is that some models weigh up to 6 pounds.

The company also makes protective cases for Apple IPods ($40) and IPod Minis ($25).

InnoPocket Cases. InnoPocket makes a variety of metallic cases for PDAs, smart phones, MP3 players, and other portable gadgets. For example, the InnoPocket Metal Deluxe Case, which I've tested with my PalmOne Tungsten T3, features an "aircraft-grade" aluminum shell with an interior neoprene lining that holds the PDA in place. The case is attractive and feels substantial enough to protect an easily dropped gadget. StylusCentral.com sells the case for $24.

Meeting adjourned. Until next time, stop worrying so much, okay? You're making me nervous.