Taking It Through Customes

[Pleng]

I always get confused about what I need to take out of my bags/pockets when going through customs security.

They ask you to remove laptops. I've pulled out a DS and a PDA before and on both occasions I've been given a funny look and been told I don't need to take that out of my hand luggage.

Where does Pandora fit into all of this? Should I take it out or leave it in? And do you think any problems will occur if I take a laptop and a Pandora in my hand luggage?

edit (sorry for the confusion guys. I'm talking about security not customs! can a mod change the topic title please?)

 

[matzesu]

Thats the Problem: The Pandora isnt a Laptop or a Handheldgamingconsole, the Pandora is both, meybe you can comunikat the man in th custom that it is a iphone like device..

i can Remember that EvilDragon dont had problems in the past on airports whit the pandora..

 

[Tobriand]

Well, personally I'd ask... whether or not they give you a funny look, it's better than being accused of trying to smuggle something onto a plane - especially if that something is almost certainly not on any list of expected electronics that may or may not be consulted. Especially if not taking it out of the bag makes them more likely to check which software might be present on it. I suppose you could always remove the sd card though...

 

[WizardStan]

It's not laptop vs game console, it's large electronics with giant (possibly explosive) battery vs small electronics with small battery.
Just keep it in the bag, the less you have to explain the better. If they notice it on the x-ray and think it's anything other than a DS, then you can worry about explaining it, but you'd be no worse off than if it were right out in the open for them to see and question.
"Why didn't you put it out with your laptop?" "It's a small electronic device. I was told those are fine to be left in the bag. Sorry, I'll pull it out next time."
If you pull it out you will get questioned about it every single time, I'm willing to bet.

 

[tsh]

I think it is more the size of the device, and what sort of shadow it might cast on the xray. Wouldn't bother taking it out separate, if it is a problem, they will just ask you to re-screen it, or open the bag.

 

[second exodous]

I would just take it out and put it in the plastic tray thingie. I do that with my DS even though it's not a notebook just to be safe because some signs say 'electronics' and some just say 'notebooks'. If they give you a funny look that is their problem. I know going into Brazil where they have a weird import tax on just about everything they want you to take out all electronics. It's funny seeing someone with 3 xboxes being held up and telling customs that 'they aren't computers'.

 

[pder]

I always get confused about what I need to take out of my bags/pockets when going through customs.

They ask you to remove laptops. I've pulled out a DS and a PDA before and on both occasions I've been given a funny look and been told I don't need to take that out of my hand luggage.

Where does Pandora fit into all of this? Should I take it out or leave it in? And do you think any problems will occur if I take a laptop and a Pandora in my hand luggage?

Are you asking about airport security as opposed to customs? You would normally only deal with customs when crossing an international border, and you would not typically remove anything from your bags unless they asked you to.

 

[Pleng]

fairly split opinions then

(edit... I wouldn't worry about the implications of having to explain the software on it - this is security, not customs)

 

[Grench]

Are we confusing two different things? Customs and Security?

I don't know about customs - that is going to be very border specific.

I'd just call it a Personal Digital Assistant. They know what those are and the size fits.

/*** story time ***/
The first time I went through an airport security with a computer I was carrying an IBM PS/2 model P-75 lugable. It fit under the seat in front of me. Barely. Security made me plug it in and boot it since they had never seen a computer come through before.

The first time I went through an airport security with a PDA I was carrying an original Palm Pilot. Again, I had to turn it on and show it to them - they'd never seen anything like it.

These days people leave computers behind in security - they stack them up in the back room. PDA devices and phones and game consoles have become so blurred that it pretty much comes down to bigger or smaller than your pocket. I don't have my Pandora yet. My inclination would be to power it all the way down before going through security so it isn't transmitting and send it through in the pocket where my PDA rides.

Your mileage may vary.
/*** end story time ***/

 

[second exodous]

@ Grench

So they didn't believe that it was a computer or just had no concept of what a computer was? Did they think it was a TV and wondered why you were lugging a TV around?

The PDA is funny, why would you need to turn it on for them? What did they think it was exactly that they had you turn it on for them? I think in both cases they just wanted to see it it wasn't for security purposes. They could have let you on with a TV or whatever they might have thought your PDA was.

 

[Pleng]

Oh derr me. I'm full of stupid mistakes today. The subject says customs, I meant security.

Sorry guys

 

[matzesu]

no proplem, i have understand the peaple on the airport who search for dangourus things in the pockets from the peaple who wonts to fly ..

 

[Grench]

@ Grench

So they didn't believe that it was a computer or just had no concept of what a computer was? Did they think it was a TV and wondered why you were lugging a TV around?

The PDA is funny, why would you need to turn it on for them? What did they think it was exactly that they had you turn it on for them? I think in both cases they just wanted to see it it wasn't for security purposes. They could have let you on with a TV or whatever they might have thought your PDA was.

At the time cameras and sensitive electronics were allowed to bypass the X-ray as not everything was shielded as well as it is now. So, I sent them around the X-ray through the bypass. I think they needed them turned on to verify that they were real (not just a case of nasty stuff). When I sent the Palm Pilot around the check they argued that it couldn't possibly be a computer, etc.. Not a big deal.

Today's electronics have a lot better shielding than the old Palm Pilots had. The PS/2 would probably have been OK - but I didn't want to risk it since I was using it on a consulting gig. It was my portable server. I had it hot rodded to a 486/100 with 4MB of RAM and two 1GB SCSI drives with XGA II graphics, an MCA sound card, Token Ring and Ethernet (Coax and RJ). In the early 90's that machine sold for close to $19K stock without networking, 400MB drive, 512K RAM and no sound. I had mine running on OS/2.

The Pandora is probably fine going through X-ray in the gadget compartment of your laptop bag like any phone or PDA. If the screener pings on it, it's easy enough to show them that it's just a PDA with a big battery.

In my humble opinion only.

 

[Hooka]

I was asked to pull my "Camera" out of my GP32 carrying case a couple years and and had to turn it on for them. In all fairness I had multiple smc's, headphones and various other stuff in the case that made it look a little too busy in the X-Ray

What I do nowadays is just pull out the laptop, and if they ask I pull everything else out (I usually travel with my pocket projector, it's battery (kept separately in travel), a laptop, and various handhelds). It's hit and miss as to whether they ask me to show them any of the other stuff, I find it's usually the things with extra wires for no reason (stuff with headphones in the case, etc.) that gets their attention...

 

[fuji99]

I would keep it in the bag unless specifically asked to take it out. In my opinion, it is best to offer as little information as possible.

 

[devhace]

Better a funny look and getting through, that's better than getting delated with more security! I'd take it out

 

[quadomatic]

I know going into Brazil where they have a weird import tax on just about everything they want you to take out all electronics.

Uh...when that happens in India, it means the customs agents are making up rules to screw you out of your money...I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

 

[Alpha2]

I say just do it, it's their job to search things if they can't be bothered to look at things you freely offer, then they can't be trusted to find the things people are actually hiding and need to be fired.

 

[VRAndy]

I wouldn't bother. They only occasionally ask me about by V1100, which is essentially just a laptop with no keyboard.

On the other hand, I usually carry my DS in my pocket to the airport, so it goes in a tray with my keys, phone, and loose change. I'll probably do the same with my Pandora next time I travel.

 

[TitanUranus]

Maybe you could carry a large ticking bomb like object through security and they will ask you about that, thereby distracting them from the inclusion of your pandora in your hand luggage.