How much are you willing to bet at a time? A couple of bucks on the Lotto? A five or ten spot at the track? Or how about a throw of the dice for your notebook computer? Perhaps only a few would take that last wager-unless they're on the way to the airport.

A coalition of market forces are arrayed against your notebook at the airport: the downsizing of the airline industry and increased air travel security. Against these foes, it's tough to see how the notebook can come up a winner. Still, all computing may not be lost, if today's storage vendors will just dust off antiquated marketing plans.

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