Summary

Unless your laptop remains in one place all the time, you should use some kind of carrier bag to transport the computer from one location to another. Computer bags come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors; you should choose one that is big enough to hold the computer and its accessories, and that does not call attention to itself as something valuable. A carrier that resembles a backpack, a traditional briefcase, or a lady's large purse are better choices than obvious computer cases.

Along with the computer itself, you want to carry some essential or useful accessories in your computer bag. These can include the AC power adapter, a security cable and lock, a reading light, a set of earphones, an external mouse, supplies for cleaning the computer's keyboard and screen, and all of the cables, adapters, and interfaces you need to connect your computer to the Internet and local area networks, a printer, and other peripheral devices. You should also carry enough information on paper and on a CD or flash drive to recover from common computer problems.