There are many netbook and iPad cases that either slipcases or a book-like cover (iPad). My wife carries her iPad around like a book when she gets to the office. Just like a notepad, DayTimer or Franklin planner.
I’ve a netbook. When it goes with me I take a small backpack. Seems like all the guys in the office are carrying small backpacks these days. But, I also think it has to do with living in a sports related mountain community.
I’ve seen people carry small bags to meetings and such if they had a lot of stuff to carry, but generally they just use covers and stack things in their arms to walk around with them.
I used to work at a place with 2 lab areas, at opposite ends of the building. At one point I had to do work that involved specialized equipment; some of it located in one lab, some of it in the other. My preferred method of carrying things around? A rubber-maid dish pan. I was rather known for it; my coworkers even labelled it “The Bucket” for me. So don’t worry about looking dorky; at least your bag isn’t a bucket!
As a semi-serious suggestion, I see a lot of men using bags like this one lately. I actually use one as my school bag; small and convenient, and I can fit my netbook in it perfectly as well as anything else I typically need during the day. And MEC has a lifetime guarantee on these things, too!
I carry my netbook in a laptop bag along with all the other shit I have to carry around with me.
I just bought my first purse. I use it for my Kindle. I have tried to put my wallet, keys and phone in it, but I felt naked walking around like that, and not the good kind of naked either.
Just carry a freaking purse! Sheesh. I can now schlep everything I want to wherever I want to, I can carry as many cards as I want to without snapping the credit cards by sitting on them (you know you’ve done it), AND you can carry around your novel/iPad/netbook if you want to.
And look good.
I have a backpack. With two shoulder straps! Those saddleback leather backpacks look really sweet though.
I’ve never snapped a credit card by “sitting on it” in my wallet. However, when I started to do some core development exercises and improve my sitting posture, I really noticed how a wallet in my back pocket tends to make me lean to one side to compensate.
There seems to be a dearth of suitable non-feminine-looking bags around that aren’t 15" laptop computer/full messenger/camera bag size with side pockets for a water bottle, and even the ones that are tend to come in really ugly colors (I could only find the Osprey Flap Jack mini-messenger in blonde and a hideous rust color) or seemed too flimsy. I spent a lot of time looking for an Indiana Jones-type satchel which were really popular when I was in school (prior to notebook-sized portable computers) but have seemingly disappeared in the post-PowerBook era. I finally found the Overland Equipment Boulder Vertical bag, which except for the stupid aluminum latch that kind of rattles and allegedly tends to fall apart (though I haven’t had a problem), has the right size, weight, and appearance to serve as a small book satchel and “man purse” without looking like a transvestite accessory. My only real complaint about it is that the flap and latch make it unsuited as an actual gun satchel (it takes about 3-5 seconds to open it up) unless you keep your weapon in the open back magazine pocket. It’s just the right size to carry a netbook or tablet and a Moleskine and novel, and can even accept a slim 15" laptop commando-style if you’re not carrying much else, though I find that I mostly use it for light hiking duty.
As to whether netbooks and tablets will “legitimize” such bags, I’m still waiting for those appliances to be functional enough to be a necessity. All the netbooks I’ve handled are pretty unimpressive–less an überportable laptop replacement and more of an oversized smartphone–and the iPad functionality just doesn’t justify the price tag. I give it another 3-5 years before this class of appliances becomes mature enough to be adopted en masse and cause the same change in bag design that laptops have with messenger bags.
Stranger
Really?
I love my little netbook. Now I wouldn’t want to right code or play games on it, but it’s great for browsing or researching the web, email and reading books. Frankly, I can’t imagine why anyone would prefer an iPad. That to me that is an oversized Smart Phone. Only no phone or camera.
No, but it might bring back the briefcase.
I’ve been using satchels for a few years now, because I didn’t enjoy carrying a wallet and cell phone in my pockets or on my belt. My current “satchel” is the Brooks Barbican messenger bag - a bit expensive but very practical (esp. since I often bike to work) and I think it looks good. I normally carry a 12" tablet PC in there, but I think it would fit up to a 15" laptop.