We are all creatures of habit. We get used to which side of the door the light switch is on and reach for it in the dark without even thinking. That’s part of the trouble with travel--nothing is exactly the way we’re used to, from the location of light switches to the availability of Wi-Fi Internet connections.

To help alleviate the sense that everything is unfamiliar and uncharted away from home, a map of sorts can come in handy. That’s what we offer here--a showcase of the very best mobile add-ons for your Apple gear, a collection of tried-and-tested tactics for staying connected and winning the productivity battle on the go, and finally, an assortment of apps that can effectively turn your iPhone into a MacBook replacement.

GEAR UP: BEST MOBILE ACCESSORIES

Wondering what to pack on your next plane, train, or automobile trip? Toothpaste and clean undies are always good--and so are these add-ons for your MacBook, iPod, and iPhone.

We know, now is not the time to advocate conspicuous consumption or consumerism for its own sake. If anyone’s feeling the recession’s pinch, it’s a bunch of print-magazine editors, OK? But if you are considering investing a little bit of dough in a well-thought-out collection of mobile gear--depending on your line of work, it could be a tax write-off--it pays to go shopping with a list of recommendations from people who have tested each product in the pages that follow  (even though we can’t necessarily afford to own them ourselves).

BAG, YOU’RE IT!
We could write a whole feature on the amazing plethora of bags and cases designed to tote your MacBook in comfort, style, and safety--but that’s a topic for another issue. Instead, we decided to focus on three key categories: checkpoint-friendly,  ultralight, and rugged.

CHECKPOINT-FRIENDLY

Say, “See ya!” to the poor schmucks juggling their laptops in the security line after you zip through the TSA checkpoint with a specially designed bag from Aerovation, Briggs & Riley, or Belkin.

Jet Through Security Checkpoints. In case you hadn’t heard, the TSA is doing other things besides trying to mess with your hygiene routine by limiting the amount of shampoo and toothpaste you can pack in your carry-on. In the spring of 2008, the agency created a set of guidelines for laptop bag makers to use in designing bags that allow you to send your MacBook through the X-ray machine without removing it from the bag, potentially saving you time and frustration as you stand barefoot and beltless in the security checkpoint line.

Since the TSA’s guidelines are still relatively new, there are only a few bags on the market designed especially for MacBooks and MacBook Pros, but of course any bag that will accommodate a 13-inch laptop should work for original or newer MacBooks, and any bag that fits a 15.4-inch laptop can hold a 15-inch MacBook Pro. We looked at three bags, which all have features we liked: At $59.99, the Belkin FlyThru is affordable, lightweight, and quite stylish to boot. The Briggs & Riley Vertical Computer Brief/Backpack ($199) offers compact style in backpack form, but it’s on the pricey side.

Our favorite checkpoint-friendly bag comes from Aerovation, a company started by an engineer and former fighter pilot, Ben Bosma, and his wife, Ginny. Aerovation’s offering, the 15.4-inch Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bag ($79.95), has a design that’s slightly different from other checkpoint-friendly bags we looked at. The bag’s main purpose, besides housing your laptop, is to get your bag scanned and you through the security line as quickly as possible. Aerovation’s bag gives the X-ray scanner a clear view of the bag’s contents and makes it virtually impossible for you to pack it in a way that obstructs the security officers’ view of its contents. The bag also keeps your MacBook completely encased during scanning, whereas some bags that claim to be checkpoint-friendly require you to remove panels or feature plastic windows that can snag inside the scanner. When the Aerovation bag comes out the other end of the X-ray chute, all you have to do is pick it up and head to the gate--great news for anyone who habitually cuts it too close to takeoff.

LIGHT AS A FEATHER

Feather-light and relatively easy on the wallet, these MacBook bags offer protection without added bulk. From left to right: the GreenSmart UltraLight Brief, Booq’s Mamba Pack, and the Incase Nylon Sleeve Plus.

Lighten Up. No matter what mode of transport you use most, when schlepping your Mac gear, it’s always nice to reduce the load you’ll be shouldering to an absolute minimum. That’s where an ultralight bag for your ’Book comes in mighty handy.

Since we’re always looking for eco-friendly accessories, we were stoked to discover the featheriest member of our ultralight trio, the GreenSmart Ultralight Brief ($29.99), which weighs a mere 9 ounces and is made out of 100 percent recycled polyester. Despite the fact that it weighs less than your heavy winter parka, it’s large enough to accommodate a 17-inch MacBook Pro--or any other size ’Book you might be carrying--with room to slip in whatever paperback you’re reading (War and Peace excepted) and a file folder or two.

If you want an ultralight shoulder bag that offers more color options (the GreenSmart bag only comes in black), check out the Incase Nylon Sleeve Plus ($59.95), which comes in six colors other than black and can fit a 13-inch MacBook or 15-inch MacBook Pro. With the shoulder strap attached, the 15-inch Nylon Sleeve Plus weighs just 1 pound, 5 ounces and envelops your ’Book in weather-resistant nylon and an impressive amount of padding given the bag’s slim profile.

If you need more cargo room, look to the Booq Mamba Pack ($135), which comes in four colors, weighs 3.2 pounds, and has an orange lining to make finding stuff inside its depths a lot easier.

TOUGH AS NAILS

The hard knocks of life on the road won’t faze you or your ’Book with one of these protective cases. From left to right: Incase Hardshell Case, RadTech MacTruck, and Speck SeeThru Satin.

Toughen Up. Depending on your line of work or where your weekend pursuits take you, there may be reason to go the rugged/protective route when it comes to a bag or case for your ’Book. For thin protection from scratches and scrapes, Speck and Incase offer your best options. The Speck SeeThru Satin case for 15-inch MacBook Pro ($49.95) comes in five colors and offers your unibody MacBook Pro hard-shell protection with a “soft-touch” finish that’s transparent but durable, snapping on easily to cover your ’Book’s top and bottom panels while still leaving all its ports and optical drive accessible. The Incase Hardshell Case ($49.95) comes in an array of colors and is available for 13-inch MacBooks, 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros, and the MacBook Air.

If you don’t mind looking like a CIA agent, a third rugged option is the RadTech MacTruck ($219.95 and up), a super-slim aluminum alloy handled case that doubles as a work surface and lock box for your ’Book.

PORTS OF CALL

One limitation to working on a laptop is the relative lack of ports, especially in the case of MacBooks and the MacBook Air, which sports a single USB port and one Mini DisplayPort. These handy add-ons let you expand your horizons by transforming one USB port into two or more.

 
It’s a two-fer! Griffin’s SmartShare USB doubles one port’s capabilities.

Expand-o-rama. USB 2.0 has become the de facto expansion interface, but if a MacBook is your primary machine, a mere one or two USB ports can feel a bit limiting, especially if you use USB flash storage drives, a USB mouse, or other such accessories. One reason we love the Griffin SmartShare USB ($19.99) is because of its slim, flexible design. It turns one USB port into two, allowing you to attach a USB input device, external hard drive, or other gadget, like, say, your iPhone or iPod.

 
The Swivel Hub from Belkin helps you maximize the minimal elbow room on the side of your ’Book, transforming one USB port into four.

Meanwhile, Belkin’s Swivel Hub ($29.95) turns one USB port into four, and its unique design lets you keep the new ports out of the way since you can turn the swivel mechanism attached to the expansion row any direction you need to--left, right, up, or down.

Next: TAKE CONTROL WIRELESSLY