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Comment on TSA: don't bring uncharged devices from oversea

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Many of the first release of Apple Macbooks had a "random shutdown syndrome" problem with their heatsinks. The laptop would randomly hard-shutdown and then be unable to turn back on for some time. This is widely documented.

I was experiencing this problem shortly before heading through US airport security. I was terrified they would ask me to turn on the laptop. They took me aside, but it was to ask me questions about the remote-control that came with these early macbooks (it was an apple product they didn't recognize, so they were suspicious).

My point is, there's no way to know that your product -- any product -- won't fail when you're going through security. The assumption that all devices going through security will be operational, is bogus.

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