Bye, bye Kinko's

[RHPConsult]

Just got a new "toy". A dazzling one. And thereby hangs a tale. A short one.

Entitled, "Bye, Bye, Kinko's"

For years (at least 15) I have held a "corporate account" at Kinko's, given their shops' ubiquitous distribution  about the 50 states and, particularly, their convenience for PowerBook (and, I guess, WINBook) owners quickly to print from said laptops.

For some reason that has changed over the last year or so. It's no longer possible to just drop in at a Kinko's, day or night, hook up your PB to the convenient ethernet node, select the desired printer (several drivers already installed on one's PPB). and print away.

Recently, they say, "Bring in your file on a ZIP disk, " and "No, we don't have AppleWorks or Adobe Elements on our drives" and "You could send us a PDf . . ."

Well, you get the picture, if not the printout. Too arduous to stay as a customer. methinks.

So, I've gotten a Canon i70 BubbleJet, portable at 4 lbs and 12 x 6.5 x 2". Amazing output. The reviews I read were,  if anything, understated, IMO.

Question: Anyone out there yet accumulated any travel experience with this quite new product? I'm particularly interested in how you carry it? I appears to fit in my favorite Port PB case, but I'm wondering if I should provide extra padding, since the padding provision therein for the PB didn't contemplate this nifty device. And, overhead compartment storage can get dicey, depending on who's tried to stuff what in there after you thought you'd staked the claim to such important real estate!

[Bruce_F]

Check out the camera shops in your neighborhood. You might find a camera/lens case with a hard shell and foam insolation.

[Mayo]

There are many hard cases for photo gear where you can selectively pluck the foam to create just the right space for your new toy.

Be warned, however, that those shiny Halliburton cases just scream Expensive Stuff Inside-PLEASE Steal Me!  I would go for one of the not-so-bright plastic cases, which are probably cheaper too.

I routinely remove or darken any and all photo equipment labels on my cases and cameras, lens caps, etc.  No logos on camera straps either.  Low-key is best when carting around expensive stuff.

One trick Lightware suggested years ago was to label photo cases with misleading info such as Morturary Supplies, Pathology Specimens, etc.  You get the idea...make it look like something is inside that is both gross and not likely to be accepted by the local fence, pawn shop or flea market devotee.

[RHPConsult]

My Mac case - - a Port now owned, I believe, by Tumi - - never leaves my hand from the moment I leave home until it's in the lengendary "overhead compartment"  . . . I have a "pompom", so to speak, of a couple of hundred halves of the old style colorful baggage labels that serves as an excellent ID . . . it would be difficult for anyone to grab it and run, without being observed. So I don't worry about it, I just don't want to have the printer bouncing around inside, under normal circumstances.

The case's "cradle" for the Mac is the best I've ever seen. I like the idea of a padded, plastic case that might fit the general dimensions of the i70 and provide some internal protection when put in one of the Port's compartments.

Thanks for the Oregun Observations