Originally Posted by
evilroot
I had a TSA screener all but yell at me in front of the rest of the line, as to "whether or not I had understood their simple instructions" to take computers out of bags. I responded that I had . . . my laptop was by itself in a bin. I had a smallish video game console in my carry-on bag (didn't trust it in checked), and apparently they felt it qualified as a computer.
I spent the next 20 minutes sitting there while they pulled every single item out of my bags, inspected them, and then repacked them badly and let me go on my way. Like most things TSA related, it just all depends on who's doing the screening and their mood at the time. If you can take it out and put it in a separate bin easily, its better to be safe.
Usually my Kindle DX has sailed through without issue, but last time through I got the full scream treatment for leaving it in the bag. This was immediately followed by a demand to put your "damn Ipod" there too. When I attempted to explain that the "Ipod" was an insulin pump the screamer insisted there is no such thing. I got pulled out for the full paw through for all my carryon stuff.
Usually SMF isn't that bad, but they do have a few that give the rest a bad name. They don't seem to cope well with busy days.