For a relatively tiny laptop bag, the Mobile Edge Mini Messenger ($49.99 list) carries some serious heft. At 1.6 pounds, it weighs about the same as the Targus Genie but it's about three times smaller. The weight can be attributed to some seriously heavy padding on the bag's interior, which may certainly protect your laptop, but it also takes up a lot of the available space inside the bag. The Mini Messenger can fit a small notebook (up to a 12.5-inch ultraportable) or portable devices such as PDAs and DVD players, but that's pretty much it. You might be able to add a couple extra small items, such as keys, wallet, and perhaps a pack of breath mints, but even that could be (pardon the pun) stretching it.

The Mini Messenger's overall design is strange. I'm not sure what Mobile Edge was trying to accomplish with the triangular front flap. On the front is an ugly rubber logo that resembles a squashed globe, with the unfortunate slogan "Bring It On." The gray piping and accents are interesting, but not exactly appealing. The stitching is finely done, however, and the material is a nice, heavy-duty ballistic nylon, which means it should last for years. Unfortunately, one fatal design flaw is the strap. It has no extra padding whatsoever, which means carrying the bag on your shoulder is uncomfortable at best; at worst, it could lead to sore shoulders and an aching back. (An extra piece of advice: Don't wear a sleeveless top when carrying this bag.)

I took the Mini Messenger for a spin during my trip across China. It was very useful for holding small items such as passports, plane tickets, maps, and magazines. Using it as a laptop bag, however, was a different story. I found myself leaving behind any peripheral devices, such as the laptop battery and mouse, all of which took up too much room when going out to tour during the day. One useful feature on the Mini Messenger is an exterior pocket with a headphone slot for MP3 players. Unfortunately, I found it irritating to have to open and close the zippered pocket to access the MP3 player to adjust volume or change songs. Other features include a mesh water-bottle pocket and a side cell-phone pocket. Both of these are practical and easily accessible. But the zippered compartment beneath the front flap of the bag, though handy for storing pens, plugs and other items, was not easily accessible. The front flap's plastic buckle closure needs to be unclasped and the flap lifted up to get clear access to the compartment. I suppose you could get to it via one of the side zippers, but that method is no easier.

The Mobile Edge Mini Messenger comes in black/orange, black/silver, black/red, and black/pink. Mobile Edge has plenty of attractive and nicely designed pieces in their catalog, such as the Komen Paris Computer Backpack. The Mini Messenger, however, is certainly not one that I would recommend purchasing.