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May 10, 2026

Try this Luggage Hack If You Forget Your Lock’s 3-Digit Code

I bought a new piece of luggage and then couldn’t unzip it, because I had placed the zipper pulls into the combination lock… and then proceeded to forget my code. Here’s how I broke into my locked bag without ruining my luggage.

Last winter, I went shopping for a new carry-on bag for our flight to our Delray Beach, Florida vacation. I bought it at a local store in town, and it felt wonderful being able to kick the tires on a few choices. 

I landed on a piece of luggage, which included the typical Travel Sentry TSA-approved luggage lock. That’s the 3-digit combination lock, along with a keyhole for TSA security to use. (They have a master key to easily open your lock without busting it and damaging your bag.)

As I specifically bought it as a carry on, the lock didn’t really matter to me so much. But my salesman kindly offered to reset the 0-0-0 default combination.

I quickly thought of a number. He set the code. I bought the carry on. And I rushed out of the store to tackle my remaining pre-trip tasks.

And I didn’t think about the code again.

Locked Out of My Own Bag

Fast forward a few months, and I pulled out my bag for my NAB trip to Las Vegas. I stared at the combination lock and saw that the two zipper pulls were properly snapped in place into the lock. (How organized of me!) 

And what was my 3-digit code?

I tried one combination. Then another. Nope.

I looked around to see if I had written it down somewhere. Surely, I would have done that.It was like some other Barrett from the multiverse had bought this bag. The code was not to be found on Earth 616.

I was locked out of my own luggage! So now what?

Well, it seemed I would have to figure out how to pick my lock. That or try the 1,000 combination options.

So, I called upon my inner Sherlock Holmes and got to work.

How to Find Your Code for Your TSA Luggage Lock

I began with a bit of Googling and found some common thoughts on a suggested hack. So, I gave it a try… and it worked! Here’s how I did it.
(Disclaimer: Individual results may vary, and of course, please only apply this trick to your own luggage.)

Step #1
Search for the Notch in the Gaps Between the Numbers

Look closely at the gaps between the three numbers on top of the combination lock. You’ll see they sit mounted on a smooth metal cylinder, and the numbers rotate on their individual rings around the cylinder.

Begin with the numbered wheel on the far left and click through each of the ten numbers (0-9).Look into the tiny gap to the left of the number and see whether the cylinder underneath still looks smooth. One of the ten choices should reveal a little notch as opposed to a smooth surface.

You can also discover the notch by running a little piece of paper or index card into the gap and feel if the cylinder has a little bump. That’s the notch.

When you find it, remember the number on top.

Now, repeat the process for the other two rings with their numbers.

When you’re done, you’ll have a 3-digit code. Try it!

Apparently, that works for many folks.
But not for my bag. There was an additional step I had to follow…

Step #2
Rotate the 3 Rings Forward Together

Start with your notched 3-digit code (that doesn’t work) and then rotate the numbers forward one click together.

Try the new combination. If that doesn’t work, rotate the three numbers forward again… one click together. Try that new combination.

I captured my code on the fourth try.

Elementary!

So finding the notches was the first part of the solution. Then rotating through that specific 3-ring orientation was the final step to revealing the correct code.

I hope this works for you!

Lessons Learned

After I successfully hacked my own luggage lock, I felt so clever… so triumphant. And sure, I could actually use my bag for our trip. So that was something of an accomplishment.

But in hindsight, it’s all rather embarrassing. I was simply disorganized, and I just got lucky (though I did figure it out). 

To be fair, there are a thousand codes and passwords to keep track of these days. Figuring out how to get into your own luggage shouldn’t have to be your next gauntlet.

Here’s another solution: 

  • Don’t lock your luggage zipper into the combination lock before you store your bag for your next trip!

Sure, you can still leave the correct code showing on top. That will enable you to test it the next time without the zipper pulls locked in place.

And if the above hack doesn’t work, at least you’ll still be able to use your luggage.

Enough said. Happy travels.

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May 3, 2026

Stunning Photos of the United States Taken from My Plane Window at 30,000 Feet

Here are 10 cool iPhone photos I snapped during my flight on the way back from Las Vegas (much better than an in-flight movie experience).

When I boarded my plane from Las Vegas back to New York City after attending the NAB convention, I found a little surprise. As I sat down in my window seat, I noticed that the traditional LED entertainment screen built into the seat in front of me… was missing. 

Sure, I understand that shorter flights may no longer offer this traditional amenity, but this was five-hour trip. Huh.

Instead, I read instructions on how I could stream free content from my phone using the plane’s Wi-Fi. 

This is progress?

The Show Begins

So after liftoff, I turned my attention out the plane window and discovered the real show was just beginning. 

It was a clear morning with just a few wispy clouds. From 30,000 feet up, I could see… the entire United States. (Well, not exactly, as we’d probably have to be in orbit for that kind of view. But it felt like I could see everything. Just not all at once.) 

For the next few hours, I took in the beautiful shifting view, and it was way better than any movie I might stream on Netflix.

It’s not like people never look out their window during flights, but you really need perfect weather to maximize the opportunity. If you haven’t done this lately, I highly recommend you look out for the this experience the next time nature makes it available.

Put Your Phone’s Camera to Work

And it’s shockingly easy to snap some great photos with your phone. You just need to hold it close enough to the window to avoid in-cabin reflections.

Here of some of the photos I snapped with my iPhone 15 Pro Max along my journey home. The order is from west to east, beginning in Nevada and ending somewhere in the eastern half of the U.S. after it finally clouded over.

Enjoy!

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April 26, 2026

Should You See “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere” When Visiting Las Vegas?

Sphere in Las Vegas glows and pulses with mystery, inviting you to enter. Though we all know the story of “The Wizard of Oz,” experiencing the new version at Sphere means there are many delights ahead. Here’s why.

If you enjoy watching movies on an IMAX screen, or if you’ve ever been to a 4D theater and think that’s cool, then you’d better hold onto your hat when walking into Sphere in Las Vegas.

I recently visited this enormous venue for the first time while I was attending the NAB conference, and I was not disappointed. In fact, I was blown away (almost literally). Sphere was quite the immersive experience.

We’re Off to See the Wizard

I saw “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere,” reimagined for the massive 160,000-square-foot screen and 17,600-seat dome-shaped arena. The movie’s run time was slimmed down to 75 minutes, but everything else was supersized.

This new 2025 version uses cutting-edge tech to greatly extend the 1939 dimensions for each scene both on screen and off. However, the creative process also revealed certain technological limits with having to scale up the movie’s main characters to insane proportions.

GenAI Enhanced

In a few closeups, I noticed that Judy Garland’s face had that Princess Leia artificial CGI vibe from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Clearly, there was some GenAI power at work here. 

And I was right. I later learned while attending a Google keynote at NAB that Google DeepMind partnered with the visual effects artists to tackle many of the hurdles involved in creating ‘super resolution’ imagery as well as entirely new elements.

But what I didn’t realize while watching the movie were the multitude of ways that GenAI magic had also been deployed to flawlessly do the impossible. And it was usually so good, I didn’t notice it was even happening.

Sure, it may be a challenge to extend the background elements like the haunted forest or the yellow brick road. But it’s an entirely different hurdle having to visually lengthen the actors’ performances. And that had to happen, because the wider screen size required characters to be in the frame where they weren’t originally.

Performance Generation

So, to create something from nothing, they used ‘AI character outpainting,’ which morphed original medium shots and cropped bodies into full-body shots.

But that wasn’t all of it. 

Since the field of view was so much wider on the wraparound screen, more characters suddenly had to remain in particular shots, even though they were framed out in the original scenes. So, those performances needed to be ‘generated.’

And it often felt entirely natural. (Occasionally, there was resulting blurring for background characters, but I expect most viewers wouldn’t notice.)

Inside the Tornado

Each of the movie’s old 4:3 frames had to be broken down, reconstructed, digitally extended and then sometimes reimagined.

When you begin to recognize the process, effort and wizardry applied here, the results become even more impressive.

And then there were certain scene enhancements that were hardly subtle. They’re blatantly reengineered to knock your socks off with everything that Sphere can throw at you.

I’ll mention the tornado sequence and say no more, other than it was worth the price of admission right there. 

Incredible.

400 Section Seats are Fine

Speaking of the price of tickets, I sat in the higher ‘400’ center section. Though my seat was relatively far away from the more expensive seating, it was absolutely fine for this film. 

If anything, the higher vantage point gave me a better view to appreciate all the expanded visual elements stretching over my head.

I got the same incredible 4D and audio experience as the lower section seats. Sure, I may have missed out on (spoiler alert) a falling apple or two, but that’s okay.

Impressive, Most Impressive

I bought my ticket to “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere” at the last minute. So, I didn’t have time to do research about how they re-made this movie. That’s probably for the best, because I didn’t know exactly what to look for. I simply experienced it.

Sure, I still spotted some of the limitations from 2024-2025 AI tech, but now, I also recognize and appreciated how far these filmmakers stretched to create this.

Ultimately, I am floored by the overall achievement. 

And just visiting Sphere by itself was a total experience. (It didn’t really matter what was playing.)

There’s a mischievous design cleverness that’s displayed throughout the entire space, beginning from the moment you walk into the lobby.

And after I sat down in my seat, I must admit I was fooled by the preshow illusion, an homage to Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

So, if you’re in Vegas, and you want to take in a show, I absolutely recommend you head over to Sphere.

You’ll quickly discover you’re not in Kansas anymore.

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