I looked into this a bit just now. I was surprised to see among the generic questions that google poses when you do a search like this, it's stated that cell phones and laptops and such are NOT to be in checked baggage!
I've travelled quite a bit over the last five years, though it was all to other countries, and many people carried laptops onto planes. The only limitation I saw was that they wanted them in their own tub when going through security.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything. "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
