The typical tech people put into cars are music players, DVD decks, PNDs (personal navigation devices) and smartphones. And the most annoying thing is how to mount it. You have seven basic options for mounting tech in a car:Proprietary in-dash Semi-proprietary in-dash In-mirror Gooseneck/Bracket Suction mount to adhesive plate Suction mount to glass...

It’s an ever-increasing mobile world, and with it comes all the tech stuff we need to get things done. Being mobile means your tech will run off a battery or two. However there are certain items when you should care and other times when you don’t have to. Point-And-Shoot Digital Cameras Should you care? Yes. I won’t buy a point-and-shoot...

Wi-fi theft, as in the act of stealing someone’s internet connectivity by breaking into a wireless network, has been around ever since we first started using wireless routers. Before covering the topic of how likely you are for wi-fi theft, I’ll first say that wi-fi security has never been that good. If one is desperate enough to steal your signal,...

Some choose to text on a wireless phone for fiscal reasons. It used to be that texting cost more than speaking, but these days it’s the other way around (especially with prepaid wireless phones). Some choose to text because it’s faster. If you receive a text message asking, “Meet up for coffee at noon at D.D.?”, it is quicker to reply...

Right now a lot of people are tightening belts concerning money and one way to save cash is by using a pre-paid cell phone instead of post-paid. Here are some tips to maximize minutes and minimize hassle. 1. Check voicemail from another number On many pre-paid phones it chews up minutes checking your voicemail. Solution: Check it from another line. Call your...

To those who have ever used Skype, Yahoo! Messenger voice chat, Ventrilo, TeamSpeak or any other over-the-internet method of peer-to-peer voice communication, you’ve noticed the quality of sound is far superior to land-line and wireless/cell phones. Why is this? There are actually a few good reasons. First, some explanation.VoIP is Voice over Internet...

When it come to any OS that’s *nix-based, there’s a lot I don’t complain about compatibility-wise due to the proprietary nature of a lot of computer hardware. For example, if I had a Microsoft wireless keyboard that had Windows-only features on it and it just would not work under Linux, would I get upset about this? Not at all. It’s a...

The question of how many literal connections a wireless router can handle is anywhere between 50 and 253 depending on manufacturer. (Quick question answered: It’s not 255 because the router has to assign itself a few IPs.) The question of how many usable simultaneous connections is a different story altogether because that number is drastically...

The following assumes that your wireless networking card has been properly detected by Ubuntu and all you want to do is connect to your network at this point. I have an older Dell Inspiron 6000 and the Intel PROset wireless detects with no problem whatsoever. Other from-OEM wireless cards should also detect properly as well. If you have a USB-based wireless...

I’ll answer that question even before I start this article: Yes, you are. And you always have been since the first time you used text messaging on a mobile wireless network. The reason you’re getting screwed is because those who are computer savvy even to the most basic degree understand that when you charge 20 cents for 140 bytes of data or less...

This section lets you configure the wireless part of the router. This usually includes the SSID, channel, and encryption settings. [hidepost=1] Channel and SSID The SSID sets the name for your wireless router. Pick a fairly unique SSID. When you’re traveling, you’ll see many “linksys” “default” “smc” and other...

This chapter is a video presentation. [hidepost=1] [flv:http://pcmech.s3.amazonaws.com/BYON/10_securing_your_wireless_network.flv 610 458] [/hidepost] [hidepost=2] Download video (MOV) [/hidepost]

If everything is working well on your wireless network, it is now time to secure it. The nature of wireless is that anybody within range can access the network. But, unless you’re feeling especially charitable, you probably don’t want people to be able to sit outside your house and use your network. If those people are knowledgeable and mischievous, they can...

This chapter is a video presentation. [hidepost=1] [flv:http://pcmech.s3.amazonaws.com/BYON/09_wireless_range.flv 610 458] [/hidepost] [hidepost=2] Download video (MOV) [/hidepost]

This chapter is a video presentation. [hidepost=1] [flv:http://pcmech.s3.amazonaws.com/BYON/08_wireless_networking.flv 610 458] [/hidepost] [hidepost=2] Download video (MOV) [/hidepost]

I discussed previously the benefits and the downfalls of a wireless network. Now, let’s put one together. Installing Wireless Adapters In order to access a wireless network, each computer needs to have a wireless adapter installed. As discussed previously, there are different styles of them available. Each one comes with instructions for installation and this...

When Apple came out with OS X Leopard, one of the more innovative things they included with it was Time Machine. This is, of course, the automated backup utility with a snazzy graphical interface which automatically backs up and archives your Mac. You can restore your entire Mac if needed or simply a single file. To use it, though, you need an external hard...

With last week’s announcement of the Iphone 2.0 (due to be released on July 11th), I was yet again pondering the thought of switching to the Iphone. The Iphone is very revolutionary for the smartphone market. The interface is amazing. The fact that almost anyone can actually use the features of the Iphone is amazing. Anybody with a Windows Mobile phone can...

Today I called Verizon to find out what my cancellation fee would be (I was thinking of switching carriers) and was told it would be $155 if I canceled. Ouch. The sales representative then asked me why I wanted to cancel. I told him cost was a concern and I didn’t feel I was getting my money’s worth. Then I found out there not one but three...

If you’ve been using computers a long while you probably have an old printer lying around somewhere. And it’s most likely true the only reason you don’t use it is either because:It’s too big to fit on the desk. It uses an insanely thick cable with a Centronics connector to connect to your computer. Your computer (especially if a laptop)...