Daily Tech Bits

Cheap, Small And Wireless

The future is cheap, the future is small, the future is wireless.  Small devices that connect to the web are becoming more and more popular, says the Times Online (not that we didn’t know that already.) It cites the Ipod Touch and Nokia 810 as harbingers of the future - and one thing that the future holds is a small, cheap laptop. Chip manufacturers are making chips that give you the same batterly life as a Centrino but need much less housing, while many have been inspired by the cheap laptops sent to the developing world and want to do something equally affordable at home. Who knows, one day you may be able to fit a computer in your Christmas stocking.

How To Secure Your Wireless Network

Do you know your WEP from your WPA? Do you even understand why you should? I don’t get all the acronyms, either, but I do know that they have to do with creating a secure wireless network. If you want to know how to do that - and get a grip on the alphabet soup at the same time - check out The ABCs of securing your wireless network over on Ars Technica.

The first thing to understand about wireless security is that by default, you have none. The router you buy from Newegg or Best Buy is going to come preconfigured for open access, which means that all of your neighbors can hop on and begin snarfing up MP3s with your bandwidth.

Don’t panic. The article shows you how to close down those loopholes fast.