How You Get Hacked at Starbucks - Infographic

via mashable.com

For those who frequently use the free public Wi-Fi in coffee shops such as Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, you're likely already aware of how easy it is for hackers to steal your personal and financial information over the shared network.

But what you may not realize is how cybercriminals could gain access to sensitive data in other ways that might not be on your radar.

According to ThreatMetrix, a provider of cybercrime prevention solutions, some hackers even leave malicious USB drives on tables for curious customers to plug into their devices. This allows them to retrieve personal information and even social network passwords. Although this may seem unlikely, ThreatMetrix says the scenario actually occurs...

Posted via email from Create | Inspire - DM2 Studios

Asus Claims the Title of World's Smallest Wi-Fi Router

via gizmodo.com

Amongst all of its Windows 8 PCs and tablet announcements at CES, Asus also quietly revealed what it's boasting as the world's smallest Wi-Fi router. And with a form factor only slightly larger than a well-equipped flash drive, the WL-330NUL Pocket Router is the perfect accessory for minimalist road warriors.

Weighing in at just 25 grams, the 802.11b/g/n router includes an ethernet port on one end for sharing a wired connection, and a USB cable on the other for stealing power from a computer. It can also be plugged into an outlet if you want to spare your laptop's battery. For ultra-thin notebooks lacking an ethernet port, the WL-330NUL doubles as a USB ethernet adapter too. As for pricing and availability, that's still to be announced.

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Browse better: How to make your internet connection faster and more reliable

via extremetech.com

The internet is a vital part of our lives. Just like your car, body, and robot underlings, your internet connection can be fine-tuned and made to work more efficiently. With just a little bit of effort, your surfing experience can be noticeably improved.

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A Genius Act Of Kindness: NYC Startup Provides Wifi And Charging Stations For Those In Need

via businessinsider.com

With over 8 million people without power throughout the east coast and New York City dark below 40th st. people are getting antsy for some electricity...especially for their phones.

That is where clever New York startup Moxy comes in. The company provides cell phone charging stations that also distribute wi-fi. As the storm settled, but the power not so much, the company got an interesting offer from Chase. Come provide your stations in one of our branches on the border with the powerless.

The move is a great act of kindness and terrific marketing. We stumbled across them as we wandered the dark city yesterday. Speaking with the people using the service and the people providing the service gave an interesting insight into life during Sandy and its aftermath.

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Five Free Ways to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal

via gizmodo.com

Your home wi-fi network can be a fickle mistress, with connectivity coming and going seemingly on a whim. But there's no need to shell out hard-earned cash for a brand new router just because you can't get online. (Besides, how would you order one?) Instead, try these five free steps to whip your wireless network into shape.

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Google, Microsoft team up to bring Super Wi-Fi to rural USA

via extremetech.com

Google, Microsoft and more than 500 rural US colleges, universities, and public interest groups have joined forces to finally solve the issue of rural internet connectivity — using Super Wi-Fi on the white space spectrum. This initiative, called AIR.U, hopes to bring between 20 and 100Mbps of wireless connectivity to rural educational institutions, which will then provide internet access to local communities.

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Top 10 Ways to Get Free Wi-Fi Anywhere You Go

via lifehacker.com

Whether you're traveling or just trying to get out of the house a bit more, there's one thing that plagues us everywhere we go: Wi-Fi. We may not have that cloud of Wi-Fi covering the planet yet, but you can find free Wi-Fi almost anywhere, if you know how to look. Here's what you need to know.

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WiFi security facts and figures

via techi.com

WiFi has changed the world. We are no longer locked into proximity to wall outlets. We’re not tied down by physical cords. We can roam our house, our area, our cities. We can go to coffee shops and book stores and connect very easily. It has been a wonderful bit of technological progress that has changed the game for millions.

There are drawbacks. With everything good, there will always be bad people trying to take advantage of them. WiFi is no exception with security measures often falling short of sniffers, hackers, and other nefarious types who want to get into our computers and our lives. This graphic explores the state of security around the world when it comes to WiFi networks.

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Scientists Make Wi-Fi Twenty Times Faster

via gizmodo.com

If you're never content with Wi-Fi speeds, rest assured that scientists are trying to help. In fact, a team of Japanese researchers has just broken the record for wireless data transmission in the terahertz range—with a data rate 20 times higher than most current Wi-Fi connections.

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This Is How You Will Connect Everything in Your Home to the Internet

via gizmodo.com

The guys who brought you the iPhone and Gmail now want to connect your washing machine, light switch, and just about any other electric device you can think of to the Internet. Get ready to be amazed.

Electric Imp came out of hiding today, announcing a line of Imp cards that can be installed on any electronic device to put it online and even control it. The little cards appear almost identical to standard SD cards, but have WiFi antennae and embedded processors. You can install them to existing devices using some of the circuit boards Imp sells, and the company is in talks with OEMs to get them Imp slots pre-installed on a range of products. Once installed, they connect to the Internet and Imp's cloud-based software controls, allowing them to both be controlled remotely and work in conjunction with other connected devices.

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Your Wireless Internet Signal Strength Based on Location [Humorous Diagram]

via howtogeek.com

Why does it always turn out to be like this?!

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Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations

via engadget.com

Two years ago, Google drove its way into a fair amount of hot water when it accidentally (as was claimed) scooped up private data over WiFi while collecting Street View and location data. Now, the Justice Department has cleared the prolific mapsters of the wiretapping violations. The DOJ made its decision not to push for prosecution based on reports from employees and investigating key documents reports Wired. The Wiretap Act (which is the relevant one here) was argued to only pertain to "traditional radio services," by US District Judge James Ware, but neither the DOJ or FCC said they could find any evidence that Google accessed the date it snared. In an extra move of openness, the search giant has also released the entire FCC report on the Street View investigation (redacted to protect identities) which can be found in the more coverage link. So, next time you see the famous camera-topped wagons roll around, you can leave your tin hat in the closet.

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Why connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot is about to get easier

via gigaom.com

In the near future, getting your smartphone, tablet or laptop connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot won’t be an exercise in frustration or require annoying pop-up log-in screens. The Wi-Fi Alliance will begin to certify wireless devices for its industry-wide Passpoint initiative this July. With devices using the Passpoint standard, users will be able to connect to Wi-Fi hotspots without having to enter logon credentials with each connection instance and will be able to seamlessly roam from one Passpoint-enabled Wi-Fi network to another.

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Tablet owners are shunning 3G and loving Wi-Fi

via digitaltrends.com

With many consumers purchasing tablets as gifts this year during the holiday shopping season, a recent study points to Wi-Fi usage as the clear winner when mobile tablet users want to connect to the Internet.

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Steve Jobs wanted to 'replace' carriers using Wi-Fi spectrum

via news.cnet.com

Apple might have launched the iPhone without the help of carriers if Steve Jobs & Co. had found a wireless workaround.

IDG today reported that Jobs apparently spent the better part of two years leading up to the release of the company's first iPhone trying to figure out how to turn Wi-Fi spectrum into a network that users could make phone calls on, as opposed to relying on carriers to get the job done.

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Removing your Wi-Fi network from Google's map

via news.cnet.com

If you're worried about the street address of your home Wi-Fi hotspot being public, Google has a solution.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company late today announced a way for the owners of Wi-Fi networks to be removed from Google's crowdsourced geolocation database, which it reworked this summer after CNET drew attention to privacy concerns.

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Wanna Boost Your Wireless Network by... 1.5 Miles?

via gizmodo.com

O, first world problems! Of all your dreadful variants, the Wi-Fi Dead Zone has to be among the worst—how am I going to finish this Netflix stream now? If only my wireless network stretched for miles. It can.

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Boost Your WiFi Signal Using Only a Beer Can

via dsc.discovery.com

I love a good hack, especially one that requires me to throw back a cold one before hand (or during). This simple wifi boost has actually been shown to increase signal strength by at least 2 to 4 bars. And, well, I will drink to that.

These instructions came to us via The Chive and we think they are most definitely worth checking out. But here is the most important question: what kind of beer will you use?

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How Travelers Use In-Flight Wi-Fi - Infographic

via mashable.com

With the rise of in-flight Wi-Fi, today’s jetsetters no longer have to forgo Internet connectivity at 35,000 feet.

How are we using this modern convenience? Researchers at Gogo — the in-flight Wi-Fi provider for American, Delta, United, Virgin and other airlines — sought to find out. Gogo analyzed its network data and has shared its findings with Mashable in infographic form.

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Sony Reader Wi-Fi puts Kindle in its sights

via news.cnet.com

It's hard for some people to imagine, but Sony was the first major brand to offer an e-book reader back in 2006--beating the original Amazon Kindle to market by at least 14 months. Since then, however, the company's e-book strategy has been one step forward and two steps back as it plays catch-up with upstart competitors Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Consider the 2010 Sony Readers: the models pioneered e-ink touch screens months before the Nook and Kobo, but they inexplicably omitted Wi-Fi from most models--instead requiring readers to tether to a PC and download new e-books. Those Sonys were also priced far above competing Kindle and Nook models at the time.

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