Transformer Buddy

Transformer Buddy - I’ll Take 20

By Andrew Liszewski

In an effort to make electronics smaller and easier to fit in your entertainment center a lot of the power-related components are intentionally left out which means you usually end up with a large transformer that takes up 2 or 3 spots on your power bar. Thankfully devices like the XBox 360 or Nintendo Wii use a large brick that sits in between the console and the power plug but plenty of other devices don’t.

Yet another third party solution to this problem is the Transformer Buddy which is basically an adapter that offsets large transformers away from a power bar or wall outlet making sure they only end up using one spot. The Buddy is also able to rotate 360 degrees which means it can squeeze into even the most over-loaded of outlets and the built-in 104-joule surge suppressor should help keep your investments safe while plugged in.

The Transformer Buddy is available in sets of 2 from the Improvements Catalog for $9.99.

[ Transformer Buddy ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

Source: OhGizmo! » Archive » Transformer Buddy - I’ll Take 20

My Pictures folder as a screensaver

My Pictures folder as a screensaver

Here’s a novel idea for a screensaver from Parent Hacks: use your My Pictures folder (or wherever you store your digital photos on your machine) as the source for your screensaver. Here’s how it works with Windows XP:

• Start Menu/Control Panel/Display
• Find the Screensaver tab, and choose “My Picture Slideshow.”
• By default, this points to your My Pictures folder, but you can point it anywhere you want.

I’ve had this on my ‘puter for years. One unexpected side benefit: my kids are absolutely mesmerized by the hundreds of family pics I’ve got sliding by whenever the screensaver is on (way better than being glued to the TV!). — Wendy Boswell

Source: Use your My Pictures folder as a screensaver - Lifehacker

How to protect yourself at wireless hot spots

Preston Gralla

January 04, 2007 (Computerworld) Wi-Fi hot spots in airports, restaurants, cafes and even downtown locations have turned Internet access into an always-on, ubiquitous experience. Unfortunately, it also means ubiquitous, always-on security risks.

Connecting to a hot spot can be an open invitation to danger. Hot spots are public, open networks that practically invite hacking and snooping. They use unencrypted, insecure connections, but most people treat them as if they are secure, private networks.

This could allow anyone nearby to capture your packets, and snoop on everything you do when online, including stealing passwords and private information. In addition, it could also allow an intruder to break into your PC without your knowledge.

But there’s plenty you can do to keep yourself safe — and I’ll show you how to do that in this article. If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to make secure connections at any hot spot.

Disable ad-hoc mode

Little-known fact: You don’t need a hot spot or wireless router in order to create or connect to a wireless network. You can also create one using ad hoc mode, in which you directly connect wirelessly to another nearby PC. If your PC is set to run in ad hoc mode, someone nearby could establish an ad-hoc connection to your PC without your knowing about it. They could then possibly wreak havoc on your system and steal files and personal information.

The fix is simple: Turn off ad hoc mode. Normally it’s not enabled, but it’s possible that it’s turned on without your knowledge. To turn it off in Windows XP:

1. Right-click the wireless icon in the System Tray.
2. Choose Status.
3. Click Properties
4. Select the Wireless Networks tab.
5. Select your current network connection.
6. Click Properties, then click the Association tab.
7. Uncheck the box next to “This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network”.
8. Click OK, and keep clicking OK until the dialog boxes disappear.

In Windows Vista, there’s no need to do this, because you have to take manual steps in order to connect to an ad hoc network; there’s no setting to leave it turned on by default.

Turn off file sharing

Depending on the network you use at work or at home, you may use file sharing, to make it easier to share files, folders and resources. That’s great for when you’re at a secure network —- but when you’re at a hot spot, it’s like hanging out a sign saying “Come on in; take whatever you want.”

So make sure that you turn off file sharing before you connect to a hot spot. To turn it off in Windows XP, run Windows Explorer, right-click on the drives or folders you share, choose the Sharing and Security tab, and uncheck the box next to “Share this folder on the network.”

Protect yourself by turning off file sharing (Click image to see larger view)

If you’re a Windows Vista user, it’s even easier. When you connect to a hot spot, designate it as Public. When you do that, Windows Vista automatically turns off file sharing. You can also turn off file sharing manually. Choose Control Panel—>Set up file sharing, click “File sharing” select “Turn off file sharing” and click Apply. Then click “Password protected sharing,” select “Turn off password protected file sharing” and click Apply.

Turn off network discovery

If you’re a Vista user, a feature called network discovery makes your PC visible on a network, so that other users can see it and try to connect to it. On a private network, this is useful; at a public hot spot, it’s a security risk. When you connect to a hot spot and designate the network as Public, network discovery is turned off, so again, make sure to designate any hot spot as public.

However, you can also make sure that Network Discovery is turned off for your hot spot connection. When you’re connected, choose ControlPanel—>View network status and tasks. Then in the Sharing and Discover section, click the Network discovery button, choose “Turn off network discovery” and click Apply.

Vista users should turn off Network Discovery for maximum safety (Click image to see larger view)

Encrypt your e-mail

When you send an e-mail at a hot spot, it goes out “in the clear,” in other words, unencrypted, so that anyone can read it. A lot of e-mail software allows you to encrypt outgoing messages and attachments. Check how to use yours, and then use it at a hot spot. In Outlook 2003, select Options from the Tools menu, click the Security tab, and then check the box next to “Encrypt contents and attachments for outgoing messages.” Then click OK.

Encrypting outgoing e-mail in Outlook 2003 (Click image to see larger view)

Carry an encrypted USB flash drive

USB flash drives are cheap, and getting cheaper by the day. For about $50, you can buy a 2 GB flash drive, which is more than enough space to carry Windows, the applications you use, and the data you need. Make sure to get a drive that can use encryption. Then install Windows, your applications, and your data on it.

On your laptop, keep no private data on your hard drive. When you connect at a hot spot, boot from your USB drive. That way, even if someone somehow gets into your PC, they won’t be able to read or alter any of your data, because the data is encrypted on the USB drive.

Protect yourself with a virtual private network

Most hot spots are not secure and don’t use encryption. That means anyone with a software sniffer can see all of the packets you send and receive.

But you don’t need to rely on the hot spot for encryption. You can use a for-pay virtual private wireless network that encrypts your connection. There are several available, but the one I’ve been using for years is hotspotVPN and it hasn’t failed me yet.

No special VPN software is needed; you can use XP’s or Vista’s built-in VPN capabilities. The service costs $8.88 per month, or in one-, three- and seven-day increments for $3.88, $5.88 and $6.88. You can also pay for more secure VPN encryption from the service for between $10.88 and $13.88 per month.

Once you subscribe, you’ll get a user name, password and IP address of a wireless VPN server. At that point, you run a Windows network connection wizard, fill in the user name, password and IP address information, and you’ll be ready to go. In Windows XP, chooseControl Panel—>Network and InternetConnections—>Create a connection to the network at your workplace. From the screen that appears, choose Virtual Private Network connection, and follow the wizard.

In Windows Vista, choose ControlPanel—>View network status and tasks. Then click “Set up a connection or network” and then choose “Connect to a workplace” and then “Use my Internet connection (VPN). Follow the wizard after that.

Setting up a wireless VPN using Windows Vista (Click image to see larger view)

Disable your wireless adapter

There may be times when you’re at a hot spot when you actually don’t want to connect to the Internet. In that case, you can guarantee absolute safety —- disable your wireless adapter so you can’t connect.

If you have a wireless PC card, you can simply remove it, of course. If you have a wireless adapter built in to your PC, you can disable it. In XP, right-click the wireless icon, and choose Disable. If you’re using the adapter’s software to manage your connection, check the documentation to find out how to disable it.

If you’re using Windows Vista, choose ControlPanel—>Network and Sharing Center. Then in the Connection area, click “View status,” and from the screen that appears, click Disable.

Disabling a wireless adapter in Windows XP

Watch out for shoulder surfers

Think all hacking is high-tech programming? Think again. “Shoulder surfers” don’t need to know how to write a line of code to steal your password —- all they need to do is peer over your shoulder as you type. So make sure no one seems to be paying too close attention when they’re directly behind you.

In addition, if nature calls because you’ve had too many double lattes, don’t leave your laptop unattended when you go to the rest room. Laptop theft has become common in some places, most notably San Francisco, which was subject to a laptop crime wave. Consider bringing along a laptop lock, and locking your laptop to a table. Some cafes even include ports to which you can lock your laptop.

Beware phony hot spots

Watch out for this latest hot spot scam —- someone surreptitiously sets up a hot spot near a cafe, created for the sole purpose of stealing personal information. You’re asked to type in sensitive information in order to log in, and the thief makes off with your passwords and financial information. Ask a staffer at the cafe if there is, in fact, a hot spot available, and what it’s name is. Only connect to that network. And if you see two hot spots with the same name, don’t connect to either —- one might be a so-called “evil twin” set up by a snooper to trick you into connecting to the phony hot spot.

Turn on your firewall

Windows XP and Windows Vista both have personal firewalls built in, so turn them on. In Windows XP, choose ControlPanel—>Security Center, then click the Windows Firewall icon at the bottom of the screen. From the page that appears, select On, and click OK.
In Windows Vista, chooseControlPanel—>Security—>Windows Firewall. The screen that appears will tell you if the firewall is turned on. If it’s not, click Change Settings, select On, and click OK.

Turning on the firewall in Windows Vista (Click image to see larger view)

Windows XP’s personal firewall is underprotected because it doesn’t include outbound protection. (Windows Vista’s firewall includes two-way protection.) If you’re a Windows XP user, consider getting the free version of ZoneAlarm, which has both inbound and outbound protection.

Preston Gralla: Preston Gralla is a contributing editor for Computerworld Online, and the author of more than 35 books, including How the Internet Wo

Link to How to protect yourself at wireless hot spots

Meebo

PC Magazine - Web Site of the Week: Meebo
REVIEW DATE: 01.02.07

By Brian Heater

Click here to visit Meebo
I've got 15 windows open on my desktop right now. There's Word and Photoshop, both Firefox and Internet Explorer, Outlook and iTunes. What's really pushed me over the edge, however, is having three instant messaging clients running simultaneously, each with its own conversation. Over the years, I've accrued accounts for AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, and ICQ. Most recently, Google chat snuck up on me, via my Gmail account, while I wasn't looking. It's nice knowing that my conversational abilities are held in such high regard, sure, but I don't know how much longer my sanity, productivity, or ancient PC can handle all of this attention. This morning, I logged in to Meebo, and now I've got all of those conversations stashed conveniently away in one of my browser's tabs.

Meebo is an AJAX-heavy, Web-based app that currently supports the top six instant messaging clients—it's a bit like the ever-popular Trillian software but without all the pesky downloading, meaning that you can access your chats on any PC with a compatible Web browser (the app works with both IE and Firefox—Opera users are currently out of luck). Logging in to Meebo, users are prompted to enter their username and password for either AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Google Talk, ICQ, or Jabber. A seventh option is the creation of a free Meebo account, allowing users to sign in to any combination of those six services simultaneously.

Once you've logged in, a Buddy List window appears inside the browser, which looks a bit like a shinier, Web 2.0 version of its AIM cousin. The list contains the names of all of your buddies from the various services. Like traditional IM clients, it also features access to your buddies' profiles, away messages, time logged on, and time idle. To the left of each username in the buddy list window is an icon specifying which service the buddy is logged in to. The list is also drag-and-drop editable. Right-clicking items gives you further editing options, such as changing group names. Meebo recently added a pop-up option, which allows you to launch the list as a separate window should your browser prove too confining for your chatting needs.

If you do choose to stay within the confines of your browser window—the route I went, given my aforementioned aversion to windows—your conversations, like the buddy list, appear as windows within the browser. You can drag and drop the AJAX-based conversation bubbles anywhere within the window, or minimize them to the bottom—though the windows have the slightly annoying habit of scrolling halfway back through the conversation, once you return them to normal size. When you receive a new message from a buddy, the meta title across the top of the browser flashes a snippet of the new message—especially convenient for those who choose to keep the conversations going in a background browser tab. You can also enable alert sounds, which will play a non-discreet, monotone chime whenever you send or receive a message.

Another recently added, useful feature allows you to sign in and out of various clients when signed in to your Meebo account. Just because you're logged in to your Yahoo! and Gmail accounts via your Meebo account doesn't mean that you have to be logged in to your AIM account as well. Also, should your browser crash during a conversation—a scenario that has become all too common in my own life, since I attempted to install IE7 on my PC—the last messages in the interrupted conversations will appear in a chat bubble in gray italics, for future review, once you restart the conversation.

On the security end, Meebo encrypts log-in passwords using JavaScript, decrypting the server side with OpenSSL. The site will not collect usernames and passwords for the individual clients unless you opt in to a Meebo account, at which point the service stores the information automatically, in order to log you in.

Not surprisingly, as a third-party application, Meebo lacks some features of other IM clients. For one, you can't send messages to users who are off-line, the way you can with AIM and Yahoo!, and changes in textual style don't always translate across services—nor are all of the service's emoticons visible to users on the other end. As much as you might love Meebo's pirate emoticon, if you send it to a user with AIM, they'll simply receive this: (pirate). It should be noted as well that, because of the service's popularity as a way of getting around organizations that block the downloading of IM clients, an increasing number of libraries, schools, and businesses have devoted a good deal of effort to blocking its use, and Meebo has, in turn, invested a lot in bypassing such blocks.

It may lack some of the features of better-established IM clients, but, between the service's existing features and those that the company continues to add, Meebo is a terrific third-party option for those who like to chat, but don't want all of the downloads—or windows.

Source: Web Site of the Week: Meebo: Full Review - Review by PC Magazine

Warming/Cooling Vehicle Cup Holder

By Andrew Liszewski

Nothing’s worse than buying a nice cold Slurpee on a hot day only to have it melt into a watery mess 5 minutes after getting back into your car. (It probably says a lot about my daily routine when a melting Slurpee ranks highest on the list of bad things that could possibly happen to me.)

So in order to preserve all that frozen goodness I guess you could either install a cooler in your car and keep it packed with ice or just buy one of these electric cup holders that can heat or warm your drink at the flick of a switch. It sits in the standard cup holder of any vehicle and plugs into the cigarette lighter which allows it to heat up to 140 F or cool down to 40 F in only a few minutes.

This marvel of beverage preservation engineering is available from Lillian Vernon for $24.98.

[ Commuter’s Warming/Cooling Mug ]

Source: OhGizmo! » Archive » Warming/Cooling Vehicle Cup Holder