General Gaming Article |
- Online Anywhere: The Complete Guide to Mobile Internet
- Comic-Con 2011: 43 Photos from the Show Floor
- Man Posts Torrent of 18,592 Academic Papers
- Browser Extension of the Week: Murdoch Block
- Sick Of TOR? Researchers Unveil Telex, A New Proxy Scheme
- Exploit Allowed Anybody To Remove Any Website From Google
- Ooma Telo and Handset Review
- Seagate Ships 52 Million Drives, Gives a Shout Out to Cloud Computing
- Music Industry Still Putting the Squeeze on LimeWire
- Intel Still Super Psyched about Ultrabook Concept
| Online Anywhere: The Complete Guide to Mobile Internet Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:52 PM PDT In a very short time frame we've become constantly connected; always on and high speed, we need to be able to get our internet fix anytime, anywhere. Most of us are more than a little reliant on our Internet connections; it's certainly not far from the truth to say that we take this access for granted. For example, how many of us would be horrified if we had to go back to a 56K modem? (To those of you who are currently rocking such a vintage connection speed, our condolences). While there are many methods of getting a high-speed connection when you're away from your home service, they all have their pros and cons. We're going to break down some of the different devices and services that provide internet access across all fifty states, delivering that delicious online content you crave.
3D Map of the World Wide Web - image courtesy vlib.us Free Wi-Fi: Location, Location, LocationIt seems like every week we hear about a new restaurant chain offering free Wi-Fi, but they're not all created equal. Some require registration before use, while others actually go above and beyond simply providing a dumb Internet pipe. What you get out of the connection will differ between the services. Starbucks
Ok, everybody knows that you can get free Wi-Fi at Starbucks. (Hey, we're not hanging out there for the coffee.) The service is powered by AT&T's Wi-Fi network, and requires a single click to connect. No username and password, no registration, no credit card required. But there's more available than just a Wi-Fi connection. Starbucks partnered with Yahoo to create the Starbucks Digital Network. When using Starbucks Wi-Fi you will also have free access to paid areas of The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, ESPN, and many other sites. Simply visit starbucks.yahoo.com while using a Starbucks Wi-Fi connection. Barnes and Noble
While lacking the access to the digital content that Starbucks does, Barnes and Noble's AT&T provided Wi-Fi is available at all of their stores – and provides you with the rarified experience of hanging out in one of the few remaining brick-and-mortar bookstores. Additional LocationsThere are already tons of places that offer free Wi-Fi, and more are added every day. McDonalds, Panera Bread, many local libraries, even Taco Bell is joining the show with free Wi-Fi at all 5600 of their locations. There are a number of resources for tracking down the best spots for free Wi-Fi. Web sites like wififreespot.com and openwifispots.com will let you search based on location or venue type. There are also smart phone apps and websites such as openwifispots.com that will let you find a hotspot while on the go. It's worth mentioning that you should always use good security practices when using a public Wi-Fi network. Using websites with HTTPS/SSL encryption will protect login information for banking or social-networking sites. Keeping your system patched and your firewall up is also highly recommended in a public environment. More Wi-Fi: Paid ServicesSometimes a paid Wi-Fi service is the only option available. A travesty, we know, but the bigger issue is deciding which option is the best choice for you. We'll break down three paid Wi-Fi services that offer subscription based services across the U.S., which leaves out Comcast (which doesn't have such a service), and Verizon (which only allows access for Verizon home internet customers) and point you in the right direction. It's good to keep in mind that while the services below don't have caps or coverage fees some of them do charge fees for roaming (but that is dependent on what network you're roaming on, and can change on a daily basis). AT&T
As we've mentioned, AT&T provides free Wi-Fi services at a huge number of popular locations across the country. What you may not know is that AT&T also has a paid Wi-Fi service, known as AT&T Wi-Fi Premier. At $19.99 per month Wi-Fi Premier gives you access to AT&T's entire Wi-Fi network, not just free locations like Starbucks and Barnes and Noble. Premier subscribers also get the ability to roam on partner networks in airports and hotels around the U.S. AT&T also offers a basic Wi-Fi service, which provides customers already using a qualifying home or mobile service free access to AT&T's Wi-Fi hotspots. T-Mobile
Regular travelers looking to get Internet access on the cheap may be better off going with T-Mobile's service. (At least while they can, AT&T has recently put forth efforts to purchase T-Mobile - which may impact available service going forward, or may do nothing more than merge the two networks). Our hope would be that this would simply increase AT&T's coverage and grandfather in T-Mobile's customer base. Many U.S. airports use T-Mobile to provide wireless service, or provide subscribers access through roaming agreements. T-Mobile's Wi-Fi service costs $9.99 per month for T-Mobile voice subscribers or $39.99 per month if you aren't already a customer. Boingo
It may not have the brand recognition that AT&T or T-Mobile have, but make no mistake Boingo is one major up-and-comer among paid Wi-Fi services. Offering over 28,000 hotspots in the U.S. alone, Boingo serves public spaces, shopping malls, universities, and restaurants. Boingo offers a $9.95 laptop plan a $7.95 mobile plan, and a $17.90 combo plan that will allow you to use both a laptop and mobile device simultaneously.
Wireless BroadbandWi-Fi services are great, but the short-range nature of the technology makes it less prolific from a coverage perspective. If you have to have an always-available Internet connection, a cellular-based option is really your only choice. Though traditionally cellular data connections have been slow and unreliable, 3G and now 4G technologies are rapidly improving and expanding. Hardware
The hardware to provide a cellular connection is being packed into more form factors than ever these days, and determining the most appropriate hardware for your needs is the first hurdle. Often the simplest and most elegant hardware solution for mobile broadband is a card that is integrated directly into a laptop. This solution guarantees that the hardware is always with the computer and helps protect against a lost or stolen broadband modem. Many laptop manufacturers will include a broadband card at no cost when you sign up for a monthly data plan. The simplest option to add wireless broadband capability to a laptop is a USB modem. The hardware is generally plug-and-play, and most carriers have a couple of different models to choose from. Various brands offer 3G and 4G solutions across a variety of carriers, so do some research and find the best choice for the right price. Companies like Radio Shack, Best Buy, and Amazon will have deals and incentives to entice you to purchase your hardware and services through them, so use that to your advantage. Portable Wi-Fi hotspots like Verizon's 4G LTE MiFi 4510L have got to be the most flexible solution for mobile Internet access. Not only do you get high-speed data to your Wi-Fi enabled laptop, but you can share the Internet connection with up to five distinct devices. The main downside is price, as mobile hotspots are generally $50-$100 more than a USB modem with similar capabilities, but since we're talking about a one-time fee for the hardware it's not too painful a prospect considering what you'll get out of it.
Tethering your smart phone to your PC in order to share the data connection is a classic power user's move, but in the last few years the process has become much more regulated. What began with physically connecting your Blackberry or Windows Mobile phone via USB has morphed into the wireless hotspot utilities built into iPhones and Android handsets such as Sprints Samsung Epic 4G. Each device and carrier has a different process and pricing structure, so check with your carrier to see what capabilities you have on your phone. Also be aware that tethering will eat up your allocated bandwidth in a hurry so keep an eye on your usage to avoid hefty overage charges. While they aren't technically a method of connecting your PC to the Internet, a tablet device with a 3G or 4G radio can be a handy way to maintain your link to the Internet without resorting to the small screen of a smart phone. Tablets from Apple, RIM, HP, and a host of Android OEM's all offer large screens and increased usability in a device that can maintain its own Internet connection using a 3G or 4G capable radio. Apple's iPad tablets are some of the most popular consumer electronics devices in the world, but Apple doesn't yet offer an iPad with a high-speed 4G radio like some of their competitors. ServicesWithout a wireless broadband service, your shiny new data card or hotspot is completely worthless. The biggest problem here is figuring out which service provider will give you the best service for the cost involved. Data speed, reliability, network coverage, and data caps all come into play - and worse they are subject to change and pages (and pages, and pages) of fine print. If speed is of primary concern you should consider the 4G technology that your carrier of choice is offering, and check to ensure it meets the technological requirements of 4G (or if it is simply being used as a marketing tool). AT&T is one of the most popular cellular networks in the US – or at least, has the biggest subscriber base - and offers decent 3G speeds and a large network. AT&T offers their DataConnect 3G plans for laptops, USB modems, and mobile hotspots at two different tiers; for $35 or $60 you get 3GB or 5GB of data. AT&T only has one 4G plan for this range of devices, which costs $50 for 5GB of data. Tablets and iPads on AT&T are limited to 3G plans, 250MB's for $14.99 or 2GB for $25. (It's worth noting that the tablet and iPad plans are separate, though at first glance appear identical). If you want to tether your smart phone or use the Wi-Fi hotspot feature you're looking at a $45 data plan, which in essence adds 2GB of data (bringing you up to 4GB) and the ability to tether for $20 over the standard 2GB smart phone data plans. Blackberry, iPhone, and 4G plans vary but are offered at the same price points.
Whether you are judging by speed, coverage, devices or customer satisfaction, Verizon has one of the best 4G networks Verizon's data plans for 3G enabled laptops, mobile hotspots, tablets, and USB modems generally follow the same pricing structure. For the majority of their plans Verizon charges $30, $50, and $80 for 2GB, 5GB, or 10GB respectively (3G tablets have an additional tier lower for 1GB of data for $20). Verizon also offers prepaid broadband options so you can pay for your data and use it as needed, without a monthly contract. Verizon smart phone users can add 2GB of data and tethering/hotspot functionality to select phones for an additional $20 a month. T-Mobile doesn't have the coverage that Ma Bell and Big Red have, but much of their customer base is fanatically loyal. It remains to be seen how the buyout is going to affect T-Mobile customers but there is some overlap in the frequencies that AT&T and T-Mobile support, which should help ease the transition. Unlike the other carriers we've talked about, T-Mobile doesn't start charging you overage fees once you exceed your data cap for the month- they simply throttle your bandwidth. T-Mobile's pricing for their monthly data plans range from $24.99 for 200MB, up to $84.99 for 10GB. Phone tethering and Wi-Fi sharing can be added to your qualifying (minimum $19.95) smart phone data plan for $14.99, but does not gain you any additional data.
While Sprint's 4G network isn't the most widespread, they've been on the 4G train for longer than the other guys. However, the major upside to Sprint's mobile broadband plans is unlimited 4G data across the board, meaning that data caps only apply to 3G usage. Sprint offers 3GB, 5GB, and 10GB plans at $44.99, $59.99, and $89.99 respectively. Gauging the costs for tethering your Sprint smart phone is a fairly nebulous prospect, due to the fact that data plans are bundled with voice. The primary costs are an additional $10 a month 'premium data' add-on, which allows you to use a smart phone with the plan, and the $29.99 Mobile Hotspot feature. It would seem $39.99 is a lot of money just to enable your smart phone to share its data connection, but you have to remember that this is unlimited data, which is a dying concept in this day and age. Decision TimeThere are a lot of things that go into making the right decision on how to get your Internet connection while mobile, and we've covered a lot of different products and methods that could be of use. But what are the pros and cons for each, and what is the best way to get the most out of the solution you choose? Wi-Fi vs. 3G/4GJust like in real estate, a big part of determining the best method to get your Internet fix is location, location, location. If a majority of your internet hours are spent in Barnes and Noble, Starbucks, and your local library then you're likely fine getting by with a free Wi-Fi service. Frequent traveler? One of the airport-centric Wi-Fi services may be worth looking into. If you need a high-speed data connection no matter where you are, you can't beat the flexibility of wireless broadband. Phone vs. Dedicated HardwareThere is a lot to be said for being able to use your smartphone's data connection to access the internet – since, hey, you're already paying for it and always have it with you. However, there are two big advantages to having a dedicated device for mobile broadband. First, is the data cap on your smart phone going to be realistic if you start sharing it among several devices? Second, does your smart phone carrier support simultaneous voice and data? Either one of these issues could cause major headaches when using your smart phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, and are good reasons to consider a jump to a USB modem or dedicated Wi-Fi hotspot. Which Service or Carrier?Obviously one of the biggest questions in determining which carrier or service deserves your hard earned cash is just how much are you willing to pay for your always-available connection? The second question is coverage – mainly, what kind of coverage area do you usually find yourself in? If you spend all your time in a thriving metropolis chances are you can get a decent 4G signal with any of the carriers, but the more (and farther) you move around the higher the likelihood that you will have to deal with a slower 3G signal. The same principles apply to Wi-Fi services. Prepaid or Contract?This is primarily a question for the mobile broadband services, but there is a lot to be said for not being locked into a 2-year contract. Many of the 3G/4G enabled tablets or Wi-Fi hotspots can be used with a service that you only pay for as needed, which saves you money in months when you don't need mobile data. The benefit to be gained by signing a contract for your service is a hefty discount toward the hardware side of the equation. Whether that makes sense for you depends entirely on how long you intend to keep the service, and at what point in the contract you break-even on cost. The bottom line is that you need to decide what you are trying to get out of a mobile Internet connection, what you're willing to pay for it, and the most effective way of getting what you want (or what you're willing to pay for.) We've talked about all of the tools and technologies but the real decision comes down to what your needs are and how much you're willing to pay to meet your goals. |
| Comic-Con 2011: 43 Photos from the Show Floor Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:51 PM PDT It is with a particular mix of eager excitement and apprehensive trepidation that we prepare ourselves every year for Comic Con. Between the panels, the announcements, the previews, the games, the costumes and the crush of super fans, it's often a geek overload. However, who better to tackle such a monstrous event than the Maximum PC staff? This year we sent Alan, Nathan and Jon to San Diego take in the sights and report back on the best happenings from the mega-event. They've been sending us photos from the show floor all morning long, so get a gander at what the mecca of pop culture geekdome has going on this year! From Spiderman to Ghostbusters, Portal to the Walking Dead, Transformers to Hulk Hogan, there's a ton going on - and we're going to cover as much of it as our microSD cards will allow! Stay close to the home page for more coverage as Comic Con continues! |
| Man Posts Torrent of 18,592 Academic Papers Posted: 21 Jul 2011 01:27 PM PDT
The 32GB torrent contains papers from the JSTOR archive. JSTOR is an academic archive of papers that is accessible to most accredited academic institutions. However, many scientific articles can only be obtained for an additional fee. Maxwell explains that it could cost hundred of thousands of dollars top get all these articles. Maxwell alleges that he gained access to these files several years ago through legal means, but hesitated publishing them for fear of the Draconian copyright claims many scholarly journals place on content. The plight of Aaron Swartz (who is being prosecuted for remotely downloading JSTOR articles through MIT's computers) changed his mind. "If I can remove even one dollar of ill-gained income from a poisonous industry which acts to suppress scientific and historic understanding, then whatever personal cost I suffer will be justified," Maxwell said in his torrent post. Do you think scientific papers should be available for free download from academic journals? |
| Browser Extension of the Week: Murdoch Block Posted: 21 Jul 2011 11:57 AM PDT
While it's sadly only available at this time to Chrome users, Murdoch Block is just what the doctor ordered. Once installed, the extension effectively blocks access to NewsCorp's most popular news-centric websites. Additional Murdoch sites, such as Hulu and AllThingsD can easily be added to your block list as well, thanks to Murdoch Blocker's user-friendly options page available via Chrome's Extensions menu.
For anyone that takes their online boycotting or protesting seriously, this is one extension that you'll want to at your disposal. Be sure to check back every Thursday for another edition of Browser Extension of the Week. |
| Sick Of TOR? Researchers Unveil Telex, A New Proxy Scheme Posted: 21 Jul 2011 11:09 AM PDT
Dubbed Telex, the system doesn't actually involve pointing users towards individual proxies. It works by attaching Telex devices to routers in various choke points throughout the Internet's architecture. Ars Technica reports that users would then identify which traffic they want proxied where; they would then point their browser to a standard website, and the Telex routers would pick out the traffic en route and redirect the browser to the desired website. Censors would never know the switch even happened. Of course, the Telex tag couldn't be obvious or those dastardly dictators would just block all communications that contained the rerouting command. The researchers got around that by exploiting the nature of TLS handshakes that are used to transfer encrypted traffic across the Web. If you indicate that you want a Telex redirection, Telex's public key creates a steganographic tag for the traffic and inserts it into the TLS handshake's "nonce," which is normally a random string. To throw off would-be censors, the Telex tag also appears random, but the code would be recognized by the Telex servers. Placing Telex devices on choke points around the Web seems pretty friggin' expensive to us, and there wouldn't be much incentive for commercial carriers to implement the proxy service. Telex won't work without widespread adoption, so what's the research team's implementation plan? They're hoping to get governments to foot the bill -- some day -- in the further interests of democracy. If you're the kind of person who likes page after page of technical details, you can check out the entire plan here. |
| Exploit Allowed Anybody To Remove Any Website From Google Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:18 AM PDT
Search Engine Land reported on the flaw yesterday. The exploit was a simple one, too; all you had to do was log into Google Webmaster Tools and point your browser at the following address:
Google responded to the situation immediately, removing the ability for users to delete URLs as soon as they heard of the issue. Within seven hours, the URL removal function was back up, sans the rogue removal exploit. But what about worried web owners who may have had their sites scrubbed off the search giant's radar? "The URL removal feature kept detailed records, so we're currently reprocessing earlier removal requests to ensure their validity," Google told Computerworld. "Our initial examination has shown only a limited impact." |
| Posted: 21 Jul 2011 10:00 AM PDT Don't limit your cable cutting to your cable providerIt's no secret that the number of minutes the average American spends talking on his or her home phone has been in steep decline in the last few years. The truth is that for most of us, the landline is more neglected than one of Octomom's children. Despite that trend, many of us still cling to the comfort of a dial tone at home. That's where Ooma's Telo comes in. Offering a stand-alone VoIP service that's essentially free (other than the taxes to the Man), this sleek device is a home phone alternative that lets you flip the bird at Ma Bell.
The $50 Ooma handset increases call quality but lacks a headset jack. For most folks, setting up the Telo is fairly easy—although we hit a snag during installation. Normally, the Telo is the first device plugged into your modem. This lets it control the flow of data so that if you're making a voice call while hitting a heavy torrent, the call quality isn't disturbed. In the case of our static IP setup, though, we had to run the Ooma plugged into our router instead. Ooma has an optional $50 DECT 6.0 handset that syncs to the Ooma unit. It gives you higher "HD" quality voice than a standard phone. The Ooma handset has one glaring flaw, though: no jack for a corded headset. You can also use the Ooma with your existing phone system by connecting it directly to the wall jack. This will put a dial tone on every jack in the house. It's a bit tricky, and the company's own FAQ says you risk bricking the unit if you don't do the procedure correctly.
An optional Bluetooth dongle can be plugged into the Ooma, but you'll have to pay extra for the feature. From here, you fire up a browser, create an account, punch in the address you want your 911 calls to go to, and start making calls. You get typical landline features such as voicemail, caller ID, and call waiting. Calls anywhere inside the U.S. are "free" and "unlimited." While calls are generally unlimited, the company maintains a technical limit of 5,000 minutes, which it can enforce if it finds out you're using the phone for commercial purposes. Free also has some asterisks hanging over it. International calls will be charged against a prepaid account, but generally it's fairly affordable depending on where you're calling. All Ooma-to-Ooma calls are free. Originally, Ooma service was free of taxes, until the Man stepped in. Taxes vary depending on your location, but in our case, it worked out to roughly $3.50 per month. Ooma also offers a premium service for $10 a month, which tacks on Bluetooth support that lets you use the cell's headset or your cell phone itself. Also included are Google voice extensions, text or email notification of voicemail, voicemail to text, do not disturb, an instant second line, community blacklists, and other features.
Cheapskates rejoice, Ooma's Telo is here to make you smile. With Ooma, you can have landline-like, or better, quality for less than the cost of a large latté every month. It's definitely cheaper than Vonage if you can forego the extra features and primarily make calls within the U.S. Is it as bulletproof as your landline? No. In a power outage you're SOL, and an Internet outage would sideline you as well. But frankly, since every household has a cell phone or three, do you still need that kind of reliability? The real risk is if Ooma implodes, but the company appears quite stable. Now if we could just get broadband for $5 a month, we'd be in cheapskate heaven. $250, www.ooma.com |
| Seagate Ships 52 Million Drives, Gives a Shout Out to Cloud Computing Posted: 21 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT
"Seagate and the industry are benefiting from the significant demand for storage related to new applications and architectures associated with mobile and connected devices," said Steve Luczo, Seagate chairman, president and CEO. "Because hard disk drive storage is a fundamental technology for cloud service providers, data centers and all other network-based content providers, total industry demand grew almost 40 percent in fiscal year 2011 to 330 million terabytes." In the interesting stats department, Seagate said the average capacity per drive shipped grew to about 590GB, which represents an increase of 39 percent year-over-year. |
| Music Industry Still Putting the Squeeze on LimeWire Posted: 21 Jul 2011 08:52 AM PDT
According to a CNet report, the suit takes aim at Lime Wire, the company that created LimeWire, based on Gorton's promise to pay Merlin members an amount comparable to whatever Lime Wire ended up settling with the four major music labels. Perhaps Gorton didn't realize exactly how much he and his company would be in for when he made that agreement. A federal judge last year sided with the music labels and ordered that LimeWire be shut down. More recently, Gorton agreed to fork over $105 million to settle up with the labels, and that's the figure Merlin wants Lime Wire to use when figuring out how much it owes the independent music labels. |
| Intel Still Super Psyched about Ultrabook Concept Posted: 21 Jul 2011 08:10 AM PDT
Intel's talked about its Ultrabook concept before. Earlier this month, Intel executive vice president Sean Maloney boldly predicted that Ultrabooks would grab hold of 40 percent of the consumer laptop market by the end of 2012. Turns out that wasn't a rogue comment, though maybe a bit ambitious. "The Ultrabook project is much more akin to Centrino," Otellini said of the platform during a conference call, according to RegHardware.com. "It's a very wholistic approach to moving the entire market to a different kind of form factor, not just in terms of thinness, but in terms of the feature-set... always on, always connected, the machine is always aware of the networks around it... instant on, instant boot capability... building in integral touch... and other feature-sets." Otellini insists the Ultrabook concept is "as much about the features around the skin, or inside the skin, as the shape of the skin." In other words, Ultrabooks won't be mere MacBook Air clones, or rebadged Samsung Series 9 laptops. As for Maloney's 40 percent figure, Otellini didn't dismiss it, but cautioned "there's a great deal of engineering that has be done" before achieving that kind of market share. Image Credit: Asus |
When you think of BitTorrent, you probably think of movies, music, and games being shared illicitly. Well, one man by the name of Greg Maxwell is turning all of that on its head by 
There's a lot to hate about Rupert Murdoch's media empire these days. The allegations leveled against what was once one of the mogul's flagship publications run the gauntlet from unethical to disgusting, dragging journalism through the mud all along the way. 
The porn – um, "privacy" – modes in modern browsers do a great job of letting workers browse Facebook under the noses of employers with strict Web policies, but privacy modes don't do squat when a heavy-handed regime blocks access to specific websites. Freedom-loving webizens in freedom-hating countries have long turned to TOR as their onion-routing proxy of choice to get around governmental roadblocks, but researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new system that could help Iranians and other censored Web users access "immoral" websites like Twitter and CNN.
China's been catching a lot of grief lately for 
Don't let anyone fool you into thinking the hard drive market is tanking. If that were the case, Seagate's fiscal quarter and year-end 2011 financial results would look decidedly different, but as it stands, the company claims to have shipped 52 million drives. Revenue for the quarter reached $2.9 billion with net income of $119 million.
Everyone knows you can't squeeze blood from a turnip, but you might be surprised how much cash you can choke out of LimeWire. The former peer-to-peer file sharing service is the center of another lawsuit, this one by Merlin, a trade group that represents more than 12,000 independent labels. These record companies claim LimeWire founder Mark Gorton reneged on a promise he made in 2008 to pay them for tracks that LimeWire users pirated before going belly-up, and it's time to settle up.
One thing you won't catch Intel doing is dwelling on the past to the point where it paralyzes the Santa Clara chip maker from moving forward. Consider Intel's CULV (Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage) laptops, an experiment that flopped and could have left a permanent bad taste in Intel's mouth. Instead, Intel CEO Paul Otellini calls it a "trial run" for what comes next: Ultrabooks.| You are subscribed to email updates from Maximum PC - All Articles To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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