Many factors affect quality of service in wireless coverage areas; these include distribution of cell sites, topography of the surrounding landscape, and the number of subscribers served by any individual cell tower. Unfortunately, there isn’t any way to discern any of this from brochures or commercials. Most carriers have coverage maps on their Web sites. [...]

Clearly labeling your device can reduce its resale value for criminals and aid its return. Manufacturers label laptops with stickers or plates with serial numbers. Thieves can remove these, often without much difficulty, making it easier to sell them and more difficult for you to prove ownership. There are ways to mark your device and [...]

The graphics on newer phones can be customized. Generally, the graphics that you can modify include operator logos, caller line icons (CLIs), wallpaper, and screen savers. The amount of customization available varies among cell phone manufacturers and models. In general, phones manufactured after 2002 offer more features. Among the newer phones, GSM phones tend to [...]

I’m not assuming you are an engineer, nor am I trying to turn you into one. So, I’ve tried to simplify the following description as much as I can. The good news here is that you don’t need to remember this. It’s nice to know, and you’ll amaze your friends, but you can survive and [...]

You can install security software that utilizes biometric technology to authenticate you and prevent unauthorized persons from viewing your data. Unlike a password-only system, which crackers can sometimes defeat, a biometric system requires unique biological identification (usually a fingerprint) to authenticate a user. Biometric software combined with a hardware device, usually a fingerprint scanner, authenticates [...]

Millions of people own cell phones, alphanumeric pagers, and other wireless devices, but few people have even the slightest clue how they actually work. While cell phones may mimic normal telephones in appearance and basic function, they aren’t telephones at all,they are two-way radios. Every cell phone is a low-power, high-frequency transceiver (transmitter-receiver). When you [...]

The difference between instant messaging (IM) and SMS messaging is that IM enables people to interact in real-time. Using IM you can see when your friends are available and message them. DM is two-way; you can carry on a conversation through text. Examples of IM clients on the desktop are MSN messenger and Yahoo! messenger. [...]

One of the coolest toys around is the home theater PC (HTPC). The HTPC is a fully functional computer that’s optimized for playing and recording video and music. An HTPC contains all the usual computer components (hard drive, DVD/CD player or recorder, and video card) but may also include a high-definition television tuner (HDTV) card [...]

The analog mobile phone networks originally rolled out in the 1980s are first-generation (1G) networks. You may remember the original analog handsets, about the size of a brick with two-foot-long telescoping antennas. 1G network carry voice traffic only, and data transmission. Analog handsets convert sound waves from voice to an analogous electrical signal (hence the [...]

There are several advantages to using a PDA over a standard cell phone. A PDA gives you access to your files, calendar, contact lists, productivity software, and with a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, e-mail and Web browsing. There are a lot of PDAs on the market, with varying capabilities. In the U.S. the market is [...]