Mobile Computing News, Reviews, & Tips

VoIP Tips: The Hidden Costs of Internet Phone Service

While we're on a hidden costs kick, did you know that nearly all Voice over IP service plans have hidden charges? 'Tis true, says PC World's "Net Phone Zone" columnist Aoife McEvoy. To avoid surprises, find out in advance if you'll be charged for the required telephony adapter; some companies provide them free. Ask if there is an activation fee. And find out if shipping and handling costs for your hardware are included. Read Aoife's column for more tips.

Wireless Tips: How to Avoid an Evil Twin Attack

The evil twin--the ultimate soap-opera cliché--is becoming an unpleasant reality for hotspot hoppers. In an "evil twin" attack, a hacker uses a counterfeit hotspot to steal your credit-card information or other data at a wireless café or other public location.

How do you protect yourself? Start by turning off the option to constantly search and log on to the nearest hotspot. This option doesn't allow you to monitor which hotspot you're logging on to. As a result, you could unknowingly log onto an evil twin hotspot.

Notebook Accessory News: Give Your Notebook Legs

Once upon a time, notebooks had legs: two little thingamajigs on the portable's underside. Popping open the legs elevated the notebook's rear, letting you raise the screen level and slant the keyboard. Notebook makers stopped adding legs because they broke too easily.

But thanks to LapWorks, you can add peel-n-stick legs to your notebook. LapWorks' Laptop Legs ($25 for two pairs) let you elevate your notebook by 1 or 1.75 inches, providing what the company claims is improved ergonomics and increased cooling/ventilation. I haven't tested this product, but it could be worthwhile if your notebook screen needs a little extra height.

Gadget Review: A First Look at Sony's PlayStation Portable

Anticipation has been huge for Sony's PlayStation Portable. Is the $250 game machine worthy of its hype? PC World's Andrew Brandt says you may as well get out your credit card--you're going to want one. Why? For starters, the PSP's 4.3-inch, 480-by-272-pixel screen is absolutely beautiful, he says (though it's also prone to smudging). The speakers produce great stereo separation and rich sound, though you'll probably want to use headphones outdoors. The PSP's Wi-Fi support is currently only good for multiplayer games and downloading firmware updates; you can't go online or send messages.

At press time, a U.S. court ordered Sony to stop U.S. sales of PlayStation consoles, due to a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against Sony by Immersion. The order was put on hold pending Sony's appeal, however.

Notebook Accessory News: Iomega's Portable Hard Drives

Iomega has a new portable, external hard drive series: the Iomega Portable Hard Drive. The compact models draw power from a USB 2.0 port and feature a 2.5-inch, 4200-rotations-per-minute drive. Some models are available with a dual USB and FireWire interface. Prices range from $120 for 40GB to $300 for 100GB.

Wireless News: MapQuest GPS Service for Nextel Phones

MapQuest recently announced MapQuest Find Me, its first service for GPS-enabled phones. The service will find your phone's location on a map and let you share that info with others (hence the name "Find Me"). You can also search for businesses based on proximity; locate stores for future use; and get turn-by-turn voice directions. The service currently works only with some Nextel phones. It costs $4 a month if you have a Nextel data plan, or $6 if you don't.

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