GeekSugar

Polaroid Throws the SC1630 in the WiFi Camera Ring

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:15:01 PST

There's a trend in the air at CES - a WiFi-enabled camera trend, to be exact. Polaroid is among the companies offering a camera to get you online. The SC1630 Smart Camera harnesses the power of an Android-operating smartphone minus the monthly texting plan.

The 16MP, 3X optical zoom camera uses a 3.2-inch touch screen display to easily share pictures and videos across the World Wide Web of social networks, thanks to its included WiFi and Bluetooth connection. Photos are automatically organized within the camera by date, location, and those smiling people in the shot. Just like any other mobile device, the camera includes a geo-location feature so you don't forget where each memory was made.

The price of Polaroid's SC1630 Smart Camera is still up in the air; look for the camera to hit stores sometime in 2012.

London Gets Free WiFi Before the Summer Olympics

Kelly Schwarze — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:59:13 PST

Ahead of this year's Olympic Games, free WiFi is coming to millions of London residents. Mobile company O2 is providing the Internet access throughout the Westminster, Kensington, and Chelsea boroughs of central London.

At no cost to locals, O2's wireless system will be powered by devices installed on street furniture. The city's Internet access is expected to be the largest WiFi zone in Europe. Get ready to tweet and mobile upload to your heart's content if you're part of the crowds headed to London for the Summer games.

Stay Connected During Holiday Travel With These Free WiFi Sources

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:46:00 PST

Heading out of town for the holidays doesn't mean you have to give up on checking your emails, surfing your favorite websites, or watching your shows on Hulu. If you're on the go, keep an eye out for these six places that offer free WiFi connections (and one big safety warning to go along with it).

The Big Apple - New York City and AT&T partnered up to launch free WiFi service at 20 city parks across all five boroughs. While we'd like to imagine park goers enjoying computer-less moments, free park WiFi is a great excuse to "work from home." Just wear a coat while you're out.
Airports - Kayak created a handy guide of WiFi at US airports, noting which airports provide free and secure WiFi.
The golden arches - In most major cities it'd be difficult to not pass a steady stream of McDonald's, Starbucks, and other big name restaurants. Many of these chains offer free WiFi, putting the "value" in value meal.
Starbucks - Grab a cuppa Joe and some free Internet while you're at it. You can pretty much find a Starbucks on every block in big cities, and there are plenty to go around in smaller towns and airports as well.
The library - Oh, forgot about the library since you have a fancy pants ereader now? Well, if you're ever in need of a quick connection, head to your local library branch. If they don't have WiFi, they'll certainly have computers for you to log in.
Your hotel - You may have to fork over the dough to get online in some cases, but free WiFi is becoming a welcome perk at some hotels and hotel chains. Call ahead to see if your hotel offers free connections, and if not, the concierge should be able to direct you to a generous neighborhood coffee shop or bar with a free signal.
But remember, safety first! - Just as leaving your home network open and unprotected with a password can be dangerous, so is piggybacking on an unsecured WiFi signal in a public area, so steer clear of wireless networks labeled "Free Public WiFi," which can be dangerous if used. Hackers can create fake networks in hopes of stealing your personal information. Don't let them get away with it that easily!

Are You Allergic to Wi-Fi? Strange New Illness With Even Stranger Cure

Yahoo Shine — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:56:46 PDT

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Yahoo! Shine:

What is this now? An acute Wi-Fi allergy is plaguing five percent of Americans? EHS, or Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, is a condition defined by headaches, muscle spasms, burning skin and chronic pain.

The cause: over-exposure to mobile phones, wireless internet and the satellites and cell phone towers that keep them pumping.

One sufferer, Diane Schou, described her symptoms to the BBC this way: "My face turns red, I get a headache, my vision changes, and it hurts to think. Last time [I was exposed] I started getting chest pains - and to me that's becoming life-threatening."

To alleviate her discomfort, her husband built her "radio-wave resistant" wooden cage lined in wire mesh to sleep in. When that didn't work, she moved from her Iowa farmhouse to Green Bank, West Virginia. Population 143.

For 13,000 square miles around the town wireless networks are obsolete. The Radio Quiet Zone was originally designed for scientific research, but it's becoming a haven for EHS refugees.

Come on, is this really about radio waves and electromagnetic frequencies?

Virgin America to Level Up In-Flight Entertainment System in 2012

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:55:27 PDT

Staying entertained and connected on Virgin America flights will soon be even easier than before. Starting in late 2012, Virgin America will be rolling out a new in-flight entertainment and technology system called BoardConnect, which will feature larger, HD touchscreen seat-back monitors with full WiFi connectivity and the ability for passengers to connect their personal gadgets to the system before takeoff, while in the air, and even postflight.

This means that passengers can get their curated content, games, and connectivity via the seat-back screen, or connect and use their smartphones and tablets instead. Additional details are scarce, but these new features and benefits could soon make other airlines, who are still jumping on the in-flight WiFi trend, much less desirable.

Geek Tip: Don't Use "Free Public Wi-Fi" This Summer (or Ever)

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 05:53:06 PDT

Traveling cross-country or abroad this Summer? While you're able to easily find free WiFi in airports these days, you shouldn't just hop on the first free and available WiFi signal you can find and start browsing, shopping, or logging in to secure websites.

Just as leaving your home network open and unprotected with a password can be dangerous, so is piggybacking on an unsecured WiFi signal in a public area. Hackers can create fake networks in hopes of stealing your personal information. Usually (and most often), these networks are labeled to the tune of "Free Public Wi-Fi," and can be dangerous if used. Be sure to check with the airport customer service desk to find proper log-in instructions for its official wireless network. Even if you have to pay a fee to use it, it's probably worth it considering the risk you'll take by using an alternative and free unsecured network!

How to Stay Connected on the Road: 3 Free WiFi Sources

GeekSugar — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:10:58 PDT

While relaxing at your Summer destination of choice, staying connected (or wrapping up last-minute work) doesn't have to include the hotel's pricey per-minute Internet surcharge. We found three free WiFi sources for the traveling tech addict, including one digital city.

The Big Apple - New York City and AT&T just announced the launch of free WiFi service at 20 city parks across all five boroughs. While we'd like to imagine park goers enjoying computer-less moments, free park WiFi is a great excuse to "work from home."
Airports - Kayak created a handy guide of WiFi at US airports noting which airports provide free and secure WiFi.
The golden arches - In most major cities it'd be difficult to not pass a steady stream of McDonald's, Starbucks, and other big name restaurants. Many of these chains offer free WiFi, putting the "value" in value meal.

Steer clear of wireless networks labeled "Free Public WiFi." Due to an old Windows XP glitch, phantom connections often appear in network settings and may leave the user vulnerable to hacker manipulation. Select the network obvious to your location, like "TulsaAirport WiFi." And for the sake of your travel companions, limit that WiFi time!

WiFi-Only Motorola Xoom Coming March 27

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:12:03 PDT

Does the $800 price tag for the Motorola Xoom get you down? Good news - a WiFi-only version of the Android tablet will be launching in the US on March 27 for just $599.

Running Android 3.0, the 10.1-inch tablet will be stocked with 32GB of on-board memory and come with all the bells and whistles of the 3G version (dual core 1Ghz processors, 1GB of RAM, etc.). Where can you get the new tablet? There are going to be plenty of retailers to choose from. Find out more after the break.

GDC 2011: Netflix and Free WiFi Coming to Nintendo 3DS

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:36:06 PST

Everyone may have been talking about the iPad 2 today, but there was something else brewing at this year's Game Developers Conference in SF - a Netflix partnership and free WiFi coming to the Nintendo 3DS!

The 3DS doesn't launch for another few weeks, but these are some exciting developments. First up: the Netflix partnership. According to the keynote speech yesterday, you can watch movies via the Netflix app on your 3DS, and pick them up later on your Wii when you get home (or vice versa). Additionally, you'll be able to watch movie trailers like The Green Lantern in 3D without the need for dorky glasses.

Want to know what's up with the free WiFi? Find out after the break.

Do You Password-Protect Your WiFi?

GeekSugar — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:00:05 PST

Despite my attempts at educating you on the dangers of leaving your home's WiFi network unattended, it seems that there are a lot of you out there without wireless passwords. According to a new study, 32 percent of people piggyback on their neighbor's WiFi signals in order to hop on Facebook, surf the Internet, or check emails, instead of paying for their own Internet access. Let's face it, it's stealing, and not only could an open WiFi signal give your neighbors access to your personal information, but if they're illegally downloading content, you could be slapped with the blame.

Don't know how to set a password for your home wireless network? The Cisco Valet Plus router is insanely easy to set up, walks you through password protection, and also allows you to create guest WiFi accounts so your visitors can surf without gaining access to your personal records. Better safe than sorry!