I love TV. So I really wanted to love the Slingbox, a nifty device that lets you watch and control your TV from any PC or Windows Mobile device with a broadband connection. The original version of the $250 Slingbox Personal Broadcaster debuted in 2005. With the latest update, the company has expanded the Slingbox family to three devices: the $180 Slingbox Tuner, which is designed for users who don’t have a cable box or DVR; the $180 Slingbox AV, which connects to a digital cable box, satellite receiver, or DVR; and the $250 Slingbox Pro, which supports HDTV. I looked at a shipping version of the Slingbox AV, which is most comparable to the original model. Overall, the Slingbox AV was fun to use, but even at a lower price point than the original, the new version still left me wanting more.

The Slingbox AV is thinner and sleeker than its predecessor; the small red and black box will blend in nicely with most TV setups. You connect it to your video source–whether a cable box, a DVR, or a satellite TV receiver–via the included S-Video or composite A/V cords. I connected the Slingbox AV to my TiVo Series2 device using S-Video. I then connected the remote control IR cable (which allows the Slingbox to serve as your remote control) so that it was pointing at the IR sensor on my digital cable box. My TiVo requires an IR cable as well, so once my Slingbox was set up, I had two of these cords vying for space on my cable box–not the most attractive arrangement. Connecting the Slingbox to my TV took less than 10 minutes, though, and was remarkably easy.

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The fastest high-speed cellular card will keep your laptop connected on the road. Surfing at average speeds of 700 Kbps on Verizon’s network, which now covers over 170 major cities in the U.S. and Canada.

www.verizonwireless.com

1) Mac OS X 10.4.8 includes a security patch that fixes a number of vulnerabilities, offers wireless networking and broadband networking improvements, USB modem reliability improvements, Express Card support for MacBook Pros, improved Rosetta ColorSyncing, and improved iPod syncing.

2) AirPort Update 2006-001 battens down the hatches against a hack that could allow malicious users to break into a Mac over a wireless connection.

Bluetooth is a great technology for connecting wireless headsets and making data transfers. However, while plenty of cell phone and handhelds have Bluetooth built in, most desktop PCs and many notebooks lack support for the technology out of the box. The solution: a USB Bluetooth adapter about the size of a thumb drive that you can plug into your PC when you need it, yet is small enough to throw into a laptop bag.

I suggest with D-Link’s DBT-120, which costs about $30, but cheaper models are available online and at your neighborhood computer store. And browse to find here to read about new Wireless technology, which the company claims enhances Bluetooth.

1) Mac OS X 10.4.8 includes a security patch that fixes a number of vulnerabilities, offers wireless networking and broadband networking improvements, USB modem reliability improvements, Express Card support for MacBook Pros, improved Rosetta ColorSyncing, and improved iPod syncing.

2) AirPort Update 2006-001 battens down the hatches against a hack that could allow malicious users to break into a Mac over a wireless connection.

It’s not hard to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. They’re everywhere these days and therein lies the problem. Sure, there are plenty of places for a mobile Mac user to get online wirelessly. But how many of those Wi-Fi networks are truly open, usable by anyone wandering down the street? That’s what makes Canary Wireless’s Digital Hotspotter more than a cute gadget, it doesn’t just tell you that a Wi-Fi network is in your vicinity, it tells you the network’s SSID, channel number, and signal strength, and whether it requires a password.

DIYers IT Zone’s owner didi shared with us how to build a wireless home network without wireless router.

All you need is 3 simple steps to build ad hoc wireless networks.

1. Install an 802.11b/g wireless card in the main computer & configure it as a computer to computer ( ad hoc ) wireless connection.

2. Then install a wireless card in a second computer.

3. Enable Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) on the host to complete the network & provide connectivity to the internet.

For details steps, read Making Wireless Home Networking Without Router