Dead BlackBerry battery? No wireless signal where you are? Problems like these could spell trouble if you're a mobile worker who desperately needs access to e-mail. Thankfully, there's an easy way to tap your inbox: Just find any Internet-connected device, be it a computer in a Web cafe, a co-worker's notebook, or...
A while back we looked at various options for locking down your laptop: retractable locking systems, motion-sensing alarms, and LoJack-style recovery services. These are effective solutions, but they'll set you back a few bucks. Lifehacker found a free alternative in LaptopAlarm, an interesting software-based security system. When you need to...
Suppose you're headed across town to meet with a new client. The directions you got from MapQuest say the trip will take you about 35 minutes, so you plan accordingly. But then you get caught in traffic and end up arriving 20 minutes late -- not the kind of first impression you want to make....
If you're a Mac user who's been eyeballing a PDA or smartphone, you probably think your options don't include Windows Mobile devices (which can't sync with Macs). Think again: The Missing Sync enables any Windows Mobile handheld to sync with your contacts, calendar, notes, memos, documents, and even your photos...
Public folders, a feature of Microsoft Exchange Server, allow organizations to share contacts, group calendars, and other data. Chapura's FolderMirror allows smartphones (all models, including Palm, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, even the iPhone) to wirelessly sync with those folders, an option that's not available via traditional wireless-sync solutions. The software works a little...
You've probably heard the suggestion about adding an In Case of Emergency or ICE number to your cell phone's address book, the idea being that if you're ever in an accident or incapacitated, rescue workers would know who to call. The Cranking Widgets Blog lists that among its 14 essential numbers...
It always surprises me how few people know about Google SMS, arguably the most useful cell-phone service on the planet. If you know how to send a text message, you can retrieve a wealth of valuable information: local business listings, stock quotes, driving directions, flight status, airline contact info, language...
Tethering is the process of connecting your cell phone -- usually via cable or Bluetooth -- to your notebook so that it the phone can serve as a wireless modem. Lots of phones can do this (I've had great success with my Verizon LG enV), but the iPhone isn't one...
Calling all Basecamp users: TrailGuide lets you view and edit projects via your Windows Mobile smartphone. The software supports messages, to-do lists, milestones, and files, and lets you hop between multiple projects. You can post new items and comments and check out recent project activity via the What's Fresh view....
Traveling abroad? Do I have the shirt for you. All you do is point to one of the universally recognizable symbols (phone, restroom, airport, etc.), then point at the question mark, and that should be enough for a native to figure out what you're after. Okay, so this isn't exactly...
"When nature calls, call Miz Pee." That's the tagline I just made up for this poorly named but undeniably useful service, which helps you find the closest and cleanest bathroom. Just point your mobile phone's browser to www.mizpee.com, click Find Toilet, and then input your city and street address. The service quickly returns...
Microsoft just took the wraps off version 2 of Windows Live Search for Mobile, the whiz-bang search app for cell phones. In case you're unfamiliar with it, WLS taps Windows Live Local to provide area-specific searches. Just choose your location (by providing a city name, ZIP code, etc.), then access business listings,...
True story: My sister recently took a business trip to D.C. -- or tried to, anyway. When she got to the airport, she learned her flight had been canceled. The airline hadn't notified her, and there wasn't another flight available until the next day. So her entire trip got scrubbed....
Seems like your notebook never has enough juice to finish the task at hand. Could be your battery's wearing out (a distinct possibility if it's more than two years old). Or, it could be that you're not squeezing every ounce of power out of it. Tech blog Friedbeef's Tech offers...
So you took the plunge this weekend and snapped up an iPhone. You lucky BizHacker! Now it's time to see what she can do. Web-2.0 blog Rev2.org has assembled the top 25 Web apps for the iPhone. Not all of them will improve your productivity, but the list definitely includes...
Need a map? It's just a phone call away. A few months ago, Google launched 1-800-GOOG-411, a free telephone service that lets you search for businesses by voice and get connected to those businesses for free. Now, when you're on your call to GOOG-411, just say "map it." In short order...
Travel guide Airport Explorer has an excellent site devoted to airfare deals. First, it steers you to airfare aggregators like Farecast, Kayak, and Yahoo Farechase, noting that they're "usually the best bets for cheap flights." Next you get links to discount search engines such as CheapTickets, Priceline, and Orbitz. Finally,...
Laptop theft is rampant these days. The little guys get swiped from offices, coffee shops, and even airport security lines. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep your laptop safe.For starters, try to prevent the theft by securing your system with a lock. The $30 Kensington MicroSaver Retractable...
Why schlep a Webcam when you're already carrying a cell phone? Wwigo turns the latter into the former, beaming the phone's live video stream to your PC via Bluetooth. It's an ingenious idea, though not without a couple limitations.For starters, Wwigo (pronounced "vigo" and short for "webcam wherever I go") is compatible...
You've been here before: For some reason you didn't sleep well last night, and now you're lurching around the office like a zombie, unable to concentrate or jittery as hell from all the coffee you drank. This happens to everyone occasionally, but if it's becoming a regular occurrence, it's time...
