April 13, 2005

Every so often hi-tech gadgets come along that make sense. Here are a few we’ve found:

The Digital Hotspotter (Canary Wireless, $59.99) is a small, simple, convenient and useful device that detects the presence of and analyzes Wi-Fi wireless networks. Push the one and only button on the device, and it begins scanning. An animation on its small one-line 12-character LCD screen shows it’s working, scanning for networks. When a Wi-Fi network is detected, the same screen will show sequentially in a display crawl, the network ID, signal strength (one to four bars), the encryption status (open or secure), and the channel number. If the network has disabled the ID, the Hotspotter shows a "cloaked" indication in the display. An "open" indication in the security status means only that a radio connection can be made at that wireless access point; it doesn’t necessarily mean you can connect to the Internet, since other security methods may be in use.

To check for additional Wi-Fi networks, just push the button again, and the Hotspotter starts scanning again. To conserve its batteries, the device shuts down after about 30 seconds. The Hotspotter scans for 13 channels of 802.11b and 802.11g wireless network signals. The device does not detect Bluetooth, 802.11a or 802.11n types. The scanning range is about 200 feet. The device is surprisingly small at only 2 x 2.5 x 1 inch and uses two AAA batteries said to last about two months with moderate usage. Rechargeable batteries are not recommended. The display is not backlit, so if you’re using it in the dark or low light you may need a flashlight.

The Hotspotter is useful in a variety of situations. If you are a home or business user with a wireless network, you can use the device to check how far your signal gets into the outside world, where it may be accessible to anybody, and/or to check that it is "secure." The business traveler can use it to quickly locate Wi-Fi hot spots without having to boot up his or her laptop computer. It’s also useful to locate the area of strongest signal to more quickly synchronize e-mail, upload or download files, check the Internet for travel information and more. Students can use the device to find networks in unlikely locations such as parks, bus stops, and more. Network Administrators can use the Hotspotter as a tool to check connection sites, look for open or rogue access points, check signal strengths, analyze multiple networks for overlap and possible interference and more.

We used the Hotspotter to scan as we walked around our neighborhood and found a lot of wireless networks, more than we would have suspected. Most displayed their status as being "Open" and with default IDs such as "default," "LinkSys," or "Dlink." Some carried IDs of the name or address of the user, others local security companies. A few were "cloaked." Since ours is a friendly neighborhood, we talked to a few of the home owners about their "Open" status. Some were alarmed to think anybody could "listen in" to their computer or access the Internet through their computer. A few indicated they had a software security system in place. Followup scans showed some changes. Our trips to the shopping malls with the Hotspotter in hand also showed a surprising number of wireless networks in place about half with an "Open" status.

Other gadgets in the useful category are the small thumb-sized USB flash memory devices. The Keychain USB Reader/Writer (MediaGear, models available for SD, xD, CF, SM and MS cards, each $9.95) lets you make use of any extra unused memory cards you may have around. Simply slide your card into the device, close the cover, pop it into your USB port, and you’ve got a "thumb-drive" that most current Windows and Mac operating systems recognize as a removable hard drive to which you can write files and from which you can read files. Unplug it from one computer and plug it into another, and you’ve got portable memory for easy transport or safekeeping of important data. Ironically, the MediaGear Keychain USB Reader/Writer does not have a keychain attached.

But another card reader, MobileMate Card Reader/Writer (San Disk, one model accepts SD/MSD/MMC/RS-MMC/TransFlash cards only, the other model Memory Sticks only, $19.99) does come with both a pocket clip and a loop for a keychain, so you have a choice of transport for this device. After you insert a memory card into the side of the MobileMate, the card sticks out--making it a little more awkward to carry, but the device includes a short USB extension cable to simplify connections. Both the MediaGear Keychain USB Reader/Writer or the SanDisk MobileMate Card Reader/Writer can be used as digital camera card readers to transfer digital photos to your computer. Both are the height of simplicity and worked very well for us.

If you want to easily add an external hard drive or CD or DVD reader/writer to your computer, have extra hard drives or CD or DVD reader/writers from other computers or upgrades that you’d like to put to use, then you may want to buy the Dual Link Drive Kit (ADS Tech, $130). This is a box into which you put the hard drive or CD or DVD reader/writer. The box has a power supply for the drives and both USB 2.0 and Firewire ports for speedy transfer of data to and from your compatible PC or Mac. There are actually two Firewire ports, so you can daisy chain the drive to another drive or a digital camcorder. Included with the kit, in addition to the drive enclosure, are both USB and Firewire cables, drivers for those operating systems that may need them and a User’s Manual. The kit makes it easy for you to do it yourself external drive.

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