Stories by: Zack Stern

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) encrypt your email connection so that your password and messages are scrambled to eavesdroppers. If you're only connecting through a wired, office PC, you'll face little exposure with non-encrypted mail. But even with a wireless laptop on a known network--or especially Wi-Fi on a temporary network out in the world--encryption is essential. Without that protection, it's trivial for a hacker to intercept and read your data.

I like the idea of keeping a Wi-Fi network open so visitors can be welcomed into the warm Internet like Elijah to a seder. But for your business, you'll likely want restrict access as much as possible to minimize the risk of stolen data. A Wi-Fi network without a password sends information in-the-clear, meaning that anyone nearby can read it. Here are several ways to close your network's windows to keep pests out.

You can create a simple add-on for your router's antenna that will boost and focus the wireless signal. We show you how.

Hacking isn't just for geeks anymore. In this era of ubiquitous gadgetry and free information, anyone with a screwdriver can do a little unauthorized tinkering. Sure, the word hacking has negative connotations. But hacking is really about being a do-it-yourselfer. That means opening a Web browser rather than your wallet to get more functionality from the products you own.

When you're serious about entertainment, you don't want to settle for the standard features. You want more storage, more options, and more convenience. But most consumer electronics come with built-in limitations that can prevent you from getting maximum use out of them.

Your point-and-shoot camera may not have come with many high-end features, but a simple software hack adds new tricks to dozens of Canon cameras. Beginners will likely be satisfied by their camera's default features, but as your photo skills grow, this relatively easy hack will let you wring extra value from your hardware with no added investment. With it, you can activate an always-on battery meter, shoot high-quality RAW files, read a live histogram to help with exposure, snap much longer -- or shorter -- exposure times, and more.

We'd be lost if we ever left the house without our arsenal of mobile tech gear, but we're also sick of being hamstrung by gadget makers who leave out important features or micromanage what we can--and can't--do with the products we buy from them. Fortunately, you don't necessarily have to settle for the limited features that mobile tech products ship with out of the box.

Chat is cheap. Videoconferencing, on the other hand, gives your online conversations a more personal feeling. For telecommuting, keeping in touch with clientele, calling home from a business trip, or just checking in with out-of-state relatives, you're never more than a smile away if you have a Webcam and some free software. I'll explain how to get started, and I'll also offer some helpful tips for getting the most out of your video chats.

If blogging is all about self-expression, why do so many blogs look so blah?

When Apple released its Time Machine backup tool in Mac OS X 10.5 last year, many hailed its convenience and simplicity. But your Windows PC comes with all of Time Machine's slick backup tricks built-in.

If you look closely enough at photos taken with a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera that's been used for a while, you'll probably see the dark silhouette of sensor grime. These opaque specks -- the result of dust and detritus that has settled inside your camera's body -- can become recorded into photos, permanently fuzzing or blocking parts of the image.