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What Is A Travel Router?

January 1, 2012.
What Is A Travel Router?
By Bradley Mitchell,
About.com Guide
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The hotel in San Francisco we stayed at last weekend charged about $15 per day for Internet access from one device. Our group had 6 computers and a few other assorted gadgets. Paying $100 a day to keep everything connected wasn't an option - so we brought a travel router.

Question: What Is A Travel Router?

Answer: A travel router is a category of broadband routers designed to help people connect their mobile devices.

Travel routers (also sometimes called mobile routers) typically possess several characteristics that distinguish them from other broadband routers:

• compact size - Many travel routers are only a few inches (less than 10 cm) in width or height and thin enough to slip into a pocket. Their small size makes them convenient to carry from place to place.
• battery powered - Good travel routers feature a built-in rechargeable battery that enables the router to be used for at least a few hours without being connected to an electrical outlet.
• tethering capability - To supply online connectivity when Ethernet or wireless hotspot services aren't available, a travel router shares Internet access via a tethered 3G/4G cell phone. (High-end mobile routers incorporate a built-in cellular modem that eliminates the need for tethering.)
• Wi-Fi client support - advanced routers can join hotspots as a Wi-Fi client and in turn share that same connection out to other clients via its own built-in access point.

Common Uses for Travel Routers

A mobile router can be used to

• help a family more conveniently share one paid Internet connection at a hotel
• allow business travelers to wirelessly share files with each other
• stay connected while hiking or boating outdoors

Suggested Reading

• Top 802.11g Travel Routers
• What Is a Network Router Warranty?
• Before You Buy a Wireless Internet Router

Mobile Routers - Related Topics

• (Mobile Office) Wireless Pocket Routers
• Top VoIP Wireless Routers
• Video - How To Set Up a Network Router

Related Articles

• Belkin Wireless G Travel Router

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The ten best free programs of 2011

Posted by Samer on December 27, 2011

@ http://www.freewaregenius.com/category/best-of/freewaregenius_picks/

Many sites have “best of year” program lists that are really “best of all time”; so is this one of them? Well, yes and no. This is a list of the best free software that has either been launched in 2011, or has been significantly improved upon and come into it’s own in 2011 (for a best freeware ever list, check out our Freeware Top 30).

How I chose these: I install a lot of programs, as you might imagine. I do this on my main machine and every several weeks I restore a clean image, so I take note of those programs that make their way back into my system as being a cut above the rest. This is a list of those, or at least 10 that are quite noteworthy. I also made an attempt NOT to rehash the same old list of titles which everyone already knows.

Here’s the list; note that the order is arbitrary:

1. Wunderlist: task management on the PC and on your device
2. Freemake Video Converter: powerful video conversion that is a delight to use
3. Listary: real time file filtering of files and folders in Windows
4. Comodo Programs Manager: monitors programs installs in real time to remove all traces on uninstall
5. Paragon Backup & Recovery Free 2012: one of the best free disk imaging and backup software
6. HaoZip: one of the best free zip/compression programs out there
7. Otixo: manage various cloud storage services and accounts from a single place
8. TunnelBear: dead simple VPN (Virtual Private Networking)
9. LibreOffice: advanced, free Office Suite
10. Cyberduck: all in one FTP, WebDAV, Cloud Storage, Amazon S3 and Google Documents desktop client:

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1. Wunderlist: task management on the PC and on your device

More than just a to-do list program, Wunderlist is a sleek, well designed task management app that stores your data in the cloud, giving you access to your lists from your computer or any iOS or Android device. It will also let you share lists; for example you and your spouse can see each other’s house errands or shopping lists, and move items back and forth. Or you can see every item that each of your team members has on their list right from your iPhone while waiting in line at Starbucks, and even have an ‘unassigned’ list for those things that no one is taking on, etc.
Wunderlist makes any other task management program that doesn’t support cloud storage, handheld devices and list sharing simply seem outdated and obsolete. ‘List sharing’ is going to be one of those terms, like ‘tweeting’ and ‘friending’ that everyone will understand in the near future.

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2. Freemake Video Converter: powerful video conversion that is a delight to use

This one was released in 2010 but improved so much over the past 12 months to become one the world’s best video conversion programs, free or paid. Combining a tremendous user experience with awesome power under the hood, Freemake raises the bar extremely high. (I also like the fact that their developers were so responsive to every single wishlist item that appeared in my original review of this program).

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3. Listary: real time file filtering of files and folders in Windows

A Windows tweak that lets you type a letter or two in Windows and instantly get a filtered list of file and folders matches (see screenshot). I have been using this software for months now, and has become a staple that I put on every machine. It is one of those interface enhancements that you think should have come built into Windows. You will like it.
The free version of this is so good that I often forget that there’s a souped up paid version.

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4. Comodo Programs Manager: monitors programs installs in real time to remove all traces on uninstall

I know this one will be controversial, with some people reporting errors and problems with it (see the comments section of my original Comodo Programs Manager review); however, I have been using it without problems ever since reviewing it in October, and finding it an excellent tool that delivers what it promises, and does so beautifully. Comodo Programs Manager is what you need if you install and uninstall a lot of software, as I do.
This just may be the uninstall utility that is better than Revo (although I do use both on my machine). It installs itself as a service, and is always running in the background monitoring for program installations; it then records everything that they do on your computer; all file and registry changes, enabling you to uninstall all traces later on. But it also can optionally re-instate (re-install) a program if you want. You might think of it as ‘undo’ and ‘redo’ for program installs. Overall, a top notch program that has won a permanent spot on my machine.

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5. Paragon Backup & Recovery Free 2012: one of the best free disk imaging and backup software

Quick: what is the best free disk imaging and backup software? If Macrium Reflect or EaseUs Todo Backup came to mind then let me introduce you to Paragon Backup and Recovery, which I guarantee you will like.
But there’s a reason I say this: we recently did a head-to-head comparison of free disk imaging software (which will be published in the next few weeks), and Paragon’s ‘normal compression’ backup profile had one of the best combinations of backup time to disk size to restoration time of any imaging program. It is also possible the most feature-packed free imaging program, supporting differential backups, data exclusion, scheduling, and simple recovery media creation, to name a few.
Note that (a) you will have to register with a valid email to receive a registration key, (b) the screenshot above is taken from the program’s ‘advanced’ view, and (c) the program is freely available for personal use, but ou will need to purchase a license if you want to use this software in a commercial setting.

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6. HaoZip: one of the best free zip/compression programs out there

If you ask a sample of tech-savvy readers to recommend a free zip/compression programs, my guess is that most will say 7-Zip or PeaZip, or one or two others which are in fact based on the 7-Zip engine. Which is fair enough; all of these have various strengths, but if you want a solid, well-rounded, and quite powerful compression software that performs well in terms of compression ratio and speed, extraction speed, support for 64 bit, as well as a solid performance on both high and low end systems, then give HaoZip a try.
I say this because, once again, we tested a host compression programs head to head, and found HaoZip to be a general high performer on most counts (we will publish this comparison on Freewaregenius in the next couple of weeks).
Also look for a little know feature where HaoZip can install an image resizing and conversion function in the right click context menu.
Overall, highly recommended.

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7. Otixo: manage various cloud storage services and accounts from a single place

It seems that more of our files and data is migrating off the hard drive and onto the cloud with every passing day. Which is why this free web service is so useful. Otixo connects to almost all popular online storage services, such as Dropbox, Box.net, Google Docs and others, and lets you perform file operations across different services and accounts as if they were merely different folders in a single file system. I like that it will move files from one account to another without first downloading it to your machine and then re-uploading it. It also lets you share files extremely easily, in the same way irrespective of where they actually reside.
If you’re just a single Dropbox account type of user this service may not be for you, but if you have multiple cloud accounts all over the place you will love it.

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8. TunnelBear: dead simple VPN (Virtual Private Networking)

Ok, so this is a somewhat specialized service that you will only need if you (a) are restricted from accessing the internet at large or certain website by your internet service provider or employer and want a way around this, (b) live outside the US and want to access some web services that are US only (such as Hulu, Pandora, and others), or (c) you live outside the UK and want to access some UK only sites (e.g. BBC iPlayer film & TV, Livestation, etc.)
Tunnelbear is not the first VPN (virtual private networking) service with a free component, but the fact that it is so easy to use (literally two buttons), and that it works so well, and that it is available on iPhone and Android devices makes it a winner in my book. The only drawback is that you can get up to 1.5 gigs of free bandwidth per month, but sometimes you can use Tunnelbear to merely get your proverbial foot in the door, and don’t need to consume its provided free bandwidth (see for example my ‘How to use unlimited Spotify in countries where it is not supported’ post).

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9. LibreOffice: advanced, free Office Suite

Aside from an OS and security applications, there are 2 pieces of software that every computer must have: a browser to surf the internet, and an Office suite to do actual work. No wonder Microsoft’s Office is the most profitable software franchise of all time.
LibreOffice, launched in 2011, is an offshoot of OpenOffice.org created by a group of starry eyed developers who wanted an Office suite that is compatible with MS Office and ODF as well as other document formats, and one that is independent of a corporate vendor. LibreOffice is truly open source and supported by a community of users. It also happens to be a fantastic program and one of the most complete and powerful office suites around.
Read the Freewaregenius review If you want to learn more about LibreOffice and how it is different from OpenOffice.

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10. Cyberduck: all in one FTP, WebDAV, Cloud Storage, Amazon S3 and Google Documents desktop client

There are powerful free FTP clients out there, such as WinSCP and FileZilla, so it no small feat when a program comes out of nowhere and takes the place of these. Cyberduck is exactly that program.
The fact that is so simply and nicely designed, and that it connects with so many protocols and cloud services helps as well.

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Forces That Will Foster Business Innovation and a Borderless Workstyle in 2012

Verizon Business News

High-IQ Networks and the Enterprise Cloud Among Forces That Will Foster Business Innovation and a Borderless Workstyle in 2012

Verizon Identifies Top 10 Business Technology Trends That Will Impact Global Enterprises

November 15, 2011

NEW YORK – More than ever during 2012, global connections between people, machines and their environments will shape the global business landscape and drive the future of work. In its annual review of top business-technology trends for the year ahead, Verizon sees enterprise technology helping business leaders re-engineer the workplace, power more effective customer service models, and create opportunities for broad societal benefit.

“The future has never looked brighter for business and governments to employ technology to generate growth, solve industry challenges, and enrich lives and our global society,” said Mike Palmer, vice president of enterprise strategy and marketing for Verizon’s global enterprise unit. “Next year will be pivotal in applying technology solutions in such areas as health care and smart energy management, while keeping pace with the borderless lifestyle we’ve come to embrace at work, at home and everywhere in between.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: See related Verizon press release on what’s trending for consumers for 2012. To join the conversation on Twitter, follow us at #VZTechTrends.

Here’s Verizon’s list of the top 10 technology trends that will impact businesses and their workers in 2012:

1. The High-IQ Network Effect -- With each new smart device or software application added to a network, all endpoints and devices will become inherently smarter -- each benefitting exponentially from additional connections. Whether the connections are people-to-people, machine-to-people or machine-to-machine, new opportunities will be created to solve societal challenges such as employing IT to address the rising cost of health care or deliver smart energy solutions. Because of the network’s importance, any interruption of service will have a profound impact. As a result, there will be an even greater demand for carefully designed and well-managed services at the core of the global IP backbone and high-speed wireless networks.
2. To the Enterprise Cloud and Back -- The enterprise cloud will finally come of age and deliver substantial benefits – dramatically reducing capital expenditures and creating business efficiencies and better economics. Cloud services will give companies powerful new options to move workloads easily between the corporate data center and the cloud of a company’s choice. Whether a public, private or hybrid cloud model, the enterprise cloud will play an essential role in mobilizing enterprise apps that enable both workforce mobility and new business paradigms.
3. Big Data Equals Big Insights -- Big data – large data sets that can now be managed with the right tools – will drive innovation, helping to evolve the role of Chief Information Officer to Chief Innovation Office. These new “thinkers” will be responsible for determining the quality of data and strategic applications used to create new business opportunities while empowering evidence-based decision making for greater success. Predictive Analytics, based on vast amounts of synthesized data, will become an increasingly important tool for the enterprise. Companies that harness the intelligence inherent in their data, secure it and act on it accordingly can expect to gain a significant competitive edge.
4. The Social Enterprise -- The already Web-centric enterprise will become even more social, and the ability to tap intelligence at all levels of the organization will become the new norm. With the right tools -- such as high-definition video for richer collaboration and intelligent “crowdsourcing,” (large-scale collaboration) -- enterprises can produce, find and convey information with much less effort and greater velocity and efficacy than ever before. This will foster innovation and enhance productivity with exponential benefits. A multi-generational workforce will employ technology to truly embrace a borderless workstyle, where work is an activity not a location.
5. Video is The New Black – Video is on its way to becoming this year’s “fashionable black,” given its popularity with users and the ease in which it can be accessed on today’s tablets, mobile phones and laptops. Now, thanks to ultra-high-bandwidth capabilities and the combination of global IP networks and 4G LTE wireless, video is fast becoming the pervasive and preferred communication vehicle for many enterprise activities, from team meetings to quarterly employee communications to on-demand information about key projects. And with video-enabled contact centers being the latest business-to-consumer application, this business trend is here to stay.
6. Service Your Way -- Personalization will continue to be an inspiration for innovation, driving companies to reengineer their processes and business models. Increasingly, businesses will look for new opportunities and channels to meet customers on their terms. Multifunction kiosks located outside of traditional retail venues, contact center routing and “click to chat” windows will help companies better serve customers. In addition, the enterprise cloud will enable more application intelligence and the ability to integrate applications and physical environments, helping businesses personalize the customer service experience and enhance customer satisfaction.
7. The Consumerization of IT -- Just as personalization is driving a new approach to customer service, IT departments are increasingly being influenced by their users. Many companies are now trying to improve the user experience and enhance productivity by tailoring their enterprise IT policies to support employees who bring their own productivity tools – such as smartphones and tablets -- to the workplace. Companies are looking to experts to help equip today’s mobile worker with cloud-based applications that work just as securely and reliably on portable devices and are integrated with traditional desktop applications. Enterprise apps also will become more widely available via enterprise app storefronts, just as they are in the consumer space.
8. M2M2P – Machine-to-Machine-to-People -- Machine-to-machine communications will change the way people manage their world, whether in terms of energy consumption, product inventory or critical business-asset and fleet management. But the human factor - - people – will play an important role in harnessing digital intelligence, inspiring innovation and creating the next big thing. For example, while portable monitors may keep round-the-clock tabs on a patient’s vital signs, health care providers will ultimately use that information to assess patients and provide treatment.
9. Compliance Gets Increasingly Commercial -- With increasing evidence that companies are less likely to be data breach victims if they comply with security standards, such as those promoted by the Payment Card Industry (PCI), compliance will become a pre-requisite for good business practice in 2012. In a difficult economic environment and with increasingly more stringent government regulations, the need for taking full advantage of business opportunities will increase interest in prudent, holistic security approaches. Companies and governments will change how they interact with their extended network of partners, increasingly choosing to do business with those that can demonstrate a comprehensive multiyear and standards-based approach to security.
10. Energy Savings Power Better Business and the Greater Good – Energy efficiency, especially a reduction in CO2 emissions reductions, will be a key imperative for many companies – and just in time. In 2012, companies will take advantage of public-private partnerships to invest in everything from more efficient lighting to energy-efficient heating ventilation and air conditioning systems to installing energy-efficient technologies. And they will investigate flexible computing models that leverage on-demand capacity for peak loads, while powering down during periods of lesser demand.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 107 million total connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $106.6 billion in 2010 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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