Games, Life, and Stuff: April 2006

Making Wi-Fi useful and secure on a Pocket PC

In March I replaced my dead Blackberry 957 with an HP iPaq 2490 Pocket PC. By switching from cellular networking to wi-fi I was able to save the Rogers CAD$24.95/month fee.

However, the default install of Windows Mobile 5.0 lacks some basic features necessary for truly secure mobile computing. Security that is especially important if one is to depend on public wireless hotspots for connectivity.

These three programs go a long way towards filling in the gaps:

PockeTTY
This application serves two purposes. First, it is a functional SSH client for remote administration. Second, it acts as a port forwarder so that any networked application can communicate securely through an SSH tunnel.

Public hotspots mean untrustable networks. But if all of the traffic in and out of your device is encrypted then you needn't worry about snoops.

(To make typing easy I was able to buy an HP Thumb Keyboard sheath that slips on to the bottom of the iPaq. More information here.)

NetFront 3.3 Technical Preview
NetFront supports modern web browser features that Internet Explorer lacks including the especially useful multiple windows and manual proxy settings. It's just a better browser overall.

Resco Explorer 2005
An alternative to the built-in File Explorer, Resco Explorer has handy features like network share browsing/mapping and file encryption.

Links
PockeTTY
NetFront 3.3
Resco Explorer 2005
Pocket SnapIt, a free Pocket PC screenshot tool

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Violating Apple's terms of use to legally download TV shows

I bought two iTunes Gift Cards on on eBay yesterday. My purpose? To pay for and legally download episodes of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

But why purchase gift cards through a potentially-risky auction when one can use a credit card in iTunes? Because Apple doesn't want my business, or any business from non-US citizens. Even sitting right next door in Canada, one is offered a smaller music store than the US version and practically no video content.

There used to be a service at Capsule Productions that would allow customers from any country to buy iTunes gift cards (US, Japan, and UK versions) and receive the codes via email. Apple sent a cease & desist to get the site shut down, forcing users to turn to eBay for their fix.

The bottom line is that I like to watch television on-demand, without commercials. Until recently, there haven't been any legal options for doing so outside of waiting for DVD box sets. So it is especially frustrating to sit, wallet in hand, begging Apple for the privilege of paying for the content I want to see... Content offered at lower quality than pirate releases and crippled with DRM.

Links
Purchase Japanese iTunes Gift Cards from JBox
eBay auctions for American iTunes Gift Cards with email delivery