It's a problem that few people talk about, but it's real: when you're using a wireless network, most of your data is traveling through the air "in the clear" (that is, unencrypted) and anyone with the right software could easily be tapping into the data stream and stealing your information, email messages, passwords, credit card numbers, and anything else you might be sending, viewing or receiving. Sure some sites now offer a secure connection, but there are a lot more sites that don't, leaving it your responsibility to ensure that your information is safe.

There are a number of ways to solve this problem, some expensive (your own personal encrypted mifi hotspot) and others complicated (only connect online through your own private network), but there's also a slick solution that automatically encrypts every single byte of data you send or receive by creating what's called a virtual private network or "VPN". Put one of these in place and dubious hackers and stalkers will always be stymied trying to "sniff" your data packets and all your information will be safe. Smart.

Problem is, getting a VPN set up can be complex. Enter Hotspot Shield by AnchorFree, Inc. Even better, you can either opt to use it for free -- in return for a small advert popping up -- or for a small fee you can subscribe to the service.

Let's have a look.

TRUE. ACTION. COMBAT. This is brand new Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) Tera's tagline, as the May 1st release by Bluehole Studios boasts combat that truly is dynamic and skill-based. Now, for a subscription MMORPG that you still have to pay a solid $50 for, you're probably wondering if Tera is for you, or if you should hold out for Guild Wars 2. Let's make this quick: If storyline and / or interesting quests are what keep you engaged in an MMORPG, stay away from Tera.

I want to be able to share with my brother some weird things going on with my Windows 7 PC and don't understand how to use PRT SCRN ("print screen"). Is there an easier way? I just want a specific warning message I see, not the window, not a video, just a screen capture.

Not sure what it means: the "Settings" icon on my new iPad 3 has a small number on it. What do I do when this happens? Is it some sort of update to my iOS 5 or iPad operating system or is there a problem or error situation?

When I do a search on Google why are videos showing up on page 1 now, and more importantly why isn't my YouTube video showing up? Is there some way to improve my chances of being found on YouTube and Google for videos I upload?

Dave Taylor of http://www.AskDaveTaylor.com/ reviews the Skooba Design Tablet (iPad) V.3 Messenger Bag. There's lots to like about it too. Oh, and stay alert, see if you can spot his cat lurking in the background!

I've written before about the problems I've had with the built-in hands-free bluetooth system I have in my 2008 Toyota Highlander. I've given up using it, actually, as I got tired of people complaining that they couldn't hear me. I even called up Toyota asking if there was an upgrade path and their answer was "nope." Not so useful. To compensate, we've been testing out a lot of different bluetooth hands-free systems, both little speaker devices that hook to the visor and headsets.

Problem is, a car is a noisy environment, particularly when I'm zipping down the highway at 70mph, surrounded by traffic.

Enter the amazing VXI BlueParrott Xpress wireless headset that's specifically designed for high noise environments like construction sites and crowded spaces. Should be plenty enough for my car, right? Read on to find out...

I need to keep a set of files in sync across my laptop and desktop computer and a colleague told me that I should use Microsoft Windows Briefcase. I have no idea what that is or how to use it. What's the scoop on Briefcase?

I feel like I'm pretty savvy about Facebook but I haven't figured out an easy way to post a status update that's just readable by people in my local community. I mean, if I'm talking about a BBQ or a fiesta, there's no reason my friends overseas need to see it. How can I set my Facebook Wall status update visibility to a specific geographic region?

i read the article about the iPad password and pin numbers [see: How to create a complicated password for your iPad], my question is what happens if your boy picks the iPad, knows your pin and decides to change it and not tell his parents? Now it seems he'd have exclusive use of the family iPad that is on the coffee table for mum and dad and him to enjoy? Is there a two pin option?

I have two accounts set up for my WordPress blog and I'd like to be able to have all my posts from a single account. Every so often I forget which one I'm logged in as, however, and post as the wrong WordPress user. Is there a way to change authors after the fact?

How do I send an invitation to a calendar event on my iPhone 4S? I like to remind my friends when we have something coming up, but hate that I can't just have my iPhone do the work and have to get onto my iMac to get those email invitations...

I have to admit, I usually spend time on Facebook, but as I'm looking for a job, I have updated my LinkedIn profile and spend time on there digging around and seeking positions. What I'm wondering is if there's a way to see if it's doing any good. That is, can I gauge whether people are actually finding me in searches they're doing on LinkedIn?

It's easy to stumble into Internet dangers and have your computer infected before you know it, with each mouseclick recorded, each email scanned by malware, or worse. Heck, you can end up being part of a botnet or zombienet, with your computer involved in illegal activities without you even realizing. Yikes. But there are smart strategies you can use to minimize the danger...

My jetpack is a friggin' machine gun. Really, I propel myself through the air by pulling the trigger. At least, that's the idea in Jetpack Joyride, the free-to-play iOS game by Halfbrick, the lovely folks that brought us Fruit Ninja.

The concept is incredibly simple, the controls incredibly intuitive. Hold down a finger on the screen to propel yourself, release to descend. Your goal is to run, jump and fly as far as possible through a procedurally-generated laboratory, gradually gaining speed, while dodging obstacles such as missiles and zappers, and picking up coins and spin tokens.

If you're an avid gamer, you might be thinking of a flash game right now that has a similar concept. There's a few out there. None, however, reaches anywhere near the charm, smooth execution, and depth of Jetpack Joyride.

Been getting into Pinterest -- thanks for all your great Pinterest help -- and now I want to fine tune things. I have a ton of Pinboards, and want to change the image that shows as the largest "cover" image. Is this possible, or does it just automatically show the latest image added to the board?

I'm trying to come up with a new name for our software product, having been informed by a customer that a really big firm that has lots of lawyers already has our current name trademarked. Ugh. We don't have money for a lawyer at this juncture, is there some way I can do a trademark or registered trademark search online?

My expensive Toyota Highlander has a problem, and it's one that's bugged me for a long time: I paid the extra thousands of dollars for the high-end navigational system and hands-free Bluetooth cell phone speaker system, and while I love the nav system, the cellphone support is pretty awful. No it doesn't display caller ID when a call comes in. No it won't let me copy my phonebook -- or even my ten favorite numbers -- onto the system, but the kicker is that when I use the hands-free system, at least 50% of the time the person on the other end complains about how hard it is to hear and understand what I'm saying.

I called Toyota and asked if there's an upgrade path for the microphone. I'd pay $100-$200 to have a really high quality mic with noise reduction system hanging from my visor, but there's nothing. No upgrade path at all. Tough luck. Even third party solutions - of which there are quite a few - basically involve completely rewiring my dashboard and hooking the unit in as an external audio subsystem. And costs hundreds of dollars just to install.

Enter a category of Bluetooth devices called "in-car speakerphones". The idea is that these are self-contained speaker, mic and Bluetooth devices that let you sidestep the entire car audio system, and since they're generally designed to clip onto your sun visor, they're just inches from your mouth and should be clear when used hands free too.

SuperTooth sent us one of their new Crystal units, remarkably priced at about $70 on Amazon.com, and from everything I can tell, it's a big improvement on my far more expensive Toyota system.

I sometimes post status updates on Facebook that are constrained to a small circle of friends, then forget and the next few posts I make are also just for them, even though I want it to default to "Public". My standard approach is to delete and repost the Facebook updates, but if there are any comments or likes, it's awkward. Is there any way to change the visibility of something on my Wall after it's been posted?

I take a lot of photos on my iPhone 4s and I like it as an easy camera. Add photo stream and they're even automatically uploaded to the Web, which is really slick. Problem is, after a few hundred photos, it's hard to keep things organized. Is there some way on the IPhone itself (e.g., iOS 4) that I can create photo albums and move some of my photos into those new albums?