surf

Belkin introduces wireless routers with apps

Of all electronic and computer devices in your home, the wireless router might be the one that's least appreciated. That is because despite it tireless 24-7 job of connecting all your devices to the Internet, it only gets attention when you need to add a new wireless device to the network or when it's not working properly. Belkin has decided to change this.

The company announced Wednesday a line of wireless routers that is designed to help you do more with digital content than just silently connect devices. Belkin's new line consists of four wireless routers: the … Read more

Surf light and fast with Camino

Camino is a relatively fast and lightweight Web browser that uses the same rendering engine as Firefox, the other open-source browser from Mozilla. This Mac-only browser has long been known for its Mac-like "feel" (unlike Firefox, which is less Mac-like by design), and this last major update only reinforces that experience.

The new Gecko rendering engine (shared by Firefox 3) is arguably the most important change in Camino 2, giving it a big boost to speed and security compared with previous versions, but the browser has also added quite a few thoughtful new features. The most flashy addition … Read more

Slows you down

Full Speed promises to improve both the speed and performance of your broadband connection. Oddly, when we put it through the ringer, it did just the opposite: our computer ran at a snail's pace when the program was activated.

The program's user interface doesn't exactly exude professionalism. All of the exclamation points asking us to Get Ready to Boost Your Speed! had us looking for the catch. At start-up, our only option was to select either Internet Explorer or Firefox to run the Web speed test. Once we made our selection a new window appeared and ran … Read more

Quiksilver's Deep X watch takes you for a dip

The DeepX watch from Quiksilver might be your best asset in the water this summer. The sporty timepiece also includes an advanced database of 2,000 popular surf spots around the world with tide information calculated by a professional oceanographer to determine the precise latitude and longitude of the coastline.

Developed and tested by some of the hardest surf riders around, the DeepX tide can also beam information on your local coast through radio frequencies built right into the watch. Quiksilver also claims its calculations are more accurate than most tide charts because it calculates information specifically for every spot, … Read more

Go on a Web Safari

Apple's latest iteration of Safari has a lot to offer, putting it among the top browsers in its category, but those who like to customize their surfing experience may need to look elsewhere. Version 4 features the Nitro engine, which runs JavaScript up to 4.5 times faster than Safari 3 (according to Apple) and it was certainly blindingly fast in all of our testing. The browser supports all modern Web standards, like HTML 5 and advanced CSS effects so you don't need to worry about whether Safari will work correctly on your favorite sites. Though Safari 4 … Read more

Safari comes in from the wild

Initially met with some skepticism, the Windows version of Apple's Safari browser has developed into a strong Web-surfing candidate. Previous versions felt unfinished, but Safari 4 can stand should to shoulder with the other major Windows Web browsers--depending on what kind of experience you want.

Safari lacks most customization features. Skins and other aesthetic tweaks exist in the Mac version, but not here. Just about the only thing you can alter is the font. However, the new version represents a radical departure in look and feel, and the changes are for the better. Safari now looks much more like … Read more

Search Cloudlet and Surf Canyon combine forces

If you take one search tool and combine it with another, does it make a better product? In the case of Search Cloudlet and Surf Canyon's new creation, the answer is yes.

On Tuesday the two companies put out a new custom search engine (cloudlet.surfcanyon.com) that uses both technologies, and allows users to do enhanced searches without having to download additional browser extensions. Previously both products required the use of add-ons to augment Google's search results.

The benefits of using this tool over Google alone are numerous. For one, you're still getting Google's standard … Read more

Browse Web sites offline

Although plain in design, this handy tool lets you easily store and view your favorite Web sites offline. Instead of supplying a built-in browser, your stored pages can be quickly viewed in your designated browser.

This freeware program's bland interface is all business. A simple Wizard that leads you through the process of copying Web sites is a welcome touch. Users need only enter a project name, insert the URLs to be copied, and adjust settings as desired, including choosing how many layers of a page the program will pick up. HTTrack Website Copier goes to work very quickly … Read more

9 tips for avoiding suspicious Web sites

Editor's Note: This article was updated on 5/8/09 from a previous version published on 3/3/08, and the original, published on 12/15/06.

No matter how you arrive at an unsafe Web site, it's all downhill from there. Phishers will attempt to coerce you into disclosing your address, credit card number, or social security number. Or maybe adware engines will start sprouting pop-ups over your screen like a field of clover. Worse, your computer may become part of a botnet, its processing power used to send spam and infections to others, possibly even in … Read more