New Technology Reviews!.: Working

The Elliptical Machine Office Desk: putting the 'commute' back in 'telecommuting'

<div><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="239" src="http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7096/hammacherdesk062911.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" width="279" /></div> Quite frankly, you've got it just a bit too easy. You rise 98 seconds before you're scheduled to clock in, you mash a power button, and suddenly, you're at work. PJs still caked to your legs, mouth still steaming from a lack of brushing. You're a telecommuter, and you're the envy of the working world. In fact, it'd be just stellar if you'd do us all a solid and add a sliver of complexity to your workday -- you know, like swapping out your OfficeMax special for an elliptical machine. And maybe, just maybe, you can convert your laptop into one that's pedal-powered, forcing you to keep churning for fear of dropping from the virtual office. And no, you can't ask for donations to cover the $8,000 price tag -- your fuel savings from last week alone should just about cover it. Harrumph.

The Elliptical Machine Office Desk: putting the 'commute' back in 'telecommuting'

Quite frankly, you've got it just a bit too easy. You rise 98 seconds before you're scheduled to clock in, you mash a power button,...

Vista DVD Is Not Working on My Toshiba

Clean the DVD with a soft cloth. Use a DVD cleaning solution as well. Try the DVD again to see if that made a difference. Test the Vista DVD in another PC. Double-click on the DVD drive to open the installation, but do not complete the installation process. Exit out of the installation window by clicking the "X" in the upper-right of the window. If the other PC does not recognize the DVD or if it encounters an error when you try to run the installation, the DVD is most likely corrupt and needs replacing. If it at least begins the installation process, the problem may be with your DVD drive. Check your Toshiba's DVD drive by putting another DVD in it. Insert a DVD movie double-click on the drive. If it does not run properly, or if you do not see the DVD drive displayed, then your drive may need to be fixed or replaced. Update Windows (see Resources). For Windows Vista or 7, click "Start," "Control Panel," then double-click "Windows Update," and click "Check for updates" in the left pane. Update your computer. Locate your computer's <a href="">family</A> name and model number. This information is located on a sticker on the back or bottom of your computer. The family name options are Qosmio, Satellite, mini notebook, Satellite Pro, Portege, libretto and Tecra. Go to the Toshiba downloads website (see Resources). Drill down through the menus, supplying your computer's family name and model number. Locate the most up-to-date DVD drivers for your Toshiba computer. Find the driver more quickly by using the drop-down menus next to "Refine search by" and selecting your operating system and specifying that you want the DVD drivers. Click on the drivers for the DVD drive. This will pop up additional information. Click on the "Download Now" button. Save the drivers anywhere you want. Navigate to wherever you downloaded the file to and double-click on it. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the driver. Restart your computer. Connect an external DVD drive to your computer. Plug the drive into the wall for power and then plug it into a USB port on your computer. Turn on the DVD drive if it has a power switch. Allow Windows to automatically install drivers from <a href="">the Internet</A>. If Windows cannot find the drivers, visit the support section of the manufacturer's website and search for that DVD drive's model number. Then download the driver file and double-click it to install. Reset your computer. Insert a DVD movie into the DVD drive and double-click on the drive in "My Computer." This is to test the drive and ensure it is functioning properly. If the movie does not play, turn the drive off and on, and reinstall the drivers. Remove the DVD movie and insert the Vista DVD into the drive. Double-click the drive to begin using the Vista DVD. If the disc still will not run properly, then it is defective. Contact the seller of the Vista DVD and see if the disc can be replaced.<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_7744910_vista-dvd-not-working-toshiba.html">Source.</A>

Vista DVD Is Not Working on My Toshiba

Clean the DVD with a soft cloth. Use a DVD cleaning solution as well. Try the DVD again to see if that made a difference. Test the Vista DVD...

Tutorial: Tips, tricks and downloads for better working on the move

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20302/PCP302.feat1Maximiseproductivity.powerplan-200-200.jpg"> When you spend a lot of time moving between meetings and conferences, most of your work probably gets done away from the ideal office environment. You find yourself catching odd moments to work in waiting rooms, stations, departure lounges and, more often than not, hotel rooms. Your productivity can be slashed unless you plan your time and resources carefully. Most hotels provide access to Wi-Fi, usually via a paid hotspot or an unencrypted connection. These services are begging to be abused by hackers sniffing the data packets flowing between business laptops and the wireless access point. If you handle any sensitive data at all, you need to ensure that it's encrypted. All direct communication between your browser and the access point using unencrypted web pages can be easily accessed and read. Encrypted pages with URLs starting with 'https' are safer because the encryption exists between your browser and the destination site. Anyone sniffing out the communication would need to crack the encryption in order to access the data transferred. Pay close attention to encryption messages from your browser and reject the insecure portions of mixed pages. It's also vital to ensure that potential hackers can't access shared resources on your PC. Be sure to identify any public networks as such so Windows doesn't enable sharing automatically. Also check that your firewall doesn't permit incoming data from anything other than your allowed programs. Windows Firewall isn't ideal, but you can tighten its security significantly if necessary. Click 'Start', type firewall into the search bar and select 'Windows Firewall'. Here you can verify that your connection is correctly identified as a public one. Click 'Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall', then disable all unnecessary programs in the 'Public network' column. You should also consider installing a third party firewall such as <a href="http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/home.htm">ZoneAlarm</A> or <a href="http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/firewall.php">Comodo</A> to replace Windows' offering if you use public networks frequently. Both tools are available as free downloads, and they're pretty easy to set to a lockdown mode, blocking all but web traffic. Check your connection Make sure you check your connection details with the hotel or hotspot provider. A classic hacker trick is to set up a network with a similar SSID to a nearby hotspot, or to provide a honey pot connection called 'Free internet'. These can be used to harvest hotspot passwords and any insecure data you have. Make sure the SSID matches that provided in the hotel's details exactly. Most cloud-based applications use 'https' encryption, but there are some that don't. For example, the free version of Humyo's online storage removes encryption. It goes without saying that you should avoid using these applications for anything other than files that you're completely happy to share with the world. Even those apps that support encryption may not use it as standard. Google Docs does, as do Zoho and Gmail, but it's a good habit to check that your connection is secure by ensuring the URL starts 'https' and your browser indicates that you're on a secure page. Unencrypted data that's transferred from your browser can be picked up easily by another hotspot user. You should also consider the physical security of your laptop. A simple Kensington lock enables you to secure it to your desk or another permanent fixture. Most laptops include a compatible slot to attach the lock so that it can only be removed by damaging the casing if you don't have the key. It's not foolproof – locks can be picked – but it reduces the chances of opportunistic theft. If your laptop were to fall into the wrong hands, how easy would it be for someone unscrupulous to harvest useful data? Are all your passwords stored in your browser? Use a password manager such as <a href="http://www.keepass.info/">Keepass</A>, protected by a strong password and a key file that's not stored on your laptop. Encrypt sensitive files using <a href="http://www.truecrypt.org/">TrueCrypt</A>, or enable BitLocker Drive Encryption if your version of Windows supports it. If you're going to be travelling for some time, you may not be sure when you'll next be able to charge your battery, so take the opportunity to do so while in your room. Consider buying a second battery for your laptop to extend your working time when you're away from power. They're often available on eBay much more cheaply than from the manufacturer. Alternate your batteries to keep them in good condition. Some hotels disconnect the power when you're out of your room; the electronic key card used for unlocking the door needs to be docked in a wall slot for the lights and power sockets to work. It's a good way to ensure you don't leave the air con blasting while you're out, but it also snookers your chances of recharging your laptop while you're having dinner. Try the simple hack of putting a loyalty card or other low value plastic into the slot while you're out so you can keep charging your battery. Maximise your battery life When you're away from a power socket, every second of battery life counts. It therefore pays to keep your laptop's battery in good condition, letting it discharge fully at least once a fortnight to keep its capacity high. Also make use of Windows power plans, and remember to switch to 'Power Saver' whenever you're working from the battery to make each charge last longer. You can make tweaks to the current plan to get more from it, or opt to use a plan manager, which will change the plan automatically to conserve power. 1. Power Plan Assistant <img alt="Power plan assistant" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20302/PCP302.feat1Maximiseproductivity.battery1-320-100.jpg" width="320"></IMG> You can make switching between plans quick and easy by installing Power Plan Assistant, which you can download from <a href="http://www.powerplan7.com/home.htm">powerplan7.com/home.htm</A>. Once installed, it runs in the system tray and shows the current plan in its coloured icon: red for 'Power Saver', yellow for 'Balanced' and green for 'High Performance'. Click the icon and select the plan you want to change to. 2. Assistant settings <img alt="Power plans assistant config" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20302/PCP302.feat1Maximiseproductivity.battery2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Right-click the 'Power Plan Assistant' icon in the system tray and choose 'Power Plan Assistant Settings'. Select 'On unplugging automatically switch to… | Power Saver'. Return to these settings and then choose 'Save' to confirm them. Alternatively, you can opt to switch to 'Power Saver' mode if your battery's charge drops below a minimum level – say 20 per cent, for example. The emergency plan You might be forced to stay somewhere without usable internet access. If you don't have a 3G dongle, consider enabling internet tethering on your mobile phone. Android phones and iPhones are well suited to tethering – see below for details. Symbian phones with Wi-Fi can use <a href="http://www.joiku.com/">Joikuspot</A> to produce a personal hotspot, which you can connect to with your laptop. Lengthy use of 3G and Wi-Fi together can make your phone hot and draw heavily on its battery, so disconnect it when not in use 1. Android tethering <img alt="PdaNet" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20302/PCP302.feat1Maximiseproductivity.emergency1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Install the <a href="http://www.junefabrics.com/android/index.php">PdaNet</A> phone software (the free version blocks secure sites) and download the PC component. Connect your phone to charge and launch PdaNet. Choose 'Enable USB tether'. On your PC, click the PdaNet icon in the system tray and choose 'Connect'. 2. iPhone tethering With an iPhone running iOS 4, tethering is simple, although you'll need to check that your network supports it. On your phone, go to 'Settings | General | Network | Internet tethering | On'. Choose 'USB only', then connect your phone to your laptop and select the new network.

Tutorial: Tips, tricks and downloads for better working on the move

When you spend a lot of time moving between meetings and conferences, most of your work probably gets done away from the ideal office envir...

David Attenborough working on 3D Penguin documentary

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/home-entertainment/tv/images/Sky_3D/attenborough_copyright_atlantic-200-200.jpg"> David Attenborough revealed this week that his next 3D documentary project is set to be a 3D show about penguins. Attenborough was speaking at a <a href="">London press launch event</A> this week, at which – in his role as the UK's new unofficial 3D TV elder statesman and spokesperson – he was showing Flying Monsters 3D, the latest documentary from Sky that is set to be screened over the Christmas holidays for those lucky enough to already have a 3D TV with Sky 3D. 3D Penguins on the way 3D tech is clearly something that Attenborough wants to keep working with on wildlife photography and documentary-making, telling us: "We are working on a 3D show about penguins. They are good for 3D shooting as they don't do too much, just sit there. "But we will be shooting underwater, which will look mind blowing. "Penguins may have been done before, but there's a whole new generation watching these documentaries who have never seen the stuff we have filmed before." It is billed as "romance, in-fighting and high drama on the spectacular island of South Georgia" near the Falklands and being made by the same team behind Flying Monsters 3D. It will premiere on Sky 3D before being released worldwide in cinemas. A spokesman added: "It will offer intimate access to the lives of the King Penguins as they lead their families through the trials and tribulations of life on the edge of Antarctica." You can read more 3D prehistoric flying monsters and about Attenborough's thoughts on the future of 3D and how he likens the new tech to colour broadcasting in the Sixties over on <a href="">3DRadar</A>. Flying Monsters 3D makes its debut on Sky 3D on Christmas Day. For more details, go to <a href="http://www.sky.com/shop/tv/3d/">www.sky.com/3d</A>.

David Attenborough working on 3D Penguin documentary

David Attenborough revealed this week that his next 3D documentary project is set to be a 3D show about penguins. Attenborough was speaking...

Tutorial: Windows 7 HomeGroup not working? Try these quick fixes

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/software/operating-systems/images/windows7logo-200-200.jpg"> In theory, HomeGroups are supposed to simplify the process of sharing key folders and printers on your network. Sadly, they can be more trouble than they're worth – try these troubleshooting tips. 1. Windows 7 only Remember, HomeGroups only work on PCs running Windows 7 – if your network includes computers running earlier versions of Windows, Linux or Mac OS, use the standard filesharing options instead. 2. Visit Action Center Click the flag icon in the Notification area of the Taskbar and click Open Action Center. Select Troubleshooting > Network and Internet, and click HomeGroup to launch a troubleshooter. 3. Check your network type HomeGroups will only work on networks designated as Home not Public or Work. Verify this on each PC by opening the Network and Sharing Center – if necessary, click the link under the network name and select Home. 4. Workgroup settings It shouldn't matter, but verify that each PC is on the same workgroup – view and change your workgroup by right-clicking Computer and selecting Properties, then click "Change settings" if necessary. 5. Public Folder sharing options Click "Change advanced sharing settings" in the Network and Sharing Center – expand "Home or Work", scroll down and verify that both Network Discovery and "Public Folder sharing" are On. 6. Check the Firewall Networking problems can often be traced to your firewall. If you can connect with the firewall switched off, you'll need to tweak its settings so it doesn't block network traffic – visit the firewall vendor's website for more help and advice if necessary. 7. Fix error 0x80632094 Your PCs need to support IPv6 and have it enabled in order to connect to a HomeGroup: from the Network and Sharing Center click "Change Adapter Settings", right-click your network adapter and choose Properties, then verify the TCP/IPv6 entry is ticked. 8. Check services Press [Windows] + [R], type "services.msc" and press [Enter]. Check the following services are running: HomeGroup Listener, HomeGroup Provider, Peer Name Resolution Protocol, Peer Networking Grouping and Peer Networking Identity Manager. 9. Fix error 0x80630801 Leave the HomeGroup, then delete the contents of the c:\ Windows\ServiceProfiles\ LocalService\AppData\Roaming\PeerNetworking folder – you'll need to click "Continue to" when prompted to access the LocalService folder, and AppData is a hidden folder. 10. Forget HomeGroups Remove the HomeGroup from your main computer, then click "Change advanced sharing settings" and configure your network manually. Once this is done, you can then share any individual folder by right-clicking it and choosing Share with > Specific people.

Tutorial: Windows 7 HomeGroup not working? Try these quick fixes

In theory, HomeGroups are supposed to simplify the process of sharing key folders and printers on your network. Sadly, they can be more trou...

The Challenges For Data Security Faced by Firms and Their Customers Working and Trading Online

Data security is a huge responsibility for firms which indulge in online trading. There are various ways in which security can be breached, enabling hackers to access sensitive data. A study in America, found that when a company's security is breached online, its market value drops 2.1% within 2 days of the announcement of the breach, and average loss of $1.65billion (The Effect of Internet Security Breach Announcements on Market Value: Capital Market Reactions for Breached Firms and Internet Security Developers). Credit card fraud has increased 29% in the past year, according to a report by the Association of Payment Clearing Services (Apacs), the fraud being via phone, mail and internet. Clearly there are several challenges faced by firms in order to keep data secure and to keep the trust of their customers. Online security is defined as, "...the protection of assets on the Internet from unauthorised access, use, alteration, or destruction". There are two types of security, physical and logical. Physical security includes guards, fireproof doors, security fences etc. Data security on the internet, obviously deals with logical security.The internet was never designed to exchange value i.e. money, this makes it more of a challenge. Also, the fact the internet is 'always on', thanks to broadband and wireless internet. This means firms face much more complex security issues. One of the largest and increasingly popular methods of the fraudsters obtaining information is through a method known as "phishing." In September 2005, 106 brands were reported to have been phished, notable rises in the use of the larger banks names as well as many credit unions. Financial services made up 81.2% of reported incidents, Internet Service Providers made up 11.8%, Retail 3.5% and the final 3.5% was reported as miscellaneous. Phishing involves a customer being sent a 'spoof' email from an institution with which they have dealings with. The email will usually explain that there is an issue with their account, and asks the customer to click on a link which will take them to a spoof site. For example, they may send you can email from Natwest saying there has been suspicious activity on your bank account and so unknowingly, you would click and sign in. This then sends an email to the fraudster with all your details. This type of security breach is fairly hard to defend against; the only way in which firms can beat this system is through educating customers how to recognise a secure website. There are ways of tracking where the email came from, by doing this, the source of the email can be found and prosecuted. The most common firms which are targeted are Visa, eBay and PayPal.Another threat faced by firms is the threat from "script kiddies." Script kiddies are inexperienced hackers who use common hacking tools to find known holes in a web server or network's security and exploit them. By hacking into the system, they are then able to maliciously alter text or graphics and access data which they shouldn't have access to. Script kiddies can access credit card information and any other sensitive information, depending obviously on how secure the website or network is. Script kiddies use basic hacking to gain unauthorised access to data, however there are several other forms of hacking. One of these is Packet Sniffing. A Packet is a fragment of data. Data transmissions are broken up into packets. Each packet contains a portion of the data being sent as well as header information which includes the destination address." A packet sniffer was originally designed for a system administrator to monitor the network and seek out any problematic packets and prevent any bottlenecks in the network and to ensure the fluent transmission of data. However, a packet sniffer can also be used maliciously. The sniffer reads the information packets which can contain passwords and usernames which are often in clear text. Normally, the packet sniffer will capture only those packets meant for that machine; however, the packet sniffer can be set up to intercept all packages moving around the network, regardless of their destination. Clearly packet sniffers are a risk to customers buying from firms online, as their passwords can be viewed and their accounts accessed.In order for a hacker to access the secure data, they must first use a technique called "IP Spoofing." By IP Spoofing, the hacker sends messages to the intended computer. The receiving computer thinks it is coming from a safe source. This is because the hacker's computer has assumed the IP of a trusted computer. Using IP spoofing, the hacker can gain access to packets designed for a different computers. The hacker can disrupt the connection between the customer and, for example, its bank, and then steps in and communicates with the bank. The banks system believes it is communicating with the customer, as the attacking computer has taken the customer's computer's IP.All of these systems of breaching a firm's security are used to obtain sensitive data. Firm's can lose a lot of business and income through having their website sabotaged. A Zombie attack, also known as a DoS (denial of service) attack is a way in which an attack can be launched which temporarily paralyses a website. The attacker sends a 'Zombie' through an open port. The attacker then instructs that zombie computer to send the target system a huge amount of packets of useless information, usually around 500 packets per second. The huge number of packets overloads the system as it tries to take in all of the information and find some information that makes sense. During this time, the system is unable to operate and therefore 'crashes.' This will obviously cause massive problems for firms trading online, because they are unable to make any sales until the problem has been sorted out. There are around 4000 DoS attacks per week, aimed at home users, small foreign internet service providers, although larger firms such as AOL and Amazon have been hit. Although these DoS attacks can cause huge problems for firms, they are not actually illegal. In a case currently ongoing in the UK, a teenage boy is being charged with the Computer misuse act because he sent his ex-boss 5million emails and thus forcing the email server offline. The process of sending spam emails to consumer's email addresses is illegal; the Computer Misuse Act does not protect businesses. Clearly, in this case, the firm which was targeted would have lost contact with its clients through email; people would not have been able to contact the firm through email; and clients may have been put off from doing business with them because of the problem.Other way hackers can affect a network or computer is by using a Trojan horse. Trojan Horses are sent to people and they are tricked into opening them as they are disguised as harmless programs. Trojan horses, like worms and viruses, have varying severity. Some can just have annoying effects such as changing desktop features, and other effects can be more serious such as deleting files and damage hardware and software. Trojans are also capable of "creating a backdoor on your computer that gives malicious users access to your system, possibly allowing confidential or personal information to be compromised." This can obviously jeopardise customer's details on their computers or they could gain access to a network with customer's data on it.Clearly there are several challenges faced by firms, when attempting to ensure internet security. The most simple to do, is to ensure that the firm's customers who use their online services are educated in internet security. For example, almost all banks have warnings on their websites. They have messages saying, "Remember NatWest will never ask you for your PIN or Password in an e-mail. The website also offers other information to customers with regards to staying safe online. It warns about relying on the padlock icon at the bottom of the window when accessing a website, to judge whether it is safe or not. This icon alone is not proof of security, customers must also look at the address bar at the top of the window, 'http://' is not a secure site, whereas 'https://' is. An http website uses a plain text system socket, this is the easiest form of text to transfer, as it is used by almost all applications on a computer, however, it is also easily read by hackers. Therefore, the https system was developed. The data is encrypted by either the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol or Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. This ensures that the customer has some protection from people trying to gain access to sensitive data; this encryption is known as cryptography.The most basic for of encryption is single key cryptography. This method of encryption uses one key to encrypt and decrypt a message. For example, if user A is sending a message to user B, then user A must send user B his/her key. User B will then encrypt the message and send it to user A, who will decrypt the message. This method clearly has several problems, one of which being that user must trust the person they are sending their key to. They could easily send the key to rivals. A more advanced system for encrypting is the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). This system uses two keys, one which is freely available (Public Key) and so customers use it to send their data and encrypt it, and this data can only be decrypted with the other key which is the 'private key.' The firm receiving the data has that key, and obviously without it, the data sent cannot be decrypted, so preventing anyone gaining unauthorised access to it.All of these methods of security prevent hackers from packet sniffing and gaining access to secure data, however in order to provide a more secure system, the user must also protect themselves with a firewall. Firewalls are widely available and one of the most well known methods of protection. A firewall is used to scan all messages coming into and going out of a network or a computer, and it checks to ensure that they meet the security requirements as chosen by the user. The firewall has several methods of protecting the customer, one of which being Packet filtering. The firewall looks at each packet entering or leaving the network and it will either allow it or deny it access, depending on the user's settings. Packet filtering does have its drawbacks, for example IP Spoofing can sometimes beat the firewall, and it can also be fairly complex to set up. Another technique that firewalls use is an Application Gateway. Application GatewaysApply security mechanisms to specific applications, such as FTP and Telnet servers. This is very effective, but can impose performance degradation.Clearly, there are a lot of problems faced by firms and customers to ensure that data is secure. A recent survey in America stated that one in four customers won't shop online due to security concerns. From this, it is clear that despite all the security measures, customers do not have total faith in the security, although, the same survey found that 81% of those interviewed do use some form of security on their computer. This shows that customers are aware of the dangers of security on the internet. The most important thing for both customers and firms is to ensure that their internet security features are up to date. It is never possible to have a fully secure website safe from any hackers because hackers are always finding new ways to beat security systems, therefore those who provide internet security and fight the hackers have to continue to find new ways to combat them.	 	 		 			 				 					 						A article by Paris Wells Website Manager for <a href="http://www.AJbiz.co.uk" target="_new">AJbiz.co.uk</a>, a virtual assistant company who provides <a href="http://www.AJbiz.co.uk" target="_new">secretarial services</a>.

The Challenges For Data Security Faced by Firms and Their Customers Working and Trading Online

Data security is a huge responsibility for firms which indulge in online trading. There are various ways in which security can be breache...

Businesses! Are Your Mobile Devices Working For You?

In recent times, mobile devices have become quite powerful and feature rich and are getting attention from consumers and businesses alike. Faster processors, larger RAM and flash memories along with multiple communication technologies have made mobile devices suitable to deploy and run business applications. Such advancements are helping businesses embrace mobility to improve their processes thereby increasing revenues and efficiency while lowering operational costs. Mobile device is an important component of any mobile solution. There are wide-varieties of mobile devices to choose from. Most commonly used enterprise mobile devices are based on Windows Mobile operating system from Microsoft and it has become a preferred platform used by companies around the world.ProblemWindows Mobile is a feature packed and versatile operating system. There is a lot an enterprise can exploit out of this platform. But most of the enterprises don't need all of the available features. Giving a powerful mobile device to mobile workforce can sometimes actually become a serious concern as workers might use the device for personal use rather than for the business. Besides, companies spend lots of money and effort in developing and deploying business applications. They want to ensure that the workers use the solution to its full potential in favor of the business. Following are some of the challenges that should be addressed to maximize the benefits of a solution that involve mobile devices:* Entertainment on the jobAll Windows Mobile devices contain built-in applications like browsers, games, phone etc. all of which can easily distract a mobile worker. A game of Solitaire can waste crucial working hours. This kind of mobile device usage is certainly not favorable to the businesses* Maintenance ProblemsAn employee who is not very knowledgeable about Windows Mobile can easily change the important device settings (e.g. Network, system files etc.). Such intentional or unintentional manipulation of device settings can cause the business critical application to fail. Imagine a user turns off the WiFi radio on the device, while the application is transferring critical data to the server. Results can be costly in terms of money and time. Too much manipulation can "corrupt" the device, which has to be returned to the IT department, again causing loss of productivity and wastage of IT resources. While the device is with IT, the mobile worker might be sitting idle, waiting for the device to return. Loss! Loss! Loss!* Installation of Third-party applicationsThere are thousands of third-party applications (for personal and gaming purposes) available on the internet these days. These applications can be easily installed on a Windows Mobile device. Installation of unauthorized third-party applications for personal use surely waste the time but can also disrupt the device operation by consuming memory and processor resources. Besides, those applications can contain malware and viruses which might pose a security risk to the organization.* Physical Data SecurityBusiness applications are designed to work online or offline. If connectivity is not available the application goes back to offline mode. This makes it possible for mobile worker to continue working, until the connectivity is achieved again. In offline mode the application stores the data locally. If the data is sensitive, it is mostly encrypted. This saves the data from misuse in case the device is lost or stolen. But once a device is stolen the thief can connect the device with a PC via ActiveSync and copy the data files out. Desktop based hacking tools can be used to decipher/decrypt the data. There should be way to block the user from copying the data from a device.SolutionsLocking down general purpose Windows Mobile devices into kiosk mode can solve the above problems. By locking down the devices, the enterprise can restrict the user to launch and use only "approved" applications and functionality. e.g., a company can provision the mobile devices so that the workers cannot install third-party applications on their own. Another example would be to enable Data Only connection over the phone network, while blocking the voice calls.There are two alternative methods to lock down mobile devices:Method 1: Building Custom Kiosk devicesThis approach requires an enterprise to build custom kiosk devices that do just what enterprise needs. Windows CE operating system is most commonly used to develop custom devices. This solution has the following advantages and disadvantages.Advantages:* Since requirements are tied to the hardware, the enterprise can precisely control features of the device.Disadvantages:* It is very costly to develop a hardware device from scratch. This might not be possible at all for small and medium sized companies as it requires huge upfront investments. * It does not make business sense to build your own hardware if the required volumes are low, say if only a few hundred devices are needed. * Custom device will need custom application development. Number of software developers for a custom platform will be very low if any. * Once custom hardware is designed and built, it is very costly to modify or upgrade it. This is a very common problem with this approach.Method 2: Lockdown mobile devices with tools like SureLock StudioSureLock Studio gives enterprises the power to easily lock down off-the-shelf or ruggedized Windows Mobile devices. An administrator can lock down the devices with kiosk configuration generated by SureLock Studio. A kiosk configuration contains which features and applications are "approved" for use by the mobile worker. These configurations are generated in the form of CAB files that makes it very easy to deploy them on large number of devices. Kiosk CAB installation works in the same way as any other application CAB. There are advantages of locking down the devices with SureLock Studio:Advantages:* Save costs: Enterprises can buy off-the-shelf (HTC/ASUS/iPaq etc) or Ruggedized Windows Mobile devices (Symbol/Motorola/Intermec) and deploy the enterprise business applications on them. SureLock will make sure that the worker is restricted to only use "approved" functionality of the device. * Choice of devices: Since all Windows Mobile devices are based on the same core operating system, companies have the choice to select a device model based on the specific features that the model may have. The business application will work on any device model with a little or no modifications. * In future enterprises can modify the kiosk configuration to allow or disallow new features or applications. For e.g. the company might decide later on to allow mobile workers to use the devices for making phone calls. A new SureLock kiosk configuration can be deployed with the phone feature enabled.Disadvantages:* As SureLock does software lock down of the device, hard-resetting the device to factory defaults (clean boot) will cause the loss of kiosk settings. There are a couple of workarounds. Kiosk cab can be kept in the storage card along with an Autorun.exe. After a reboot, the kiosk configuration can be installed which will again lock down the device. Besides some ruggedized mobile device vendors (like Symbol/Motorola) have support for companies to build their own Writable ROM images. Kiosk configuration can be stored on in the ROM and can be installed automatically after a clean boot.ConclusionUsing a tool like SureLock Studio makes the process of locking down Windows Mobile devices easy and painless. Enterprises can control the usage of their mobile devices and allow them to be used by the mobile workers only for the benefit of company.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Author is the founder of <a href="http://www.42gears.com" target="_new">42Gears</a>, developers of <a href="http://www.42gears.com/surelock/" target="_new">SureLock Studio</a>, a tool for locking down Windows Mobile devices into Kiosk mode.

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