Popular bookstore chains, numerous hotels, and many local businesses have offered free Internet access via Wi-Fi for awhile now. Google has even been providing free Wi-Fi for an entire city (Mountain View, CA) since 2006.

So what's the big deal about Google now offering free Wi-Fi at select U.S. airports until January 15th? Maybe a lot of folks like me suspect this is more likely to become a permanent arrangement and not just a one-time holiday gift? I could be wrong.

→ See also - Free Wi-Fi Wars: Google vs. Microsoft vs. Yahoo (pcworld.about.com)

We and Gizmodo are watching for the official release of Microsoft's new Wi-Fi adapter for the Xbox 360. The new adapter should feature 802.11n support and perhaps a slightly lower price tag than the current 802.11g unit that I and many other gamers around the world have enjoyed for the last few years.

Will it be worth replacing an existing Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter with a new 802.11n model? In a word, probably not. To get maximum benefit from the new adapter, you'll need an 802.11n router. Even then, unless your current wireless connection is very weak, expect the stronger signal and higher network bandwidth 802.11n won't translate into any noticeable stability or performance improvement in your online experience.

→ See also - Top 802.11n Wireless Routers

A spammer on our message board recently posted a set of product advertisements that appeared to include braindumps for computer networking certification exams. What's a braindump? According to O/Siris, braindumps are illegal copies of exam questions. Find out why braindumps are considered unethical at best, and check out his good tips for identifying questionable outfits that peddle these things.
→ Discuss - Braindumps are Illegal
→ See also - What Is a Braindump? (certification.about.com)

For several years now, many business and school network administrators block access to Facebook, Myspace and other social networking site on the grounds that they distract employees from more important work. Preventing access to Web sites by name is straightforward, but resourceful employees can find a site's IP addresses and enter those into the browser easily enough. Consequently, administrators often try for more sophisticated IP address blocks. These sometimes also be circumvented via proxies. Have you been on networks that block access to social networking sites and tried to get around it?
→ See also - What Is a MySpace Proxy?
→ See also - What Is Facebook's IP Address?