Comodo Internet Security 5.9 detects new Wi-Fi connections and asks if you'd like to begin a VPN connection.

An on-demand Virtual Private Network and a better "quick scan" take their bows in Comodo Internet Security 5.9 (download), released today. Along with the new features, a Comodo Security Solutions spokesman had some tough words for the competition.

Comodo Internet Security 5.9, which despite following the security industry naming convention for paid suites is actually the name of Comodo's free suite, now supports the company's TrustConnect VPN service. TrustConnect uses 128-bit encryption to provide addition Wi-Fi protection, although it doesn't anonymize your traffic like Hotspot Shield does. The TrustConnect integration will automatically detect unsecure Wi-Fi networks and offer to activate the VPN.

The inclusion of support for TrustConnect in Comodo Internet Security does not make the VPN free. Users can pay for the tunnel access on demand, starting at $3.99 for a 24-hour pass, a monthly unlimited subscription for $8.99 a month, or a yearly unlimited subscription for $99.95.

Other changes in Comodo Internet Security 5.9 include a new "quick s... [Read more]

While software may not be the glitziest of categories on display at CES, there's still plenty to be excited about as we prep for the 2012 event. From artificial intelligence to home integration, apps are definitely on the rise. Also, expect the cloud and health care to emerge as topics yet again.

Forecast: Cloudy Though this was on many prediction lists last year, we expect cloud computing to really hit its stride beginning with announcements at 2012's Consumer Electronics Show. Now that Apple's iCloud and other services have found creative (and successful) ways to store data in the cloud, expect to see more companies getting in on the action. As more data gets spread out to all your devices, the industry moves ever closer to the long-predicted marriage of television and Internet. Having every type of content on demand is even closer than you might think.

Voice and AI tech just getting started By now just about everyone has heard about Siri, Apple's AI on the iPhone 4S that responds to voice commands. Even with the Internet memes and jokes about Siri's responses to user questions, there's no debate about whether the feature is useful. Expect many companies to introduce voice and AI tech starting with CES 2012, and expect even more voice interaction with electronics as artificial intelligence advances and more users get comfortable talking to their gadgets.

The connected h... [Read more]

Maybe you're constructing a portfolio, or maybe you just want to reduce file clutter.

Joining PDFs is handy now and then, but for those of us who haven't shelled out the bucks for Acrobat, it was previously out of reach. Now we can use PDFBinder, a free Windows app on the Google Code site that works admirably. Here's how to use it:

1. Install PDFBinder here. 

   Step 1 - Download PDFBinder.

2. Launch PDF Binder. 

   Step 2: Launch PDFBinder.

3. Drag and drop PDF files into PDFBinder or click Add file& to select PDFs to join. 
4. Select a PDF file and click the up and down arrows to position it correctly. 
5. When they're in the right order, click Bind! to begin the joining process. You will need to select a name for the final PDF. 

   Step 5: Bind PDFs.

The process doesn't take long, and the results look great. 

Thanks to Guiding Tech for the tip!

Roku boxes are all the rage right now, offering cheap and easy streaming of services like HBO Go, Hulu Plus, and Netflix.

Of course, another box means another remote, and Roku's clickers are so small they can easily vanish into the couch cushions, never to be seen again. (Well, unless you look.)

Here's a handy alternative: Roku for iOS, which brings a full-featured remote to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. (It's coming soon for Android.)

The app connects to your box via your home network. I quickly and easily linked my iPhone 4S to an older Roku XR--though judging from some App Store reviews, some users have had trouble with this initial setup. (Check Roku's support page if you encounter a similar problem.)

I found Roku for iOS superior to the stock remote in many ways. For one thing, it offers one-tap access to your subscribed channels, which beats the usual method of navigating to the Home screen and scrolling through the list. You can also browse the entire channel library and add/remove channels as desired. Very convenient.