Finding these free Wi-Fi hotspots is not that difficult. JiWire.com sponsors Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory and some Wi-Fi aggregators, like GoRemote, are beginning to include listings of free hotspots in their directories.

When you're accessing a free wifi hotspot there are a few things you should keep in mind:

• Don't expect much tech help. The waiters, waitresses or baristas may have some working knowledge but, don't count on it, that's not why they're there.
• Don't overstay your welcome. If there's a line of people trying to find a seat and you've been nursing a latte for two hours you, and others like you, may be contributing to venue owner's growing desire to start charging a hefty fee for Wi-Fi access they provide.
• Make sure you follow good Wi-Fi Hotspot Security practices.

So, while free may not be entirely free, it's definitely reasonable. With a bit of planning you should be able to save yourself a few dollars a month while enjoying ambiance of your favorite free Wi-Fi hotspot.

Villains not

Who's to blame? I'm thinking nobody. Many authors and publishers break out in a cold sweat at just mention of word "Napster" and can you blame them? Their livelihood is at stake. They should, however, strive to better satisfy consumers desire for more content in digital form.

If a publisher has faith in their work, it's now accepted that expanding to e-book will deliver extra profit and drive hardback sales. Not all understand this. I still hear some authors express misguided fear that e-books will cannibalize their hardback sales. Publishing is not a zero-sum game, however--and that actually can be good. E-books add incremental value to equation. Granted, companies tasked with encrypting content for them are an easy target, for they create hoops through which we must jump. But DRM heavyweights like Microsoft, Adobe and eReader are simply business people satisfying a need with existing technology.

No glass chin

Let there be no mistake, future is bright for e-books--sales are on a steady rise. The industry took a couple of jabs during Internet correction, but you'll find no glass chin here. More students are beginning to see e-books as an alternative for those pricey hardback textbooks. The computer savvy are learning ease in pasting code directly from their favorite Java e-book manual, and there's even speculation that men are reading more romance as they no longer fear being seen with a floral book cover. Moreover, Tablet PC is maturing, and publishers are slowly but surely putting even more content in digital form. It takes courage, but we're getting there. Though it is a word often used in excuses, "patience" is needed by digital downloaders, me included.