Compiled by JOHN COLLINS

Firesheep prompts Wi-Fi security debate  

READ:A Seattle-based software developer Eric Butler has released Firesheep, a plug-in for the Firefox web browser that claims to be able to give hackers access to Amazon, Foursquare, Google or Twitter accounts of people using the same open Wi-Fi network.

Firesheep uses a technique called sidejacking – stealing the cookie file for your current session with a secure website, and in this PC World Ian Paul puts it through its paces. The good news is that while Firesheep is not as trivial to use as expected it raises serious security concerns – which is what Butler intended when writing it.

http://bit.ly/ajZslb

Find new and interesting stuff with Google Reader Play 

BOOKMARK:Just a few years ago, using RSS feeds to monitor blogs, websites and other sources of information was all the rage, but really it was far too complex and geeky for the masses. Google has an interesting solution in the form of Google Reader Play, a web app that presents RSS feeds as a slideshow. Quietly launched a few months back, the beauty of play is that it requires no set-up and quickly learns your interests from what you click through to.

google.com/reader/play

The same iPad apps as a tablet pioneer

INSTALL:Long, long before the iPad, Apple released the Newton, a touchscreen computer that failed not least because it was ahead of its time. This post on the Gizmodo blog details what one of the original Newton team, Apple vice-president Michael Tchao, has installed on his iPad.

It's an eclectic list ranging from the free social networking app Flipboard to the Financial Timesand even includes The Elements, an €11 interpretation of the periodic table.

gizmodo.com/search/Tchao