Geeks are a smart bunch but have you ever wondered what skills it takes to be a great geek? Here’s the definitive list of must have and geek skills along with some pretty hoopy links to help you flash your noggins wetware into something a little more geek savvy:

Identify Keyloggers

On your big OE, tempted to use that innocent looking cyber café to your internet banking? Your precious account numbers and other sensitive personal deets could be being hoovered up as you type thanks to key loggers which record your typing. Learning how to check for keyloggers could help you avoid having credit card numbers passed on or your bank account cleaned out.  Check out this hoopy guide to spotting keyloggers and how to protect yourself:

http://www.ghacks.net/2007/06/28/how-to-defeat-most-keyloggers-on-public-computers/

Increase Your USB Mojo

Having a bootable thumb drive handy for when you need access to a PC but don’t know the password can be indredibly handy. Its also really REALLY easy to do too!

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

Learn to Speak L33t

It may be passé, but it’s still a requirement for membership to the geek elite. if you can’t understand 9eeX sh4ll 1NheR17 7Eh e4r7H, click the link below to learn:

http://www.wikihow.com/Read-and-Write-in-1337

or cheat by dropping into http://www.jayssite.com/stuff/l33t/l33t_translator.html were you’ll be able to translate L33t into English

Password P0wnage

Whilst we don’t recommend you use these skills to do illegal stuff, any uuber geek worth their acne needs to be able circumvent password protection for legit uses such as when a friend forgets their password, or you get given a second hand password protected PC. These guys can give you the gen on how get around passwords on Windows PCs, Macs, and Linux boxes.

http://www.joetech.com/2009/01/29/how-to-crack-the-account-password-on-any-operating-system/

Conversely you don’t want anyone hijacking passwords to get into your files so lock down your PC down with a USB memory stick with these simple steps:

http://lionjkt.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/how-to-lock-your-computer-with-usb-drive/

If you’re really worried that the USB memory stick trick will fail and really want to keep data hidden? Stick it in a boring family photo and keep it in front of prying eyes whilst keeping it out of reach. Here’s how:

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/hide-file-in-picture/

Deal to DRM

DRM isn’t only incredibly annoying, its also one of the dumbest things the music industry has ever done. CDs aren’t labotomised with DRM and can be played on any CD player, so why should music you’ve paid to download? Whilst most online music stores are moving to DRM-free music, chances are that you’ve probably already got an extensive collection of DRM’d music. Check out this link which’ll show you how to deal to Windows DRM

http://undrm.info/remove-DRM-protection/FairUse4WM-freeware-DRM-removal-Windows-software-Strip-copy-protection-from-WMV-ASF-WMA-Windows-Media-Player.htm

Secure Wifi

Any geek worth their salt should know this. Not because we at Tone advocate using this geek skill to to do the jedi mind trick of stealing wifi – that’s just not cricket, but more so you know how other geeks from the dark side could bypass your Wifi routers password to steal your Wifi. This tutorial on wifi password cracking will give you the good oil.

http://docs.lucidinteractive.ca/index.php/Cracking_WEP_and_WPA_Wireless_Networks

Mess With Wifi Thieves

If however you’ve fallen victim to a geek wifi leech, use this rather hoopy trick to let them know that you’re a geek who shouldn’t be messed with.

http://tech.nocr.at/hacking-security/baffle-wifi-leeches-with-an-upside-down-ternet-2/

Max your out your Wifi

So many gadgets and so many wireless web browsers. If you’re not feeling the love that you should be from your routercheck out this guide to making your wifi go further:

http://www.mavromatic.com/archives/000451

Unlock an iPhone

Whilst most geeks would rather own an Android or Windows mobile phone, being able to unlock your friends parallel imported iPhone is bound to earn you some serious geek cred. This link will show you how to do the iPhone unlocking thing.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/137223/how_to_unlock_an_iphone.html

Install Mac OS X on a PC

If like me you are bored shitless by the whole Mac vs PC argument, rise above it by installing Mac OS on your PC alongside Windows and Linux. Check out this guide to getting Mac OS onto a PC

http://dailyapps.net/2007/10/hack-attack-install-leopard-on-your-pc-in-3-easy-steps/

Give Your Mp3 Player a Makeover

Lets face it, the average mp3 player can be a tad boring if not feature limited. As a wannabe geek and red blooded Tone reading audiophile you owe it to yourself to try out Rockbox firmware. Its Open source so is free, and can be installed on several different types of Mp3 players.

http://rockbox.org

Keyboard Shortcuts

Ever wondered how geeks can do stuff on their computers so fast? Fast QWERTY skills aside, Keyboard Shortcuts will make the difference between being PC granny and an uuber geek. This site has the gen on most commonly used keyboard shortcuts for most major applications and operating systems.

http://www.shortcutguide.com/

Recover From a Hard Drive Melt Down

Data is everything to a geek and when it comes to precious data, hard drives are where its at. Unfortunately they are mechanical and as such will ultimately wear out, potentially consigning your data to that great digital graveyard in the sky. Whilst you could take you r dead hard disk to a data recovery specialist, who will get your data back for a fee – Real geeks shouldn’t need to resort to such desperate moves. Often retrieving data of a damaged hard disk can be as easy as the 5 steps outlined below:

http://laptoplogic.com/resources/5-ways-to-retrieve-data-off-a-crashed-hard-drive

Making matters even worse, viruses or other malicious software can trash your hard drives master boot record, leading to an MBR error, making it all but impossible to access the content on your otherwise undamaged hard drive. Recovering from this needn’t be too much of a chore – here’s how:

http://www.ntfs.com/mbr-damaged.htm

Got some of your own Geek tips to add? Don’t be shy!