Why you must have it: The iPod is quickly becoming the modern stereo, but its digitized files often lack the nuance of the original recordings. SRS Labs' iWow for iPod Adapter plugs into the iPod's bottom 30-pin connector and restores the audio cues in the sources, so music and video files sound more like they were intended. (SRS Labs also offers the separate iWow 2.0 software, which is an iTunes plug-in for your Mac or PC that adds the same audio restoration to music and videos played from your computer.)

Your chances of having the first one on the block: High, as the new iWow hardware was released just this month. (The iWow 2.0 software shipped in October.)

What you must know: The hardware adapter is not certified for the iPhone, though users report it works when the iPhone is in airplane mode. SRS Labs released a Mac-only iWow 1.0 iTunes plug-in in 2007 for $30, and it quickly gained popularity. The latest iWow plug-in adds the enhanced versions of its capabilities to both Mac and Windows versions of iTunes and to your iPod directly.

What you need: Any iPod for the iWow hardware, and a Mac or PC with iTunes 6 or later for the plug-in software. The adapter costs $100, while the plug-in software costs $80.

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Why you must have it: Anti-malware software is annoying, what with all those alert pop-ups. Plus, it gobbles PC resources that would be better spent running a mobile simulator or 3-D game. So InfoWorld CTO Council member Marvin Anderson and his colleagues at Trexin have on their wish list the Gatekeeper Pico from Yoggie. It's a small Linux-based minicomputer that -- get this -- runs a baker's dozen of security apps, from anti-virus to stateful packet inspection, all from a USB token. Uninstall your current anti-malware software, plug in the Pico, and you're set. Because the Pico boots from Linux, it's not susceptible to the usual PC malware.

Your chances of having the first one on the block: Good, as the PC version has been out less than a year and the Mac version less than two months.

What you must know: Yoggie also offers a management server if you want to deploy its enterprise cousin, the Pico Pro, corporatewide.

What you need: The Pico costs $149 and is available in Windows and Mac versions. The Pico Pro costs $199 and is available only for Windows. You'll need an open USB 2.0 port on your computer.

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Terrorist attacks late Wednesday in Mumbai are unlikely to make multinational technology companies change their strategies for India.

The attack in Mumbai is the latest in a string of terrorist attacks across the country, including a number of attacks earlier in Mumbai.

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The attacks late Wednesday by terrorists using guns and grenades in Mumbai did however appear different than previous ones, because it targeted top five-star hotels in Mumbai's business district. About 100 are feared dead in the shootouts, which still continue as police battle the armed terrorists. Some foreign residents at the hotel are being held hostage by the terrorists.

"It is sad that this has happened, but we are confident that India will bounce back to normalcy," said Vidya Natampally, director of strategy at Microsoft Research India.

The terrorist attacks will not change Microsoft Research's plans in India. " We are committed to staying on in India," Natampally added.

Dell has issued a travel advisory to its staff, advising caution and due diligence when traveling to India, said a spokeswoman for the company. "That is the only measure we have taken," she added.

A large number of technology companies including Oracle, Microsoft, and Dell run large software development and call center operations in India. But ever since the threat of terrorism increased since last year, these companies have tightened on security at their facilities.

"For a long time now, we have tightened on security at all our facilities," the Dell spokeswoman said.

Indian outsourcing companies and Indian operations of multinational technology companies were not affected by the attacks, though the disruption of train service in Mumbai on Thursday could affect the movement of staff.

The Bombay Stock Exchange in south Mumbai has shut down on Thursday. The state government has ordered schools and colleges closed Thursday.

Embarcadero Technologies will unveil next week an upgrade to its ER/Studio data modeling tool, featuring visual representations of where data resides and how it has changed.

ER/Studio 8.0 offers a model-driven approach to tracing data in the enterprise from source to target, Embarcadero said. Highlighted in version 8.0 is a featured called "Visual Data Lineage," which helps architects and modelers solve business issues around data integration. Visual Data Lineage provides a visual representation of data flows and changes and offers users an automated process and richer metadata, according to Embarcadero.

The feature can accommodate data models from systems like CRM, product, and order systems, said Jason Tiret, director of modeling and design solutions at Embarcadero.

"Visual Data Lineage allows you to capture how data is linked and used across those systems," Tiret said. It also can assist with moving data from transaction systems to a data warehouse and helps with compliance initiatives and data audits, Embarcadero representatives said.

Version 8.0 offers data professionals the ability to conduct an impact analysis between data sources and targets and visually analyze and document data flow without the need to inspect code, the company said.

Other features in ER/Studio 8.0 include:

* Integration with LDAP directories, for managing user access in the Embarcadero repository via LDAP and Active Directory integration. * Attribute-level submodeling, in which users can select specific attributes displayed in a submodel for easier management of complex models. A submodel enables a large model to be broken up into functional or subject areas. * Expanded database support, with support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Sybase IQ 12.5.

ER/Studio is part of Embarcadero's suite of modeling tools, which also includes products such as ER/Repository, which offers a server-side model repository, and the ER/Portal tool for metadata search and reporting.

ER/Studio costs $3,500 per seat, but tiered pricing is available based on specific database platforms and editions of the product.

Adobe on Wednesday released an update to its version management software, Version Cue.

Version Cue 4.0.1 includes performance improvements, according to notes provided with the update. The new version also adds functionality for migrating Creative Suite 3 Version Cue projects to Creative Suite 4.

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Version Cue 4.0.1 can be downloaded from Adobe's Web site.