Apple's MobileMe is variously reviled and applauded in different corners of the Net, but it's hard to argue that it provides a pretty comprehensive service. So comprehensive that Best Buy has just cloned it--and made it available for free.

When it comes to technology, every home-based business owner can feel a little bit alone from time to time. There’s no help-desk or IT staff to call when your PC, Internet connection, or other devices are on the blink. It’s your problem. These tech challenges are not something to be taken lightly.

So here are some of the biggest technology challenges for home-based businesses—and some tips for how to make sure you don’t fall victim to them.

1. Hackers, viruses, and malware… oh my!

My well loved, well used laptop died last week. I purchase a new one and as I was getting it back to a usable state, I opened a list of software I install after purchasing a new PC for my friends and family. After getting everything back to a usable state, I thought that it was pretty good list to share. So, here is my list of five essential downloads to get. The best part, they are all free.

Microsoft's [NASDAQ: MSFT] Windows Home Server is a nifty piece of software that lets you store all your data and backups in one convenient, network-accessible place. As cool as that sounds, it's decidely less cool if the software comes with an extreme data corruption bug, as it did when released last year. To remedy this erratum, Microsoft has released an overdue service pack called Power Pack 1, which should also improve other features like backup, remote access, and energy saving, as well as adding support for Vista's x64 version.