By Jon M. Cohen
As most consumers embrace new technologies like digital cameras, digital camcorders and MP3 players is can be assumed that today’s average consumer will find them-self with more and more files that become highly important and can’t be lost. As more content is created the more we realize that the internal hard drive in computers is not large enough to handle the information that we hold so precious. It comes to a point where we need to increase our hard drive to hold all that information. Below are some basic tips to ensure that you buy the best replacement hard drive for your needs.
My first tip is the most important; and thus I suggest that if you only read one part this is it! When you are ready to change your desktop computer hard drive it is key to know what kind of connector is needed from the desktop’s motherboard. The two most popular options are ATA (also know as PATA) or the newer SATA (Serial ATA). It sounds like a very simple tip, but 70% of people are unsure and are unable to answer this question when they walk in to their local computer retailer. For anyone who is not sure what I mean by this significant difference; the only reasonable comparison that one can make is the difference between gas engines and diesel engines. Therefore, when you go to refuel your car you can’t put diesel fuel in a regular gas tank.
Size does matter! Buy the hard drive for the future. When you get to the store you may have options between 250GB, 500Gb, 750GB, 1000GB (1TB) and maybe even 1500GB (1.5TB). The right size is going to vary depending on your use. My rule of thumb is to get three times larger capacity. So if you are using a 250, then get a 750GB; if you have a 500Gb then a 1.5TB is the right amount. The good thing with most desktop computers is that you can have multiple drives in the computer. Therefore to reach 1.5TB you can use 2 x 750Gb. As drive sizes get large and prices go down I would always encourage people to get everything in one drive. This option offers less failure rate and gives improved speeds and performance.
Lots of people will tell you that one brand is better then another brand. The truth of the matter is that some brands are in fact better. The failure rate for any brand is almost all equal over a 12-month period. The same way that if you buy a really good car (like Bentley or Ferrari) you will still need service and you will still need to get service done for it. The point I am making is this; all technology can breakdown. Just make sure you are prepared. You should have some kind of backup solution. I know I sound a bit pessimistic, but it is better to be safe then sorry.
Speed, Speed, Speed…my last tip is that when you have a chance to get a new hard drive you should take advantage of any speed boosts with the technology. Over the last number of years we have seen the change from 5200RPM to 7200RPM drives. This means a faster read and writes speed. As technology improves, we will see that 10,000RPM or faster drives will be more common. Therefore, when you have a chance to upgrade and get a new drive you should take the fastest speeds you can afford.
Since you are in a position to upgrade or change your desktop hard drive I hope you keep the above mentioned four points in your head.. Find the perfect drive that meets your needs… Look for the fastest speed for the biggest drives and don’t get hung up to much on brand and lastly make sure you get the right kind of connection for you computer’s mother board.
What a nice looking Camera, and it is lightweight, compact and flashy. Sony really loaded this camera up with all the bells and whistles, from the five color options (Green, Pink, White, Black, Blue) that it comes in to its touch screen. The camera features super image stabilizer and smile detection, plus a huge built in 4GB memory. It does in fact have an 8.1MP (Mega Pixel) output, and allows for hookup to any HDTV that has HDMI (newer TV) support. The camera also has a movie mode that will allow 640 x 480 resolution, with 30 FPS (Frames per second). This by far is a great release from the folks at Sony, and will surely be purchased by Sony’s loyal customer base. However, for those of us who care more about the pictures taken then the look of a camera, this camera is not for you. Don’t get me wrong, Sony will sell this overpriced camera to all customers and tout it to be top end. What I found was that for the top dollar (MSRP: $350.00) that Sony is charging, you only get average output. The picture quality and zoom were poor, and the touch screen was very difficult to use and navigate. Sony’s clever marketing states that this is a “FullHD” camera, then in small print lists images only, thus meaning the movie mode can’t do HD at all. Last time I checked no one hooks their camera up to their HDTV to show pictures, most people go and upload it on their computer. Some other points of interest are the following; the DSC-T2 uses a special connector to get the pictures off the camera and this connector is very easy to lose or break. Not quite sure why Sony didn’t just offer a standard USB 2.0 connection option. The lens which is a Zeiss lens provides a poor color representation and the camera produces a lot of lens flares when using the red-eye reduction mode. My final thoughts are that this is a good-looking camera that provides a poor quality picture – don’t be fooled by its high price and the name “Sony”. I would suggest looking into a Canon SD1100 for your next digital camera purchase.
The Blackberry has been evolving for many years. It started off as a clumsy, hard to use device in a world that was not ready for RIM’s level of communication. Now, RIM has captured a consumer market that was once held by Palm, and taken the cellular phone market share away from both Nokia and Motorola. I have tested and used over 7 different Blackberry models and by far the Blackberry Curve rates as one of my top choices. With its full QWERTY keyboard and pearl scroll wheel, this communication device is extraordinary. It does not hold the same “wow” factor that you would find with some other smart phones (such as the Apple iPhone), but it holds its own when it comes to functionality, ease of use and clarity of phone calls.
Blackberry Curve
Some changes that RIM has made over the years have greatly impacted this device and its function. The one that I noticed immediately was the weight of the unit. Unlike a lot of the older Blackberry models, the Curve really is light and adequately fits in the palm of my hand. As with all Blackberry devices, using your thumbs on the keypad is important to getting functionality from the device, whether it is typing or just navigating the Blackberry OS. This phone, which is also a PDA, digital camera, MP3 player, timer, alarm clock and web browsing unit has a great battery life and can be used on any GSM network (may need to unlock the phone). Bluetooth is built in and most models feature a GPS as well.
Some of the points to keep in mind when considering this device for yourself are; do you want to have WiFi in your handheld device? How important is video playback? Are you prepared to incur the sometimes-expensive service costs from your cell phone provider? The real test of a product is its longevity in the market place and its ability to create a constant demand from consumers. The Blackberry brand has successfully done both of these things for a number of years, and I expect this to continue in years to come. In closing, this Blackberry Curve is a great handheld! It would be best suited for the business user or the sharper then average consumer. It gives a lot of power in a small package, and leaves the user with a great experience. It gets a “buy” rating from us.