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Gadget Wisdom

Category: Gadgets

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U3 USB Drives

Not long ago, we gave you our basic advice on buying USB flash memory drives, also known as Jumpdrives, after the popular Lexar line. We commented we did not have enough funding to review a large selection of drives.

Then we moved on to some advice on security and data protection using these drives. We suggested you visit Portableapps.com for some applications that can run on a flash drive.

But, for those of us who don’t want to put together our own Windows-based selection of portable applications, there is U3. U3 is backed by various USB flash memory producers and is a system that “turns simple storage devices into USB smart drives.” Essentially, it combines data protection, portable applications, and password protection against a single standard several companies used.

We picked up a U3 smart drive, the SanDisk 1 GB Cruzer Micro with U3 ( SDCZ6-1024-A10, Retail Package) at our local Staples for $19.99 after a mail-in rebate. The Cruzer Micro is a U3 Smart Drive with a retractable USB connector. It has its issues. It certainly looks flimsy…although no one is going to try and run it over with a car. The retractable USB is nice, but with it being designed to go on a keychain, without a cover…the connector will likely fill up with lint and other pocket dirt.

The biggest complaint with this item for some is the U3. The U3 software can be uninstalled, turning it back into a standard USB drive…which you can then install the same portable applications on. What the U3 software does is link in built-in encyption as well as a menu launcher. The problem is that this software launches automatically and tried to reboot the computers we put it into. It also is Windows specific. Both of these can be showstoppers if you want to be mobile. The computers of your friends, as well as public terminals, don’t appreciate something that looks like malicious software.

Ultimately, for those users willing to put up with it, U3 is a nice and convenient way to run a good basic set of applications off of a USB drive with a minimum of difficulty. And you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to.

Published on October 19, 2006
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For Mad Computer Scientists Only

Unknown Device

First, we reported on an interesting input device…a programmable knob. Now, Crunchgear has found this Device, which looks like it belongs in some 19th century lab. It has two analog dials, a glowing tube, and a blinking red light which can be controlled by USB from a PC.

Not as simple and useful as a knob…but this is certainly the most unique output device we’ve ever seen.

Published on October 19, 2006
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Turning Your Key into a Flashlight

We’re always looking for new and amusing items to report on, and often CrunchGear finds something simple and useful that proves that innovation is not dead.

We found this item, the True Utility Locklite…which is an LED light that affixes directly to the housekey, becoming a part of it. It is simple, elegant…and we wonder why no one has thought of it before. Unfortunately, the manufacturer is a British company, and we could not…so far find a US distributor to refer you to…the one downside.

Published on October 19, 2006
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Tips on Buying a PC

SeekingAlpha’s Sound Money Tips is a good source for interesting advice for cost-conscious individuals. We do not always agree with their advice, but it is certainly a good starting point. Today, they present their Tips on Buying a New Desktop PC. Their three tips are…

  1. Back to Basics
  2. Remember Memory
  3. Process This

Back to Basics advises you to avoid frills, but make sure the basics you buy are easily upgradeable. We agree that fancy components can add to the bottom line of your price, but the question is what you plan to do with the computer. Prune down the list of things you want to do with the computer to the most important, and start your design with that. You can always add extras later if the company isn’t offering a good bundle rate for them.
Remember Memory…Memory is a very easy to accomplish upgrade that most non-technicians can do themselves. It is not as delicate as CPU replacement. Remember that many PC manufacturers will give you 2 pieces of RAM to reach your total amount as it is cheaper to them than giving you one piece of the total size. Remember…sometimes it is worth a little extra to have that extra slot available for later. Obviously you should get the type of memory your computer’s motherboard uses(just remember there isn’t only one type), and while size is a consideration…memory speed can also enhance your offerings. Unlike megabytes, speed has to be the same across the chips to get the benefit.

Process This…the CPU is the heart of your computer. A program goes from your hard drive, to your RAM, to your CPU. Slowdowns at any stage can mean performance decreases, although the percentage of performance varies. Intel and AMD both have their advantages. For the last few years, AMD had outpaced Intel in the 64-bit and dual core areas, but reports indicate Intel’s new dual core offering blew AMD out of the water. However, AMD has a lower average price point.

Obviously, the issue is more complicated than that. Specific issues of processors, memory, etc will likely be addressed in future articles. For now…just remember rule of thumb if you aren’t building it yourself…never buy bottom of the barrel…always try to buy somewhere in the low-end of middle of the price spectrum at the least.

Published on October 18, 2006
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Got Plenty of Buttons…what is missing?

We’re always looking for new ways to improve our experience controlling our computers. Sometimes this means a trackball instead of a mouse, an ergonomic keyboard, remote control, etc.

CrunchGear brought this particular item to our attention. It is a USB Powered Knob which can be programmed to control anything from volume to fan speed. If you are interested, the PowerMate USB 1042BPMT is available through Amazon.

Published on October 18, 2006
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Wooden USB Memory Sticks

As Crunchgear reports, Dutch design company OOOMS selects sticks and has USB memory drives stuffed inside them. We hope that it is a professional designer who selects the sticks that eventually become USB sticks, because otherwise…it is just silly.
Wooden USB stick
Published on October 3, 2006
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The Remember Ring

We found a fascinating item on Hackedgadgets.com, called The Remember Ring. The Remember Ring appears to be a standard ring that contains a heating element that heats 24 hours from the day you want to remember. It starts at 120 degrees and gets warmer after that point. It only lasts for ten seconds, and causes discomfort, not damage. It is charged up by the heat from your hand.

The Remember Ring

Published on September 28, 2006
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Flash Memory Drives

Recently, we discussed USB Flash Memory Drives, a highly mobile piece of technology that is very useful. We mentioned that in a future post we would be discussing installing a complete operating system on a USB memory drive.

However, yesterday, Tom’s Hardware reviewed Samsung’s 32GB Flash Drive. 32GB is large enough to install a full and complete operating system instead of a scaled down one. Modern hard drives are the slowest components in a computer. Memory, flash or RAM, is being added to hard drives to speed up access times. The alternative for the future is flash drives…essentially the same technology as USB flash drives but with a different interface. The price per gigabyte of flash memory is much higher than hard drives right now, but those prices continue to drop each year.

The advantages are many. Power consumption is less, as there are no motors or moving parts to operate. It produces little heat and takes up little space. There are concerns, however, about the lifespan of this type of drive, as well as its current size limitations.

Eventually, the sizes and speeds will be more comparable with hard drives. Until then, even a version this large is useful for operating systems and productivity systems. 32GB is enough to satisfy most uses except multimedia file storage. When the price goes down, it may be a good alternative in the future, at first for a niche market, then the mainstream.

The Future is Here…

Published on September 21, 2006
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A New Rechargable Battery

USBCell.com

USBCELL from Moixa Energy was launched on September 18th. The concept is a rechargeable battery which can charge from any USB port. The lid pops open to reveal a USB port which can be plugged in to charge the battery. Currently only the AA battery type is available, but AAA, C/D, 9v, and various cell phone and other device batteries will be coming.

We’ve signed up for their notification list. The product is currently only available in the UK. We will advise you when we are told it is available in the US. Either way, we think it is a cool idea.

Published on September 21, 2006
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Buying a USB Drive

As promised, we’re going to review USB flash memory drives. For some historical background, we once again referred to the people at Wikipedia for their entry on the subject.

There are many types of drives, and unfortunately we do not have the funding to do speed tests on a large selection of USB drives…unless someone would like to send us such a selection, in which case we will be happy to make such a comparison. In June of 2004, CNET reviewed 14 tiny USB flash drives. In November of 2005, PC Magazine published their USB Key Superguide.

Now that we’ve referred you to people who have the budget for intensive reviews, we’re going to refer you to a few different types of USB drives that are good for various uses. Now, most USB Drives look pretty much the same. A little rectangle that has a loop for a keychain. Many have a cover for the USB port that frequently is lost. We recommend you review Amazon’s user reviews for each drives to see what people are saying.
For rugged durability, you might want to try a Lexar Jumpdrive Sport. It is available in several sizes:

If you are interested in a newer feature we recently reported on, another Lexar Product, the Jumpdrive Mercury, has a built in usage gauge.

USB Drives from Kingston also receive favorable reviews:

While there are many others, we do want to cover the other popular brand, Sandisk…

Now, most of these drives have some kind of security software, often proprietary, designed to protect the data inside. If you don’t wish to spring for this, or wish to explore the wealth of open-source options for using your USB drive, please stay tuned for the next part of our series, where we will show you how to use your new USB drive to protect yourself.

Published on September 17, 2006
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