Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Music of Malfunctioning Disks]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/02/07/music-of-malfunctioning-disks/http://www.switched.com/2011/02/07/music-of-malfunctioning-disks/http://www.switched.com/2011/02/07/music-of-malfunctioning-disks/#comments One of the best ways to identify a failing hard drive is to simply listen to the sounds it makes. It might seem crazy, but it's true. A disk on the verge of disaster makes telltale noises that could tip you off in time to save your data. The trouble is knowing what to listen for. Some are obvious -- like beeps, clicks, scratching -- but others are much more subtle. Data recovery company Data Cent has compiled a database of sounds that hard drives make when they're about to fail, along with suggestions on what may specifically be causing the trouble. The hope is that, if you're able to identify the sound of a troubled disk, you'll be able to offload your data before it's too late. The list of drives and potential problems is already rather daunting, and Data Cent only plans to keep expanding the database. So head on over to the Hard Drive Sounds page, and familiarize yourself with the terrifying music of your data dying (1,000 times scarier than any Norwegian black metal band).

SwitchedThe Music of Malfunctioning Disks originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>HardDriveharddrivesmusicstoragetopMon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hard Drive Peppered With Buckshot, Lives to Tell the Tale]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/01/06/iosafe-harddrive-shot-shotgun-buckshot-survives/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/06/iosafe-harddrive-shot-shotgun-buckshot-survives/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/06/iosafe-harddrive-shot-shotgun-buckshot-survives/#commentsHard Drive Shot with Shotgun ioSafe loves its gimmicky demos at CES. In years past, the company has drowned drives and run them over, just to show how durable they are. This year, ioSafe fired four 12-gauge shotgun shells into one, and, needless to say, it survived. We wish ioSafe would have invited us to shoot a drive, but we'll just have to make do with the video below.

Continue reading Hard Drive Peppered With Buckshot, Lives to Tell the Tale

SwitchedHard Drive Peppered With Buckshot, Lives to Tell the Tale originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cesHardDriveiosafestoragetopThu, 06 Jan 2011 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten Ways to Share Big Files With Little Hassle]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/12/ten-ways-to-share-big-files-with-little-hassle/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/12/ten-ways-to-share-big-files-with-little-hassle/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/12/ten-ways-to-share-big-files-with-little-hassle/#commentsFile Sharing Apps
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E-mail and IM suffice for small file transfers like Office documents or photos, but for anything more substantial (e.g., high def videos of your cat jumping into boxes) you're going to need to look somewhere else. Even our beloved Gmail chokes on anything over 25 MB, and refuses to transfer certain files like executables (.exe). Geekier types might set up an FTP server or create a torrent, but those methods can be a hassle for quick deliveries. There are, however, various P2P (peer-to-peer) and Web-based solutions that allow you to quickly and easily share files, often with just a few clicks. Read on for our favorite ways to pass around bulky bits that e-mail just can't handle.

Continue reading Ten Ways to Share Big Files With Little Hassle

SwitchedTen Ways to Share Big Files With Little Hassle originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsdropboxdusharefeaturesfiledropperfilesavrfilesharingmegauploadrapidsharesenduittopwebwetransferwikisendyousenditTue, 12 Oct 2010 12:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Future Bride Gives Groom USB Wedding Ring to Hold 'Lifetime of Memories']]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/14/future-bride-gives-groom-usb-key-wedding-ring-to-hold-lifetime/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/14/future-bride-gives-groom-usb-key-wedding-ring-to-hold-lifetime/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/14/future-bride-gives-groom-usb-key-wedding-ring-to-hold-lifetime/#commentsFiled under:

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It may seem like a trivial choice to some, but picking out the perfect wedding ring is actually a pretty major decision. This is the piece of jewelry, after all, that your future spouse will be wearing (in theory) til death do you part, so it probably shouldn't look like a Ring Pop. Even more importantly, this ring could one day serve as an immediate deterrent to any bar flies or hussies trying to grab a slice of the love of your life. So what's the best way to mark your marital territory and fend off the hounds? With an über geeky wedding ring, of course.

Instead of going the traditional route and buying just another soporific wedding band, one future bride decided to go the extra mile, and ordered a ring custom designed to look like a USB key. Her fiancé happened to be Microsoft Game Studios Software Development Engineer Ray Arifianto (read: "Geekzilla"). Though not much of a gamer or techie herself, as Kotaku reports, she has absolutely no problem with wearing a USB key around her finger for all of eternity. Engraved on the inside of the ring is the phrase, "For a lifetime of memories." Though, by judging from the size of the ring, we're guessing that by "lifetime," the future Mrs. Arifianto means "128 GB." [From: Kotaku, via: Mashable]

Continue reading Future Bride Gives Groom USB Wedding Ring to Hold 'Lifetime of Memories'

SwitchedFuture Bride Gives Groom USB Wedding Ring to Hold 'Lifetime of Memories' originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Geek Lovegeek weddingGeekLoveGeekWeddingloveMicrosoftrelationshipsstorageusbusb driveUsbDriveweddingwedding ringwedding ringsWeddingRingWeddingRingsweddingsyopWed, 14 Jul 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google's 'Caffeine' Search Index Promises a Fresher Web]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/09/googles-caffeine-search-index-promises-a-fresher-web/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/09/googles-caffeine-search-index-promises-a-fresher-web/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/09/googles-caffeine-search-index-promises-a-fresher-web/#commentsFiled under: ,

google caffeine
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When most of us search for something on Google, we like to think that we're standing at the edge of the entire Web. In reality, though, Google only exposes us to the slice of the Internet that it processes and files in its library. Because it takes time for the search engine to build its library, it can be difficult for users to get a snapshot of the Net in real time. But apparently, that's all about to change, thanks to a new search index called Caffeine.

As Google explains on its blog, the new search mechanism allows for the real-time tracking of data, video and other rich online content, essentially giving users access to a continually updated index of what's going on. The company also claims that Caffeine will provide search results that are 50-percent "fresher" by simultaneously processing thousands of pages each second. The new index also stores up to 100 million gigabytes in a single database (the equivalent of 625,000 of Apple's largest iPods), and adds hundreds of thousands of gigabytes each day.

Continue reading Google's 'Caffeine' Search Index Promises a Fresher Web

SwitchedGoogle's 'Caffeine' Search Index Promises a Fresher Web originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caffeinegooglegoogle caffeinegoogle searchgooglecaffeineGoogleSearchindexreal-timesearchSearchEnginestoragetopWed, 09 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Scientist Talks 1-Petabyte 'Hyper' CD With 5,000-Year Lifetime]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/07/scientist-talks-1-petabyte-hyper-cd-with-5-000-year-lifetime/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/07/scientist-talks-1-petabyte-hyper-cd-with-5-000-year-lifetime/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/07/scientist-talks-1-petabyte-hyper-cd-with-5-000-year-lifetime/#commentsFiled under:

rainbow petabyte cd behind mountain
While we have out doubts, a Romanian scientist claims the CD isn't dead just yet. In fact, he says its potential hasn't even been fully-tapped. According to Engadget, Eugene Pavel, founder of Storex Technologies, claims he could create a "Hyper" CD that would store 1,000,000 gigabytes of information. Not only could this Hyper disc hold a petabyte (yes, that's what you call all those zeroes) of data, but Pavel says it would have a 5,000-year lifetime. In other words, your graduate dissertation, photos from summer vacation or punk-rock mix would endure long after your expiration date has passed. It's all centered around patents that Storex has based on "glass and glass-ceramics compositions as well as read/write mechanics and optics concept(s) applicable to high-density data storage," which means packing a lot of data into harder, more dense digital spaces.

This all sounds wonderful, but it also sounds like it desperately needs a proof-of-concept prototype. Right now, Pavel's claims are based on complex theories and not much else. We aren't going to get too excited about leaving our entire legacy of LOLcats behind until he has some hard evidence that suggests a "Hyper" CD is even possible. [From: Engadget]

SwitchedScientist Talks 1-Petabyte 'Hyper' CD With 5,000-Year Lifetime originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cddatadatastorageeugene pavelEugenePavelhyper cdHyperCdpetabytePetabyteStorageresearchstorageStorexTechnologiestopMon, 07 Jun 2010 18:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Scientists Bury 'Digital DNA' Deep Inside a Swiss Fort Knox]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/20/scientists-bury-digital-dna-deep-inside-a-swiss-fort-knox/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/20/scientists-bury-digital-dna-deep-inside-a-swiss-fort-knox/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/20/scientists-bury-digital-dna-deep-inside-a-swiss-fort-knox/#commentsFiled under:

Digital DNA deposited underground

Preparing for the very real need to access defunct digital formats, European scientists have buried a "key" deep inside a bunker as part of the ongoing $18.5 million Planets initiative to protect history. According to Reuters, scientists culled information from 16 archives, libraries and research institutions, and built a time capsule in order to preserve digital formats, which are changing at a rapid pace. "The time capsule being deposited inside Swiss Fort Knox contains the digital equivalent of the genetic code of different data formats, a 'digital genome'," Adam Farquhar, one of the scientists behind the capsule, told Reuters.

Most hardware has a lifespan of less than five years, digital files are good for about five-to-seven and CDs and DVDs can last around 20 years. So, if 100 years from now, we want to read research or interpret data that is currently stored on a hard drive, we'll need "digital DNA," which would work as a guide to decoding these older formats. Farquhar explained to Reuters that while most of Einstein's notebooks can still be read today, 50 years from now, most of Stephen Hawking's files will only be digitally accessible. It's essential to have access to data from previous generations, especially as the sheer volume of data created is expected to explode in the coming years as mobile devices continue to gain popularity. [From: Reuters/Fox News]

SwitchedScientists Bury 'Digital DNA' Deep Inside a Swiss Fort Knox originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 20 May 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>datadatastoragedigitaldnafutureobsoleteresearchsciencesecuritystoragetimecapsuletopThu, 20 May 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Angry Yelpers Get Illustrated, James Cameron Accused of Plagiarism]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/19/angry-yelpers-get-illustrated-james-cameron-accused-of-plagiari/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/19/angry-yelpers-get-illustrated-james-cameron-accused-of-plagiari/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/19/angry-yelpers-get-illustrated-james-cameron-accused-of-plagiari/#commentsimage from yelp yack There's a load of great tech news happening out there every day, and, unfortunately, we just can't cover it all. Here are a few of the other noteworthy things we saw today on our never-ending journey through the wild, wild Web.
  • Yelp Yack is an adorable new blog (if you care for a side of spite) by San Francisco-based illustrator Jessica Wassill. She happens to think that angry Yelp reviews are hilarious, and provides funky, hipster-y drawings to go with her selections of the best of the worst. We've seen the self-entitled, masturbatory and just plain rude reviews for our top restaurants, too, and we agree that some of these people need to be taken down a notch. Hey, lady, we also love bacon, but maybe you should wait to sit down before you start barking your order at the hostess. Check out Urlesque's interview with Wassill at the link. [From: Urlesque]
  • Plenty of people who didn't already hate James Cameron hate him even more after 'Avatar.' Call him a hack, a megalomaniac, a gimmick-riding huckster, but is he a plagiarist? Author Kelly Van claims that Cameron ripped off her unpublished book "Sheila the Warrior: The Damned" for his 'Avatar' script. Among many similarities between the texts, Van asserts that "both the film and the book have characters who fall in love." Well, then -- case closed! Gawker has the full, insane complaint if you feel like a good tickle. [From: Gawker]
  • We are very much in love with Bookbound, an external hard drive by Swedish designer Linus Berglund. The major manufacturers (we don't want to name names) try as hard as they can to put out beautiful storage devices, and so rarely do they ever achieve it. (Okay, we do love Philippe Starck's hard drives for LaCie. But, come on, that's a given.) We like Berglund's subtle camouflage with the unassuming tome -- and it doesn't look out of place on a desk. Why are those Swedes always so crafty? [From: Notcot]
Got a tip? Want to talk to us? In need of more choice links like these? Drop us a line on Twitter and check out our Tumblr blog.

SwitchedAngry Yelpers Get Illustrated, James Cameron Accused of Plagiarism originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 19 May 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Avatarbestoftherestbookboundhard driveHardDrivejames cameronJamesCameronjessica wassilJessicaWassilkelly vanKellyVanlinus berglundLinusBerglundplagiarismportable storagePortableStoragesheila the warrior: the damnedSheilaTheWarrior:TheDamnedtopyelp yackYelpYackWed, 19 May 2010 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[10 Ways to Keep Your Data Safe]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/04/29/10-ways-to-keep-your-data-safe/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/29/10-ways-to-keep-your-data-safe/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/29/10-ways-to-keep-your-data-safe/#commentsFiled under: ,

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Since 2005, there have been at least 358.4 million personal records lost to security breaches, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. This includes everything from home addresses to credit card numbers and Social Security information. But, as frightening as the prospect of your sensitive data being compromised is, simply removing all traces of yourself from the Web is not a viable option. There are, however, simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your data from most attacks. Here are our tips for keeping your data safe, both online and off.

Switched10 Ways to Keep Your Data Safe originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biometricbitlockercreditcardfeaturesharddriveskill switchKillSwitchlistsecuritysecurity softwareSecuritySoftwaresocialnetworkingtoptruecryptThu, 29 Apr 2010 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Floppy Disk Era Ends as Sony Halts Sale of 3.5-Inchers in Japan]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/04/26/floppy-disk-era-ends-as-sony-halts-sale-of-3-5-inchers-in-japan/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/26/floppy-disk-era-ends-as-sony-halts-sale-of-3-5-inchers-in-japan/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/26/floppy-disk-era-ends-as-sony-halts-sale-of-3-5-inchers-in-japan/#commentsFiled under:

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For the past few years, a beloved staple of our technological upbringing has been dying a slow, painful death before our very eyes. Now, one major company has taken it upon itself to pull the plug on its trademark floppy disk, effectively putting an end to the 3.5-inch era.

On April 23rd, Sony announced that it would begin phasing out the sale of its floppy disks in Japan, confirming that all sales within the country will come to a complete halt in March 2011. The decision comes a month after Sony discontinued the vast majority of its global floppies, although the company says it will continue to market the disks in a handful of niche countries, like India. According to the Examiner, Sony accounted for a full 40-percent of worldwide floppy disk sales in 2008, including 70-percent of the Japanese market. Recent years, however, have seen a steep decline in demand, as devices like USB sticks, CDs and DVDs have gradually encroached upon the floppy disk's once existent market hegemony. In 2000, for example, Sony sold 47 million disks in Japan alone. In 2009, though, it only managed to move 8.5 million -- which, if you think about it, is still a pretty impressive feat, considering that hardly any recently built computers actually support 3.5-inch disks.

Continue reading Floppy Disk Era Ends as Sony Halts Sale of 3.5-Inchers in Japan

SwitchedFloppy Disk Era Ends as Sony Halts Sale of 3.5-Inchers in Japan originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessfloppyFloppyDiskFloppyDisksJapanmoneyobsoletesonystoragetopMon, 26 Apr 2010 08:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Cortado Workplace App Lets You Print From Your BlackBerry, iPhone]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/04/05/use-cortado-workplace-to-print-from-your-blackberry-iphone/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/05/use-cortado-workplace-to-print-from-your-blackberry-iphone/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/05/use-cortado-workplace-to-print-from-your-blackberry-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

As sad a reality as it is, much of the digitized world still relies on paper. But for many of us who've become accustomed to completely paperless, smartphone-based existences, remembering to print a pair of concert tickets or a big term paper before leaving the house can be a difficult and often cumbersome task. Luckily, though, a new app now allows procrastinating or forgetful users to save both time and energy by printing directly from their phones.

With Cortado Workplace, a free app that's compatible with both BlackBerry and iPhone platforms, you can now print any attachment, e-mail or photo directly from your smartphone, as long as you're wirelessly latched onto a printer within the vicinity. According to the New York Times, the new ThinPrint AG app also offers 1 GB of free storage in the company's cloud server, where smartphone users can store files, e-mails and photos. Although the maximum individual file size is currently set at 3 MB, the company is reportedly planning on introducing a fee-based service that would enable subscribers to store files of any size, and would increase their overall storage space on the server.

Continue reading Cortado Workplace App Lets You Print From Your BlackBerry, iPhone

SwitchedCortado Workplace App Lets You Print From Your BlackBerry, iPhone originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlackBerrycortadocortado workplaceCortadoWorkplaceiphoneprintprinterprintingsmartphonesmartphone appsSmartphoneAppsstoragetopMon, 05 Apr 2010 10:24:00 EST<![CDATA[New Hard Drives Could Spell Trouble for XP Users]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/12/new-hard-drives-could-spell-trouble-for-xp-users/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/12/new-hard-drives-could-spell-trouble-for-xp-users/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/12/new-hard-drives-could-spell-trouble-for-xp-users/#commentsFiled under:

New Hard Drives Could Spell Trouble for XP UsersBy the end of January 2011, almost all new hard drives sold will have switched to a new format that will increase their size and efficiency, but will leave those clinging to Windows XP frustrated.

Traditionally, data on hard disks has been broken up into 512 byte chunks. Each broken-up sector requires additional space on a physical disk to mark the beginning and the end of each piece. Extra space is also needed for error correction, and there needs to be a bit of room to separate it from the next chunk. This wasn't much of a problem when the format debuted in the '80s when hard drives were measured in megabytes. Now that we have entered the terabyte era, the extra room required for each sector leads to wasted space on the surface of a disk.

Continue reading New Hard Drives Could Spell Trouble for XP Users

SwitchedNew Hard Drives Could Spell Trouble for XP Users originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hard diskhard driveHardDiskHardDriveoperating systemsOperatingSystemstopwindowswindows xpWindowsXpxpFri, 12 Mar 2010 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Robots and Mobile Machines Constructed From Discarded Drives]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/12/12/robots-and-mobile-machines-constructed-from-discarded-drives/http://www.switched.com/2009/12/12/robots-and-mobile-machines-constructed-from-discarded-drives/http://www.switched.com/2009/12/12/robots-and-mobile-machines-constructed-from-discarded-drives/#commentsFiled under:

Whether it's the trickle down of a bad economy or simply an effort toward conservation, more and more people are using old electronics to create amazing works of art. To produce these creations, you don't have to attend art school, but it does help to know your way around a computer.

Enter Miguel Rivera. According to Wired, he's a systems administrator and, judging by his art, a little bit of a gear head. Rivera used old hard drives to create small sculptures of cars and motorcycles. His first piece, an attempt at a car, took 33 hard drives and a full weekend to finish. But most impressively, this piece (along with the others), is held together without glue or any other material that's not from the discarded drives. From there, Rivera moved on to other car designs, motorcycles, and eventually, he built his masterpiece -- a standing robot that's made from 14 laptop hard drives and other assorted computer parts.

Don't expect to see Rivera's art on display. "It's my therapy after a five-day, 12-hour-shift work week," he says. We'd hardly call spending entire weekends hunched over a table scattered with gutted hard drives therapy (sounds more like punishment). But hey, whatever works. [From: Wired]

SwitchedRobots and Mobile Machines Constructed From Discarded Drives originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcarcomputerharddrivemotorcyclerobotsculpturetopSat, 12 Dec 2009 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Speedy Hard Drive = Speedier PC]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/speedy-hard-drive-speedier-pc/http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/speedy-hard-drive-speedier-pc/http://www.switched.com/2009/11/03/speedy-hard-drive-speedier-pc/#commentsFiled under:


Other than adding as much RAM as possible, a quick, relatively cheap way to gain noticeably better performance from your aging PC is to upgrade the hard drive to a faster model. The faster a hard drive spins (measured in revolutions per minute or rpm), the more quickly it can access data and pass it back and forth to the processor. For desktop computers, you should get at least a 7,200 rpm drive, although 10,000 rpm is ideal. For laptops, 5,400 rpm (standard on new machines) should do the trick, but 7,200 rpm is recommended. As always, before buying, check to make sure your computer can handle the specs of whatever drive you select.

SwitchedSpeedy Hard Drive = Speedier PC originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hard driveHardDriverpmtech tipstechtipTechTipstopupgradeTue, 03 Nov 2009 06:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Our Daily Deal: 1.5-Terabyte External Drive for $99.99]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/our-daily-deal-1-5-terabyte-external-drive-for-99-99/http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/our-daily-deal-1-5-terabyte-external-drive-for-99-99/http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/our-daily-deal-1-5-terabyte-external-drive-for-99-99/#commentsFiled under:

Our Daily Deal: 1.5 TB External Drive for $99.99
The folks over at TechDealDigger are letting us know about some of the best deals they find on gadgets every day, so we're going to pass that information on to you. After all, in these tough economic times, every little bit counts. We may not be buying Swarovski-covered iPods any time soon, but everyone needs essentials like a computer. So take a look at what the online deals site sent us today.

Everyone needs more storage for their computers. Really, there's no such thing as too much hard drive space. Whether a huge hard drive for all that downloaded (legally, of course) music, or a large-capacity drive for all our backed up data, a truly massive storage space is a welcome addition to any rig. That's why we had to tell you about this deal from Dell, forwarded to us by our good friends at TechDealDigger. Dell Small & Medium Business is selling a 1.5-terabyte external USB hard drive for $99.99 with free shipping. (In case you're counting, that's 1,500 gigabytes, or enough space to store 60 Blu-ray discs, or 375,000 songs.) That's $53 below the list price of this Western Digital Elements drive, and beats the price on the reliably cheap outlet Newegg by $30. The Elements drive series is very well reviewed and comes highly recommended, making it an all but irresistible deal.

Watch this space every day for new tech deals. [From: TechDealDigger]

SwitchedOur Daily Deal: 1.5-Terabyte External Drive for $99.99 originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Daily dealDailyDealexternal hard driveExternalHardDrivehard driveHardDriveour daily dealOurDailyDealtechdealdiggertopMon, 02 Nov 2009 15:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Thumbnail-Sized Chip Holds Equivalent of 20 HD DVDs]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/10/24/thumbnail-sized-chip-holds-equivalent-of-20-hd-dvds/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/24/thumbnail-sized-chip-holds-equivalent-of-20-hd-dvds/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/24/thumbnail-sized-chip-holds-equivalent-of-20-hd-dvds/#commentsFiled under:


Engineers at North Carolina State University have created a computer chip that holds one terabyte -- or 1,000 gigabytes -- of data and is no larger than a fingernail. For perspective, that means you could store 20 high-definition DVDs or 250 million pages of text on this tiny chip. According to Computer World, this modern marvel is made possible by a process called selective doping, in which engineers add an impurity to a material in order to change its properties. In this case, it results in a drastic reduction in size.

Not only does this breakthrough affect data storage, but it has implications for 'green' technology, too. For example, engineers could use selective doping to build ceramic engines that could withstand higher temperatures. That possible outcome, lead engineer Jagdish "Jay" Narayan says, could lead to better fuel efficiency. Doping could also better solar energy by improving the thermal conductivity of the materials used.

Continue reading Thumbnail-Sized Chip Holds Equivalent of 20 HD DVDs

SwitchedThumbnail-Sized Chip Holds Equivalent of 20 HD DVDs originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chipdvdengineeringgreenscienceselective dopingSelectiveDopingstorageterabytetopSat, 24 Oct 2009 13:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Give Retired Hard Drives a Job]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/10/16/give-retired-hard-drives-a-job/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/16/give-retired-hard-drives-a-job/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/16/give-retired-hard-drives-a-job/#commentsFiled under:


Rather than throwing away that old, dusty hard drive gathering dust in the back of a drawer, put it to work as a quick and easy backup storage unit. In lieu of dedicated external hard drives, companies like Brando and Newertech offer cheap adapter cables and hard drive docking stations for USB or Firewire, allowing you to plug in an SATA drive and instantly use it like a regular old external hard drive.

SwitchedGive Retired Hard Drives a Job originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>docking stationDockingStationhard diskhard driveHardDiskHardDrivetech tipstechtipTechTipstopFri, 16 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Space Shooter Video Game Deletes Files From Your Hard Drive]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/10/02/space-shooter-video-game-deletes-files-from-your-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/02/space-shooter-video-game-deletes-files-from-your-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2009/10/02/space-shooter-video-game-deletes-files-from-your-hard-drive/#commentsFiled under: ,

lose/lose from zach gage on Vimeo.

Looking for a more exciting way to delete files from your computer other than simply dragging them into the trash bin? Game designer Zach Gage has created a space shooter that not only makes cleaning up your hard drive fun, but it makes the user ponder "choice and consequence, and by extension what it means to succeed or fail." Don't worry, 'Lose/Lose' isn't quite as heady as it sounds, but the game does have some very real consequences.

Essentially, it's a classic space shooter, like 'Galaga,' but in this game, when you destroy an alien space ship, it deletes a random file from your computer. It's Gage's attempt to make folks consider whether or not they should use a weapon just because it's available. The player's mission is never stated (you could just avoid the alien ships), but what else is a person supposed to do when throttling through another galaxy? When it comes to video games, sometimes aliens just need blastin'. [From: stfj.net, via Geekologie]

SwitchedSpace Shooter Video Game Deletes Files From Your Hard Drive originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bizarrecomputerdownloadharddriveshooterspacetimewastertopvideogamesFri, 02 Oct 2009 09:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Back-Up Your Hard Drive]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/02/23/back-up-your-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/23/back-up-your-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/23/back-up-your-hard-drive/#commentsFiled under: , ,


You deserve no pity when your hard drive dies if you don't bother to regularly back-up your music, photos and important documents. The average drive dies after 3.1 years, so plenty die before then. A CD or DVD sells for pennies, and easy-to-use external hard drives abound for under $100, allowing you to quickly (and cheaply) set up automatic backups of all your prized files, so you don't have to think about it.

Click here for more Tech Tips.

SwitchedBack-Up Your Hard Drive originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backuphard driveHardDrivetechtipMon, 23 Feb 2009 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[How to Scrub Your Old PC's Hard Drive]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/02/02/scrub-your-old-pcs-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/02/scrub-your-old-pcs-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2009/02/02/scrub-your-old-pcs-hard-drive/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Before you ditch your PC, be sure to completely clear all of your personal info from the hard drive. Unfortunately, simply deleting things doesn't really erase them. (They're still somewhere on your hard drive). So, short of smashing your computer with a hammer, use a program that overwrites the entire drive several times with unreadable gibberish, such as Summit Computer's free Hard Disk Scrubber 2.

Click here for more 'Tech Tips'

SwitchedHow to Scrub Your Old PC's Hard Drive originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eraserhard driveHardDrivesecuritytechtiptechtipsMon, 02 Feb 2009 15:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Slimmed Shooting Bag Stylishly Holds Your Camera]]>http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/slimmed-shooting-bag-stylishly-holds-your-camera/http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/slimmed-shooting-bag-stylishly-holds-your-camera/http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/slimmed-shooting-bag-stylishly-holds-your-camera/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Does your camera bag leave something to be desired in the style department? If you find yourself looking for something a bit more discrete when toting around your DSLR, take a look at the Shootsac. This neoprene shoulder bag ditches the zippers and bulky design factor for a slimmed-down ergonomic design that accommodates 3-6 lenses and other accessories. It's designed to be worn while shooting, giving you easy and quick access to your essentials.

If the basic black bag ($179) is a bit too blasé, the company offers a number of different covers ($39) for the bags, so go right ahead and personalize it to your heart's (or your wallet's) consent.

You can check out the company's Web site here. [From: ChipChick, Via: ShinyShiny]

SwitchedSlimmed Shooting Bag Stylishly Holds Your Camera originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dslrphotographystorageTue, 06 Jan 2009 07:29:00 EST<![CDATA[DataCase Turns Your iPhone into a Wireless Hard Drive]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/08/15/datacase-turns-your-iphone-into-a-wireless-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2008/08/15/datacase-turns-your-iphone-into-a-wireless-hard-drive/http://www.switched.com/2008/08/15/datacase-turns-your-iphone-into-a-wireless-hard-drive/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

DataCase Turns Your iPhone into a Wireless Hard Drive
A new application available from the iTunes App Store promises to turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a powerful tool. DataCase transforms your Apple mobile device into a wireless networked hard drive that can be accessed from any Wi-Fi equipped computer, whether it runs OS X, Windows, or Linux.

DataCase is $6.99 and, once activated, allows other PCs on your wireless network to access two default folders on your iPod or iPhone. One is 'Drop Box,' a write-only folder to dump files for viewing, and the other a 'Shared Files' folder that allows you to read and write to files stored in the folder for sending and receiving data. DataCase also claims to be able to stream video from your iPhone/iPod to your PC.

Check out the video below to see it in action and head on over the The Unofficial Apple Weblog for a complete review. [From: TUAW]

SwitchedDataCase Turns Your iPhone into a Wireless Hard Drive originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>btsnewshard driveHardDriveiphone appsIphoneAppsmobile appsMobileAppsnasnetworkstoragewirelessFri, 15 Aug 2008 09:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple's MobileMe Now Live and Ready to Sync Your Files]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/07/10/apples-mobileme-now-live-and-ready-to-sync-your-files/http://www.switched.com/2008/07/10/apples-mobileme-now-live-and-ready-to-sync-your-files/http://www.switched.com/2008/07/10/apples-mobileme-now-live-and-ready-to-sync-your-files/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Hello MobileMe, goodbye .Mac (and good riddance). Apple's synchronization and Web application solution for your Macs, PCs, iPod touch or iPhone is now live. Push e-mail, push contacts, and push calendar and a new suite of Web applications are now yours for the taking. You know, after you hand over $99 for the first year or $149 for a one-year family subscription.

P.S. Things are loading slowly at the moment as the service comes up.

Update: As noted in the comments, the site is now down for most people.

[Thanks, Tim]

SwitchedApple's MobileMe Now Live and Ready to Sync Your Files originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>.macapplebackupdotmaciphone 3gIphone3gmobilemenew productsNewProductsstorageThu, 10 Jul 2008 15:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Terabyte Discs (1,000 Gigabytes) Coming In 2010]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/03/25/terabyte-discs-1-000-gigabytes-coming-in-2010/http://www.switched.com/2008/03/25/terabyte-discs-1-000-gigabytes-coming-in-2010/http://www.switched.com/2008/03/25/terabyte-discs-1-000-gigabytes-coming-in-2010/#commentsFiled under:



High-capacity disc maker Mempile anticipates distributing its terabyte -- yes, that's 1,000 gigabytes -- optical discs in less than two years. The appropriately named TeraDisc uses 200 hologram-like layers that each hold 5 gigabytes, enabling the DVD-sized disc to store a terabyte of information. Mempile predicts that this storage capacity will eventually be raised to 5 terabytes on a single disc as this technology improves over time.

It's impressive that they've fit that much information on a DVD or Blu-ray sized disc, but we wonder how long it will take to burn a single disc of data.

From Newsvine

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SwitchedTerabyte Discs (1,000 Gigabytes) Coming In 2010 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>storageTue, 25 Mar 2008 09:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy's Geek Squad Finds Child Porn on Janitor's Computer, Janitor Arrested]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/16/best-buys-geek-squad-finds-child-porn-on-janitors-computer-ja/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/16/best-buys-geek-squad-finds-child-porn-on-janitors-computer-ja/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/16/best-buys-geek-squad-finds-child-porn-on-janitors-computer-ja/#commentsFiled under:

Geek Squad Invades Privacy, Finds Child PornBest Buy's Geek Squad isn't exactly known for respecting people's property. This time, however, instead of us catching them, they caught a guy with child porn.

A middle school custodian sent in a hard drive back in August of 2007 to recover lost data. Upon performing their usual search (and invasion of personal privacy), the Geek Squadders at a Twin Cities location found over 800 images of young girls between the ages of 7 and 15 in various states of undress and performing sexual acts. The Geek Squad promptly turned the evidence over to the police. The police eventually obtained a search warrant and -- upon execution -- found more evidence in the janitor's home.

While we would like to say that this guy is sick and deserves whatever punishment he gets, we are disturbed by the conduct of Geek Squad employees who seem to make it a habit of going through customer data. Whether or not the data is illegal and leads to arrest, warrantless searches by non-law-enforcement personnel is disturbing on an ethical level and we're pretty sure unconstitutional.

From Consumerist

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SwitchedBest Buy's Geek Squad Finds Child Porn on Janitor's Computer, Janitor Arrested originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arrestbest buyBestBuychild pornChildPorngeek squadGeekSquadhard driveHardDriveinvasionlawpornographyprivacysearchWed, 16 Jan 2008 10:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Flavored Mini Portable USB Drives Provide Tasty Back-up Options]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/10/flavored-mini-portable-usb-drives-provide-tasty-back-up-options/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/10/flavored-mini-portable-usb-drives-provide-tasty-back-up-options/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/10/flavored-mini-portable-usb-drives-provide-tasty-back-up-options/#commentsFiled under: , ,


With flavors like marshmallow, kiwi, bubblegum, black cherry and espresso the new line of Fabrik SimpleTech's Signature Mini Drives are ready to be filled up even as they make you salivate. The fashion-forward drives were designed by powerhouse Italian designer Pininfarina (of Ferrari fame) and sport 120, 160, 250 and 320 gigabytes of storage space in a small and stylish form factor.

But the real bonus that comes with these drives is the Fabrik Ultimate Backup, which once activated automatically and incrementally backs up your hard drive either locally or externally via a secure server farm for free (up to 2 gigabytes free or $5 per month for unlimited storage).

The drives will be available next month and range from $119.99 (120 gigabytes) to $229.99 (320 gigabytes).


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SwitchedFlavored Mini Portable USB Drives Provide Tasty Back-up Options originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>back upBackUpdesigndrivesexpire-images:2009-1-9externalfabrikstorageThu, 10 Jan 2008 15:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Enough Storage Space For Everything? Terabyte Laptop Coming]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/03/enough-storage-space-for-everything-1-terabyte-laptop-coming/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/03/enough-storage-space-for-everything-1-terabyte-laptop-coming/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/03/enough-storage-space-for-everything-1-terabyte-laptop-coming/#commentsFiled under: , ,

1 Terabyte Laptop Coming Soon From AsusGood news for digital packrats who are always on the move: Asus is gearing up to release a notebook computer with a pair of 500 gigabyte hard drives inside. This one terabyte of hard disk space will be a first for a laptop -- and should give you enough memory to carry around at least the vast majority of your media collection. With enough space for 350 feature length movies or 250,000 four-minute songs, you could fly around the world and never run out of things to watch or listen to.

The Asus M70 will be available sometime later this year, primarily since the hard drive that will be packed into these glorified media vaults, the Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 (pictured here), won't be available until February.

From Cnet

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SwitchedEnough Storage Space For Everything? Terabyte Laptop Coming originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asushard diskshard driveHardDisksHardDrivehitachiLaptop NewsLaptopNewslaptopsstorageterabyteThu, 03 Jan 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MacBook Design Flaw Can Lead to Permanent Data Loss]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/11/29/macbook-design-flaw-can-lead-to-permanent-data-loss/http://www.switched.com/2007/11/29/macbook-design-flaw-can-lead-to-permanent-data-loss/http://www.switched.com/2007/11/29/macbook-design-flaw-can-lead-to-permanent-data-loss/#commentsFiled under: ,



Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro owners should be aware of a design flaw that may lead to unrecoverable data loss, claims Retrodata, a data-recovery firm based out of the United Kingdom. The company says that MacBooks manufactured in China and equipped with a 2.5 inch Seagate SATA hard drive with a Firmware version 7.01 may have faulty read/write heads that become dislodged from the hard drive's arm, scratching the magnetic platter surface and causing irrecoverable data loss.

For those customers who wish to know whether they are at risk, Retrodata suggests going to the System Profiler and checking the Serial ATA for the Firmware Revision number. If the computer has Firmware version 7.01, data should be backed up immediately, the company urges. Models affected may include ST96812AS and ST98823AS.

Not so fast, say specialists from other data-recovery companies like DiskEng. While Apple has been silent and Seagate insists that they are looking into the matter, these parties suggest that thousands of instances of the same problem must first be seen and diagnosed before a design flaw can be pronounced for an entire line of hard drives. Some say specific factors such as temperature and read/write head oscillation may be to blame for damaging some computers rather than a general design shortcoming that affects them all.

Just to be safe, consumers should check whether their computer has the specific hard drive in question, and should back up their files if that is the case. Those concerned should also monitor Apple and Seagate pronouncements regarding the issue.

From Retrodata (via Engadget)

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SwitchedMacBook Design Flaw Can Lead to Permanent Data Loss originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ComputerHard DriveHardDriveLaptop NewsLaptopNewsLaptopsMacBookMacBook FlawMacbookFlawThu, 29 Nov 2007 09:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Need Backup? This Tiny Hard Drive Has Huge Capacity]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/10/22/2-5-inch-300gb-fujitsu-hard-drive-coming-soon/http://www.switched.com/2007/10/22/2-5-inch-300gb-fujitsu-hard-drive-coming-soon/http://www.switched.com/2007/10/22/2-5-inch-300gb-fujitsu-hard-drive-coming-soon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2.5-Inch 300GB Fujitsu Hard Drive Coming Soon
For those of us with tons of photos, movies, music and video games glomming up our computer's processing speed, external hard drives can certainly be a godsend. And recently, Fujitsu unveiled what it is calling the "world's largest external mobile hard drive," which clocks in at whopping 300-gigabytes (GB).

This little powerhouse features the option to password lock selected items (or everything ) on the hard drive, as well as transfer speeds of 60MP per second. Measuring only 2.5-inches , the high-capacity innards of this drive may well one day find their way into popular gadgets such as iPods or iPhones (we can't wait for our 300-gigabyte iPod!).

Some smaller configurations, ranging from 120GB ($126) to 250GB ($249), are available now. Larger versions will be out in November. The 300GB Fujitsu unit, due at the end of October, will run you about $280.

From Tech Digest

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SwitchedNeed Backup? This Tiny Hard Drive Has Huge Capacity originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>External Hard DriveExternalHardDriveFujitsuHard DriveHardDriveiPhoneiPodMobile Hard DriveMobileHardDriveMon, 22 Oct 2007 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Your Old Hard Drive Is a Criminal's Gold Mine]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/09/24/your-old-hard-drive-is-a-criminals-gold-mine/http://www.switched.com/2007/09/24/your-old-hard-drive-is-a-criminals-gold-mine/http://www.switched.com/2007/09/24/your-old-hard-drive-is-a-criminals-gold-mine/#commentsFiled under:

Second-Hand Hard Drives a Gold Mine for Thieves

Whether we're throwing away an old computer, selling it to a friend or just replacing its aging hard drive, many of us are improperly erasing our sensitive personal data, if we're even bothering to erase it at all! These are the findings of a study performed by a multi-national coalition of research teams from U.K. teleco BT, the University of Glamorgan in Wales, the University in Perth in Australia, and Virginia's Longwood University here in the U.S. The researchers examined 350 hard drives received second-hand and found that more than a third of the disks had not been properly cleared of preexisting data.

The hard drives contained surprising mix of personal and corporate information such as bank and credit-card information, salary details, medical records and corporate financial data. The disks were purchased in a variety of places, both from online and brick-and-mortar retailers as well as at computer fairs and shows.

The ease of obtaining this information makes it a treasure trove for potential identity thieves. Users and businesses tend not to realize that deleting or simply formatting a hard disk doesn't actually remove all the data from the drive and that a dedicated hard drive cleaning application is needed.

Deleting or reformatting simply removes information about the location of files, meaning they're ready for overwriting, but until new data is written in the same physical location on the drive, the data is recoverable with freely-available utilities. Thankfully, there are also freely-available disk-cleaning apps that write over every area of the disk several times with random garbage data. Here are just a few:


From New Scientist

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SwitchedYour Old Hard Drive Is a Criminal's Gold Mine originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>datahard diskhard driveHardDiskHardDriveidentitysecond handSecondHandsecuritytheftMon, 24 Sep 2007 16:02:00 EST<![CDATA[LaCie's New Gold-Covered External Drive]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/09/13/lacies-new-gold-covered-external-drive/http://www.switched.com/2007/09/13/lacies-new-gold-covered-external-drive/http://www.switched.com/2007/09/13/lacies-new-gold-covered-external-drive/#commentsFiled under:

An External Hard Drive That's All Gold

External hard drives -- those boxes that connect to your PC and store all your excess music, video, and other files -- are usually ugly, or, at best, boring-looking. And though these babies seem boring as devices go in our iPhone-obsessed world, they serve an important purpose.

Increasingly, they're also as much a part of the furniture as our computers are. So it's about time that the manufacturers of these devices started investing in a little design. Seagate last year launched a series of sleek and fashion-forward FreeAgent external drives, for example. We applaud these design initiatives, but we're a little perplexed with LaCie's latest external drive, which is a bit garish. The 500-gigabyte (GB) device is gold-plated, or at least coated with a golden substance that contains a "small percentage of gold metal content," and delivers a shape that looks like molten gold -- assuming molten gold ever took the shape of a box with some waves on top.

It's shape and color were created by Ora-Ïto, a consumer-focused French designer whose work seems to focus on things like artsy-shaped perfume bottles and the aluminum Heineken bottle. His work here on the $189 drive is a little less organic and a bit more de trop, as the French say, but it at least delivers where it counts. Bottom line? This is a designer peripheral thing holds a 500-gigabyte hard disk and stays cool enough to not require a noisy fan.

So, while your drive may look awfully loud, at least it won't sound loud.

From Engadget

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SwitchedLaCie's New Gold-Covered External Drive originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DesignGoldHard DriveHardDriveLaCieThu, 13 Sep 2007 11:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Offers 250 Gigs of Storage for $500]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/08/13/google-offers-up-to-250gb-of-storage-for-a-price/http://www.switched.com/2007/08/13/google-offers-up-to-250gb-of-storage-for-a-price/http://www.switched.com/2007/08/13/google-offers-up-to-250gb-of-storage-for-a-price/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Announces Storage Prices For Online Apps
When Yahoo decided to offer unlimited free storage with Yahoo Mail, we all figured it was only a matter of time before Google offered the same... well, Google has put the kibosh on that idea. The search giant has unveiled its new pay-for-storage system that will increase your limits on Gmail, Picasa, and, soon, Google Docs & Spreadsheets. Don't worry, though, since prices look to be reasonable.

Currently Gmail gives you just shy of three-gigabytes (3GB) of storage, while Picasa offers just one-gigabyte (1GB). For $20 a year, you can bump that combined storage up to six-gigabytes (6GB). For people who need even more storage, the options include 25GB ($75), 100GB ($250), and 250GB ($500).

Google has not announced plans to allow storage outside of the aforementioned apps, but rumors surrounding a Gdrive refuse to die. It could integrate nicely with the previously mentioned gBox, if and when Google decides to snatch up the new company.

From Newsvine and The Official Google Blog

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SwitchedGoogle Offers 250 Gigs of Storage for $500 originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gmailgooglegoogle appsgoogle docsGoogleAppsGoogleDocsonline storageOnlineStoragepicasastorageMon, 13 Aug 2007 14:12:00 EST