I use a USB flash drive in my work to backup my important files. I use these for my personal life to store my audio and videos on when I’m moving them between my personal laptop and my own TV. I can’t consider anyone I know that doesn’t know what any USB flash drive is.

The problem with all the older models was because they were too slow. Old USB 2.0 flash drives were fine to use for small files and became very popular for that. But for larger files the original transfer speeds have been too slow which is why folks started using external hard drives instead. But a USB 3.0 flash drive is a lot more portable than an external hard drive now they can be just as good for read/write speeds.

As well as becoming quicker they can now store a lot more files. Not too long ago all flash drives were small and very slow. Now they can be as fast and save as many files as some external hard disk drives. They’re small enough keep these things in your pocket on your key ring.

Some USB flash drives are even so small that you cannot notice them plugged into your computer. I know my brother use’s the USB 3.0 flash drive to bring his homework and games directly into college and his tutor doesn’t notice it plugged in.

See my USB 3.0 flash drive reviews for deals on USB 3.0 flash drives

Top Deals

• 2TB Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk USB External Hard Drive STAC2000100 for (normally 9.99 {Savings of / 53% off})

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We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Patrick, who can’t wait another day to start taking advantage of his newfangled blue USB port. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I just got a new laptop with a USB 3.0 port. I currently have a USB 2.0 external hard drive, but I would like to upgrade. First of all, is the speed boost really worth the money? Is there a speed difference between those that need external power and those that are powered through the USB cable? Looking for one that’s 1TB to 2TB, and my price range is about 0, give or take. Thanks!”

It’s certainly harder to come across a SuperSpeed bargain than a USB 2.0 bargain, but we’re sure there’s a few deals to be had. That said, reliability has to come into play here — any well-rounded suggestions for this fellow? Drop ‘em in comments below!

Ask Engadget: best 1TB+ USB 3.0 external drive on a budget? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Toshiba Satellite L655-S5158 possesses a 640GB hard disk drive which is a lot of space for you if you are using the item to only browse the internet. Hence, there’ no requirement to pay more money on buying a different internal or external hard drive which will cost you around $100.The space must also adequate even for individuals who have fun with lots of games and use huge programs.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY is one other fantastic feature of Toshiba L655-S5158. The Toshiba Satellite L655-S5158 contains 4GB of DDR3 RAM that’s greater than most laptop computers of its price. Even notebook computers which are higher priced rarely feature a lot more than 4GB of RAM. This coupled with the powerful processor mentioned above; this laptop can do almost everything, from playing the biggest end games to working on graphical editing.

Multimedia fans would have most sides covered with the specifications because it comes with an Intel HD graphics processor that enables HD films to be seen crystal clear. It’s not all; an important part of any laptop is the processor. A notebook computer will not operate great with no excellent processor. The Toshiba Satellite L655-S5158 utilizes the 2.53GHz Intel Core i-3-380M dual-core processors. Multi-tasking won’t face any kind of issues with its high speed (2.53GHz) and the dual core processors. Even, to further raise the speed of the laptop computer, it comes with 3MB L3 cache.

The Toshiba Satellite L655-S5158 is an excellent notebook that was getting a large amount of focus these days. It is great for people who prefer to multi-task since the giant screen size makes it much easier. It has a 15.6-inch screen which is best for people who like enjoying films or playing games. It’s also really cost-effective and offers excellent features.

The conclusion is individually I recommend the Toshiba Satellite L655-S5158 to any or all people alike. It could not be the best choice notebook computer if you are looking for a really portable one, but it’s very suitable for another want. With its great price, and even greater specs, what exactly is preventing you from having your own one right now?

With the computer being such a central part of my day, I have found the need to guard it from any threats it might encounter. I wrote this article to help give you some of the tips I picked up on while making my PC safe. You’ll learn about computer battery backup systems, anti spy ware softwares and even anti virus softwares. You’ll learn about the free ways to protect your computer as well as the ways that may cost you some money. If you have a computer and you want to take care of it, I highly recommend you continue reading.

First of all, you must realize that computers are just advanced pieces of electronic equipment. It needs to be plugged in so that it can get its power to run properly. Unfortunately, this leaves is vulnerable to power surges and power outages. The best way to protect against this is to get a surge protector with a battery backup system. With a computer battery backup system, you’ll be able to continue safely on your PC even when you have a power outage. It will also protect your computer from any power surges or spikes.

Another item you’ll want to invest in is a computer data backup system. I would make sure you have an external hard drive to place your critical documents on as well. Just back up your documents whenever you feel you have added something to your computer that you don’t want to have to replace.

Once you’ve got your PC safe guarded against power issues, you’ll need to think about guarding it from external threats. While a computer data backup system will protect you from losing data, it will not protect it from being copied and stolen. The answer to protecting yourself from thievery is through an anti virus software.

Avast is hands down the most sophisticated free anti virus program. You can also get the paid version, but I would recommend Norton’s protection if you plan on paying money out. Ad-Aware is a fantastic safe guard against spy ware Ad-aware has both a free and a paid version. The free version is so great that you probably don’t need the paid one.

If you want more information on computer battery backup systems, please see my web site at http://www.computer-data-backup.com.

There’s a powder-blue USB 3.0 port on the side of your shiny new computer, whispering your name, but you simply can’t afford to replace your perfectly good eSATA external hard drive for the sake of compatibility. You could simply resist the urge entirely, but if you have the need for speed, there’s a USB 3.0 to eSATA adapter with your name on it, and it just might come in a NewerTech case. Sure, Addonics, Siig and Bytecc sell similar, but as Everything USB points out, NewerTech did the legwork here, benchmarking the cable to be sure it could handle 206.4MB / sec writes and 247MB / sec reads. That’s enough to handle most solid state drives, and you should be completely covered when it comes to anything with spinning magnetic plates. You’ll find it for this week at the likes of OWC.

Continue reading NewerTech adapter turns eSATA into USB 3.0, makes legacy external HDDs feel young again

NewerTech adapter turns eSATA into USB 3.0, makes legacy external HDDs feel young again originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Utility of a USB Hub

Daily, week after week, there are new different types of gizmos and gadgets being launched for the computer, and all of these ground-breaking computer paraphernalia are built on the idea of Universal Serial Bus technology. Hence, the demand and requirement for USB hubs has been consistently rising. Not having enough USB ports or lacking a Belkin USB hub means that you would have to keep detaching and attaching wires of gadgets such as mice, printers, external hard drives, keyboards, modems, light pens and gaming controllers as and when they’re required. On top of that, if you use your external hard drive regularly or have a USB fan then you can’t afford to repeatedly disconnect and reconnect the USB ports. in this scenario you need to have a lot of USB ports and that is only possible through the use of a Belkin USB hub.

Help Clean Up Your Work Space

Moreover, even if you are not that dependant on computers and do not need several simultaneously USB ports in use, you would most likely still need to search through a number of wires and USB jacks to find out which one is right, before you can even attach it. Multiple wires dangling behind your computer or your work desk do not look good and can lead to the danger of different computer paraphernalia getting yanked on continually that can significantly damage them. So, in order to have a meticulous, neat, professional and risk free work space, sooner or later you’ll have to buy a Belkin USB hub.

Price Has Become More Competitive

It should be noted that, as the requirement for USB hubs has increased, the production methods and their supply has also advanced. This has resulted in the price of all different types of USB hubs like the Belkin USB hub becoming a lot more competitive. In addition to this, Belkin currently boasts of a selection of USB hubs.

The first criterion for categorization of a Belkin USB hub is the amount of additional USB ports that it will give you. The range includes USB hubs that provide 2 extra ports up to hubs with 7 added ports. The second criterion for categorization is whether the USB hub is powered or not. Some computer peripherals require to draw power from the USB port to function while some do not. Resultantly, there are Belkin USB hubs that are designed to work with non-powered and powered computer peripherals.

Available in white, its form factor makes it suitable for a desktop. It has a body which measures 13.5″ (height) x 19.4″ (depth) x 15.4″ (width) and weighs less than 40 lb. Within it is a single-chip 133 MHz NEC RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processor. This is fast enough to provide as much as 17 pages in a minute. Additionally, with the Instant-on fuser out of ceramic inside it, the first page is out in 15 seconds.

There’s an 8MB memory that contains productivity essentials such as 110 TrueType fonts and printer languages like PCL 5E, PCL 6 and PostScript 2. However, the pre-installed RAM may be expanded to a max of 192MB. This is possible due to the available 3 DIMM 100-pin slots for additional memory, fitted onto the unit’s body. Likewise, an optional 2GB external hard drive may be attached to it. Such allows you extra storage for everyday print jobs, forms, languages, fonts, etc.

To help catch up with the productivity requirements of a busy office, there are two input paper trays available. There’s the 100-sheet top tray and the 500-sheet bottom tray. In the future, should output demands increase, media handling capacity may be expanded. This is achieved with the optional large-capacity media trays and two-sided printing duplex unit. The 4050 is compatible with paper sizes as little as 3 in x 5 in to as large as 8.5 in x 14 in. Regular bond, transparencies, envelopes, card stocks and labels are some supported media types.

A print resolution of 1200 dpi x 1200 dpi enables rendering of clean and crisp printouts containing text or graphics. This laser also boasts of the Ultraprecise toner and Resolution Enhancement technology developed by HP itself. Working together, it’s possible to achieve output ideal for corporate presentation or other professional applications.

What this machine isn’t short of is the connectivity choices that make it suitable in the modern workplace. Both the IEEE 1284 EPP/ECP and D-Sub RS-232 9-pin slots make it hassle-free to connect to a mid-size network. Additionally, it’s possible to attach optional Jetdirect print servers, as well as LocalTalk and TokenRing for compatibility with multiple network operating systems. An infrared adapter (sold separately) may be attached to the unit. This allows you to print from a laptop, PDA or other infrared-enabled gadgets.

HP has set its duty cycle to 10000 pages every month. By not going beyond this recommended number of monthly impressions, printer and supplies can work optimally. The addition of a control panel help enables the operator to troubleshoot the printer right on the machine. Such feature spares you from having to call support or get a technician.

All in all, the HP 4050 with HP LaserJet 4050 toners provides for your need to print everyday black-and-white office documents with professional quality. Using HP laser toner consistently provides sharp and dynamic results. It has enough connectivity choices to make it suitable for just about any network operating system. What’s more, expandability features make sure that this unit catches up with your increasing output requirements.

• Able to take your desktop environment with you
• Save all your private information instead of on the computer
• Protect against unathorized use with 256-bit encryption
• Windows XP/Vista compatible

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