Computer Accessories

Free Up Your Hard Drive, Share Content with Verbatim's New Gigabit NAS Devices

by jessica on Wed, 2009-03-18 00:30

If you are like me and have tons of digital photos, videos and music taking up valuable space on your computer’s hard drive, you might want to consider the latest offering from Verbatim – their new Gigabit NAS desktop hard drives which hold up to 2TB of content! And with Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for file sharing, you will be able to free up space on your computer all while sharing your content between any PC or Mac on your home network.

Verbatim Gigabit NAS hard drives can also be used as a home entertainment server to stream movies to your TV through their UPnP/DLNA media player or stream music to any computer running iTunes. And for additional savings, instead of purchasing a printer for each computer, a single USB printer can be added to the drive’s USB host port that everyone on the network can use.

For easy network setup, Verbatim Gigabit NAS hard drives support Samba (for PCs) and Bonjour (for Macs) protocols. Worried about security? No need. Private folders with user access rights can be established for individual users. Also, Nero BackItUp 4 Essentials for Windows systems is included for automatic backup of all your computers.

Verbatim’s new Desktop Gigabit NAS Hard Drives will be available at the end of March in 1TB and 2TB. The suggested retail pricing of the 1TB drive will be $229.99.

Verbatim's New Store 'n' Go Micro USB Drive is Tough

by jeff on Tue, 2009-03-10 15:25

The Verbatim Micro USB is a sealed drive. It can resist water, dust physical shock, electrostatic discharge, and whatever life can throw at it. The Micro drive comes in three sizes, 2GB (orange), 4GB (green) and 8GB (purple). The Store 'n' Go Micro USB Drives also include password security features. The drive is partitioned in a way with public and private zones. This way you can hand someone the device to copy files from the drive knowing your private files are safe from prying eyes. The device can be used for Windows Vista users who want to use the Windows ReadyBoost to increase performance on their machine.

They are available now at the Verbatim website for $19.99 for the 2GB drive, $29.99 for the 4GB drive and $49.99 for the 8GB drive. The complete package includes the Store 'n' Go USB Drive, pre-loaded password security software and a Quick Start Guide and a mini lanyard for convenient carrying.

New SanDisk ImageMate Memory Card Readers Transfer Files Quickly

February 24, 2009 - SanDisk Corporation today announced that it has shipped the latest editions of its popular SanDisk ImageMate memory card readers, which provide enhanced user experience through increased efficiency and faster data transfer rates. The new readers have shipped to retailers in North America and are available for purchase at this time.

Faster, smaller and sleeker than their predecessors, and featuring upgraded software applications, the new ImageMate All-In-One and Multi-Card readers quickly and conveniently transfer data between a wide range of memory card formats and a host computer. The All-In-One memory card reader can reach speeds of up to 34 megabytes per second (MB/s) when using a SanDisk Extreme IV 45MB/s CompactFlash card, and the Multi-Card reader is capable of up to 30MB/s read and 27 MB/s write data transfer rates when using a SanDisk Extreme III 30MB/s Edition SDHC card. Sporting a stylish glossy black and metallic silver design, each reader's tripod base is detachable, creating instant portability. Read more

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Media & Storage: On-The-Go Beyond the Home Office

By Jeff Zbar
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

I recall the old Apple IIC computer I used in my home office. Small as today’s notebook PCs, it had a monitor with a 8-inch screen, and a disk drive that took 5.25-inch floppies.

And that was it for memory. It had to boot up with the operating system in the drive. Once loaded, I’d have to load AppleWriter in order to process words. Want to save a doc? Slip in a floppy. Want to open a second doc? Close the first.

Today, PCs routinely have hundreds of gigabytes of storage — and even a gig or more of RAM.

But sometimes, that’s still not enough. The home officer, teleworker, telecommuter and road warrior thrives on portable storage — the ability to take stuff with you. Other World Computing’s Mercury On-The-Go high speed portable storage drive is just such a solution. Read more

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WD Provides Continuous Automatic Backup with My Book World Edition

by jeff on Wed, 2009-02-18 12:17

What one item would you grab from your house if it were on fire? My answer is my Western Digital My Book World Edition.

Have you ever lost any data that was on your computer? Do you remember to backup your files regularly? Western Digital knows that you have lost your data before, and that you do not regularly back up that data. WD also knows that you have more than one computer in your family. Their latest solution for the entire family is the My Book World Edition in 1 TB (MSRP $229) and 2 TB (MSRP $449) capacities. The best part is the plug-and-play installation to ensure ease of use. This solution is both MAC and PC compatible. The device also has an integrated media server and iTunes Music server software to easily stream music. You can also share photos and videos easily with this amazing home storage device for your home network.

Online Back-Up Replaces External Hard Drive

By Jeff Zbar
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

What are you willing to pay for peace of mind? How would you value real peace of mind in the first place?

To me, that measure — at least in the realm of my home office — comes from knowing my data has been backed up and it’s safe and secure from maladies and calamities, both seen and unfathomable.

Such security used to arrive each time I stashed my latest files on my Maxtor 250 gig hard drive. I received a new measure of peace of mind from HP’s Upline back-up service. And it’s a good feeling indeed. Read more

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FR60 from Garmin Takes Fitness to Another Level

by jeff on Mon, 2009-02-02 13:21

The user-friendly FR60 system is an advanced fitness watch which interfaces with other ANT+™ compatible fitness devices such as heart rate monitor, a foot pod that monitors speed and distance, or third-party fitness equipment. The FR60 is swim friendly too! Plus, cycling enthusiasts will like the handy bike mount for measuring bike speed and cadence.

The best part about the Garmin FR60 is the integration with Garmin Connect — Garmin’s online training site. When you pair your FR60 to Garmin Connect you can automatically log your workout, track, share and compete with friends across the country (i.e.; who ran the quarter mile faster).

There is both a men's version and women's version. The men’s FR60 weighs 1.6 ounces, and the women’s model weighs 1.4 ounces. The Garmin FR60 has a starting price of $129.99 and will be available the 2nd quarter of 2009.

When One Monitor is not Enough

Atdec's Visidec Freestanding range is the ultimate mounting solution

You often see pictures of busy professionals, be they graphic artists, stock exchange mavens, medical professionals or other professionals surrounded by a number of computer displays. The market for multiple displays amongst professionals is exploding and Atdec, a leading visual display mounting company, offers the ideal multi-monitor mounting solution for 12" to 24" LCD displays. The company just released its new Visidec Freestanding range for those who work with data-intensive applications and are busy juggling large quantities of information at once.

The new Visidec Freestanding range includes three models that house anywhere from 2 to 4 monitors in either vertical or horizontal configurations. This new series of high quality mounts offers a complete set of unique product features including: Read more

Hawking's Hi-Gain Wireless USB Ensures Users Are Well-Equipped

by John Lentz Jr. on Mon, 2009-01-26 10:53

As technology improves, it is interesting to note that differing products move in opposite directions. Televisions and monitors get wider but thinner. Cars get faster but quieter. iPods get smaller and thinner despite more vibrant colors and extra memory. Laptops and their accessories keep getting smaller and more powerful, giving the consumer more power at his fingertips…errr…kneecaps.

Hawking Technologies, certainly a part of this ever-evolving technological world, has released their first Hi-Gain™ compact "Dongle" Wireless-N USB Adapter for extended wireless range. This wireless adapter fits right into a laptop’s USB port and makes use of 802.11n technology to find the strongest, clearest signal possible. With upgradable antennas, you’ll never have to settle for one that isn’t ideal for your situation. With security encryption and HWUN3 compatibility, the extender can boost your wireless connection up to 600%.

The easy to use drive is available now for between sixty and eighty dollars ($60-$80).

John Lentz Jr.'s blog

Swivel Laptop Stand Organizes Home Office Desk, Productivity & Body

By Jeff Zbar
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

When the PC in my home office was slammed by a nasty virus recently, I luckily had a laptop ready to go.

The problem was, I didn’t have a place to set it that was conducive to work. On my custom-built desk, it would be flat, awkwardly angled, and very much un-ergonomic. The best ergonomic home office furniture aside, my orthopedist, chiropractor and ergonomist would have been thoroughly miffed and scolded me endlessly – though still pleased with the largesse of my increased office visits.

So I had this Aidata Basic Laptop Swivel Stand. Priced around $43 and build of sturdy plastic, it was a perfect complement to my workstation.

A laptop or secondary computer is almost a necessity in the computer-driven workplace. If the desktop or even a primary laptop goes down, you need another handy. But few users contemplate the implications of where to place such a device. With the Aidata, I gave my notebook / laptop a more comfortable and ergonomically-thoughtful place from which for me to work. Read more