Now, for those of you who are afraid of LOSING a physical storage device, or worry about a house fire but don’t want to buy a firebox to protect your priceless digital memories, online storage, or cloud storage, is for you.
Cloud storage is where you send your digital files to servers (a bunch of computers in a network) that are somewhere else. If one of those computers are destroyed or shut down, your information is still stored on the other computers in the network. It is safe storage AWAY from you. You can download your files or upload your files onto the computers at any time. Some companies do this for free; some have more protection for a monthly cost.
A quick word about security: you can be sure that any company you interact with online is going to treat your files with an air of security. When you sign up for their product, even if you don’t agree to a terms and services page or read the fine detail, there is a provision in the law that, by using their product, you:
1. Are expecting to get your property back and
2. Do not wish anyone without your access to view or manipulate your documents.
I’ve talked to my lawyer friend and he tells me that this is enough to protect you in court if anything should happen to your media. But to make sure, always check online about any company you are looking at. A good thing to type in to GOOGLE is: “is (name of company) a safe company to store information with?” Very simple…
Now, I am not going to get too much into subscription services with the lofty protection except to say that, in my experience, MOZY has the best service for the value: 4.95/month, 54.95/year or 103.95/2years for unlimited space. If you have loads of music, financial documents or family photos, this is the place to be sure you have solid storage.
A couple good sites for free storage are ADRIVE and Microsoft SKYDRIVE. ADrive offers 50 GB of storage for free with their handy-dandy editing tool that allows you to edit your documents and spreadsheets while they are online. It even gives each file a unique link that you can use in emails so you don't have to add large attachments to messages to family. Skydrive, on the other hand, allows 25 GB of storage, with the ability to drag-and-drop files from your computer into your online storage drive. Although it is a smaller amount, Skydrive is very convenient and you can be sure that Microsoft, even though it is a free product, has made sure that security is tight. For ADrive, you need to create an account and for Microsoft, if you don’t have one already, you will need to create a Windows Live account.
Now, I am not even getting into the fact that you COULD create a Facebook picture album and make it so only YOU can see it. That takes care of the security and Facebook doesn’t have a limit for how many pictures you upload. Play around, search around, make sure that you trust the site you use, and your storage problem should be solved.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
STORAGE
These days, with so much digital information (pictures, music, budget and bank information) lying around on our computers, and the risk of those computers to somehow stop working, it becomes necessary to make back-ups of the information. There are many options that you have, both physical and virtual.
When most people think of physical back up, they think of CDs or DVDs. Well, HOW VERY EARLY 2000s OF YOU! These days, it is very inexpensive to purchase flash drives or external hard drives to keep back-ups of all your information.
First things first: having your information in two places does NOT mean it is backed up. Your information is only backed up if you have it stored in a place that is not USED every day. If I have my music on my music player AND my computer, it is not backed up. I am actively using both devices and neither are protected from accidental deletion. One of your storage devices must be disconnected and STORED for it to be considered ‘backed-up.’
The first choice you have is a flash drive. Flash drives are the size of a package of gum and contain no moveable parts on the inside of the device, meaning they can be dropped, or shaken with no damage to the information they contain. They are very convenient, as they can be plugged into your USB port, filled with files, unplugged and stored. They are very easy to carry around and work on any computer. They ARE small and, if storing for a long time, may get lost; so they must be kept track of. Also, they are usually small storage sizes (4 to 8 gigabyte, or GB) with the high end (and costly) being 32 GB. For more large scale storage, we are going to have to focus on external hard drives.
External hard drives are just like the hard drives that are in your computer, except they are able to be transported and carried easily outside the computer. They connect by USB or firewire (Apple’s version of faster USB) and usually require an external power supply. These devices are usually higher capacity (320-500 GB are normal) and can store as much as 2 tb (1tb is 1000 GB). The problems with these are that they are larger (about the size of a book) and have moveable parts inside of them that, if dropped or shaken, can stop working. I’ve had this happen to me, and there is nothing as soul-crushing as realizing that all your music is gone because they hard drive stopped working. But that was because I was continuously using the device and not using it for storage.
In addition to CDs and DVDs, these are the two main options for physical storage of your valuable documents and files. Next, we’ll talk about ways of storing your information virtually, online, so that you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection.
When most people think of physical back up, they think of CDs or DVDs. Well, HOW VERY EARLY 2000s OF YOU! These days, it is very inexpensive to purchase flash drives or external hard drives to keep back-ups of all your information.
First things first: having your information in two places does NOT mean it is backed up. Your information is only backed up if you have it stored in a place that is not USED every day. If I have my music on my music player AND my computer, it is not backed up. I am actively using both devices and neither are protected from accidental deletion. One of your storage devices must be disconnected and STORED for it to be considered ‘backed-up.’
The first choice you have is a flash drive. Flash drives are the size of a package of gum and contain no moveable parts on the inside of the device, meaning they can be dropped, or shaken with no damage to the information they contain. They are very convenient, as they can be plugged into your USB port, filled with files, unplugged and stored. They are very easy to carry around and work on any computer. They ARE small and, if storing for a long time, may get lost; so they must be kept track of. Also, they are usually small storage sizes (4 to 8 gigabyte, or GB) with the high end (and costly) being 32 GB. For more large scale storage, we are going to have to focus on external hard drives.
External hard drives are just like the hard drives that are in your computer, except they are able to be transported and carried easily outside the computer. They connect by USB or firewire (Apple’s version of faster USB) and usually require an external power supply. These devices are usually higher capacity (320-500 GB are normal) and can store as much as 2 tb (1tb is 1000 GB). The problems with these are that they are larger (about the size of a book) and have moveable parts inside of them that, if dropped or shaken, can stop working. I’ve had this happen to me, and there is nothing as soul-crushing as realizing that all your music is gone because they hard drive stopped working. But that was because I was continuously using the device and not using it for storage.
In addition to CDs and DVDs, these are the two main options for physical storage of your valuable documents and files. Next, we’ll talk about ways of storing your information virtually, online, so that you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
You Can't Scratch a Digital File
My dad always asks me if I know of any way to take a CD he has and rip the music files to his hard drive. “Ripping” is taking the music from the CD and changing it into an MP3 file on your computer so you can put it on an MP3 player or make your own playlist CD. I keep reminding him that I’ve shown him how to do it several times.
If you don’t want to download and use iTunes, (which, if you’re not going to use it for your music collection, just takes up valuable memory on your computer) you can use a program called CDex. Once you’ve DOWNLOADED and installed the program, open the program, click on the “options” button and click on “settings.” Once the options window is open, click on “Remote freedb” under CD Database and type your email address where it says “Your E-mail address.” While you’re here, click on “Directories & files.” Next to “Recorded Tracks,” click on the three dots and select your desktop or your Local Music folder. Click OK. (Don’t worry, they will not email you spam)
Once you place the music CD that you want to rip into your CD drive, you’ll notice that CDex calls the music tracks “Audio Track 01…02…03…etc.” To change those songs to the real names, click on the magnifying glass, as shown below:
Once you have found and selected which album you have, you can then click the icon that says “Extract CD tracks to Compressed Audio Files” as shown below:
I’ve found that, after the initial installation, this is the easiest way to convert all of your CDs to MP3 files. Even if your CD has a couple scratches, the program works with them to try to make your music skip-proof.
After your music is all “digitized,” you’ll need to back it up. We’ll talk about computer “back-ups” next.
If you don’t want to download and use iTunes, (which, if you’re not going to use it for your music collection, just takes up valuable memory on your computer) you can use a program called CDex. Once you’ve DOWNLOADED and installed the program, open the program, click on the “options” button and click on “settings.” Once the options window is open, click on “Remote freedb” under CD Database and type your email address where it says “Your E-mail address.” While you’re here, click on “Directories & files.” Next to “Recorded Tracks,” click on the three dots and select your desktop or your Local Music folder. Click OK. (Don’t worry, they will not email you spam)
Once you place the music CD that you want to rip into your CD drive, you’ll notice that CDex calls the music tracks “Audio Track 01…02…03…etc.” To change those songs to the real names, click on the magnifying glass, as shown below:
Once you have found and selected which album you have, you can then click the icon that says “Extract CD tracks to Compressed Audio Files” as shown below:
I’ve found that, after the initial installation, this is the easiest way to convert all of your CDs to MP3 files. Even if your CD has a couple scratches, the program works with them to try to make your music skip-proof.
After your music is all “digitized,” you’ll need to back it up. We’ll talk about computer “back-ups” next.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Blu-ray VS. DVD
One question I keep getting asked is, “Why bother with BLU-RAY? I have a DVD player.” Many people don’t see a reason to plop down 150 or $200 for a new disc player if they don’t need it. What’s the point in switching over to a more expensive media to watch movies?
The main advantage of the blu-ray disc is that it has a lot more space for information or “video”. A normal DVD has about 7.5 gigabytes of space and a normal blu-ray has 44 gigabytes: around 6 times the space. This allows the video to be a lot clearer, audio to be a lot more detailed and the disc to provide a lot more extra features. Since blu-ray players can connect to the internet, many blu-ray discs have extra features that can be accessed online with social networks and the film studios.
If a viewer has a larger sized HDTV (around 46” and larger), they will definitely notice the difference in clarity and detail of the video, especially in films heavy with science-fiction CGI and computer animation. The same difference you see when watching the standard definition channel for Fox2 vs. their high definition channel. Viewers with a surround setup of five speakers will definitely notice the difference in audio, especially in action or fantasy films. And those viewers who love the behind the scenes special features that come with standard DVDs will love the (sometimes) added features that come with the blu-ray films.
DVDs, however, are not going anywhere fast. With a little less than half of the US population having HDtvs in their homes, it leaves a large portion of the population only getting a benefit from DVDs. Just like during the 90s when VHS tapes were still in stores even after DVDs had become standard, stores will still carry DVDs for many years to come. And with the revolution of On Demand video streaming on COMCAST and NETFLIX online streaming, many people wonder if the age of actual video discs is coming to an end.
So, if you’re a person who loves the experience of the theatre, and want to relive it in your home, I recommend trying blu-ray. If you love film mostly for the stories they tell, you may be fine to stay with the more inexpensive DVD videos.
Next week, I’ll go over some options that consumers have for blu-ray players, if you decide that is the path for you.
The main advantage of the blu-ray disc is that it has a lot more space for information or “video”. A normal DVD has about 7.5 gigabytes of space and a normal blu-ray has 44 gigabytes: around 6 times the space. This allows the video to be a lot clearer, audio to be a lot more detailed and the disc to provide a lot more extra features. Since blu-ray players can connect to the internet, many blu-ray discs have extra features that can be accessed online with social networks and the film studios.
If a viewer has a larger sized HDTV (around 46” and larger), they will definitely notice the difference in clarity and detail of the video, especially in films heavy with science-fiction CGI and computer animation. The same difference you see when watching the standard definition channel for Fox2 vs. their high definition channel. Viewers with a surround setup of five speakers will definitely notice the difference in audio, especially in action or fantasy films. And those viewers who love the behind the scenes special features that come with standard DVDs will love the (sometimes) added features that come with the blu-ray films.
DVDs, however, are not going anywhere fast. With a little less than half of the US population having HDtvs in their homes, it leaves a large portion of the population only getting a benefit from DVDs. Just like during the 90s when VHS tapes were still in stores even after DVDs had become standard, stores will still carry DVDs for many years to come. And with the revolution of On Demand video streaming on COMCAST and NETFLIX online streaming, many people wonder if the age of actual video discs is coming to an end.
So, if you’re a person who loves the experience of the theatre, and want to relive it in your home, I recommend trying blu-ray. If you love film mostly for the stories they tell, you may be fine to stay with the more inexpensive DVD videos.
Next week, I’ll go over some options that consumers have for blu-ray players, if you decide that is the path for you.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Network Neutrality: Pros and Cons
So, now that we know the situation that brought about the issue of network neutrality and legislation deal with it, we want to find out the positives and negatives behind the issue so that you, as an individual, can decide which side you want to take. As with all the issues I will deal with on this site (unless clearly stated)I will be totally unbiased and show both sides equally. If any inequality exists, it will be that I am starting with the positive sides of network neutrality. Sorry.
Positives:
1. With network neutrality legislation, internet sevice providers(ISPs), e.g. AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon, won't be able to discriminate against certain internet content. Right now, the internet is open. You can watch videos, listen to music and send emails on the same internet connection. Some may pay more money for the faster connection, but within those brackets, all content moves at the same speed. With network neutrality, companies won't be able to charge you more for watching Hulu than using email.
2. With network neutrality legislation, cable companies and ISPs won't be able to charge companies or websites a toll for access to their networks. This would create and environment where companies could block competitor web sites and services, or even carve out faster bandwidth for their own services (Comcast is currently looking to purchase NBC. If that happens and there are no net neutrality laws, Comcast COULD block ABC and CBS video and only allow NBC video to their customers. But that is a BIG Could!). In addition to blocking services, it might be that smaller individuals with websites or small companies with innovative web services wouldn't be able to pay these "fees" and that would cripple innovation and public access on the internet. The days of having your own, free blog would be over, in theory.
Those are the 2 main arguments for having network neutrality legislation in place. Major advocates for network neutrality are consumer advocates and internet application companies like Yahoo!, Ebay, Amazon and (for the most part) Google. Even Cogent Communications, an international Internet Service Provider is in favor of network neutrality.
Negatives:
1. Some companies, such as Verizon, have argued that they will have no incentive to make investments in high speed networks if they are unable to charge access fees to companies wishing to use those services. With the money made by charging these fees, ISPs say that they will be able to invest more in broadband access to more areas of the country.
2. Some argue that the internet is ALREADY not neutral, as large companies can have better performance by paying for better machines to run their applications from. If prices were to DROP for lower levels of access, internet usage would be MORE neutral for companies wishing to use those lower tiers of service.
3. A main argument by ISPs is that certain companies and services use more bandwidth than others and should pay more. Websites like Hulu and Youtube, and other websites that offer free video content, use a lot of bandwidth, on small networks, can run slow as well as cause other services to slow.
----------------------------------------------------
Some people view network neutrality as a non-issue. They say that writing legislation would put the government in charge of something that isn't a problem. Many ISPs and cable companies say that if they DID start tiered services, and people didn't like it, people would simply stop using their service and go to another company. Thus the network neutrality issue would be solved without government intervention. Others say that without government regulation, ALL internet service providers will move to a tiered service plan and there won't BE other options for consumers. Thus the internet will no longer be neutral and there will be nothing to be done to take us back to the era we are in now.
Network neutrality is a complex issue that has many interesting, exciting and scary points on each side. Hopefully, ISPs, internet companies, government and citizens can come together to create legislation that, while stoking the flames of innovation and creating a healthy environment for independent use, can allow incentives for creating a larger, more robust network for the country's use.
Because, really, the internet isn't going anywhere.
Positives:
1. With network neutrality legislation, internet sevice providers(ISPs), e.g. AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon, won't be able to discriminate against certain internet content. Right now, the internet is open. You can watch videos, listen to music and send emails on the same internet connection. Some may pay more money for the faster connection, but within those brackets, all content moves at the same speed. With network neutrality, companies won't be able to charge you more for watching Hulu than using email.
2. With network neutrality legislation, cable companies and ISPs won't be able to charge companies or websites a toll for access to their networks. This would create and environment where companies could block competitor web sites and services, or even carve out faster bandwidth for their own services (Comcast is currently looking to purchase NBC. If that happens and there are no net neutrality laws, Comcast COULD block ABC and CBS video and only allow NBC video to their customers. But that is a BIG Could!). In addition to blocking services, it might be that smaller individuals with websites or small companies with innovative web services wouldn't be able to pay these "fees" and that would cripple innovation and public access on the internet. The days of having your own, free blog would be over, in theory.
Those are the 2 main arguments for having network neutrality legislation in place. Major advocates for network neutrality are consumer advocates and internet application companies like Yahoo!, Ebay, Amazon and (for the most part) Google. Even Cogent Communications, an international Internet Service Provider is in favor of network neutrality.
Negatives:
1. Some companies, such as Verizon, have argued that they will have no incentive to make investments in high speed networks if they are unable to charge access fees to companies wishing to use those services. With the money made by charging these fees, ISPs say that they will be able to invest more in broadband access to more areas of the country.
2. Some argue that the internet is ALREADY not neutral, as large companies can have better performance by paying for better machines to run their applications from. If prices were to DROP for lower levels of access, internet usage would be MORE neutral for companies wishing to use those lower tiers of service.
3. A main argument by ISPs is that certain companies and services use more bandwidth than others and should pay more. Websites like Hulu and Youtube, and other websites that offer free video content, use a lot of bandwidth, on small networks, can run slow as well as cause other services to slow.
----------------------------------------------------
Some people view network neutrality as a non-issue. They say that writing legislation would put the government in charge of something that isn't a problem. Many ISPs and cable companies say that if they DID start tiered services, and people didn't like it, people would simply stop using their service and go to another company. Thus the network neutrality issue would be solved without government intervention. Others say that without government regulation, ALL internet service providers will move to a tiered service plan and there won't BE other options for consumers. Thus the internet will no longer be neutral and there will be nothing to be done to take us back to the era we are in now.
Network neutrality is a complex issue that has many interesting, exciting and scary points on each side. Hopefully, ISPs, internet companies, government and citizens can come together to create legislation that, while stoking the flames of innovation and creating a healthy environment for independent use, can allow incentives for creating a larger, more robust network for the country's use.
Because, really, the internet isn't going anywhere.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Network Neutrality: What is it?
Network neutrality is a phrase that has been used more and more frequently in the newspaper and television news programming. Reading and listening to the particiipants on both sides of the issue, one can see that it is an issue of importance (at least to these people), but can never quite understand what the big deal is. What is it?
These days, people use the internet for many services that, in the past, required physical means of transfer; text needed paper, video needed tape, music needed cds. These days, we can READ ANY NEWSPAPER in the world, DOWNLOAD AND PURCHASE ENTIRE BOOKS or WRITE LETTERS to our friends, families or colleagues. We can RENT MOVIES directly to our televisions, WATCH TELEVISION SHOWS and MUSIC VIDEOS, and SHARE HOME MOVIES with our friends and families. In addition to text and video, people can DOWNLOAD ENTIRE ALBUMS of music and even MAKE PHONE CALLS across the country for free on the internet. With all these "home uses," we also have to remember that businesses use the internet to protect and back-up their information, while also downloading updates for their systems. The internet is being used in ways that make our lives so much easier, but there are also concerns that the internet may be getting "crowded."
Many people are afraid that some of these activities are slowing down the internet for other uses. (Video requires a lot of "internet space" or bandwidth to be sent back and forth, while clicking on a news article does not.) If I want to read a couple articles online, and there are 5 households in my neighborhood with high definition movies being sent to their televisions, does that mean my page won't load as fast? Or if I want to see my niece across the country on webcam, will my video quality suffer because a neighbor is downloading an album on iTunes?
It is with these concerns in mind that the issue of "Net Neutrality" have come to the front of politician and technology geeks' minds. Net neutrality is a principle that promotes no restrictions for the internet by the government and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), like AT&T or Comcast. It basically advocates for ONE INTERNET, where all activites and applications are in the same "space." Is this a good idea or bad idea?
We'll go deeper into the pros and cons of Net Neutrality next week.
These days, people use the internet for many services that, in the past, required physical means of transfer; text needed paper, video needed tape, music needed cds. These days, we can READ ANY NEWSPAPER in the world, DOWNLOAD AND PURCHASE ENTIRE BOOKS or WRITE LETTERS to our friends, families or colleagues. We can RENT MOVIES directly to our televisions, WATCH TELEVISION SHOWS and MUSIC VIDEOS, and SHARE HOME MOVIES with our friends and families. In addition to text and video, people can DOWNLOAD ENTIRE ALBUMS of music and even MAKE PHONE CALLS across the country for free on the internet. With all these "home uses," we also have to remember that businesses use the internet to protect and back-up their information, while also downloading updates for their systems. The internet is being used in ways that make our lives so much easier, but there are also concerns that the internet may be getting "crowded."
Many people are afraid that some of these activities are slowing down the internet for other uses. (Video requires a lot of "internet space" or bandwidth to be sent back and forth, while clicking on a news article does not.) If I want to read a couple articles online, and there are 5 households in my neighborhood with high definition movies being sent to their televisions, does that mean my page won't load as fast? Or if I want to see my niece across the country on webcam, will my video quality suffer because a neighbor is downloading an album on iTunes?
It is with these concerns in mind that the issue of "Net Neutrality" have come to the front of politician and technology geeks' minds. Net neutrality is a principle that promotes no restrictions for the internet by the government and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), like AT&T or Comcast. It basically advocates for ONE INTERNET, where all activites and applications are in the same "space." Is this a good idea or bad idea?
We'll go deeper into the pros and cons of Net Neutrality next week.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Sit back, relax...
Technology.
It seems that it has seperated generations since the invention of the phonograph. The generation before never quite understands the point or purpose of these "new-fangled doo-dads." With the radio, kids were neglecting listening to LIVE music and LIVE shows; television took kids away from the outdoors; and the internet has destroyed this generation's chances for meaningful personal communication.
I don't see it that way. With any technology, there can be misuse and abuse. There can also be purposeful integration of this technology with our lives to make them easier, calmer and more efficient. The problem with current trends in technology, however, is that it all seems to be advancing too fast for any person with a life to keep up.
Luckily, I HAVE NO LIFE. I hope to show you new technologies, explain them in a way that you don't need a degree to understand, and give you helpful ways and reasons to incorporate it into your life. Think of me as the Nerd Guardian Angel, sent to make you life a little easier. And if I can help you discover a way to watch movies that is easier than driving down to Blockbuster (you DID hear the rumor that they were DECLARING BANKRUPTCY THIS MONTH RIGHT?), I will walk away a happy man.
Here's to our time spent together. I hope we both learn some things. But I especially hope you do.
NEXT POST: Net Neutrality: Who CARES?
It seems that it has seperated generations since the invention of the phonograph. The generation before never quite understands the point or purpose of these "new-fangled doo-dads." With the radio, kids were neglecting listening to LIVE music and LIVE shows; television took kids away from the outdoors; and the internet has destroyed this generation's chances for meaningful personal communication.
I don't see it that way. With any technology, there can be misuse and abuse. There can also be purposeful integration of this technology with our lives to make them easier, calmer and more efficient. The problem with current trends in technology, however, is that it all seems to be advancing too fast for any person with a life to keep up.
Luckily, I HAVE NO LIFE. I hope to show you new technologies, explain them in a way that you don't need a degree to understand, and give you helpful ways and reasons to incorporate it into your life. Think of me as the Nerd Guardian Angel, sent to make you life a little easier. And if I can help you discover a way to watch movies that is easier than driving down to Blockbuster (you DID hear the rumor that they were DECLARING BANKRUPTCY THIS MONTH RIGHT?), I will walk away a happy man.
Here's to our time spent together. I hope we both learn some things. But I especially hope you do.
NEXT POST: Net Neutrality: Who CARES?
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