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Geek Tip: Get an External Hard Drive Before Heading Back to School

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:37:44 PDT

You should know by now how important backing up data can be. This is especially true when you're heading off to school or moving to a new place. Not only can your external hard drive act as a backup for all your school work, term papers, exam notes, and the like, but it can be a lifesaver if something ever happens to your laptop.

Dorm parties and continual transportation to and from class can leave your machine vulnerable to theft and accidents. You can back up your important docs, music, and photos to something like this LaCie Rikiki Go ($90-$150) external drive, which can hold up to 500GB or 1TB of data, comes with an integrated USB cable, has a sturdy and rugged aluminum exterior. Plus, it's small enough to store safely in the tiniest of living quarters and not stick out like a sore thumb. But if you're short on space (or cash), there are a few other ways you can back up and store your important data. Find out how after the break.

Never Lose Your Flash Drive Again: 5 Portable Options

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 04:08:16 PST

According to new research, over 17,000 USB flash drives were left behind at laundromats and dry cleaners last year. While I definitely promote the idea of backing up your important files on an external drive of some sort, leaving them lofting about in the hands of strangers (or destroyed in the washing machine) isn't exactly what I had in mind. Want to keep your important data with you, but are afraid your forgetful bug will strike at a most inopportune moment? Check out these flash drives that will stay with you wherever you go.

Yet Another Reason to Back Up Your Data: You Could Lose the Cure For Cancer

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 04:00:37 PST

As many times as I harp on my friends, family, and you readers at large to back up your data, there's always another story popping up about people that fail to do so, and lose something major. This time? It could be the cure for cancer.

A university researcher named Sook Shin recently had her laptop stolen. This wouldn't have been too big of a deal if it was just any random computer used for surfing the web, but Sook's computer was used heavily for research purposes and could have contained a possible cure for prostate cancer. Unfortunately for the male population, she didn't back up her data. What's worse, her laptop was stolen out of her car where she had a laptop bag lying on the seat in plain sight. Sigh. All kinds of lessons can be learned here. Get some tips on how, when, and why you should back up your computer's data (and keep your laptop outta sight) after the break.

DeLorean Hard Drive: Totally Geeky or Geek Chic?

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:59 PST

Did you get your copy of the 25th Anniversary Back to the Future trilogy? Come to find out, your collection isn't really complete until you snatch up this DeLorean external hard drive that replicates Doc Brown's time-traveling auto, complete with moving parts. The 500GB hard drive is priced at $250, which is close to what you'll pay for designer or high-end hard drives, but of course, this is Back to the Future we're talking about here. Who wouldn't want this on their desk!?

View 5 Photos ›

What do you think - am I totally geeky for wanting this, or do you agree that it's geek chic enough to own?

Back-to-School Tip: Get an External Hard Drive

GeekSugar — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:47:39 PDT

You should know by now how important backing up your data can be. This is especially true when you're heading off to school, or moving to a new place. Not only can your external hard drive act as a backup for all of your school work, term papers, exam notes, and the like, but it can be a lifesaver if something ever happened to your laptop.

Dorm parties and continual transportation to and from class can leave your machine vulnerable to theft and accidents. You can back up your important docs, music, and photos to something like this LaCie Rikiki Go ($90-$150) external drive, which can hold up to 500GB or 1TB of data, comes with an integrated USB cable, has a sturdy and rugged aluminum exterior, and is still small enough to store safely in the tiniest of living quarters and not stick out like a sore thumb.

Want some more external hard drive ideas and info? Then just keep reading.

Back-to-School Deals of the Week

GeekSugar — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:47:02 PDT

Gearing up for the Fall semester can be expensive, especially if you're buying your supplies at full price. Plus, between dorm life, computers, and other essentials, your long list of must haves can get pretty overwhelming. Thankfully, I'll be sussing out the best deals on some great back-to-school supplies for you every week through the month of August. First up, a few laptop deals you don't want to miss, and some accessories you may not be able to walk away from.

Hey Good Lookin': 8 Attractive External Hard Drives

GeekSugar — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:47:22 PST

Just like any other desk accessory, your external hard drive has the potential to make a statement. It's not just a box of parts and memory - it's an extension of your personality. Let it exclaim how fashionable, chic, and put-together you are! Check out a few of these great looking external hard drives, and get your credit card ready - they're all pretty lust-worthy.

SMB 3 External Hard Drive Sends My Gaming Heart Aflutter

GeekSugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:05:45 PDT

I'm not ashamed to say that I think Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the best games of all time - but which game is your favorite? - so when I saw this SMB 3 External Hard Drive on Etsy, I couldn't contain my excitement. In an excellent example of recycling old games, this crafty DIY'er installed a 160GB HDD Seagate SATA II hard drive inside the gaming cartridge, which is totally USB powered so you don't have to plug in.

Even better? It comes with the original black protective encasing. . . amazing! If you have some game cartridges lying around at home from days gone by, you could probably DIY this yourself on the cheap, but if you want the novelty of having your own SMB 3 cartridge to hold all of your important data, this great external drive will set you back $120.

Daily Tech: LG Debuts Its XD3 Slim Portable Hard Drive

GeekSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:04:50 PDT

LG's new 320GB external hard drive has surfaced in Korea for about $90 - Engadget
Take a virtual trip around the world with Google's newest 5.1 version of Google Earth - Lifehacker
Check out which video games made it to store shelves this week - Green Pixels
Morgan Ritchie took tweets from the past 100 days from British actor and writer Stephen Fry's Twitter page and turned them into an illustrative masterpiece - Mashable
Wow. You can pick up a Rock Band kit and Rock Band 2 for only $79 - CrunchGear
It's giveaway and game time on GeekSugar! Be sure to log in and play our Best Video Game ever bracket! - GeekSugar

3 Ways to Back Up Your Data

GeekSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:06:07 PDT

Computer crashes are probably the most devastating event of a person's technological life. Not to mention one of the most expensive. So how many times do I gotta tell ya? Back up that data! It's easy to do, and once you do it, you'll not only have peace of mind but will have all of your photos, music, and personal documents safely out of your computer in case of any crazy power surge or (knock on wood) worse. Check out three easy ways to back up your most important data in this slideshow.