GeekSugar

Geeky Products Made From Bamboo

GeekSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:50:04 -0700

Not to be confused with our wide selection of wood products, these bamboo products may look like they're derived from the pine tree family, when in fact they are in an entirely different league of their own. Half part tech accessory, half part eco-chic, all of these products have one thing in common - they all feature some bamboo in their construction. Whether you're looking for something that's less plastic, and more natural, my little list will help you find some back-to-bamboo-basic items.

View Slideshow ›

New Sleek LaCie Hard Drives Designed by Philippe Starck

GeekSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:02:00 -0700

Today, the makers behind the glamorous gold hard drive and the rainbow bright flat cables - LaCie - is announcing its new sleek and sexy desktop hard drive and mobile hard drive. By teaming up with world renowned designer Philippe Starck, LaCie was able to create this new collection of drives which incorporate Starck's iconic design philosophy.

What's unique about the desktop hard drive is its touch-sensitive surface, which you can pre-program to open an application of your choice. So say you want to quickly show off videos on your drive, you can press your finger on the front panel and it will instantly pull up the folder with your video files (or launch iTunes). Both the desktop and the mobile drives are made from aluminum, which makes them nice and durable. They are also both Mac and PC friendly, will easily connect to your laptop's USB port and feature a built-in desktop manager, for quick drive formatting and customization. And best of all, the desktop drive is available in 1TB and 2TB capacities and only costs $130, while the mobile drive is available in 320GB and 500GB capacities for only $100. . . That's one heck of a deal.

To check out more photos of the LaCie Starck desktop hard drive and the LaCie Starck mobile hard drive, just read more.

View 13 Photos ›

The New Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive

GeekSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:33:28 -0700

Looks may be deceiving, but don't be fooled: I promise this is a sexier and sleeker version of the eGo drive I reviewed last year.

This much lighter, third generation, 320GB drive offers built-in antivirus software and an impressive rugged aluminum exterior that can withstand a 1.3 meter drop, which you know as well as I do is very important when you're lugging around a device that holds your important data.

Online, this puppy will cost you around $95, which is pretty affordable, considering I've heard of similar devices going for upwards of $150.

After a few months of use, I had some issues with my first eGo drive, so I was pleased to hear Iomega is offering a three-year warranty on the third gen drives. What really irks me, though, is that these drives are primarily built for PCs, not Macs. The included USB cord comes with a cord to plug into your drive and two attached USB cords to plug into your laptop. On many Macs, there are two USB ports (on opposite sides of the laptop), so plugging in both cords is practically impossible. Although your drive may be able to run with only one USB cord plugged in, it isn't sufficient power to experience the high-speed data transfer rates. And sadly, a powered USB bus isn't included, even though there is an auxiliary power port for it. So if you really want to use it on your Mac, you'd have to invest in one.

This is the midnight blue version, but it is also available in red, silver, and black. With the noteworthy upgrades from the last eGo, I think this eGo is worthy of four stars.

View 4 Photos ›

Heal Your PC From Viruses With the Dr. Hard Drive Bag

GeekSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:02:09 -0700

I can give you multiple reasons why I love this concept piece I found on Coroflot. Not only is this hanging hard drive packed with virus-scanning software to help you track down any bugs that may have attacked your computer, but it can also recover any corrupted files, so it's actually a useful piece of equipment.

Plus, it's kinda cute in a totally out-of-left-field kind of way, and it flashes and glows in the dark while it's doing its thing. I'm hoping the concept artist releases these soon, cause I can really see myself picking one up, even if it's just for the fun of it!

View 5 Photos ›

When Size Doesn't Matter: Most Attractive Hard Drives

GeekSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:01:28 -0700

External hard drives are a big enough market these days that you don't have to settle for some lame-o black or silver box. You can have your pretty and back up, too. Check out some of my favorite, most attractive hard drives that do double duty as desk decor.

View Slideshow ›

[re] drive: The Eco-Geek-Chic Portable Hard Drive

GeekSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:02:26 -0700

Going geeky-green doesn't only mean conserving energy or using solar-powered gadgets, it can also include purchasing devices that are made from renewable and recyclable materials, like this [re] drive, which was designed for Fabrik by Stuart Karten Design, a Los Angeles based industrial design firm. I got the chance to check out this plug n' play 500 GB external hard drive, and it's completely eco-friendly; from the 100 percent recyclable bamboo panels, aluminum case and box it comes in, right down to the low-power design that performs quietly and reliably.

This drive is not only eco on the outside, but it includes auto sensing power (that will turn on or off with your computer) and an energy star power adapter that keeps grid demands to a minimum, and its unique exterior ridges act to keep the drive cool without the use of a fan. The [re] drive is both Mac and PC compatible and costs $130.

View 5 Photos ›

Geek Tip: Freezing Your Hard Drive Is Mythbuster Approved!

GeekSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:00:52 -0700

After a bit of a panic with a seemingly dead hard drive recently, my brother-in-law suggested something I long thought was an urban legend - freezing my hard drive. Yes, he was suggesting I literally put my hard drive into the freezer, next to the frozen bananas and emergency vodka, in hopes that it would come back to life. I was just about to try this trick when my hard drive came back - no cryogenics necessary.

However, I didn't give up on the frozen hard drive theory like that; I went to my favorite urban legend dispellers that I knew I could trust: The Mythbusters! And, of course, they had an answer: Yes, it does work!

How does it work? Just read more to see the answer.

Sticking your hard drive in the freezer for a while shrinks the overheated, overexpanded metal parts back into place (you'll know that's the problem if you hear a clicking noise) long enough for you to retrieve your data.

If you want to try this yourself, put the part inside a sealed Ziploc bag and let it sit in there for at least an hour (there are Internet accounts of going for 24 hours to a month, though). What's important to know is that this is your last resort, and that it will only work temporarily. So that means once you've done it, reinstall it, get all the files off and backed up, and then buy yourself a new hard drive.

Source

Two Hot New Hard Drives: GDIS Spica Art and the LG XD1

GeekSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:03:43 -0700

Remember when I asked you if hard drive color mattered to you? Well most of you said "totally" which leads me to believe you'll be diggin' these fashion-forward hard drives. Shown on the left, the Spica Art by GDIS, has just been released in Korea and features dainty patterns of trees, chrysanthemums and azalea. These drives come in 250GB and 320GB (wowzas!) and are available in thirteen gorgeous colors.

While the wine-colored LG XD1 devices on the right will come in capacities of 120, 160, 250, and 320GB. No word on pricing or availability just yet. And not only are hard drives hot this fall, but new candy-colored cameras are cropping up as well!

Disk Inventory X Shows What's on Your Hard Drive

GeekSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:10 -0700

If you have your computer stocked full of movies, MP3s, files, and applications and hardly ever trash anything, then it's no wonder you get that strange error message that pops up saying that your "disk space is almost full." I'm sure (like me) you've bypassed that little note saying to yourself "yeah, right" or freaked out and had the geek squad on the phone before you could say microchip.

In either case, it's a good idea to get a handle on what you are storing on your hard drive (or hard disk as it's so lovingly called) so those nasty messages don't keep popping up and ruining your fun. I'm a visual gal, which is why I use Disk Inventory X to see what is on my hard drive. It's mapped out so that I understand what a big chunk of space that burned copy of BSG Razor or my entire ELO collection is really taking up. To see why Disk Inventory X holds a special place in my heart, just read more.

Disk Inventory X is not only a great way to get you to delete unused or unwanted files, but it's an awesome learning tool that will help you visualize what 657 megabytes or four gigabytes looks like on your hard drive. Disk Inventory X is free for Mac users, you can download at any time and it's totally easy-peasy to use. Plus, there's a one-minute instructional video that will walk you through getting started, so you don't have to call in the cavalry to save you. It's all gonna be okay. I promise.

Source

Did You Really Wipe Your Hard Drive Clean?

GeekSugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:00:15 -0700

Contrary to popular belief, magnets, degaussers, and other x-ray or magnetic techniques are not the answer to wiping your computer's hard drive clean. In fact, drilling, smashing, torching and other external damage doesn't do the trick either, as those aggression releasing techniques can still leave parts of the platters in decent shape to retrieve data through forensics. Of course, chances that someone will take to using forensics to get a hold of your hard drive are minimal (unless you're a criminal), but you can never be too safe.

German encryption technology specialist Pointsec recently tested hard drives bought on eBay to see if they still carried data and discovered that seven out of every 10 devices it tested still bore readable information. That study followed similar research published in 2003 that found only 12 of the 129 working computer hard drives they bought in secondhand stores and on the auction site eBay had been adequately cleansed of sensitive data from their previous owners.

Source