CraziestGadgets.com

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Big Cache for Small Cash With Online Data Storage

Setting up and remembering to use a backup system is a huge hassle. Fortunately, 2007 may turn out to be "The Year of the Backup." Both Microsoft and Apple Computer have built automated backup software into the latest versions of their operating systems; both make their debuts this year. At the same time, an option that was once complex, limited and expensive is suddenly becoming effortless, capacious and even free: online backups, where your files are shuttled off to the Internet for safekeeping.

Building a Home Entertainment System

William Watkins has 7 terabytes of data storage tucked into a cabinet in the media room of his beach home in Aptos, Calif. That is not a big thing for Watkins, the chief executive of Seagate, which makes hard disk drives. However, it is enough space to hold 600,000 songs, 584,000 photographs and 1,000 hours of television shows.

Keep Your Resolutions With a Little Help From the Web

Are you already breaking some of your New Year's resolutions? Don't fret -- just go to the Internet. You'll find a multitude of Web sites available to help people who have promised themselves that this is the year they will lose weight, quit smoking, adopt a greener lifestyle, get their finances in order, become more organized or give to charity.

No Living Room Is Safe From iPod

When I'd see people at the gym or Safeway or walking down the street, oblivious to everyone and everything except the music pouring out of those telltale white ear buds, I'd scoff at the isolationism. However, when my wife gave me an iPod shuffle, you know what I did, don't you? Yes, I stood in virtual line with the throng of new iPodites who temporarily brought down Apple's online store.

Considering the Gender Factor in Customer Service

Women decide or in some way influence most of the car and truck purchases in the United States -- more than 80 percent, according to some estimates. However, talk to women about their auto-buying experience in showrooms, and you'll find that many aren't thrilled. So what's a male-dominated industry like the car business to do? [More...]

Hitachi Announces 1 Terabyte Hard Drive Pair

Hitachi on Friday announced a pair of 1 terabyte hard drives and a new software technology targeted at digital video recording applications. The one-two disk drive punch aims to tap into what the company sees as users' insatiable desire for storage. Hitachi's Deskstar 7K1000 and CinemaStar hard drives target consumers who want to create, share and store their digital information.

Silicon, Solar Power and Corporate Responsibility

Indications are that 2007 will be a bumper year for the solar power and renewable energy industry, as was noted in Part 1 of this two-part series. As an increasing number of state governments are introducing renewable power and energy standards and incentives, Washington, D.C., lawmakers at the close of the last Congress renewed production tax credits for the renewable energy industry.

SanDisk Swings at Samsung With 32 GB Solid State Drive

SanDisk has taken another swing in its memory match against Samsung with the introduction of a 32 GB, 1.8-inch solid state drive drop-in replacement for the standard mechanical hard disk drive. SanDisk's latest NAND flash-based SSD counters Samsung's Wednesday announcement promising 16 GB memory that taps advanced 50-nanometer process technology. [More...]

Motorola's Weak Earnings Forecast Hits Handset Sector

Possibly signaling an end to a period of mostly feel-good news for the wireless handset industry, Motorola on Friday said it would fall short of fourth quarter forecasts for sales and profits, leading to speculation that a price war may be in the offing. Motorola was likely forced to cut prices on some products to drive sales, leading to the revenue and profit shortfalls. [More...]

Novell Trumpets Support for Open Source Development

Novell moved Wednesday to underscore its support for free software development after volunteer technical support collapsed for rival Red Hat's free Linux version. Novell spokesperson Kevan Barney said the downfall of Red Hat's Fedora Legacy Project only strengthens Novell's commitment to its own partnership with open source, or free, software developers worldwide.

Bezos Looking for a Few Good Engineers to Join Space Venture

Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos is asking engineers to join his fledgling and secretive private aerospace business, Blue Origin, breaking a long silence about his operation in a remote section of West Texas. Bezos posted photos and videos of a test launch of a reusable spacecraft on the company's Web site.