Cateblenchett

Blog Posts Using Only Budget External Hard Drives for Backups? Follow This Backup Plan Day by day our gadgets are becoming our lives. Every user who has a computer or a smartphone should at least have one option for data backup. Let it be an online or offline option. But most of the data backup flow is not actually a backup plan. Loosely connected data backups might end up as no backup at all. Many of the users only create 1 copy of the data on external storage devices and feel safe. But they forget to think about what will happen if there is a natural disaster. Or as simple as a water line leak. What will happen to the backup or the important documents they made so desperately? Data loss might be a nightmare for many people. Especially if you are working on a project and a sudden hard disk failure might be fatal to your career. No budget external hard drives or flash drives alone just don’t cut them. There should be a full proof plan to keep your data safe. We will show you some simple steps you can follow to build up a solid backup plan. In this way, you will be able to gain access to your sensitive files from anywhere. As well as an onsite and offsite backup will be ready at your disposal. Choose what to backup The first step is to filter out what you want for backup and what's not. Omitting unnecessary files from your backup list will save a lot of space from your hard drive. These might be your password files or pictures you don’t want to lose, your office documents. In simple words, anything that you want to backup and which you exclusively have. I will not recommend choosing movies or music if you can get them from other sources. Create a list and arrange your data like that. Copies and Priorities of Backups Determine how many copies of backup you want and which of those data are really sensitive. Set a priority list for yourself. I give more priority to my blog documents than the images. Movies are less important to me. Set a priority list by ranking the items from 1 to 3. The priority 1 item will have the most number of backups, for instance, I choose 3. The priority 2 items will have 2 copies of backup and priority 3 items will have only 1 backup copy. Keep your mind clear about how many backup copies you want. Choosing backup sources. This plan is based on how you choose your backup sources. My recommendations will be choosing at least 1 online cloud storage, 1 external hard drive and 1 flash drive. You can add more hard drives or ghost drives to keep your data safe. But they should be the priority of three sources, mostly. Adding more cloud platforms will ensure data accessibility. The actual plan Step 1: Cloud Services. For this plan, first, you need a cloud storage service that is having a file in sync. Some of you here may feel opposed to paying for online backup. For them, there are also many free cloud storage services they can go with. For free cloud storage, I prefer Mega above all. They provide 50 GB of free space to back up your data. Initially, you will receive 15GB of space and 35 GB of trail space which will be taken away after 30 days. You can easily reclaim those lost 35 GB by completing simple tasks (screenshot given below). We are choosing Mega because of the file sync option. It may be a little bit buggy, but it does the job. Simply install MegaClient setup the auto sync and choose the folders you want to backup and save it. It will simply synch the files of your system to the clouds. Choose your Priority 1 and priority 2 items first in this option. They are the main items of your backup. If you have plenty of space left even after Priority 1 and Priority 2 then choose priority 3 items. Step 2: External Hard Drives This is the second most important part of the backup plan. If you already have one external hard drive then you can start right away. But if you do not own one, buy one of the best budget external hard drives. According to your needs, choose your external hard drive. I recommend getting 2TB which will be better for most things. Now they simply set up a backup plan. You can use a Windows backup utility to set up a backup. Or a third party software, “EaseUS Todo Backup,” which is easy to set up to schedule your backups. Keep all your files in here from Priority 1 to Priority 3. Your external hard disk is having lots of space. Saving all your backup files will be fairly easy for this option. Step 3: USB Flash Drive This is the last and most crucial step of all. Because this requires attention. This is not a fully automated work. It requires manual intervention. You can set up. your “EaseUS Todo Backup” to back up your files when you plug in your USB flash drive. But you need to plug it in manually whenever you make any changes to the files. In this option, you should choose your priority 1 file first then if space is available then priority 2 files. Your flash drive will be very portable and easy to access. So you will not lose any of the data if you include all these 3 steps. Additional devices: If you are going to use any additional devices like Ghost hard drives or internal hard drives. Put your priority 3 and priority 1 item first. If you are adding another cloud service, put your priority 1 and priority 2 items first. It will give you an extra boost. By using this technique you are achieving reliability. There will be multiple copies of your files maintained with priority. Priority 1 items will have at least 3 copies. Priority 2 items will have at least 2 copies. Priority 3 items will have at least 1 copy. And according to priority, your date accessibility will be easy. Bottom Line This is the technique I have been using for a long time. It provides extra precautions like theft, flood or any natural disaster as well as Internet blackouts. You can also rely on your hardware and your online data to help you in times of need. Do remember that there is nothing like Too many backup copies.

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This is Why Gaming Laptops Aren’t Worth Your Money.

Recently it has become a practice for every manufacturer to have at least one gaming laptop in their arsenal. Because of the decrease in graphics card prices and the increase in mobile graphics technology, every big fish in the market is launching a new portable gaming rig every year. Laptop manufacturers are trying their best to pack powerful graphics cards into their rigs. It is cheaper and also creates a breed of gaming and mobility devices.

As a true fan of the gaming community, I can assure every gamer loves great graphics. But another great factor is the interchangeability of components. Your skills we can develop as we play along. A great rig is our first demand. We spent a fortune buying multiple cutting-edge graphics cards and buckets of RAM. Then comes the lightning-speed SSD, a top-notch processor and liquid cooling that is always a must. It is like we are going to start our own nuclear reactor. And keeping it cool is a must. All this to stand on the corpse of a dead enemy and raise the Medal of Honor over our heads.

But I feel the trend of mobile gaming is slowly taking us away from our traditional gaming RIGs. Carrying such a big bad boy to your friend's home for a LAN game is too tiresome. Also, we start acting crazy if any one component fails in our fortress of dedicated graphics. For all this, a portable budget gaming laptop doesn’t seem to be a bad idea. Is it? Let's see.

Budget Gaming Laptop Is a TRAP

Building a gaming laptop that, too, with a budget-friendly rig is kind of contradictory. Every laptop I came across that was meant for gaming there was 1 or more flawed. You can’t fit any gaming laptops in the budget. It’s simply impossible. The hardware cost alone will be at least 50% greater for a similar desktop configuration.

We need to understand that a gaming laptop that has the same component as a gaming desktop is kind of impossible for the same price point. Cause to make the miniature version of similar GPU, CPU, RAM it takes time and money. Also, even if we leave the money part you will not get the same performance as a desktop. So whatever they boast they cannot give something cutting edge with a small price. Something or the other must be sacrificed.

What would they sacrifice, you ask?

Low Budget GPU and Crappy Display

I'm not talking about high-end laptops like the Razer Blade Pro. But most of the budget ones. Almost all the budget gaming laptops I have come across have one thing in common. They house entry-level graphics cards like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or 1050Ti. I mean, seriously? They are not at all made for mid-level gaming. Trying to run a high-end game on 1080p with 60 fps is a dream/nightmare for these laptops. The performance was never at all smooth and the fps dropped like crazy. Those kinds of stuttering are big “no-no” for good gamers.

But to tell you the truth GTX 1050 or 1050Ti isn’t the main concern. The area they all failed to impress was the crappy display quality. If the display quality was decent in some of those laptops I found the build quality to be crappy. For some, both of them were bad. Weak hinges, low-end keyboards, and choppy displays are kinds of a standard practice for these laptops. The funny thing is you can’t upgrade them. You have to buy a whole new system if you want to upgrade any of it.

Keeping Up With the World

It is true in most cases that you cannot upgrade your components. This is one of the most sought features of a gamer. We keep our gaming PC upgraded. With multiple SSDs, brand new processors, and gigs and gigs of RAM is our basic requirement. But if you are stuck with a budget gaming laptop you have to stick with what you have. Until and unless you can spend again buying a brand new laptop. But as I said before “FOR MOST CASES” there are some laptops like Acer’s Predator series that allow users to easily update their storage and RAM. Yes, but changing the display or GPU drive is a luxury that gaming laptop users don’t have.

Also,  a laptop should be portable. These beasts are always heavier than their office counterparts. You will surely observe a new kind of back pain after keeping these bad boys in a backpack for a long time.

Your favorite mouse and keyboard will soon become a nightmare for you. Like 98% other gamers you also prefer playing with your everyday keyboard and mouse. This gives you a seamless performance. But carrying them around with you the whole day is messy. Trust me, it is messy. The first few days are OK. After a few days, it will piss you off connecting your accessories every time you sit for gaming(if you were a former desktop gamer).

My Viewpoint

Gaming laptops are not bad. I am also not against them. Some individuals like gaming but they have to move around as a part of their daily life. Maybe it’s a rotational job, or they might have to shift to new places every month. At those points having a gaming laptop would be a better option than a traditional gaming rig. Gaming laptops are good if you are ready to pay well for them. If you can’t pay then simply avoid using a gaming laptop.

But even after all this, you have no options other than buying one. Then read a guide and search on the internet for a little while. Research well before buying it. You are going to invest your money in something that does proper research. This will give you better insight into the hardware.

If you like this article, feel free to reblog/comment/like.

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Wireless Speakers vs. Wired Speakers

Whenever we are talking about wireless speakers, the first thing that comes to our mind is the traditional Bluetooth speakers. Many people on many blogs and forums say that wireless speakers don’t sound as good as a wired speaker. Or the sound quality reduction in a Bluetooth speaker is a fact that is partially true. It is not about the quality of the speaker or the quality of the building. It is the transfer medium that plays a great role here.

Today we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of wireless speakers over the wired ones.

Portability

Yes, I know you directly want to jump to the sound quality but let us discuss some other aspects also. Portability is the main reason people like to go with wireless speakers. There is less mess of cables and it is easy to move around your rooms. A true multiroom support you will get when you are using a wireless speaker. Also during outdoor tours or picnics or during vacations, taking your favorite music box becomes easy without wires. You can simply throw your speakers into your bag and forget about it. Take it to wherever you want, connect your phone and directly plug into nirvana.

The same is not true about their counterpart of wired speakers. There is always some kind of risk involved while moving the wired sound system. The cable might break, or there might be no power points or there might be no place at all to settle. If the wires get tangled during your travel, then it is a great deal to piss you off. When you want some quality music and ending up un-tangling, your speakers can make anyone mad.

So in terms of portability, the wireless speakers are clear winners.

The Sound Quality

The traditional thought of wired speakers sound better than wireless is a statement of the past. Actually, when the first wireless speaker came onto the market it was choppy. At those times a wired solution was far better in sound quality than a wireless solution. The main reason behind it was the amount of data transmission. Old Bluetooth drivers were lagging far behind a wired solution in the matter of transmitting data. A physical medium can transmit a greater amount of data which in terms offered a better quality of sound.

But the era of technology has changed nowadays. Wireless speakers are also giving far better sound fidelity than they used to be. The gap between data transmitting capacity of wired and wireless mediums is a lot narrower. Some audiophiles will disagree, but this is the truth. Now with the new Bluetooth 4.1 and recent drivers can truly handle a huge amount of data. Which as a result is providing more depth and details in the sound. With the latest enhanced power management, drivers really made the gap between wireless and wired speakers quality to nearly 0.

Let us clear it up, the quality of it is not better for a wired speaker but control over the sound is. Every sound system needs a DAC (digital-to-analog). It converts the 0s and 1s of digital data into analog sound. An amplifier is then used to boost the sound to an acceptable level. In wired speakers, you have control over them. If you want a better bass you can increase it, flatten the treble and all the other modulations.

For a wireless speaker, those choices are made for you. You have to use it as they are pre-defined inside the speaker system. Because of that, you might feel the quality of sound lacks. But it really doesn’t, and customization is what's lacking.

The Result

Then you might think about which ones are better? The simplest answer for this is that there is no simpler answer. For a wireless speaker you avoid the use of cables, therefore you avoid the mess. No need to match your speakers' input power to your amplifier. But you will be lacking the hardware equalizer. If you choose a wired speaker you have to check multiple variables before buying. The cables will be a mess if you don’t manage them properly. Carrying them around can be a nightmare. You will get better sound management, but you will lack mobility.

These are the cons that mainly follow with them. Now it’s up to you to decide which one you want to go with.

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Gadgets All Travelers Should Carry

When it is about traveling by myself I am against carrying too many items. I like to just take a bag, get some clothes and leave. But with time and experience, I have understood that you cannot do the same every time. Like if you are on a business trip or just on a vacation or maybe going for a photography trip. There are certain items you will require on every trip.

It is not something you have to carry. But having these items with you will give you an extra advantage. If you are a tech lover then some of these items are a must for you. You might feel a little safe or a little happy having these around. These are essential tech kits for travelers.

Wireless Headphones

One of the most important items of all. You always need to headphone if you are traveling alone. Let it be a bus journey or train. Some people, including me, don’t like sleeping alone. And if there is no other traveling companion with you then it might be quite boring. Scenic beauty will keep you entertained, but why not mix it up with some soothing music? So remember to pack your wireless headphones.

Selfie Stick

Another important item if you want to include yourself in the photos. Who doesn’t like capturing moments and natural beauty? But keeping yourself in the same photo requires the art of hand. Let’s face the truth, I am not good at taking selfies. I mess them up like anything else. So for my kind of people, it is advisable to keep a handy selfie stick with them. A simple normal budget selfie stick will do the trick. With this item, your Instagram or Facebook DP will finally flourish with new photos.

Extra SD Cards

If you are carrying a Digital Camera or DSLR or Semi-SLR, let it be any kind of camera. An external SD card is mandatory. You don’t want to get stuck with your camera removing photos during your vacation. Keeping one extra source of memory is always handy.

While taking pictures there are a lot of things that can go wrong. You can’t let the moment escape while deleting out of focus images. Just let it be. Your extra SD card is in your camera pouch. That would be sufficient for capacity.

External hard drive

This item is a must for business travel. Keeping all your extra data and backups is a must for any kind of user. It increases if you are on a business trip. If you do not own one external hard drive, go and buy one. Not only will you save more space on your laptop, but also have a safe backup option with you. A budget external hard drive is all you need to keep your work going. Even for bloggers and photographers, a 2TB external hard drive is mandatory. They don’t cost much yet will give you ease of mind.

Universal Travel Adapter

I do not think I need to exaggerate this item. If you have traveled to different countries you already know the importance of a universal travel adapter. Every country supports different kind of sockets. It will be harder to charge your phone if you don’t have a proper adapter. But fear not. A universal adapter is made just to handle these kinds of situations. Where ever you go simply plug the adapter and then plug in your charging brick. Without any more hassle, you can charge your phone from any kind of socket.

Power bank

Another great accessory for your mobile phone is your power bank. If you do not have enough time or spend most of your time in transport, a power bank will be the lifeline for your smartphone. You cannot let your phone switch off in case of emergency calls. Traveling to a whole new area requires the use of your GPS system by eating a lot of batteries. To overcome this kind of power deficiency keeps a mobile power bank handy. There are many types of variations available in the market.

Emergency Lights

No, this is not your smartphone torch. It wasn’t cut as an emergency light. A smartphone torch might help you when you are in a jam. But it cannot replace old-fashioned emergency lights. Keep an emergency light with you all the time. You don’t know how it can save you.

These are the things I have come up with during my trips. Every single item is required by almost all types of travelers. If you are not living in a stone age then certainly you will need them too. But as I always say, “Travel lighter”. Do not heavy your backpack with all the tech gadgets. Keep your items first then if there is space left to keep these gadgets with you. This will really help you to fight most of the situations.

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The Difference Between Ram and Hard Disk Drive

Every time we try to optimize our computer we hear something about “Freeing up your memory”. This thing always made us think of what we should free up. It sometimes creates great confusion among us what to do. In any case of scenario, we try freeing up memory but ending up doing nothing at all. The reason for the confusion is mainly because we all use the same words like “megabyte”, “Gigabyte” to define both RAM and Hard Disk capacity. Overlapping use of these words always makes us confuse which one is what. I have seen many comments on forums. Many discussion threads regarding “Computer Slowdowns” and all of they are saying about RAM. But hardly anyone defines the difference between RAM and Hard Disk. In this thread, I am going to discuss regarding this topic in a short way.

What is a RAM?

RAM or Random Access Memory is just a temporary memory used to access your data faster. It is one of the main reasons of computer slowdowns. But it is certainly not a storage option, so you certainly cannot free it up normally. Think of RAM as a table instead of a bookshelf.

You can take books from the shelf and place it on the table for reading. There might be various tools like pen, paper, reading lamp on the table but nothing is an organized way. It is just a temporary place where you keep your temporary items. It isn’t the storage space. Similarly RAM contents the data you are currently working on. Like the files you just opened or the running applications or the browser data. They are temporarily loaded in your RAM but will be erased once turn off your computer.

What is a Hard Disk Drive?

On the other hand, an HDD or Hard disk drive is the main storage device of your computer. It is having much more space than your ram. HDD is the workstation of your system, where you actually store the files for future use. You can free up space by deleting unwanted files and folders easily. A Hard disk doesn’t affect too much on system speed. But too big of hard disk without supporting RAM might slow down your computer. The hard disk is the bookshelf where you keep all your books and copies. You store your books here and only take them out when needed. If you own a book but don’t use it frequently you keep it in the bookshelf. It will not clutter your table-space.

Your files are permanently stored in your hard disk. Until you want to delete them they will be there even if you turn off your computer or not.

Final Thoughts

So, next time when someone asks you to free up RAM actually you need to close some programs you are running. Restarting your system after a long period of usage will also free up a lot of space in RAM. You can upgrade your RAM separately if you observe frequent hangs or slow down. But keep in mind if you are expanding your Hard disk only not then your computer might be a little bit slow. But the difference will be negligible. Games are the most RAM hungry program you can come across.