Being one of the few remaining mechanical components of the computer system, the hard disk drive is also one of the major power consumers. A spinning hard disk platter effectively turns power into heat, working contrary to user expectation. Not surprisingly, most hard disk drive manufacturers have implemented a number of power saving features, reducing the impact of disk drives on one’s electric bill. But one power saving feature from Western Digital has come under increasing fire: the Intellipark system found in their Caviar Green hard disk drives is a serious liability when used in many “always-on” scenarios.
Personal
Zoom H1 “Handy Recorder”: Hands-On Review
The H1 is a very handy device, produces excellent quality recordings, and is reasonably priced. It does just about everything I could want, including recording directly to MP3 on solid-state microSD storage. But I cannot recommend it with the battery drain issue I have experienced. Hopefully the replacement unit will remove the single concern.
Why Can’t We Prime Our Devices For Upgrades?
Upgrades are an inevitability in our modern technological world. A new phone comes out every year or two, and the migration process begins. So why don’t devices have a special mode, priming them for upgrade and migration? This really hit home recently, as I upgraded the hard disks in my Drobo, but it applies equally to laptops, phones, and services like e-mail.
Interop: Giving Back To Local Schools Through DonorsChoose.org
Although I am a big believer in personal face-to-face meetings, it often seems like a waste of energy to attend big tech conferences. I’m certainly making the rounds this year, having already made multiple trips to the West Coast and even the UK, and heading out again three times next month. That’s why I was pleased to see that one of the conferences I’m speaking at is trying to do some good for the local community: Interop will donate to math and science related projects in Las Vegas, and I encourage others to do the same.
The Deletion Dilemma
When was the last time you deleted data? Even at home, where we have autonomy and authority over our own data, many of us are digital pack rats. But at work? Never! No one ever deletes anything! Let’s talk about why this is.
