Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Just imagine all the thousands of photos stored in phones, digital cameras and laptops. The Daily Mail estimates that almost 40 percent of such individuals have no backup of those files. 

These devices break, wear out or are damaged every day, and with them thousands of photos are lost. Make sure you have backup plan for your treasured memories. Those moments in time can be lost forever if you don't protect them.

Local Backups and Broken Hard Drives

Most people know they should back up their files regularly. This often happens at home to a computer hard drive or maybe to an external drive. Local backups are a good idea because it does make a copy of the files. However, it's not such a good idea for long-term storage because hardware does break.

Backblaze estimates that 22 percent of hard drives, on average, fail in the first four years of use. The failure rate is higher if the computer or hard drive is used continually, or is used in hot, dusty environments. You also could experience a failure if there is a sudden spike on the electric circuit, such as during a lighting storm. You could lose years of photos on one failed drive.

While there are recovery services who will attempt to retrieve files off of a dead hard drive for you, these are expensive with no guarantee the recovery will be 100 percent successful. A better option is to have multiple ways of backing up your photos.

Backing Up to the Cloud

Cloud Storage Services have matured into an easy way for people to save all types of files, including photos. Most are easy to set up. Some offer automated backup, so you don't even have to remember to do the backup yourself. Some vendors require you to load small programs onto your computer to do the backup while others rely on a browser-based online application.

Having a combination of backups is safest. Do a local backup of your photos from your phone or camera to the computer and a regular backup to your cloud storage. One way to use your cloud storage is as an archival system.

Since your files are in the cloud, you have access to them anywhere. For example, photos you take during a vacation can be uploaded to your cloud storage from your hotel room and then you can access them again when you get home. Or you can check on photos you took during your last trip to your destination to see if you already have photos of certain scenic spots.

The Safety of Your Photos

USA Today finds that cloud storage is as safe as other storage options. Most cloud service providers use encryption to store your files so they can't be viewed by others. Data is stored on huge disk farms, which are constantly monitored for potential disk failures. The systems cloud providers use allow the replacement of disk drives without creating any downtime. You don't have to worry about a drive failing and losing photos.

Keeping Those Non-Digital Photos Safe

If you have a number of regular film photos, you can keep them save as well. CNET shows how you can scan those photos to create digital copies. Or you can have a service do that for you. A digital copy of a film photo is easier to store, doesn't fade, or get damaged by water or fire. You could scan your print photos and store the originals in a fireproof box or in a safe deposit box with your bank.

RECOMMENDED: 5 Ways to Preserve Precious Family Photos

We'd like to take a moment to thank everyone here for being a member of THE OFFICIAL ANDREASCY club! It's because of your great feedback and constant support that we're able to continue as a powerful community. More will come. 😊😊

*by andreascy*

5 Ways to Preserve Precious Family Photos

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

It's worse than a punch in the gut—that awful realization that your computer has crashed and your wedding photos are gone, your beach vacation photos are gone, and your baby's first birthday photos ... gone. 

You scold yourself for not backing them up, saving them to a disk, or leaving them on your memory card. You swear you'll never make that mistake again, but how can you prevent a virus from wiping out your priceless photos again? Here are a few ways to make sure they're stored safely and securely.

1. Keep them in the Cloud

Upload your precious photos to cloud storage where they'll be safely stored until you need them again. Accessing them at any time is easy, and you'll never again experience that sinking feeling that comes with knowing you've lost an entire year's worth of memories to one annoying computer crash. Different features and fee structures are available at the various providers, so do your research—decide what type of storage you need and research cloud storage rankings for dependability.

2. Save them to Disc

Another efficient way of saving your digital memories is to burn them onto a disc. According to the International Journal for the Preservation of Library and Archival Material, CD-R discs made with phthalocynine dye are the ones that stand the test of time. They're less likely to exhibit laser rot and deterioration over time. The fact that the disc is a CD-R instead of a CD-RW, also means you can't accidently copy over the photos you have stored.

If you choose this method of storage, it's still a good idea to have a backup system in place. Even the best CDs deteriorate over time, so have an alternative storage method.

3. Use an External Hard Drive

Although external hard drives can be susceptible to viruses, they're a good back up to discs and to the regular hard drive on your PC. External hard drives hold a ton of photos without slowing things down and they're easy to retrieve when you need them. PC Magazine recommends the top five external hard drives, which include: 

•  LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt (1TB SSD) 

•  LaCie Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt (120GB SSD) 

•  Lenovo ThinkPad USB 3.0 Secure Hard Drive 

•  Seagate Backup Plus 

•  Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive for Mac (1TB) 

4. SD Card

SD Cards are the small memory sticks that go inside your camera before you leave on a photo expedition. These are a viable option for storing photos, except that they have a size limit and can fill up quickly if you're not cautious of your volume of large file sizes. These are also not foolproof for life, but they'll do until you have a chance to upload your memories to the cloud.

5. Combination Storage

Of all these options, cloud storage is the safest file storage method of hanging onto precious digital files. Be extra safe, however, by using a combination of storage solutions. With more than one dependable storage solutions in place, your cherished memories will be safe and secure for years to come.

SEE ALSO: Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe

We’ve shared our ideas, now we want to ask you – how do you preserve your family memories and not lose them forever? Share them with us in a comment below!

*by andreascy*

The Right Choice Between Laptops and Desktop Computers

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

If you are wondering whats's the best Computer device today? My answer will be, "that depends". Before you'll decide what kind of computer you want, you first need to think if you want the portability of a Laptop or dexterity of a Stationary Computer. Whatever the decision is it depends on your needs and obviously on your budget. I have summarized some of the reasons you may want to invest in a Laptop versus a Desktop PC below.

In the modern era, technology is getting smaller. And smaller generally means better. On the past, a Desktop PC was for doing anything serious, while a Laptop (also referred to as Notebook) was a handy extra or an indulgence for businessmen who travel a lot.

But how things have changed. Desktop is faded away, most of the people are buying Laptops but every device has it's pros and cons and a different usability. Since the advent of Wi-Fi technology, people prefer Laptops. Before getting my first Laptop i asked myself. What bests suits to me? To be honest i had no previous experience and i wasn't so sure if finally a Laptop would do. I wanted to be confident though that i pick the best computer for my needs. But let me admit that I love my Laptop. :)

To decide between a Desktop or Laptop PC can be difficult. Especially if you don't know or understand their real differences. There are so many choices than ever before, and each comes with plenty of competitive features and on different prices. 

First of all ask yourself some questions. Which one would be better in terms of cost, usage and performance? Why do you need it? Surfing the internet? E-mails, networking, typing up documents and spreadsheets? What are you going to use it for? Are you always on the go? Are you a heavy user who wants the best setups? Are you a heavy gamer or a youtuber? How much can you spend?

A Laptop it's small. That makes it lightweight and easy to carry. It's powerful, tough, wireless and central. Some years ago, Laptops were weaker than Desktops and not able to perform as expected. They were missing lot of features that a Desktop had but with the benefit of being portable. For someone who travels a lot and works or plays on a computer outside the house, the campus or the city, these are strong arguments in favor of a Laptop. Nowadays both are nearly equals but with an important difference. Laptops are still dependent on their battery life. But there is again something about the Laptops that still makes you want to buy them.

Laptops are outselling Desktops due to their sleek design, portability and improved performance. Believe it or not, Laptops are the new Desktops. A Laptop allows you to sit on your sofa, surfing the web, keeping all your files, can also be used as a communication tool with family and friends, it doesn't have any wires or make you worry about space and this has become part and parcel of our modern life. There is no need to dedicate a portion of your home to a giant desktop PC on a desk.

But it is also true that the level of customization of Desktop's is high. A Desktop PC is one that will reside on a desk in your room. It will come with different parts, for example a tower, which contains the heart of the PC including some of the peripherals. It comes with a monitor, keyboard and mouse. All Desktop Computers have some expansion slots for PCI and memory cards, optical and even hard disks. They are easily upgradeable and parts can be easily replaced or upgraded.

Desktops perform better in general. Most times Laptops are running to catch up with Desktop technologies as they have to shrink everything down in size before being able to use them. Let's say hard drives. Laptop hard drives are much slower than Desktop hard drives. Laptops are also much more expensive than Desktops and have limited options for any upgrades in the future.

Lots of new innovations in Computer's technological field are also more readily available for Desktop PCs. For example, multi-core processors, were available for Desktop Computers way before they figured out how to make them small enough for Laptops. This means that if you're looking for a Computer system that's state-of-the-art, then Desktop Computers are in priority. It's also a fact that Laptops will never be as good as Desktops in terms of Computer power. As far as cost is concerned Laptops are not far away from desktops.

Conclusion :

Till date, Laptop is the only answer to Desktop which provides a fair mobility and flexibility. If you think you won't need that flexibility, you can prefer the Desktop, but don't count it out. Both of them are created with different needs so you never know when you'll have to compute on the go. You can completely replace your PC and buy a beautiful Laptop. Laptop has a variety of rich features which can beat a Desktop at any stage of time. You just have to figure out how you are going to use the Computer. Your situation may be different. Just take the best choice and make it work. 

*by andreascy*

The Top 5 Benefits Of Using Digital Cameras

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Within a revolutionary world, we continue to come across many new and innovative products that are introduced into the market. It is very exciting to know that technology is evolving every minute and every day. We just know that ground-breaking products are merely around the corner and a short time away from being launched.

One of the most sought after products by consumers today are digital cameras. Today, cameras do so much more than simply take a photo. They are capturing all of our memorable and important life’s moments. With all of the latest technology and advanced features ready to be used at our fingertips, these are 5 of the top benefits for using digital cameras: 

1. Store Countless Photos 

Back in the day (only 10 - 15 years ago) we would only be using traditional cameras that involved film with limited amounts of photos to be taken. Today we have access to hard drives devices and memory cards to store thousands of images without any hassle. This way we can store all of our precious photos together in one convenient and accessible location. This is far more convenient than having to switch between and buy new films every 24 photos, as per 10 years ago. 

2. Advanced Quality 

Nowadays the quality of images produced is far more advanced than a number of years ago. Of course this is the case with the growth of technology. However this applies so heavily to cameras and the photography industry in general, as the photos created contain more and more megapixels to produce outstanding images that can’t be damaged or corrupted in any way. It is exciting to see what comes in the near future as they are only going to get better and better. 

3. Streamline Images 

With the ability to be able to store thousands of photos in one place, such as a personal hard drive, it becomes so much easier and more convenient to view them. Say for example you want to look back on your friend’s wedding from 2 years ago, you’ll have them all stored and categorised in one file. You will be able to streamline these photos for a simple viewing either on your computer, TV or other hardware you so choose. 

4. Share Photos with Friends 

The ability to be able to share photos with friends has become so much more expedient than ever before. The simple use of copying, cutting and pasting of files allows the absolute ease of sharing favoured files or photos with whom you choose. 

5. Upload to the Internet 

Sharing photos is simple with the technique mentioned earlier, however another common method to share or store these files is by uploading them to the internet. You may have a preferred photography or social media platform where you can upload your latest images. This way the world can view the quality of the experiences you captured.

CHECK ALSO: Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe 

With digital taking the world by storm in many industries, there are many perks and benefits that are involved. If you’re still using a traditional camera that use film, it’s time to consider picking up a new digital camera and taking advantage of this exceptional technology. 

*by andreascy*

Panasonic WiGig 1Gbps Wireless SD Memory Card Concept

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Panasonic is currently developing applications for the new WiGig gigabit wireless communications technology. In this concept demonstration, a communications module which supports WiGig is embedded on an SD memory card.

Although Panasonic is still in the process of prototyping the WiGig-enabled SD card, the company demonstrated how it will be possible to transmit videos, photos and other local data from a wireless controller such as a tablet, to the displays mounted in the passenger seats of a car. At gigabit speeds, it will be possible to wirelessly transfer a full DVD video in one minute.

The tablet can also connect with the car's computer, so the user can easily see relevant information such as battery capacity and tire pressure.

Panasonic's WiGig implementation uses the 60GHz spectrum to transmit data at gigabit speed, but it is limited to a range of 1-3 meters. Due to this limited range, it will not take over from the current Wifi standard, but Panasonic is coming up with a range of situations where it can be used effectively.

Panasonic also plans to design a directional antenna, which will allow radio waves to be transmitted from the SD card slot, to effectively transmit data wirelessly. It is aiming for the commercialization of WiGig SD cards for in-vehicle use in summer 2013.

*by andreascy*

Sony : New XQD High Speed Memory Cards

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Card of the future or just another format we need to buy? Time will tell. Sony, alongside the Nikon D4 announcement, announced their plans for a new memory card based on the new XQD format that the D4 supports. The XQD format is based on a smaller form factor and Sony’s boasts write and read speeds up to 1Gbps(125MB/s) with future theoretical speeds reaching up to 5gbps. While this might help ultra-high resolution video professionals, it could also help still photographers capture up to an unprecedented 100 images in burst modes with cameras such as the Nikon D4. And for starters, prices seem ‘under control’ at 16GB for $129.99 and 32GB for $229.99. 

Full press release :

PARK RIDGE, N.J. , Jan 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Giving photo enthusiasts and professional photographers a new level of speed and performance, the new Sony XQD™ memory cards support the recently adopted XQD specification for high-speed, high-performance digital image capture.

Using the XQD memory cards, XQD compatible high-end DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera users can capture up to approximately 100 frames in RAW format in continuous shooting mode. In addition to outstanding high-speed data transfer capability, the new cards are highly reliable to protect users’ data and images.

“Advanced shooters want to capture the moment in the highest quality possible, and that often means dealing with massive files like RAW images,” said Viviano Cantu , Director of Consumer Media for Sony Electronics. “Memory card technology has done a great job of keeping pace, but these new cards give an entirely new meaning to speed and performance.”

The new Sony cards are based on the XQD memory card specification, which the CompactFlash Association recently approved and licensed as an open format. With its ultra high write-speed performance, and when using Nikon’s new DSLR “D4,” the XQD memory card can record up to approximately 100 frames in RAW format in continuous shooting mode*.

The Sony XQD memory card achieves stable continuous shooting of RAW images and blazing fast data transfer rates of up to 1Gbps/125MB/s write and read (based on Sony tests and dependent on host hardware) through the PCIe interface, a computer expansion card standard for serial interfaces.

A unique controller and optimized flash memory enables high-speed data processing, resulting in faster write speed and performance that can’t be achieved by conventional compact flash cards.

Sony is also introducing a USB 2.0/3.0 compatible XQD card reader (model MRW-E80) so users can quickly and easily transfer large quantities of very high capacity data to their PC. Also, an XQD ExpressCard Adapter (QDA-EX1) will be available for use with computers with an ExpressCard™ 34 card slot.

“As users’ needs continue to evolve,” Cantu added, “Sony will also continue to enhance the XQD memory card line-up to meet the future requirements of the high-end digital imaging market.”

The new Sony products are planned to be available in February and are estimated to sell at the following retail prices :

- QD-H16 card, 16 GB, $129.99

- QD-H32 card, 32 GB, $229.99

- Card Reader, MRW-E80, $44.99

- ExpressCard Adapter, QDA-EX1, $44.99

For more information, visit : 

http://www.sony.net/Products/memorycard/en_us/xqd/index.html

* When used with Nikon “D4,” with capture of compressed 12-bit NEF (RAW) images; based on Nikon research.

*by andreascy*