Western Digital is on a roll, and are offering a new batch of My Passport Essential and My Passport for Mac external hard drives for those who want a sleek and secure solution for carrying large amounts of data wherever they go. They’re smaller, smarter and more secure than their predecessors, thanks to the implementation of the new WD SmartWare software that is accompanied by hardware-based encryption. These new My Passport drives are less than 80% percent the size of its predecessors, but doesn’t skimp on features as you will find out right after the jump.
They come preloaded with the aforementioned WD SmartWare software that is able to present consumers’ data in a control center visually, letting one heave a sigh of relief knowing that all their favorite photos, videos and files are securely protected. Depending on your budget and needs, you can choose from varying capacities that range anywhere from 320GB to a more respectable 1TB, with a slew of colors to choose from including Pacific Blue, Real Red, Cool Silver and Midnight Black. The simple and intuitive first backup process will launch automatically during the first time the My Passport Essential is plugged into your computer, where you get to have a reassuring view of the real-time visual interface thanks to the WD SmartWare software, letting you see what’s going on during the backup process. Apart from that, you will also receive greater data protection as backup will be performed automatically each time a user changes or adds a file.
Apart from that, both the My Passport Essential and My Passport for Mac drives will boast a user-selected password protection that works in tandem with military-grade 256-bit hardware encryption to keep your data secure even under the most trying circumstances, making sure you need not fret too much should you misplace this external hard drive. While the My Passport Essential drives will come in 320GB, 500GB and 640GB capacities, the My Passport Essential SE drives will boast larger storage spaces at 750GB and 1TB. Mac users might not be too happy knowing that the My Passport for Mac drives will only come in 320GB and 500GB capacities. Depending on the storage space available, they retail anywhere from $109.99 to $249.99.
If you are in the market for an external hard drive as a backup solution, then you won’t go too wrong with offerings from Western Digital. This time round, the company has rolled out smaller and sleeker devices – the My Book Essential and the My Book for Mac external hard drives that will ensure all your data remains safe and sound thanks to the new WD SmartWare software and hardware-based encryption. These new devices are able to offer information concerning your data in a software control center, letting you sleep soundly at night knowing that your collection of photos, videos and files are properly protected. Regardless of whether you’re getting the new My Book Essential or My Book for Mac drive, either model will come in capacities ranging from 500 GB to 2 TB.
Using either model is a snap – all you need to do is hook it up via USB 2.0 and watch it go, where a first time plug in will result in the simple and intuitive first backup process which will run automatically. It comes with a real-time visual interface of the WD SmartWare software to let you see which files are heading off where for a more reassuring view, making it perfect for first timers. After the initial backup, all of a user’s files will be automatically backed up each time they modify or add a file. In addition, both the My Book Essential and My Book for Mac drives will also come with user-selected password protection that relies on military-grade 256-bit hardware encryption in order to make it harder for folks to access your data should the unfortunate event of losing or getting your My Book stolen. Nice to see Western Digital throw in a more upmarket feature in a reasonably priced device.
Both the new My Book Essential drives will come in 500GB, 1TB, 1.5TB and 2TB capacities, retailing anywhere from $99.99 to $249.99.
Universal remotes are a dime a dozen and usually are overpriced. They are also notorious for being excessively boring. That is except for the massive ones meant to be a joke about someone’s age or being blind. Instead of going with your usual gray remote control with too many buttons, you could go a slightly more magical route. Instead of pushing buttons you could wave around your magic wand to make the channels change.
The Kymera Magic Wand can be flicked up or down in order to change the channel. If you need the volume up or down you turn it in a clockwise motion. It has a total of 13 âmagical functionsâ in order to perform actions on your TV. The wand is battery powered and they’re kind enough to actually include the batteries for once. As of now this isn’t out, but don’t worry, it is coming soon. You can currently pre-order this. In order to do that you’ll have to pay a deposit of £10 or about $17. All together the wand will cost you £49.95 or about $83.
One thing I have come to dislike is attempting to get my room completely quiet in order to tune the guitar. I prefer at least a little noise and it seems like I’m always forgetting to shut off my radio. Well this Headstock Tuner does things in a different way. Which means you can tune your guitar in a noisy environment and it will still be completely accurate. Besides that, it is a little more straight forward in letting you know when your guitar is even slightly out of tune.
The tuner has a backlit LCD display that will allow for you to read it in even a dimly lit room. It’s the perfect tuner if you intend to play in a noisy bar and are new to the environment. Of course musicians that deal with that environment a lot have learned ways to overcome the situation. However, for rookies it would take a little stress out of playing for an audience. Instead of this using sound to figure out if your guitar is in tune or not, it uses vibrations. Which is how it’s possible for it to work in a loud area. You can purchase it for $42 from Planet Waves.
Brother has just rolled out a trio of new inkjet all-in-ones – the MFC-295CN, MFC-495CW, and MFC-795CW, where they will retail from $99 to $179 each. These were specially built for the office, where they offer professional quality printing while utilizing minimal office space courtesy of the Brother ink tube delivery system where ink cartridges are not placed the print head, resulting in a lower-profile end product. Most people would think that inkjets are a waste of money in the long run due to the ink cost, but these models do do their part in helping consumers save on their printing costs such as a four-cartridge ink system and N-in-1 printing. Apart from that, the MFC-495CW and MFC-795CW will come with an extra ink save mode that prints only image outlines.Features of these printers are available right after the jump.
MFC-295CN
Built-in Ethernet Network Interface
Up to 33/27 ppm (black/color)
Media cards slots & Pictbridge/USB direct interface
Dogs somehow love playing fetch, and I suspect that this Autofetch motion pet ball is more for the owner than the pet – after all, most pooches would be more than happy to play with their favorite ball throughout their lifetime, and won’t need improvements on a simple ball. What happens when your four-legged friend is more choosy? Guess the Autofetch motion pet ball might prove to be the catalyst required, as it requires you to put a small piece of food into the treat slot, giving the ball a slight shake to get the internal auto-motion gyroscope started. This allows the ball to start moving around randomly, and will come to a complete stop only after it does not receive any interaction for a minute. Perfect for restless dogs, but not so good when it comes to enforcing discipline.
There is no shortage of turntables out there, if they’re your thing though, you might want to check out this one. Not only does it comes in that pretty bright red, it offers portability that could make your life a lot easier. It’d be especially great for those that like to make their music, but are on the road quite a bit. With this you wouldn’t be stuck waiting until you got home to act on some inspiration that hits out of nowhere.
The turntables will of course not only let you make music, but allows you to listen to your records if you like as well. This USB turntable is of course USB powered and will work with both a Mac and a PC. That USB connection will not only power it, but it allows for you to utilize the music stored on either your Mac or PC.  This also comes with everything you need to take your music and turn it into digital MP3 files. The other items included are a dust cover with a handle, cartridge with stylus, cables, a slip mat and a 45RPM adapter. The turntable also allows you to plug in other musical devices like your MP3 player. It measures about 20â long by about 17 inches wide by about 6 inches high. You can purchase it for $140 from Urban Outfitters.
The Eyeball is a specially designed camera that takes after the Snowflake with its spherically shaped microphone. Its base is a clip-shaped thing that rests atop a laptop easily, and serves as a stand in case the user wants to put it on any flat surface.
There is a video of me giving a review of the Eyeball while being filmed by the Eyeball. Yeah, that’s awkwardly worded, but just watch it, and it will make sense.
The Eyeball has a camera lens that will pop in and out at a touch. This will insure that the lens stays covered when you don’t want to be filmed. I believe that is important in an age when many programs turn on the webcam automatically.
The Eyeball is compatible with many programs including Skype, iChat, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, and Google Talk. It requires no special software for installing, and plugs right into a USB port.
You should be able to purchase the Eyeball from Blue Microphones for a little less than $140 on sites like Amazon.
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