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If your searching for ways to save energy, consider SSD technology when replacing or purchasing your next Hard Drive. Conventional Hard Disk Drives have internal parts that spin. Movement takes power. Movement creates friction, which creates heat, makes your fan run more often. The internal temperature of your PC greatly effects its life span overall.

There are different variations of SSD, so to oversimplify the explanation – A SSD Drive is similar to a bootable, write-able USB flash drive configured to fit and connect in the same slot as a spinning Disk Drive. A few years ago the life span of SSD was a big question – not because of reliability, but technical limitations. Each year, this increases, with added technologies like wear leveling. Depending on the vendor, the capacity and type of SSD, 5 to 10 years for a standard user is common. The larger (GB) the SSD, the longer it will last. Speed and performance varies depending on the usage, expect 2X.

For Laptops, SDD is a must. Battery drain is cut in half. Spinning disks can fail as a result of shock from dropping. SSD is much lighter than a spinning disk. If you have a NAS or some other storage device, this is another excellent option.

When considering a SSD purchase, you need to be aware of:

• The size of the disk enclosure (typically 1.8″ for Ultra Portables, 2.5″ for Laptops, 3.5″ for Desktops)
• Data and Power Connector Type (SATA, IDE, ESDI, SAS, etc.)

Popularity: 6% [?]

The Asus WL-500G Premium offers 2X USB ports and options to add USB Printers and Flash Storage with the factory Firmware. In addition to the external replaceable antenna is an internal inverted antenna. The case is really cool looking, very sturdy, but there have been reports that the soldered connection from the PCB to the external antenna becomes disconnected during shipment. This is a good choice for networking a USB Printer, or adding a flash drive for network storage.

• Oleg is a modified version of the Asus Factory Firmware, with USB and other enhancements check Here.
• Alternative Firmware Flashing instructions can be found Here.
• Master List of 4+ MB Routers can be found Here

Specifications

Recommendation – V1 had poor range, V2 is far better, with the newer Platform Chip. I was disappointed that the 2X USB ports were so close together, making it impossible to plug a Flash stick and a USB printer in at the same time. Maybe resolved in V2, doubt it. With the Buffalo Router US Injunction being enforced, this one of the best options out there right now.

Popularity: 21% [?]

A new breed of Laptop, known as the “Ultra Portable” takes a bold leap in technology. Perhaps out of the necessity of its smaller size, Ultra Portables are manufactured to use “Solid State” Drives (SSD), replacing the conventional spinning disk. This may be the beginning of the long awaited SSD revolution.

The Acer Aspire One weighs just 2.7lbs, Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz) processor, 512 MB RAM, 8 GB SSD, 8.9″ Acer CrystalBrite Display. Acer CrystalEye webcam, Wireless b/g, and a 95% full size keyboard with Touch Pad

The MacBook Air weighs 3lbs, 13.3″ Display, 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor custom-built for MacBook Air, 2GB of integrated RAM, 80GB spinning Disk, or optional 64GB SSD, Wireless b/g, “iSight” camera.

The Asus Eee PC 1000 weighs 2.8 lbs, 10″ Display, Intel Atom Processor, 2GB Ram, 40GB SSD, Wireless n, 1.3mp camera.

Popularity: 21% [?]

If you ask somebody in Massachusetts about Skype, they will likely have no idea what your talking about. After reading about the millions of overseas users making cheap phone calls, I decided to try it. I spent $250 on a Netgear SPH200D, signed up for SkypeIn and SkypeOut. Shortly after installation, my cell phone rang. It was the first sign things were not going well initially. No ring, garbled voice, static, you name it I had it. Two tears later, I have become a big Skype fan. Two things that changed my feelings – the introduction of a $3 a month Skype Pro package, and learning how to optimize the voice quality.

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Popularity: 9% [?]