Find the right backup drive for your storage needs

You've got a lot of valuable things stashed on your computer. Some of them—like your music library—are deeply personal. Others—tax returns and business documents—are more mundane, but still important to keep around. And then there are things like photos that are simply irreplaceable should your computer's hard drive suddenly give up the ghost.<p>If putting together a backup plan for your PC or Mac is on your list of New Year's resolutions, maybe a backup device should be on your holiday wishlist. But what device is appropriate for your needs?<p>You can narrow down the search just by answering a few quick questions. Do you need to backup just one computer or an entire household of machines? If it's just you, an external desktop drive may be the best choice. Look for a drive with a capacity higher than that of the computer you're backing up. I recommend at least twice the capacity of your internal drive, if possible. Multi-computer households or offices should look into network attached storage options. We'll examine both choices below.<p>Desktop backup drives<p>Most desktop backup devices use rotational hard drives, generally 7,200-RPM drives that require an external power supply. These hard drives aren't as fast as solid state drives, but they offer much higher capacities and lower prices. Speed isn't as important as capacity, especially when performing incremental backups. Most connect to your PC via USB 3.0, though eSATA and Thunderbolt drives are available.<p>The Buffalo DriveStation DDR uses onboard DDR memory for fast write performance when making backups.<p>Look for a drive with storage capacity higher than what you're backing up. Some backup software, like Apple's Time Machine, will keep multiple versions of documents that you've changed between backups, so the more available space, the more protected you are. If you can swing it, look for a drive with twice the capacity of the data you want to back up. You'll find desktop hard drives with 2TB of capacity starting at around $100.<p>For greater data protection, look for a multi-drive device that supports RAID 1, also known as mirroring. RAID 1 maintains an exact duplicate of your backups, so that if one drive fails, your data is not lost. For the utmost in security, look for a backup device that offers easily removable drives. That way you can rotate drives in and out, keeping one of the backups offsite to protect your data in case of a fire or flood.<p>The Buffalo DriveStation DDR is a good single-drive deskop hard drive that offers fast write performance thanks to novel use of 1GB of onboard DDR3 memory.<p>Network attached storage<p>If you need to back up multiple computers, you'll want to look into network attached storage, or NAS. NAS devices range in size from single drive units meant mainly for media storage, all the way up to multiple drive devices that offer huge capacity and fault-tolerant RAID arrays. Most NAS devices have USB ports on them, but they're meant for adding additional storage, not a direct connection to your PC.<p>If you want to access your files from anywhere via the Internet, the QNAP TS-469-Pro is an attractive NAS option.<p>ROBERT CARDIN<p>Many NAS boxes, like the QNAP TS-469 Pro, let you access files saved on the device from anywhere via the Internet and offer ways to store and share movies and songs with TVs on your network.<p>There can be a downside to NAS storage, though. While almost all devices are administered through a standard web browser, some seem to expect you to have a degree in computer science to manage them properly. If that doesn't describe you, I recommend Western Digital's MyCloud drive. It offers an easy to use web interface that can be accessed from Macs, PCs, as well as Android and iOS devices.

Find the right backup drive for your storage needs

You've got a lot of valuable things stashed on your computer. Some of them—like your music library—are deeply personal. Others—tax retur...

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Clean up your public Internet profile

Maggs2378 found personal information "on one of those 'people search' web sites" and wants to know how to get it removed.<p>Removing your private information from one site isn't particularly difficult, but it can be a hassle. You have to go to the site, search for your own name, and make sure you're there. Then you have to find the site's privacy policy page and read it carefully--a task that isn't always easy if you're not a lawyer. Then you have to follow the instructions.<p>When you're done, it's time to go on to the next site.<p>To get a taste of the experience, I took my name off two such sites.<p>The first was Intelius. I visited the company's verbose Privacy Policy page, and found a section called "How to Remove your Information from the Intelius Public Records Databases." Within that single section's 611 words, I found an online form.<p>The first field on the form required me to photograph my driver's license, cross out the license number, and upload the photo to them. (I "crossed out" the number in the most analog way possible; I covered it with a sliver of a Post-It before taking the picture.)<p>The other two fields were much easier. One asked for my email address. I left the optional third field, Additional Information, blank.<p>I got a response immediately, informing me that they'd received my request and giving me a confirmation number.<p>The big, pleasant surprise came in another email only a few minutes later: "Your opt-out request has been completed." And sure enough, it was.<p>I had an easier experience with Spokeo. The Privacy page pointed me to their Remove A Listing tool. All the tool asked for was the profile URL, an Email address, and a CAPTHCA to prove that I'm human.<p>When I clicked the Remove This Listing button, I was told to "Please check your email for further instructions." Sure enough, there was an email, but it didn't have instructions. It simply told me that "This directory listing has been removed."<p>And it was.<p>After you've removed yourself from one of these sites, your private information may still pop up in Internet searches. But that won't happen for long. Google and other search sites cache pages, but they flush the cache regularly to remain up-to-date.<p>There's a saying that nothing on the Internet ever goes away. That's not entirely true. I've written articles for the Web that have totally disappeared--much to my dismay. But there's a real possibility that your information will continue to pop up from time to time.<p>And if something goes viral, you'll never get rid of it. So just hope you're never too popular.

Clean up your public Internet profile

Maggs2378 found personal information "on one of those 'people search' web sites" and wants to know how to get it removed. ...

Read more »

Find the right backup drive for your storage needs

You've got a lot of valuable things stashed on your computer. Some of them—like your music library—are deeply personal. Others—tax returns and business documents—are more mundane, but still important to keep around. And then there are things like photos that are simply irreplaceable should your computer's hard drive suddenly give up the ghost.<p>If putting together a backup plan for your PC or Mac is on your list of New Year's resolutions, maybe a backup device should be on your holiday wishlist. But what device is appropriate for your needs?<p>You can narrow down the search just by answering a few quick questions. Do you need to backup just one computer or an entire household of machines? If it's just you, an external desktop drive may be the best choice. Look for a drive with a capacity higher than that of the computer you're backing up. I recommend at least twice the capacity of your internal drive, if possible. Multi-computer households or offices should look into network attached storage options. We'll examine both choices below.<p>Desktop backup drives<p>Most desktop backup devices use rotational hard drives, generally 7,200-RPM drives that require an external power supply. These hard drives aren't as fast as solid state drives, but they offer much higher capacities and lower prices. Speed isn't as important as capacity, especially when performing incremental backups. Most connect to your PC via USB 3.0, though eSATA and Thunderbolt drives are available.<p>The Buffalo DriveStation DDR uses onboard DDR memory for fast write performance when making backups.<p>Look for a drive with storage capacity higher than what you're backing up. Some backup software, like Apple's Time Machine, will keep multiple versions of documents that you've changed between backups, so the more available space, the more protected you are. If you can swing it, look for a drive with twice the capacity of the data you want to back up. You'll find desktop hard drives with 2TB of capacity starting at around $100.<p>For greater data protection, look for a multi-drive device that supports RAID 1, also known as mirroring. RAID 1 maintains an exact duplicate of your backups, so that if one drive fails, your data is not lost. For the utmost in security, look for a backup device that offers easily removable drives. That way you can rotate drives in and out, keeping one of the backups offsite to protect your data in case of a fire or flood.<p>The Buffalo DriveStation DDR is a good single-drive deskop hard drive that offers fast write performance thanks to novel use of 1GB of onboard DDR3 memory.<p>Network attached storage<p>If you need to back up multiple computers, you'll want to look into network attached storage, or NAS. NAS devices range in size from single drive units meant mainly for media storage, all the way up to multiple drive devices that offer huge capacity and fault-tolerant RAID arrays. Most NAS devices have USB ports on them, but they're meant for adding additional storage, not a direct connection to your PC.<p>If you want to access your files from anywhere via the Internet, the QNAP TS-469-Pro is an attractive NAS option.<p>ROBERT CARDIN<p>Many NAS boxes, like the QNAP TS-469 Pro, let you access files saved on the device from anywhere via the Internet and offer ways to store and share movies and songs with TVs on your network.<p>There can be a downside to NAS storage, though. While almost all devices are administered through a standard web browser, some seem to expect you to have a degree in computer science to manage them properly. If that doesn't describe you, I recommend Western Digital's MyCloud drive. It offers an easy to use web interface that can be accessed from Macs, PCs, as well as Android and iOS devices.

Find the right backup drive for your storage needs

You've got a lot of valuable things stashed on your computer. Some of them—like your music library—are deeply personal. Others—tax retur...

Read more »

Clean up your public Internet profile

Maggs2378 found personal information "on one of those 'people search' web sites" and wants to know how to get it removed.<p>Removing your private information from one site isn't particularly difficult, but it can be a hassle. You have to go to the site, search for your own name, and make sure you're there. Then you have to find the site's privacy policy page and read it carefully--a task that isn't always easy if you're not a lawyer. Then you have to follow the instructions.<p>When you're done, it's time to go on to the next site.<p>To get a taste of the experience, I took my name off two such sites.<p>The first was Intelius. I visited the company's verbose Privacy Policy page, and found a section called "How to Remove your Information from the Intelius Public Records Databases." Within that single section's 611 words, I found an online form.<p>The first field on the form required me to photograph my driver's license, cross out the license number, and upload the photo to them. (I "crossed out" the number in the most analog way possible; I covered it with a sliver of a Post-It before taking the picture.)<p>The other two fields were much easier. One asked for my email address. I left the optional third field, Additional Information, blank.<p>I got a response immediately, informing me that they'd received my request and giving me a confirmation number.<p>The big, pleasant surprise came in another email only a few minutes later: "Your opt-out request has been completed." And sure enough, it was.<p>I had an easier experience with Spokeo. The Privacy page pointed me to their Remove A Listing tool. All the tool asked for was the profile URL, an Email address, and a CAPTHCA to prove that I'm human.<p>When I clicked the Remove This Listing button, I was told to "Please check your email for further instructions." Sure enough, there was an email, but it didn't have instructions. It simply told me that "This directory listing has been removed."<p>And it was.<p>After you've removed yourself from one of these sites, your private information may still pop up in Internet searches. But that won't happen for long. Google and other search sites cache pages, but they flush the cache regularly to remain up-to-date.<p>There's a saying that nothing on the Internet ever goes away. That's not entirely true. I've written articles for the Web that have totally disappeared--much to my dismay. But there's a real possibility that your information will continue to pop up from time to time.<p>And if something goes viral, you'll never get rid of it. So just hope you're never too popular.

Clean up your public Internet profile

Maggs2378 found personal information "on one of those 'people search' web sites" and wants to know how to get it removed. ...

Read more »

Buying Guide: Find the perfect ebook reader

Are paper books a menace that threatens the very foundations of modern society? Well, of course they aren't. I'm married to a librarian, and she thinks that paper books are nifty. But when it comes to compactness and convenience, you can't beat electronic books, newspapers, and magazines.<p>The Kindle Paperwhite is a great choice as a dedicated reader.<p>So if you've decided to embrace the post-paper reading world, what's the best device to help you make that journey? That depends on if you want to buy a dedicated reading device or a more versatile tablet.<p>That might seem like a question with an obvious answer: Tablets have fancy color screens and thousands of apps, while dedicated reading devices tend to be simple black-and-white devices that might seem like outmoded, old technology. But dedicated ereaders have a bunch of advantages of their own.<p>The case for a dedicated reader<p>Dedicated readers such as the Kindle and Nook use E Ink technology. These days E Ink can really only render black and white (and shades of gray), so it's hardly a colorful experience, but the display itself is much better than in the early days of Kindle. Back then, text was dark gray on a light gray background. With this latest generation of ebook readers, text is crisp and dark and the backgrounds are almost white.<p>A device with E Ink feels very much like an ink-on-paper book. These devices don't make you feel like you're staring at a backlit computer screen, but a printed page. They also tend to be quite light and compact, which gives them more of the weight and feel of an actual book.<p>And then there's the trump card of dedicated readers: They're great in bright sunlight. If you like to read outside—in the backyard or at the beach, say—glare just isn't a problem like it is with tablets. The backlighting on a tablet will have an awful time competing with the brightness of the sun, and the glare of that glass tablet screen makes matters even worse.<p>Dedicated readers are also a lot cheaper than tablets, which may make you more comfortable toting them around with you. Put it in a purse, bring it to the beach (maybe in a zip-top bag, for sand and water protection?), and don't worry too much about thieves. These things aren't free, but they're not $300 investments either.<p>Yes, dedicated ebook readers don't have fancy apps that let you check Twitter and read your email and surf the web. But consider that a feature. Those other apps are distractions from reading. Using a dedicated ebook reader adds focus. When I'm reading a novel on my Kindle, there's no temptation to flip over to Twitter. When I'm reading on my iPad, I know that the entire Internet is a single gesture away. I am a much more productive reader on my Kindle. (And for the record, yes, I own both an iPad mini and a Kindle Paperwhite. And I read most of my books on the Paperwhite for this very reason.)<p>Since dedicated readers are black and white, they're best for reading long runs of text. They're great for novels and decent for newspapers, too. If you want to read magazines or comics or anything that requires color or complex interactivity, a dedicated reader isn't for you. But if all you want is something to let you read mystery novels, you don't need the fancy color displays found on tablets.<p>If you've decided that a dedicated reader is right for you, the best dedicated ebook reader is the $119 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. It's got a touchscreen and lights itself, so you can read it in the dark. If you're already a part of Amazon's ecosystem, it's a great choice.<p>A perfectly suitable alternative is Barnes & Noble's $119 Nook Glowlight. It's got essentially the same features, and doesn't feature ads on its lock screen like the Paperwhite. (You have to pay Amazon $20 more to turn off its "Special Offers," which are occasionally special but more often just ads for books.)<p>If you want a cut-rate ereader, we'd still recommend sticking with Amazon or Barnes & Noble. The Nook Simple Touch is $39 and and the plain ol' Kindle is $69. But really, spring for the extra money so that your ereader lights itself in dark places.<p>Want more than text?<p>If you've decided that a blank-and-white reader just isn't going to do it for you, you're now entering the realm of the full-on tablet devices. This article isn't going to answer the question of what the very best tablet is, but it can recommend the best tablets for reading.<p>You should buy a smaller tablet—you don't need a 9- or 10-inch tablet display (and the accompanying weight) if all you really want to do is read text, look at pictures, and maybe watch some videos.<p>The best choice in this category is also the most expensive. It's Apple's $399 iPad mini with Retina display. Apple's device has a gorgeous display that's the largest by surface area of our three choices, and it's tied in to Apple's huge ecosystem of apps. The high-resolution display makes text clear and its 4:3 aspect ratio means it's better suited for reading magazines and comic books than the wider-screen Android tablets.<p>Amazon's $229 Kindle Fire HDX 7-inch also has a gorgeous display, and is tied in to Amazon's excellent book, video, and app stores. It's focused on consuming media in a way that no Android tablet (or the iPad) can really match, since that's what Amazon is all about.<p>If you've already invested in Android apps and want a "pure" Android device, go with Google's $229 Nexus 7. It's tied in to Google's stores and the Android ecosystem and also has a great display. But we liked the Kindle Fire <p>You can use iBooks on the iPad and Google Play Books on the Nexus and iPad, but the Kindle app is available on all of them. It's not the best app—in fact, Google and Apple's reading apps are both superior—but Amazon's the one that's available on just about every device under the sun, which is why it's the best place to buy ebooks if you're switching across different platforms.

Buying Guide: Find the perfect ebook reader

Are paper books a menace that threatens the very foundations of modern society? Well, of course they aren't. I'm married to a librar...

Read more »

How to transform any HDTV into a smart TV

Lots of us jumped on the HD bandwagon the moment HDTVs became available. By being early adopters, we got to enjoy the benefits of HD content from the get-go. Unfortunately, the early equipment needed to watch HDTV was quickly rendered obsolete by better performing, more attractive, and smarter products.<p>Early HDTVs were strictly high-definition televisions. But modern HDTVs are essentially all-in-one computers that can run apps, access the Web, handle games, and do all sorts of other cool stuff.<p>If you have an older HDTV without any "smart" features and you can't afford or just don't want to upgrade to a newer, more capable set yet, you may be interested in these fairly inexpensive devices for adding smart features to your existing set.<p>Cast away<p>Google's Chromecast HDMI dongle ($35) is a very affordable way to add some useful capabilities to a TV. It doesn't add any smart features to an HDTV by itself; but after you install the Chromecast app on an iOS or Android device, you can send content from supported streaming sources—Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Pandora, Google Play Music & Movies, and a host of others—to an HDTV. You can also send content from the Google Chrome browser on a Mac or Windows system to a Chromecast device, if you've installed the free Google Cast plug-in.<p>Google's affordable Chromecast HDMI dongle enables users to send content from a mobile device or PC running the Google Chrome browser directly to an HDTV.<p>To set it up, simply plug it into an available HDMI port on your TV and then plug in the Chromecast's power cable. The power cable uses a standard micro-USB connector, so you may even be able to use the USB port on your TV (if it has one) to feed power to the Chromecast. If not, you can use the included stand-alone power adapter.<p>Select the correct HDMI input on your TV to see what the Chromecast is displaying onscreen, and run the Chromecast app on your mobile device to complete the setup. The Chromecast will display some identifying information onscreen that you'll need to enter into the Chromecast app, and the app will scan for the device and let you configure it for your wireless network. When the configuration is complete, you can stream content to your TV by tapping the Chromecast button in a supported app or browser window.<p>Doin' it dongle style<p>On the next level up from simple devices like the Google Chromecast are Android-based HDMI dongles such as the Tronsmart CX-919 and the Measy 'U' line of products (U1A, U2A, and so on). These devices typically sell for about $60 to $100, depending on their specifications (higher-powered devices are more expensive).<p>The Tronsmart CX-919 HDMI dongle's innards are similar to those of an Android-based tablet, sans the screen. Connect it to an HDMI input on an HDTV, and it essentially turns the TV into an all-in-one Android-based mini-PC.<p>These dongles feature internal hardware similar to that of many smartphones and tablets: They have ARM-based SoCs attached to a bit of memory, flash storage, and network controllers, and they run the Android OS. Plug the device in to an available HDMI port on an HDTV and supply the needed power, and the dongle will essentially turn your TV into an all-in-one computer running Android. You'll have to plug a mouse/keyboard into the dongle (or connect input devices wirelessly via Bluetooth) to complete the setup and click icons or enter text. When you're done, you'll have access to everything the Web and the Google Play store have to offer.<p>Other options in this price range include such devices as Apple TV, Roku, and the Boxee Box, which are great products in their own right. They don't, however, have access to as many apps as the Android-based dongles, which can access virtually anything an Android-based mobile device can.<p>Going all out<p>Connecting a Home Theater PC (HTPC) to your HDTV is arguably the most flexible and powerful way to add smart features to your television. With an HTPC, you can run various operating systems and HTPC front ends, and access content available over the Web or via stand-alone applications like Netflix and Hulu. All of that additional flexibility and power requires a larger investment, however, and using an HTPC is usually clunkier and more complex than using a purpose-build dongle or media streaming device.<p>Home-theater PCs are a great way to bring content and smart features to an HDTV, but they're the most complex and expensive option.<p>HTPCs are available in many shapes and sizes, at a wide range of prices. Do-it-yourselfers can configure an HTPC to their liking, but companies like Zotac and ASRock also offer smaller systems designed for use in home-theater environments.<p>Connecting an HTPC to an HDTV usually involves nothing more than attaching an HDMI cable to an available input on the TV; but array of software, content portals, HTPC front-ends, and player choices available makes it impossible to cover them all. XBMC and Plex are favorites among HTPC enthusiasts, but tons of standalone app.

How to transform any HDTV into a smart TV

Lots of us jumped on the HD bandwagon the moment HDTVs became available. By being early adopters, we got to enjoy the benefits of HD content...

Read more »

Buying Guide: Find the perfect ebook reader

Are paper books a menace that threatens the very foundations of modern society? Well, of course they aren't. I'm married to a librarian, and she thinks that paper books are nifty. But when it comes to compactness and convenience, you can't beat electronic books, newspapers, and magazines.<p>The Kindle Paperwhite is a great choice as a dedicated reader.<p>So if you've decided to embrace the post-paper reading world, what's the best device to help you make that journey? That depends on if you want to buy a dedicated reading device or a more versatile tablet.<p>That might seem like a question with an obvious answer: Tablets have fancy color screens and thousands of apps, while dedicated reading devices tend to be simple black-and-white devices that might seem like outmoded, old technology. But dedicated ereaders have a bunch of advantages of their own.<p>The case for a dedicated reader<p>Dedicated readers such as the Kindle and Nook use E Ink technology. These days E Ink can really only render black and white (and shades of gray), so it's hardly a colorful experience, but the display itself is much better than in the early days of Kindle. Back then, text was dark gray on a light gray background. With this latest generation of ebook readers, text is crisp and dark and the backgrounds are almost white.<p>A device with E Ink feels very much like an ink-on-paper book. These devices don't make you feel like you're staring at a backlit computer screen, but a printed page. They also tend to be quite light and compact, which gives them more of the weight and feel of an actual book.<p>And then there's the trump card of dedicated readers: They're great in bright sunlight. If you like to read outside—in the backyard or at the beach, say—glare just isn't a problem like it is with tablets. The backlighting on a tablet will have an awful time competing with the brightness of the sun, and the glare of that glass tablet screen makes matters even worse.<p>Dedicated readers are also a lot cheaper than tablets, which may make you more comfortable toting them around with you. Put it in a purse, bring it to the beach (maybe in a zip-top bag, for sand and water protection?), and don't worry too much about thieves. These things aren't free, but they're not $300 investments either.<p>Yes, dedicated ebook readers don't have fancy apps that let you check Twitter and read your email and surf the web. But consider that a feature. Those other apps are distractions from reading. Using a dedicated ebook reader adds focus. When I'm reading a novel on my Kindle, there's no temptation to flip over to Twitter. When I'm reading on my iPad, I know that the entire Internet is a single gesture away. I am a much more productive reader on my Kindle. (And for the record, yes, I own both an iPad mini and a Kindle Paperwhite. And I read most of my books on the Paperwhite for this very reason.)<p>Since dedicated readers are black and white, they're best for reading long runs of text. They're great for novels and decent for newspapers, too. If you want to read magazines or comics or anything that requires color or complex interactivity, a dedicated reader isn't for you. But if all you want is something to let you read mystery novels, you don't need the fancy color displays found on tablets.<p>If you've decided that a dedicated reader is right for you, the best dedicated ebook reader is the $119 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. It's got a touchscreen and lights itself, so you can read it in the dark. If you're already a part of Amazon's ecosystem, it's a great choice.<p>A perfectly suitable alternative is Barnes & Noble's $119 Nook Glowlight. It's got essentially the same features, and doesn't feature ads on its lock screen like the Paperwhite. (You have to pay Amazon $20 more to turn off its "Special Offers," which are occasionally special but more often just ads for books.)<p>If you want a cut-rate ereader, we'd still recommend sticking with Amazon or Barnes & Noble. The Nook Simple Touch is $39 and and the plain ol' Kindle is $69. But really, spring for the extra money so that your ereader lights itself in dark places.<p>Want more than text?<p>If you've decided that a blank-and-white reader just isn't going to do it for you, you're now entering the realm of the full-on tablet devices. This article isn't going to answer the question of what the very best tablet is, but it can recommend the best tablets for reading.<p>You should buy a smaller tablet—you don't need a 9- or 10-inch tablet display (and the accompanying weight) if all you really want to do is read text, look at pictures, and maybe watch some videos.<p>The best choice in this category is also the most expensive. It's Apple's $399 iPad mini with Retina display. Apple's device has a gorgeous display that's the largest by surface area of our three choices, and it's tied in to Apple's huge ecosystem of apps. The high-resolution display makes text clear and its 4:3 aspect ratio means it's better suited for reading magazines and comic books than the wider-screen Android tablets.<p>Amazon's $229 Kindle Fire HDX 7-inch also has a gorgeous display, and is tied in to Amazon's excellent book, video, and app stores. It's focused on consuming media in a way that no Android tablet (or the iPad) can really match, since that's what Amazon is all about.<p>If you've already invested in Android apps and want a "pure" Android device, go with Google's $229 Nexus 7. It's tied in to Google's stores and the Android ecosystem and also has a great display. But we liked the Kindle Fire <p>You can use iBooks on the iPad and Google Play Books on the Nexus and iPad, but the Kindle app is available on all of them. It's not the best app—in fact, Google and Apple's reading apps are both superior—but Amazon's the one that's available on just about every device under the sun, which is why it's the best place to buy ebooks if you're switching across different platforms.

Buying Guide: Find the perfect ebook reader

Are paper books a menace that threatens the very foundations of modern society? Well, of course they aren't. I'm married to a librar...

Read more »

How to transform any HDTV into a smart TV

Lots of us jumped on the HD bandwagon the moment HDTVs became available. By being early adopters, we got to enjoy the benefits of HD content from the get-go. Unfortunately, the early equipment needed to watch HDTV was quickly rendered obsolete by better performing, more attractive, and smarter products.<p>Early HDTVs were strictly high-definition televisions. But modern HDTVs are essentially all-in-one computers that can run apps, access the Web, handle games, and do all sorts of other cool stuff.<p>If you have an older HDTV without any "smart" features and you can't afford or just don't want to upgrade to a newer, more capable set yet, you may be interested in these fairly inexpensive devices for adding smart features to your existing set.<p>Cast away<p>Google's Chromecast HDMI dongle ($35) is a very affordable way to add some useful capabilities to a TV. It doesn't add any smart features to an HDTV by itself; but after you install the Chromecast app on an iOS or Android device, you can send content from supported streaming sources—Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Pandora, Google Play Music & Movies, and a host of others—to an HDTV. You can also send content from the Google Chrome browser on a Mac or Windows system to a Chromecast device, if you've installed the free Google Cast plug-in.<p>Google's affordable Chromecast HDMI dongle enables users to send content from a mobile device or PC running the Google Chrome browser directly to an HDTV.<p>To set it up, simply plug it into an available HDMI port on your TV and then plug in the Chromecast's power cable. The power cable uses a standard micro-USB connector, so you may even be able to use the USB port on your TV (if it has one) to feed power to the Chromecast. If not, you can use the included stand-alone power adapter.<p>Select the correct HDMI input on your TV to see what the Chromecast is displaying onscreen, and run the Chromecast app on your mobile device to complete the setup. The Chromecast will display some identifying information onscreen that you'll need to enter into the Chromecast app, and the app will scan for the device and let you configure it for your wireless network. When the configuration is complete, you can stream content to your TV by tapping the Chromecast button in a supported app or browser window.<p>Doin' it dongle style<p>On the next level up from simple devices like the Google Chromecast are Android-based HDMI dongles such as the Tronsmart CX-919 and the Measy 'U' line of products (U1A, U2A, and so on). These devices typically sell for about $60 to $100, depending on their specifications (higher-powered devices are more expensive).<p>The Tronsmart CX-919 HDMI dongle's innards are similar to those of an Android-based tablet, sans the screen. Connect it to an HDMI input on an HDTV, and it essentially turns the TV into an all-in-one Android-based mini-PC.<p>These dongles feature internal hardware similar to that of many smartphones and tablets: They have ARM-based SoCs attached to a bit of memory, flash storage, and network controllers, and they run the Android OS. Plug the device in to an available HDMI port on an HDTV and supply the needed power, and the dongle will essentially turn your TV into an all-in-one computer running Android. You'll have to plug a mouse/keyboard into the dongle (or connect input devices wirelessly via Bluetooth) to complete the setup and click icons or enter text. When you're done, you'll have access to everything the Web and the Google Play store have to offer.<p>Other options in this price range include such devices as Apple TV, Roku, and the Boxee Box, which are great products in their own right. They don't, however, have access to as many apps as the Android-based dongles, which can access virtually anything an Android-based mobile device can.<p>Going all out<p>Connecting a Home Theater PC (HTPC) to your HDTV is arguably the most flexible and powerful way to add smart features to your television. With an HTPC, you can run various operating systems and HTPC front ends, and access content available over the Web or via stand-alone applications like Netflix and Hulu. All of that additional flexibility and power requires a larger investment, however, and using an HTPC is usually clunkier and more complex than using a purpose-build dongle or media streaming device.<p>Home-theater PCs are a great way to bring content and smart features to an HDTV, but they're the most complex and expensive option.<p>HTPCs are available in many shapes and sizes, at a wide range of prices. Do-it-yourselfers can configure an HTPC to their liking, but companies like Zotac and ASRock also offer smaller systems designed for use in home-theater environments.<p>Connecting an HTPC to an HDTV usually involves nothing more than attaching an HDMI cable to an available input on the TV; but array of software, content portals, HTPC front-ends, and player choices available makes it impossible to cover them all. XBMC and Plex are favorites among HTPC enthusiasts, but tons of standalone app.

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5 Everyday Things You Can Do to Keep Your Computer Healthy

Hygiene is important! Most of us have it under control for ourselves, but for a lot of our technology, it's a bit messier under the hood. Just like keeping your house clean or brushing your teeth addresses problems before they can start, a little prevention of common computer problems can save you hours and dollars down the road. And, as with any intimidating situation, even a little foreknowledge and preparation can be vastly empowering.<br> <br>For complicated machines like our cars, computers and gadgets, it's easy to be overwhelmed. It's not that we're being walled off from that knowledge at all -- they're our machines, we should know how to work with them, and the information is readily available -- but it can sometimes feel like an episode of "House" in there: Change one thing over here, and suddenly it's going haywire in a completely different area. So we tend to just shrug and keep going, even though our tech could work better than it does.<br> <br>If you think about how much of your daily life is spent working with, or deriving benefit from, your desktop or laptop computer, that can be scary all on its own. It's a catch-22, in a way: We don't want to mess with our computers because we don't want to cause problems, so we treat the back end like a room we never go into ... which causes problems! Not everybody can be a DIY mastermind -- I'm certainly not one -- but with a few simple routines and tips, you can keep your computer's works as clean as a whistle without ever feeling like you've crossed the line or permanently ruined everything.<br> <br>In this article, we'll look at the best ways to keep your machine working smoothly and quickly without breaking your budget -- or causing more problems as you learn.<br><br>Keeping It Cool<br>Most of us understand that computers need to stay cool, theoretically. But the convenience of a laptop and the reliability of a desktop make it easy to forget to keep this idea in play. The desktop lives in its own special place, wherever that may be, and we go to it when we need to do something. It's easy to forget all the environmental issues that could be going on in there.<br> <br>First, you want to ensure that there's plenty of airflow around all sides of the computer, especially the back on a desktop and often the bottom and sides for a laptop. While it's easy to declutter your desk or work area, it's also important to remember this tip if your tower lives under your desk, or in a special cubby, because the hot air in those situations can build up and recycle itself, getting hotter and hotter inside the space. Keep the cabinet doors open, for example, or take off the cubby's back panel to ensure<br> <br>You might have heard, or intuited, that taking the case off your computer is a good idea in cases of overheating. That's actually incorrect, because the case around your computer's guts is there to protect it from dirt and fuzz, which is one of the most common causes of overheating. Dust, pet hair, and all the rest of the daily grime are the biggest cause of PC temperature issues, because they interfere with the fans meant to cool your equipment down. If you've ever cracked a case open and looked at the fans inside, you won't have forgotten that grungy sight. Case closed, please.<br> <br>Which leads us to the most helpful way to be proactive here: by cleaning and/or replacing the fans that keep everything working. While expensive solutions like water-cooling kits and phase-change units (imagine a high-end deep freeze for your machine) aren't necessary for the average computer, you can easily install extra fans for components inside the machine that are getting too excited for their own good. Chances are, whatever fans came pre-installed are not top of the line anyway, so if you're running into repeat issues on this front you might look into extra, or better, fans.<br> <br>They're easy to spot: There's going to be one on the CPU, one inside the power supply, and probably another one on the front or side of the case itself. Just turn the computer off, take it outside, and clear those fans out with some canned air before deciding whether to upgrade. It's going to be nasty, but it's also pretty satisfying once you've  gotten things clean again.<br> <br>Powering UPS<br>Electrical outlets seem like a pretty simple proposition: You plug your stuff into them, and they work. (Even when you travel to other countries, with a little help.) But what we're not seeing our computers deal with is the little blips and interruptions coming out over the grid, all the time. Your average computer sold in the U.S. is meant to work off 120-volt AC power, oscillating at 60 Hz, but often that's not exactly what it's getting. Even if you never see the effect of those slip-ups and surges, the spikes and sags and tiny little brown-outs, the millisecond bumps in oscillation, your computer is feeling them.<br> <br>The Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers tells us the typical AC outlet in North America gets a surge more than 600v (that's five times what your computer wants, and twice as much as what's dangerous to the equipment) about 13 times daily, and one more than 3000v (10 times the recommended maximum) about three times a week.<br> <br>In fact, it's estimated that 47 percent of computer problems can be traced back, eventually, to this so-called "dirty power" [source: Superuser] An Uninterruptible Power Source, or UPS, is designed to keep the power coming steadily and constantly, even in the face of a total power outage, by using a battery and modulation system to filter the electric power. Essentially, it means your computer is always running off the UPS's battery, which the UPS is always recharging. That means there's no switchover time, like you'd imagine with a generator or other backup.<br> <br>If you're convinced, just remember to keep your UPS grounded, replace the battery every three years -- you can get the replacements when you buy the unit, for convenience's sake -- and don't plug your printer or any other external devices into it. And, as is often recommended, it's probably a good idea to let the battery completely die at least a few times a year and recharge it from baseline.<br> <br>Routine Software Checks<br>There are three utilities you should get to know, even if that's as far as you want to go with the man behind the curtain: defragmentation, disk checks and an antivirus program. Most of the free antivirus software we'll be looking at comes bundled with analogues of the other two -- as well as a version of the very helpful task scheduler we'll talk about later -- so we'll focus there, but here are some definitions for the layman. What these terms refer to is the wilderness of digital energy inside your computer's memory drives, which are naturally a lot less tidy than you might expect.<br> <br>Defrag. Whenever you change, move, copy or delete a file, your computer usually does the minimum work necessary to give you the desired result. That means bits and pieces of files are left around in the empty spaces, not useful but also not gone, meaning your "free" space isn't technically free. A defrag utility will go hunting through the wilds of your free space, collecting those random shadows and getting rid of them for good. This frees up space your computer didn't even know it had, as well as speeding up the machine by pushing all the data that still matters into a more compact area of the disk so that your CPU doesn't have to hunt around for the various pieces of stuff you still<br> <br>Immensely satisfying, whether you -- like me -- simply prefer things clean and elegant, are paranoid about leftover data, or just want to make everyday tasks easier and faster for your machine. (You will have to clear out at least 15 percent of the space on the drive before it can work, so if your problem is an over-full memory, you'll need to delete some stuff before it can give you the extra space.)<br> <br>Chkdsk. Hand-in-hand with the defrag utility is this holdover from the early DOS days. It's a brute-force way of checking disks for errors, and it's the kind of thing you don't think about until about five minutes too late. If you don't use a sector of the disk -- or it's been left to the shadows, as above -- you might never know it's troubled until the computer tries to save something there. That's why Defrag usually includes or requires Chkdsk before it starts sorting through your leftovers. Just remember that a disk check requires exclusive access to the volume (For example, "C:" drive) before it starts, so you might have to go play on your phone or tablet for a while.<br> <br>Antivirus. Of course, we all get into trouble. Even if we're not doing anything particularly shady or questionable, viruses get in: That's what they're made for. You need a solid watchdog program, but you'll also want something you can use for analysis when you're feeling suspicious or nervous about the way something's acting. We judge antivirus software by three things: how much malware and viruses a program can detect, how good it is at getting them out of there without a trace or secondary issues, and how much memory and power they take up.<br> <br>There are some great free programs on the market that excel in all three areas. The most popular ones are self-updating, meaning they're always learning new red-flags and ways of locating and immunizing against threats, they include utilities like those listed above so you can clean house all from one location (very satisfying), and they include task schedulers that can make all of these things happen while you're asleep!<br> <br>Back It Up!<br>One easy way to remember your backup system -- which is to say, remember to actually use it -- is to remember that World Backup Day comes just before April Fool's Day, and that's no mistake. A lot of us are moving into the cloud these days, keeping our information and media online and accessing or streaming it at-will.<br> <br>But if your needs are different -- if you have lots of data or media you want to keep to yourself, protect, or otherwise maintain access to regardless of equipment failure -- you really should listen to your IT guy and back that stuff up. (You also should have a backup system for all your important files you keep in the cloud.) While external hard drives have become easy to come by, there are plenty of services that provide storage, free or for a price, that can sync your data easily and seamlessly, so that you never have to worry about another crash or disaster.<br> <br>Questions you should use to guide this search for the perfect match for your needs: How does the syncing work, and how often does it happen? Can you share the data with other people or computers? Can you access your data over the Web? Does it cover more than one computer? How about more than one type? Can you get a plan for both Macs and PCs at once? And how much is price a factor? You're going to be using gadgets other than your desktop or laptop more and more, if you don't already: You may need phone access or tablet access in the future that you don't need now, and the hassle of moving large storehouses of information can quickly be a real drag.<br> <br>While many of the larger companies cater to a certain kind of paranoia -- as a sales tactic, of course -- these questions still matter, because you need to find the perfect backup service for you. The information that is most important to you will be just as important, at the end of the day, regardless of what you decide here. But in terms of your computer's health, and your own peace of mind, this is a comparison-shopping situation that could end up meaning a great deal down the road. Think about it this way: The more time you spend making the best choice now, the more likely you are to actually use the service, which is the end goal.<br> <br>

5 Everyday Things You Can Do to Keep Your Computer Healthy

Hygiene is important! Most of us have it under control for ourselves, but for a lot of our technology, it's a bit messier under the hood...

Read more »