A few words about the author:
Written by Elena Pakhomova of www.ReclaiMe.com, specializing in data recovery solutions for storage devices.

When you need to erase data irreversibly

You don’t want that someone inspects your data
There are situations when you need to erase data from a data storage device irreversibly. For example, you want to give away or sell your hard disk. Obviously, you don’t want someone else inspecting your data. In such cases it is not enough to just delete all folders and files because any data recovery software can easily restore all the data back.

To be sure that all the data is deleted irreversibly you can:

• first delete all old data, then write some useless data to fill the entire disk; movies, cartoons are ideal for this. Finally, you should check that the disk space is filled with new data.

• use complete format when formatting the device in Windows Vista/7. Actually, there is no a “complete format” button; to do a complete format you need to uncheck a “perform a quick format” checkbox. Note that if you apply a complete format under Windows XP, the data is still recoverable.

• take a special tool which is capable of erasing data from storage devices irreversibly. Sometimes such tools are also called low level format tools.
The third method is the most convenient and easy. You just download software to erase data, select a device, and start erasing. There are many tools to erase data off a drive irreversibly, both paid and free, for example Lowvel and HDD LLF.

Freshen up a second hand hard drive
When you are going to use a second hand disk, it is desirable that you do the low level format (zero fill) using special software before writing your own data on it. The point is that such tools write to each sector on the disk. Usually the tools write all zeros or all binary 1s, although there is no standard what to write and, frankly speaking, from the users’ point of view it doesn’t matter what “rubbish” will fill his or her disk.

When the tools write to each sector on the disk they help to detect bad sectors, forcing the disk to reallocate them, i.e. to replace bad sectors with “healthy” ones from a reserved pool.

When a low level format tool completes the format, you can look into the S.M.A.R.T. data and find out, say, that there are too many bad sectors on the disk and therefore it makes no sense to keep it. Alternatively, you can see that the disk is OK and it is safe to store your data on it. In S.M.A.R.T. data the value of 197 attribute (Current Pending Sector Count) must be zero. If you cannot achieve zero in this attribute even after several zero-fill runs, it would be better to replace the disk.

All in all, erasing of the disk with a low level format tool allows you to avoid some of the problems relating to data loss due to a disk failure in the future.

Improve performance on SSD

Solid State Drives (SSD) may or may not support a TRIM command forcing an SSD to erase unused data blocks in advance (old SSDs typically don’t). Additionally, it is often impossible to use TRIM on SSDs connected to RAID controllers.

Using TRIM improves SSD performance in terms of write speed because an SSD can write only to a blank block, that was never written to or that is already erased. If a block is not erased, then new data cannot be written to it until the block is erased.

If SSD does not support TRIM, its write speed will degrade since it will need to erase a block before to write user data. If there is a possibility, you should do low level format for such SSDs from time to time. Notable difference from the previous cases is that a low level format tool which is used to erase an SSD must fill the disk with zeros, not with something else.

It is interesting to note that zero filling can be applied not only to an SSD not capable of TRIM, but also to a TRIM-capable SSD working under an operating system that doesn’t support TRIM, like Windows XP.

How to erase data irreversibly using low level format software

1. Download and install low level format software. Take care not to install the software on a drive which you are going to “kill”.
2. Launch the software, specify the disk to erase.
3. Click the “Start” button. On this step you get the full information about the drive: model name, revision, names and sizes of the partitions it contains, filesystems used on the partitions and so on. Along with the information, you get a warning saying the data on the drive will be erased irreversibly. At this point you still can cancel data erasing by clicking the “Cancel” button.
4. Click “Erase”. The software will begin to overwrite the drive’s contents with zeros, showing the process of erasing on the disk map in real time.

Once the tool completes its work, the drive’s contents will be overwritten and no one, not even the FBI, can restore the previous data.

The Surface Pro from Microsoft has been out for a while now, and yet it is still hot news. Having only just launched in Europe, and with a design that is still incredibly divisive, people can’t help but talk about the machine whether or not they count themselves as fans.

The concept behind the device is certainly an interesting one. It’s one of the first mainstream tablets to offer the full power of a PC with Windows x86 operating system, meaning that users should in theory be able to take their work with them easily and no longer be tethered to a desk or a laptop.

For SEOs and webmasters this is an intriguing prospect. Many of us who started working online did so in order to become more free – so that we could work where we wanted, when we wanted and how we wanted. Even with a netbook this freedom can sometimes be compromised as we are forced to boot up, sit down and type. What if you could stand up with a Surface Pro in one hand and doodle your design ideas straight onto the screen while talking with friends?

That’s the promise that Surface offers, but with mixed reviews, can it really deliver? If you work online for a living, is this a step forward or a step back? And is it a worthy investment bearing in mind the high price tag. Read on to find out…

Trade Offs

When you first load up a Microsoft Surface Pro, you can’t help but be impressed. The thing is slick and this is true of everything from the hardware to the software integration. It moved fast, it uses an attractive UI, and it’s generally a hot piece of kit.

Pretty soon after the initial wow factor has worn off though and you try to get down to some serious work, you’ll find that there are a number of annoying compromises and that some things that should be easy are frustratingly difficult and fiddly.

Take that impressive kickstand for instance. It’s satisfying to use, but it only offers one viewing angle for users which means that you can’t tilt the screen up or down. This isn’t a problem too often fortunately, as the angle that has been chosen is pleasing on the eye and easy to use. When it does become an issue though, is when you’re sitting in front of a bright window and battling with glare. This is a shiny screen at the best of times and with no way to change the angle you’ll possibly find some situations rather headache inducing.

If you‘re a power user getting used to Windows 8 and the new Word, you’ll be frustrated at things like the lack of start button, the oddly placed FN key on the touch cover and the awkward saving process. Fortunately, Microsoft has anticipated your concerns and provided shortcuts and workarounds in each case (FN12 for instance still allows you to save the way you’re used to), but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s annoying. Even as a tablet, the weight makes the device cumbersome and the touchscreen keyboard is temperamental (though the UI is nice).

But then use it a little longer and you’ll find that these trade-offs also come with bonuses. Correcting spelling mistakes in Word for instance is superfast if you have a touch screen. Being able to take YouTube with you to the kitchen when you’re making tea makes life a little bit better. And having that pen is fantastic for web designers.

So the point is, that the Surface Pro is different. It’s not perfect unfortunately, but nothing is. If you want to add to your repertoire though, and find how this device can fit into your working day (and if you have the extra cash), then it’s certainly worth checking out.

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 

The author of this post, Vadim Kirichenko, is a part time blogger and an internet marketing expert. Having worked with some of the top search engine optimization companies, he can be considered as one of the top marketing consultants. His interest in using the best and latest technology available for web optimization is what makes him different from others.

The exponential improvements in technology that we’ve seen over the past few decades have changed our lives in more ways than most of us realise. Of course technology has changed the way we use our free time often, and it’s made communication faster and easier; but at the same time it has also changed the way that we do business and get things done. Not long after the advent of the first computers, and the vast majority of us now rely on a computer to earn our living.

More recently though, these changes have also started to liberate us from our desks and allow us to take our work away from the office. Thanks to the portability of our devices, and the sheer potential of the cloud, it’s now possible for us to take our work home with us or even to work while we travel.

But while this is mostly good news, it also means that we’re faced with a number of new challenges. When you’re working from home, how do you stay motivated? How do you force yourself out of bed? And how do you stop your attention from wandering when you’ve been staring at a computer screen for five hours?

The Importance of Routine

What’s important to realise here right away, is that you need to maintain some form of routine. When you’re given the ‘go ahead’ to work from home and thus to set your own hours and your own schedule, you may well find yourself becoming excited at the prospect of lying in until all hours or working in the evening when everyone’s gone to bed.

This is not good advice however, as the lack of routine will only make you more tired and more likely to lose concentration. By going to bed at the same time every day, waking up at the same time every day and working for similar hours, you can get your bodyclock into a routine that will ensure that you have the energy you need to get out of bed and which will ensure that you don’t feel ‘groggy’ when you wake up.

In fact, a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things here of all – as otherwise you will find yourself struggling to focus and the lure of the couch will become too much to bear. If you think tiredness is holding you back, then look into improving your sleep and into ways that you can wake yourself up with caffeine/music if need-be.

Start Right Away

Just as you mustn’t let yourself lie in, you also shouldn’t give yourself time to ‘come around’ or ‘wake up slowly’ in the morning. You might think that this would be a good way to build energy for the work ahead, but all you will do is put yourself into a restful frame of mind and make the workload seem bigger as the day goes on.

Every morning as soon as you’re up, go over to your computer and answer the first e-mail. Once you’ve done that you’ll find you’re more likely to get the rest done quickly as we’re psychologically compelled to finish incomplete tasks. If you finish early, you’ll have all afternoon to rest.

To make this a little easier, here’s a quick tip: set your homepage as the page you need first for work.

You Don’t Have to Be At Home

The lure of the couch may well be tempting even if you’ve had a good night’s sleep and started work at 9 as usual. If that’s a problem though, there’s no reason that you can’t completely remove the temptation by leaving the house with your computer entirely and working in a coffee shop or public library. You may just find that the change of scene gives you the kickstart you need.

Oh – and never work in your bedroom. Doing this will blur the line between where you work and where you switch off which will make it harder to sleep when you go to bed and harder to work when you’re trying to be productive.

 Working from home can be very liberating, and it can mean you get to spend much more time with your loved ones. However if you don’t look after your body and instil discipline, it can end up having the exact opposite effect. Be strict with yourself and don’t go crazy with the sleep, and you should find working from home to be a real privilege.

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Today’s guest author, Abbey Brooks, is a sales executive at CPAPonly, a leading dealer for cheap CPAP machines in Australia. She is a warm and friendly person. She enjoys reading books of her favorite genres in her spare time.

If you are willing to spend the money, you are bound to find a technological device to do just about anything – and everything – you could ever want done. 

As a result, we have developed a very quantified life.  We track, record, and analyze nearly every aspect of our being.

In some regards, this can be distracting, time consuming and even a little obsessive.  However, in other ways, these technological devices can really enhance our lives.

Using Technology to Improve Health

The health industry is the latest arena to be inundated with techie gadgets.  Now, there are ways to gather information that was otherwise inaccessible outside a clinic. 

This information makes it easier to set manageable goals.  Individuals can see exactly what is and isn’t working.  They can identify and change unhealthy aspects of their lives. 

When it comes to exercise, these gadgets make our time in the gym more productive and less expensive.  By purchasing just a few of these devices, you can virtually eliminate the need for a personal trainer.

By uploading the data gathered to a smartphone, computer or social media account, we can easily assess trends, progress and areas of improvement.  Never before have we had access to such accurate and helpful information.

Let’s take a look at the top health gadgets and see just how much they can enhance our lives.

Basis Fitness Watch

This stylish fashion accessory is anything but simple.  In fact, no watch in history has provided as much useful health information!  In fact, telling time is the least significant aspect!

The Basis compiles all sorts of useful biometric data – like blood flow, skin temperature, sleep habits and even perspiration. 

By gathering all this data, the user can take a detailed look at their health habits and instigate change where change is needed.  The Basic will even help you out by pointing to areas of improvement and making lifestyle alteration suggestions.

FitBit Flex

The Flex is another wrist accessory that is more utilitarian than anything else.  Like the Basic, the Flex gathers all sorts of useful information – including distance traveled and calories burned.

By recording this data in real time, users can make adjustments throughout the day.  They can make changes while there is still time to reach their daily goals.  Plus, the data can help motivate and encourage users when they are right on track.

HAPILABS HAPIfork

On the surface, the HAPIfork might seem a little over the top.  After all, who really needs an electronic fork?!

The HAPIfork was designed to help prevent over eating.  Studies show people consume more than they need; they eat so quickly they don’t have time to realize they are full.

This electronic fork monitors how many forkfuls are eaten at each meal.  It logs how many bites a person takes per minute and how much time elapses between mouthfuls.  Indicator lights will flash to tell users they are eating too quickly.

At the end of the meal, all this data can be uploaded to a computer or phone via USB.

Mio Alpha

The Alpha is the dream device for runners and cyclists.  It is a wristwatch heart rate monitor that is amazingly accurate.  Never again will athletes need to suffer under a suffocating chest strap.

Withings Smart Body Analyzer

This is, perhaps, a dieter’s best friend.  Too often we step onto the scale, only to be disheartened by the lack of progress we perceive.  Everyone says there is more to weight loss than shedding pounds.  However, those other changes are much harder to monitor…until now.

The Smart Body Analyzer tracks weight, body mass index, fat percentage, and heart rate.  It conveniently shares this data with a computer via WiFi.  Now, weight loss hopefuls will have a much better idea of the progress they are making.

In today’s health conscious and technology driven world, it was only a matter of time before the two niches collided.  Now, we all can reap the rewards of gadgets and technological tools to live a healthier life.

Martha Delgado is a health and fitness writer.  Today, she is sharing information from her own personal experience.  She recently went on a health kick, reforming her entire life.  She purchased both the FitBit Flex and B12 shots from Trim Nutrition.  She loved looking at the data from Flex before and after starting her vitamin B12 injections.  It was so encouraging to see the healthy lifestyle changes that were instigated by the vitamin B12 on her daily Flex reports.

It seems that everybody is struggling to make ends meet these days, and that goes double for those of us saving for a mortgage deposit. So how exactly are we supposed to manage day in day out? Well you could make a start by looking closer to home and see if you can cut a few corners with everyday expenses. This may seem easier than done but it isn’t that hard when you think about it. There are some really helpful gadgets that have been designed to lighten the load regarding saving money at home. If you like the sound of these products,please read this article and see if they aren’t just what you were looking for!

Electricity Usage Monitor – Various Manufacturers

We use electrical appliances fairly often at home and they actually account for over 20% of our total energy bill. Many of these will use electricity even after they have been turned off, and this is known as ‘standby power usage’. The best way to see how your appliances deal with electricity and how much they use is by employing an electricity usage monitor. You can then decide which appliances need to be unplugged and which ones need to be used far less. You can also join various social media sites that compare different brands of appliances and rate them on power usage. This is as good a place as any to start your battles against high utility bills.

Programmable Thermostat – Various Manufacturers

If we use heating or air-conditioning to make home life more comfortable, we need to take a closer look at how efficiently these appliances are being managed. The air temperature can be reduced at specific times of the day and even turned off when the house is empty. An average household will save about 20% on their heating/cooling bill if a thermostat is set up correctly.  Just by starting to notice the different ways in which we use these energy driven appliances is a big step in the right direction!

Price Comparison apps – Various Smartphones

We all love the price comparison website where you can compare the vastly different prices of services and products from different suppliers. Well this app takes it a giant step further as you can scan in various products whilst shopping and see what the other vendors can do in comparison. We love this app so much that it sometimes even makes shopping a whole lot of fun, and that is no mean feat! Just remember why it was that you left the house in the first place otherwise you will come home happy but empty handed! Look out for Red Laser and ShopSavvy to begin your shopping-tastic journey!

Water Filtration System – Various Manufacturers

Bottled water is delicious, but how much are you spending on it every week? In 2008, the typical American was consuming 30 gallons of bottled h20 every annum. This means a total spend of $320 is going on something that is virtually free! By installing a water filtration system you can save a heap of bucks! The typical system only cost about $40 and makes the water just as tasty as the bottled liquid. It may seem like a simple way to save money, that’s because it is!

Get Saving Now!

So here are 4 ways to start making savings by being a little more switched on. There are dozens of other activities that can help you to spend less, just put on your thinking cap and you’ll soon be in the money!

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Today’s featured writer, Ryan Smith, provides mortgage in Toronto.  When he is not busy assisting people get home loans, he likes to read books and write for blogs.