Gadgets Gizmos Gossip

In the last decade, USB flash drives have become phenomenally popular all over the world, particularly when it comes to transporting data. It’s not hard to understand why, as USB flash drives are small, easy to transport and have very little in the way of moving parts than can be affected by dropping, scratches, dust, etc. In addition to this, modern USB drives can hold a considerable amount of data (up to around 300GB), making them a preferable alternative to external hard drives, CD’s and DVD’s (all of which are easily damaged).

However, whilst USB drives offer numerous benefits in terms of portability and reliability, they do have some drawbacks when it comes to transporting sensitive or personal data. USB drives are easily lost (due to their size and weight) and make a fairly easy target for thieves – something that’s particularly pertinent in the case of data that needs to be kept secure.

It’s for precisely this reason that secure USB technology has become extremely popular in the last year or so; offering people a more secure version of the standard USB flash drive.

One of the best examples of modern secure USB technology is the military grade Ironkey USB, which is available for public purchase from certain online suppliers. USB drives like the Ironkey offer a range of features designed to help protect your data and other sensitive files, these include:

Tough casing – the casing of secure USB drives is not only rugged and tamperproof, but is also waterproof, helping to protect your data from drops, spillages or even complete submersion in water.

High level cryptography - all data housed on the USB is encrypted, ensuring only you can access the data housed on the drive. In addition, they also boast high level authentication, making them extremely difficult to crack into.

Remote kill - almost all secure USB drives feature some kind of remote kill function, allowing you to remotely wipe the drive should it be lost or stolen.

Secure backup - many secure drives will feature an innovative back-up feature, meaning if you accidentally delete or overwrite sensitive data, you’ll be able to ‘step backwards’ to recover your data.

Secure browsers - this particular feature is aimed at those who need secure internet access wherever they are in the world (particularly useful for journalists and security personnel working in hostile environments). The browser application will allow you to go online without fear of your activity being viewed or accessed by others.

TVs have come a long way since their first conception. You used to have to sit a meter away if you wanted to see anything at all and you only got black and white with the first models. We have come a long way since then and new generations have brought with them such things as wide screen, flat screen and surround sound. Read the rest of this entry »

With the release of various smart phones are companies choosing to hand their employees the iPhone rather than get technology for their landlines like 0800 numbers and premium rate phone numbers?

The Reasons

Tracking

There are several reasons why companies are looking at handing out smart phones to many of their employees. One of the major reasons is that they can keep track of their employees wherever they are going which of course is something that the average boss would love to do. Read the rest of this entry »