It’s gotten to the point where some people are swearing by their smartphone, shaking their head in disbelief, as if to wonder, “How did I make it through this mess of my life before my smartphone?” These handheld devices are simultaneously a phone, a computer, a way to check email, a text messaging service, a game platform and a GPS, and they are revolutionizing the way people go about their daily lives.

At the forefront of the electronic explosion, of course, are Asian companies like Samsung, LG, Mach, Hynic, Redrover and Korea Taiyo Yuden. These companies, plus roughly 800 more, are currently attending one of the largest IT conferences in the world right now, from October 12 through October 15 in Korea. The 42^nd Korea Electronic Show (KES) 2011 boasts a 5% increase of participants from the previous year, and the theme is “Be Smart,” under which major companies reveal new “smart” technology – and not just for phones.

Samsung has so far introduced their “Smart Life” line, which includes smart devices such as a smart vacuum cleaner and smart washing machine, which can be controlled by smart devices, such as phones, TVs or tablets. Whoa! Smart vacuum cleaners that can essentially “talk” to other smart devices like TVs? Is this getting too wild? Are we entering the world of Brave Little Toaster or any 80s science fiction movie? Well, like any new advance in smart technology, there is sure to be an initial shock value.

Let’s not leave LG out of this smart device conversation, because this company has developed a smart refrigerator that can monitor the level of food products in its belly, and do its own online shopping.

On the less startling end of things, LG is also developing sharper 3-D TVs, Redrover is showcasing stereoscopic 3-D technology and Samsung is displaying their latest LCD and LED back-light LCD TVs. Korea Taiyo Yuden has released a line of products called “Smart Solutions and Green Products,” which boasts smaller and smaller sizes of smartphones and handheld devices, with increased capacity.

Our smart devices keep getting smarter – does this mean we are getting dumber?? I think this may be a logical fallacy to assume so, but perhaps this a discussion for another time. In the meanwhile, stay tuned to the KES conference because there are sure to be many more impressively smart things to come from it before the janitors sweep in to clean up the mess (and maybe pick up any leftover electronics). What could be the grand finale? My personal preference will be for dishes that do themselves, or dinners that cook themselves. Maybe the question is not “are we getting dumber,” but “how lazy can we become?”

Did you know that you can fit a CD in your pocket? And this statement applies even to those without exceptionally large pockets.

“How can this be possible?” you ask, bewildered. Aren’t CDs a pretty hefty, nearly 5 inches in diameter? Well, let me tell you.

Verbatim has a special line of Pocket CDs that are only 3 inches around, and therefore, pocket perfect. They’re so cute and transportable! They come in various colors and can be burned in regular CD drives.

Of course, the smaller the size, the smaller the storage, but Pocket CDs definitely have their time and place. They can hold up to 185 MB of data, or 21 minutes of music, graphics or digital video clips, or 3 hours of compressed audio.

For such a relatively small storage space, why not just use your handy dandy USB device? You may wonder. And here is my favorite reason: The Pocket CD, unlike the USB, can be given away to people you come in contact with, say, a friend, aunt, teacher – or prospective employer.

Of course, you will probably want to print out a hard copy of your resume as you enter that interviewing office, but the Pocket CD is perfect to use as a portable, digital resume. Perhaps you have writing samples, charts, tables, graphics, statistics or extra references that might be cumbersome to lug around in your resume folder.

Solution? Store them on a Pocket CD and hand them neatly to your future employer. You might even want to include a special folder pocket and CD sleeve for your Pocket CD. This method of transferring information is sure to impress. You’ll not only impress them with your technological know-how and preparedness, but you’ll make it easy for them to see your portfolio of work on their own computer, at their convenience. It’s much more savvy than sending a huge email or asking them to wait as you upload your files from a USB.

Other uses for the Pocket CD include storing files for a project to turn in as homework to your teacher or employer. They’re conveniently small to pass off to record companies or executives with demos of your music. And, of course, it’s a cute, nice way of giving a friend or romantic partner a mixtape of your music, without carrying too much bulk.

Both fun and professional, the Pocket CD is a perfect little thing to tote around.

So cute and colorful.

Primera Technology, Inc., has long been known for its Bravo line of high quality, automated CD and DVD disc publishers, including the Bravo 4100 Auto Printer, the Bravo SE CD DVD Inkjet Auto-Printer and the Bravo II CD DVD Inkjet Auto Printer, to name a few.

What people love about the Primera Bravo line is the fast, easy way to print great-looking and high quality CDs and DVDs without much time wasted in oversight. Determine your settings and press the button, then voila! You’ll have multiple discs printed just the way you want them in no time. In fact, Primera touts itself as the fastest disc publisher in the world.

And now, it gets even better. The company is now integrating archival disc technology into its classic models.

Primera announces that they have partnered with JVC Advanced Media to give the world a brand new model of the Bravo Archive-Series Disc Publishers. The Archive-Series, which saw its first model in April of 2010, differs from traditional disc publishers because it does not use a typical CD, DVD or BD as its unit of recording, but rather a longer-lasting archival disc (one example of these is the Milleniata M-disc, which we talked about a few weeks ago). The archival M-disc writes data differently than a normal CD or DVD: the information is etched deep into 3-D layers of the disc, rather than just the surface layer; this means data is not easily water damaged, wiped away, worn off or otherwise destroyed. While a typical CD or DVD may have a shelf life of a few years, archival discs are supposed to last for at least decades, and Milleniata says their M-disc will even last for centuries.

Primera’s newest Archive-Series Disc Publisher uses JVC technology to automatically produce discs that can last, officially, more than 30 years. The JVC Archival Grade DVD-R underwent a vigorous test by the non-profit organization ADTC to verify that data that will be safely retained for more than 30 years, withstanding temperatures up to of 25 degrees Celsius with 50% relative humidity. It passed the Optical Disc Archive Test ISO/1EC10995 and is now certified.

Why would anyone want an archival disc over a regular one? Much of the appeal is about confidence and security – you are being given a guarantee that what you put onto a DVD will not fade out with the life of the material anytime soon. The data becomes a little more permanent. And these discs are generally tested under extreme conditions to ensure that they are extremely resilient to harsh conditions, as well.

So what is the JVC Archival DVD all about, specifically? It delivers long-term data retention by using a specialized company dye, which reduces initial writing error. It also has a reflective, protective layer that is designed to last the life of the media, which is about 30 years.

Compared to a regular JVC DVD, the Archival DVD is:

• 200 times more scratch resistant
• 7 times more fingerprint resistant
• 1000 times more dust free

Compared to a regular DVD, the Archival DVD is much more resistant to damage, making it a prime choice for businesses in the fields of medical imaging, education, government or finance, not to mention that it is a secure way to store precious photos and videos.

What’s even nicer about the soon-to-be-released edition of Primera Archival Disc Publishers integrated with JVC technology is that they will still have the capability to burn regular CDs and DVDs. There’s no either/or option here – you will have the choice of both mediums. The first Primera model slotted to receive the JVC Archival disc updates is the classic Bravo SE Disc Publisher, and it will be going for about $2,495.

So, once again, are archival discs soon to be the new standard?

Microtech has a line of three Xpress Disc Publishers that are collectively known as the 
“workhorse” for producing CDs, DVDs and BDs for movies, games and software. The Xpress line of disc publishers allows for unattended printing through advanced robotics and great customizability and networking options.

If you are a business owner or work in an environment where CDs, DVDs and BDs are produced in bulk, you may already be familiar with the Xpress XL disc publisher, which has an 800 disc capacity, the Xpress XP, which can hold 600 discs, or the Xpress XE, a quality machine with a 200 disc capacity.

Just this month, Microtech announced significant upgrades to each of these disc publishers, citing faster speeds and Solid State Drive Technology as the two best features of the new line of products.

The Xpress XL and Xpress XP have both been upgraded to include the newest 2nd Generation Intel Core Quad-Core Processors, which give their performance a boost of about 15%.  This means recording speed is much faster, allowing Blu-ray Discs to reach maximum speed for disc throughput.

The Xpress XE goes not without its internal processing update. This model will receive the 2nd Generation Intel Core Processor, which increases overall processing power by 50% and doubles the memory. With a SATA 6Gb/s enterprise hard disk, this machine can also support the fastest Blu-ray writing speeds.

Perhaps most exciting, Microtech claims they are the first vendors in their line of disc publishing that have incorporated Solid State Drive Technology. SSD is an alternative to traditional hard disk drives. Instead of a moving disc and whirring parts, SSD is a stable, non-mobile drive that significantly cuts down on processing time because fragmented data can be read all at once, rather than as the disc spins. SSD is a much faster-working drive, and Microtech claims their newest Xpress line is twice as fast as disc publishers with traditional hard disk drives. Added benefits of SSD include extremely fast boot up times, lower power consumption and heat generation, and data protection.

According to CEO Corwin Nichols, “This is perhaps the most significant upgrade we could provide our customers in this high definition, data hungry environment. Together, these system upgrades contribute to a richer on-screen appearance with lightning-quick response while reducing data loss scenarios and improving overall system reliability. It also assures our customers are prepared for the next edition of Windows we all seeing coming in the not too distant future…”

A release date for the new Xpress line has not yet been announced.

What’s New and What’s Hot from Epson: Workforce Pro Business-Class Printers

Last week we revealed that Epson recently came out with the iPrint app for Androids, which allows the user to print files on the mobile phone or from the internet from an Epson Inkjet printer. The iPrint app for Androids is mirrored by the PriApps for the Blackberry phone, and the new line of three Epson business-class printers are now entering smartphone applications into the equation as must-have features for top-of-the-line printers.

Increasing mobility, speed and greater connectivity are some of the new features of Epson’s just-released line of business-class Inkjet printers, which includes Workforce Pro 4020, WP-4530 and WP-4550. All three include WiFi and support for Epson Connect, the program that allows smartphone users to hook their phone up straight to the printer.

All three printers tout maximum speed and efficiency, as well as remote printing capability with smartphones, as some of their best features, but let’s do a little comparison and see which might best suit your office’s needs.

Features of all three Workforce Pro printers:

• Wi-Fi and support for Epson Connect
• High-capacity ink cartridges rated to 1,200 color and 2,400 black pages
• Automatic two-sided printing
• Print speeds of 16 ISO ppm black and 11 ISO ppm color for single-sided printing and 9.2 ISO ppm black and 7.1 ISO ppm color for two-sided printing (Epson claims this is the fastest printing speed in the world)

The main upgrade from the WP-4020 to the all-in-one printers is that for a little more than a hundred dollars, you can add scanning, copying and faxing capabilities. And from the WP-4530 to the WP-4540, you add a larger screen, which is also a touch screen, and a larger capacity for holding paper.

Some of the best features and benefits of the new Workforce Pro line:

• Save on Ink — up to 50% less cost per page than color laser
• World’s Fastest automatic two-sided printer — ideal for busy workgroups
• Reload paper less often — 330-sheet paper capacity, including an 80-sheet rear-feed tray for alterative papers, envelopes, labels and card stock
• Built-in networking — easily connect and share with others in your workgroup via wireless or wired networking
• Epson Connect — get instant wireless printing from popular mobile devices
• Save energy — uses up to 70% less power than laser printers

Now the question simply becomes: which one?

Now Android Users Can Print Straight From Phone with iPrint App for Epson

Smartphones can do everything these days. From sending pictures to checking email and updating Twitter, your iPhone or Android may be your new best friend (don’t tell the dog that). Especially in the business world, smartphones may be a lifeline to the world wherever you may be.

Now, printing documents, brochures, photos, web pages, nametags or anything else necessary for a business to function is even easier for Android users. If you have an Epson printer and an Android phone or tablet, these two can now be happily joined in smart technology matrimony with the iPrint application.

The Android iPrint app has a built-in web browser and when connected to a WiFi network, it can be connected to any Epson Inkjet printer to print documents, e-mails or stored files straight from the mobile phone. The program is also compatible with online file storage services like Box.net, Dropbox and Evernote.

Whew, it’s easy. No need to drag the laptop over to the printer, and no need to depend solely on an office setup where the desktop computer is positioned strategically next to the printer. Now Android users can print from a friend’s Epson printer or travel to different offices and print important documents easily, as long as the files are either online or stored on the phone.

The iPrint app has the reverse capability, too, enabling users to scan a document on the printer and access the file from the phone. E-mail, save or make changes to the scanned document with one step.

Here is a short list of compatible Epson Inkjet printers: Epson Stylus TX550W, Epson Stylus Photo TX700W, Epson Stylus Office TX600FW, Epson Stylus Office TX510FN, Epson Stylus Photo TX720W, Epson ME Office 900WD, Epson K200, Epson Stylus Photo R3000 and Epson ME Office 960FWD.

What’s the cost for this Android app? Free!

As laptop computers get thinner and thinner and computer chips get smaller and smaller, USB drives seem to be also a part of the disappearing race. Earlier this summer, Verbatim unleashed two ultra-tiny USB devices, the Store’n’Stay and Tuff’N’Tiny. When shopping for the perfect mini drive, you can compare the two to see which might better fit your needs.

USB drives, also known as jump drives, flash drives and thumb drives (because they’re about the size of a thumb) are widely known to be secure, compact and easily transportable devices to store and transfer data. Most USB devices hold between 2 GB and 64 GB of information, and the capacity you choose will depend on what sorts of files you are moving. For video games, graphics or other large multimedia files, the bigger the storage capacity, the better. For everyday files like documents or low-resolution images, a smaller capacity would work just fine.

So, small is standard for all USB drives, and that’s part of the nature of them. However, “thumb drive” doesn’t even accurately describe the new generations of USB sticks anymore because like many turns of phrase, something new has come along to turn it on its head. The Verbatim Tuff’N’Tiny USB is the smallest USB on the market now, and not even the size of a thumb – in fact, it’s not even as thick as a penny nor as wide as a dime. This puppy is seriously small, and might better be nicknamed the “penny drive.”

Penny-thin, travel-tough and water-impermeable, the Verbatim Tuff’n’Tiny USB drive fits on any keychain, in pockets or wallets and is tailor made for those who are constantly on the go and need something that can travel lightly with them. It is not, however, probably so great for children or people who tend to lose things since it is barely an inch by a half-inch in size.

Like that old catchphrase, the Tuff’n’Tiny may be small, but it is mighty. Durable, rugged and resistant to dust, water and static, this device is made to go places and last. In fact, it has a lifetime limited warranty and fared well in torture tests, including having a brick dropped on it. The reviews have been generally positive as to overall durability, and of course, it is revolutionary in its physical size. The Tuff’n’Tiny fits in all standard USB ports and is compatible with Windows, Vista, Mac and Linux. It is offered in different colors in sizes of 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 GB, and offers password security.

Now how much, you say? Well, for such a little work of art, the price is not necessarily any higher than other typical flash drives. The 32 GB Tuff’n’Tiny goes for $97.50 straight from the Verbatim website, with the 2 GB costing only $9.75.

For comparison, Verbatim has another super small flash drive on the market with a different marketing angle. The Store’n’Stay is not as superhumanly tiny as the Tuff’n’Tiny, but is still no bigger around than a dime. Its shape is different, made with the person on the go still in mind, but this time, the perk is that you can easily keep the drive in your computer as you pack it away in its carrying case, snag free.

This device is perfect for those forgetful folks who might not remember their flash drive is in the laptop before hurriedly packing up and jetting out of Starbucks. And this one comes in three sizes: 4, 8 and 16 GB, ranging in price from $19.99 to $59.99, with the same general fine print as the Tuff’n’Tiny.

So whatever your personal preference for almost unbelievably small USB devices, Verbatim has a few to choose from that you can tuck happily away in your pocket, wallet or keychain. Size it up and see.

Are you the type of person who sits around and wonders what future humans or aliens will think of our society hundreds of thousands of years from now, the way present archaeologists ponder over pottery shards from ancient cultures now wiped out by the dust? Or do you just prefer to make sure your belongings are safe and sound for the time span of your life, and possibly your children’s?

Well, if you are either of those types, you may be interested in the Milleniata Millenial Archival Disc, or M-Disc for short. It’s fairly new to the market of writeable storage discs, and in fact isn’t quite released yet, but with a tagline of “Write Once, Read Forever,” the Milleniata company is touting the M-disc as a storage disc that will last until eternity ends – or, at least for the next 1,000 years.

The M-Disc looks roughly about the same as a regular DVD, except that it is transparent, and it holds about the same as a typical DVD – 4.7 GB. Yet, unlike a regular DVD whereby information is “burned” onto the surface of the disc, an M-Disc uses a “synthetic, rock-like” layer onto which data is “etched” rather than “burned.”

Milleniata claims that the M-disc is not prone to natural decay or corruption like other DVDs or CDs. The reason for this is because most DVDs use organic dyes and lasers to burn data onto the surface, while M-discs supposedly create “pits,” or holes that are permanently embedded into the physical layers of the disc, thus the etching. The Naval Air Warfare Center conducted some tests on M-Disc resiliency, in which the M-Disc was subjected to conditions much like being at sea or in combat, including 85 degree Celsius heat and high humidity with penetrating sunlight, and throughout all these trials, the data stored on the disc was generally preserved without damage.

The best metaphor for the M-Disc is the idea of carving words and images into stone, much like our ancestors once did. Whether early humans intended their carvings to be preserved for millennia for the pleasure of current-day scientists may never be known, but Milleniata is hoping that you have this intention – or that you wish to preserve your data for more than the average 5-10 year life span of most CDs, DVDs or USB sticks.

But what about if or when data disc storage goes the way of floppy discs? Well, I guess we’ll just have to keep up with the times and hope that at least one rogue DVD player makes it into the distant future for the next generation of humans to discover, supposing the M-Disc craze catches on.

Next question: how much is it, and do you really want your files to last forever? One M-Disc is estimated to be about $7, more than an average CD-R or DVD-R. In order to etch data onto an M-Disc, you will need an LG-Super-Multi Drive or an M-Writer, which costs around $145. However, once you have a disc with information on it, it can be played on any DVD or Blu-Ray player. As for whether you want your files to be stored in literal permanence, well, that’s up to you. And large companies or government databases, the ones most likely to want long-lasting storage, would need a whole lot of these little guys.

Last week we talked about GE’s holographic disc and its potential capacity to store 500 GB information deep in its 3-D crevices. Now how about if the indestructible M-Disc mates with the HVD to create a super-invincible mega-storage disc?

So first we had CDs, or compact discs, which were the first optical discs used to store digital data, entering the world around 1979. Then came DVDs, and then Blu-ray discs, and each technology upgrade resulted in the next generation being faster, more sophisticated and capable of storing even more information in one place.

Now the story of technology upgrades in data storage discs has a new protégé to add to the lineage – the holographic disc. While there are some arguments against this new technology going mainstream, including cost-effectiveness and the cumbersome machinery needed to make it work, the main thing holographic discs have to offer is space, and lots of it.

 
GE Global Research recently announced (August 2011) its plan to go forward with distribution of its holographic optical storage disc, which can hold 500 GB of information. For comparison, HD-DVD discs can hold 15-30 GB and Blu-ray discs generally hold 25 GB on a single layer disc, or 50 GB on a dual layer disc (the standard for one feature-length film). GE says that their micro-holographic discs have the storage capacity of 20 single-layer Blu-ray discs, 100 DVDs or the equivalent of a hard drive in most laptops. In addition to an unprecedented amount of space for both consumer entertainment and archival use, the recording speed is equal to that of Blu-ray.

GE is not the only one looking to put these mega-storage discs out on the market in the next few months. InPhase Technologies had both a 300 GB holographic optical disc and an 800 GB rewritable disc with data transfer rates of 80 MBps planned for release, but the company dissolved before the products could be put on the market. Under new management now, InPhase could be competition for GE, touting technologies that boast a transfer speed of 20MBps, or almost 5 times that of Blu-ray.

So what makes the HVD (holographic versatile disc) so special? While CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs can only store information on the surface of the disc, HVDs utilize the entire disc’s storage space by storing and reading information in 3-D holographic patterns at all levels of the substrate. The disc is the same size and shape of a CD, DVD or Blu-Ray, but can store data at much deeper levels, in 3-D patterns throughout rather than just the top four surface layers.

GE even hopes to create an HVD that can store up to 1 Terabyte (1,000 GB) of data. In other words, it would have the storage capacity for all the X-ray films in a large hospital on one disc.

So what do you use to play these discs? GE remarked that the HVD players would be very similar to CD and DVD players, and would be able to read CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

Blu-ray has come a long way, especially in the rewriteable category, but just how versatile are these discs?

Because of phase-change method used when rewriting BD-RE discs generates reflective spots on the disc and the less-reflecting spots are interpreted as “zero,” manufacturers estimate you can rewrite a BD-RE disc at least 1,000 times. The maximum rewrite is usually listed at 10,000.

To get the best results out of your BD-RE discs, the manufacturers do recommend that you use file system UDF 2.5, keeping in mind that variations in material, layer design and disc manufacturer materials and specifications will play a key role. Maximize your disc use by selecting a disc with the proper storage capabilities for your project. You can choose between an 8 cm disc with 7.5 GB maximum data capacity up to a 12 cm single-layer disc with 25 GB or 50 GB of storage.