I often read things where I think, "Why did they say that? They are lying to people, and if they don't know it, then they don't know enough to be writing on it!" Sometimes it's just a common misconception, sometimes it's marketing, and sometimes it's just "tech" authors who are reading a bunch of articles all at one time in an attempt to seem like they know what they're talking about. But the worst part is that if enough people follow what has been written or said, they begin to believe the lies too. Here are some of the more obvious ones to me...
1) Macs Can't Get Viruses!
They can too! This has been floating around for a long time, and many people still believe it to be true. I have wrote about this before, but this is a biggie. The reason so many people believe this is for the simple fact that they are uncommon. The most widely used OS in the world is Windows, and if you were someone who likes to create viruses, then which OS would you choose to make viruses for? Exactly. Again, I've also said this before, but Macs used to have a phrase on their site referencing that they did not get viruses. It was subsequently taken down soon after a new virus made itself public and was Mac "friendly".
2) USB 3.0 SuperSpeed+
The actual SuperSpeed name was designated for USB 3.0, which could theoretically do 5Gbit/s. SuperSpeed+ is the name used for USB 3.1, which doubles the speed to 10Gbit/s. The two are meant to be distinct from one another, but more often than not, people confuse the terms (and reasonably so). A large amount of people think SuperSpeed means USB 3.1, while others think the name has just remained the same with a bump in speed. I doubt manufacturers, especially Chinese ones that churn out the cheap devices, are going to be well-informed on this matter; making it harder to just look at something and know if it's 5Gbit/s or 10Gbit/s throughput.
3) Macs are Better For Designing
I
am not trying to pick on Macs (and reuse past items already discussed),
but this one confuses me still to this day. I continue to meet people
who believe this and it is frustrating to say the least. Firstly, there
is a difference between technical betterment and personal preference.
Just because you prefer something, doesn't actually make it better.
Secondly,
somehow this rumor has become a non sequitur for Macs. For example, I
will be discussing something or other about Macs with someone. The other
person will say, "Macs are better for graphic design." I have learned
better not to argue, and instead pose a basic question, "How are they
better?" Usually I will get an ambiguous response, or just a reiteration
of the first statement (if I'm really lucky, they don't know). I then follow
up with, "What specifically about a Mac makes it better?" By this time
the other person normally has to give up. If they continue by stating
hardware, I continue by asking how that would make them better.
Essentially,
hardware could be the only logical thing to make a Mac better at
design. But just because it is logical does not make it true. All the
hardware in any Mac is available for PC's. Not only that, the same
hardware is less expensive for a PC, and there are usually more and
better options [at least when first introduced] hardware options available for a PC.
The only time I read anything to the contrary was that way back in the
day graphic card bandwidth was actually slightly better on Macs, but that
nowadays the reverse is true...
Adobe doesn't make Photoshop and say, "Let's give Macs the better version." They come with the same features, end of story. What I'm saying is that there is no reason to think Macs are better for design unless it is your personal preference.
4) It's Better to Keep a Computer Running (Never Shutdown)
This
is a myth that countless people just blindly believe. I'm not sure
why, as it is just ignorant. Sorry, it is. This isn't to say
there's no reason to keep your computer on for lengthy periods of time. The
most obvious are: You're working on it, you will be back in a short
time, or you have a big download in the works.
The
fact is that shutting down your computer saves you energy and the life
of your computer and its components. There is no harm in shutting down a
computer if done properly. There may be risk if constantly turning it
on or off, but that would again lend to stupidity on the user's part.
I
should also mention that the computer still draws a small amount of
power when off, so some people may think that if you're going to use
energy, why not have it on instead. This is true of anything plugged
into a power source. If you actually unplug a device, instead of just
turning it off, you will save that much more power. This is where a
surge protector (with flippable switches for each additional outlet)
comes in handy.
5) Base-2 & Base-10
You
may not know what base-2 (binary) or base-10 (decimal) is, but chances
are you have come across them more times than not. Both are methods of
calculation, and one is what hard drive and SSD manufacturers love to advertise
with. The easy way to explain this is that base-10 calculates 1MB
(Megabyte) as 1,000KB (Kilobytes). Base-2 calculates 1MB as 1,024KB. So a
3TB hard drive would be 3TB according to base-10 calculations. But once
you put that 3TB into a Windows OS (Macs have been changed to display
drives as base-10 for a few years now), it should show something closer
to 2.78TB. That's because Windows is using base-2 to calculate. (My
actual 3TB shows 2.72TB, so there must be more things at play than just
the calculation, i.e. manufacturer margin of error for storage space,
reserved space for host system, etc.)
There
are valid reasons to use base-2, but the main point is that while most
of us think in terms of base-10, computers often do not. This also means
that you are not losing any storage space when buying and using a SD
card, USB flash drive, hard drive, or SSD advertised in base-10.
6) Java vs. JavaScript
Programmers
may get upset about this with people who care little about programming
and use the terms interchangeably. While both are OOP (Object Oriented
Programming) languages, the name is merely coincidental. Java was made
by someone from Sun Microsystems, while JavaScript was made by people at
Netscape and was originally called LiveScript. A major difference
is that Java can make standalone applications, while JavaScript is
required to be inside a HTML document.
And yes, that is the correct way to spell JavaScript.
7) Brick or Bricking a Phone
This is more a pet peeve of mine, but I see and hear it all the time. A lot of people will say that they "bricked" their phone, but it still operates in some capacity or another. Or that they bricked it and brought it back to life. The problem is that what they are actually talking about is a "soft brick". Bricking, or a "hard brick", means that your phone is just like a brick. It does nothing. I have soft bricked my phone on numerous occasions, but I've never bricked my phone. So if someone is using a phone and they tell you that it was bricked at some point, it's much more likely they soft bricked it instead of opening it up and actually fixing it.
RESOLUTIONS SECTION:
8) HD vs. Full HD
HD stands for high definition and refers to 720p up to 1080p (possibly 2K, as it doesn't seem to be a part of UHD). Full HD stands for full high definition, and refers to 1080p. This is important because of some of the other terms used below.
9) 720i
1080i is a common broadcast format for HD broadcasts. 1080i is interlaced and 1080p is progressive. The latter has better quality because of how it produces the picture. There is also 720p (arguably better than 1080i as well), and there a lot of people who reference 720i. These work on the same principles except for one major difference, 720i does not exist.
You may be able to produce a 720i video through software, or have some option for it on older TV sets, but there are no source devices that should be able to create 720i natively.
10) qHD vs. QHD
This is another thing I have already mentioned in the past, but should be mentioned again as I believe many smartphones will be sporting QHD screens in the next few years. QHD means Quad High Definition. It is sometimes confused as 4K, as many think that quad hi-def would be four times 1080p. Wrong, on at least two levels (one explained later)...
QHD refers to four times 720p. And QHD is actually short for WQHD, which is Wide Quad High Definition. For those looking for an easy number to use instead, it's 1440p.
qHD means quarter High Defintion. To make things more confusing, and in contrast of what I just stated above, this is a quarter of full Hi-Def. The only problem I have is that some people are writing qHD as QHD, when it is not. But it's understandable since the two actual meanings can be quite confusing.
11) 4K vs. 1080p
This is a simple one getting confused by loads of people, even friends I know who are quite knowledgeable when it comes to technology. People assume that 4K must be four times that of 1080p. Nope. 4K is actually almost 4 times 2K, and 2K should be slightly larger than 1080p (sometimes referred to with the same height). So, if anything, it should be a bit larger than six times 1080p.
12) UHD vs. 4K
UHD is Ultra High Definition. People are using 4K and UHD interchangeably, and this too is wrong. While 4K is UHD, UHD is not just 4K. UHD also includes 6K and 8K. So 4K TV's are really just partial UHD. It's a lot like having to make the distinction between a HD (720p) and a full HD (1080p) TV. You can trust me that I have had to go through the HD situation before, making it difficult for a salesperson to understand what I was actually looking for [1080p].
13) 4K UHD TV's Are Not Real 4K!
This is not something that bothers me, but is good to know if you really want to squabble over what is what. 4K was not created by TV manufactures, it was created by the Digital Cinema Initiatives consortium. The actual dimensions are 4096x2160 (note the "4096"), and actually has a special encoding standard as well. While there are some TV's that can show content in 4096x2160, most TV's advertised as 4K only do 3840x2160. So, in reality, most "4K" TV's cannot even support a height of 4000...
The Consumers Electronics Association decided to create the term UHD in 2012, several years after 4K had already been coined. This included any content of 3840x2160 and up. Thus, this is where the 4K confusion comes about. Many times TV manufacturers will try to state their "4K" TV's as "4K UHD" TV's, which is meant to be a sly way of saying that their 4K is not the real 4K.
If you want to annoy people who have fake 4K televisions (and won't admit it), you can make the point of saying that your 1080p TV is a 2K TV since it too is almost the same dimensions.
What I find weird about this is that suddenly someone(s) decided instead of using the width as the indicator, such as 1080p (1920x1080) or 720p (1280x720), that height should now be used...
14) 2K is What Dimensions?
2K seems to have varying dimensions, so this is one instance where you can be right and wrong at the same time! In digital video 2K is 2048x1080. This is just a tad taller than 1080p video. I normally use this as my reference since I deal in digital video. However, there are plenty of others:
The "reference" resolution is 2048x1536. The full-aperture resolution (I see now being used on smartphone screens) is 2048x1556. There is also the HDTV 16:9 aspect ratio resolution, 2048x1152. And finally, 2048x872, a Cinemascope 2.35:1 aspect ratio resolution. Maybe this is why it is hard to class 2K as either part of HD or UHD...
GEEK BONUS:
Zelda, the Hero!
No, she's not. If you have ever heard of the Legend of Zelda, many people assume that Zelda is the name of the hero in the game. Actual players of the game know otherwise. Link is the name of the hero, while Zelda is the princess he must save.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Saturday, November 8, 2014
How to Add MORE Storage Space to an iPhone/iPad/iPod or Android Device! (Update)
I originally meant this to be a part of my last article, but I thought it important enough to be its own. Everyone knows that iPhones don't come with micro SD card slots to expand their storage capability. And even with the advent of the 128GB iPhone 6/Plus, there may be those who run out of room or can't afford that particular model to prevent such an issue.
iOS Devices
The following works with iPhones, iPads or iPods. However, do this at your own risk as there is a bit of money involved to get the process going.
You will need the following in order to get this running properly:
A WiFi SD card reader will make it so that you can have something small and portable that you can use the WiFi card in while on the go or waiting somewhere away from home. You will want to purchase one that has a built-in battery so that you don't need to constantly feed it power. If you don't, then you will likely only be able to use it in places like a plane that has USB ports for charging. You can find them on Amazon for $40 brand new, like this one. This particular WiFi card reader can also power up an external hard drive, which means a whole lot of storage possibilities for your needs!
These are the steps to take once you have met all the requirements from above:
Android Devices
It should first be said that the above will work on Android devices too, so you can give it a go if you need a huge amount of storage space. But if you only require so much, you can try another method.
There are devices that will plug into your Android devices micro USB port and add extra storage. Some older Android devices are supposedly not compatible with this type of technology. I believe this is because of USB OTG support. If you do not have USB OTG implemented on your device, then you will not be able to use the following. Some older devices have the capability but just need to have USB OTG enabled. Others do not and cannot. In addition to that, most devices capable of USB OTG may require an Android OS of JellyBean or higher.
There are three ways to accomplish this procedure. Two are similar. One is more like a flash drive as it has a fixed amount of storage, but has a regular USB that can be plugged into a computer USB port, and on the other side is a micro USB for your Android device. The second is an adapter that has a slot for micro SD cards. With this you need to buy a micro SD card separately, but it too has normal and micro USB ports. The third is simply using a USB flash drive, and purchasing what is often referred to as an OTG cable. The cable has a female USB port for the flash drive, and a male micro USB port for your Android device.
If you already have a flash drive, OTG cables are rather cheap and can be found on eBay, Amazon, NewEgg, and numerous other places. You can find the first type in Amazon by simply typing in "micro USB flash drive" or "OTG flash drive". Some are inexpensive, while others will cost you a premium. The second type seems to be harder to find if you don't use the right terminology, expected since some manufacturers would probably prefer you to pay for multiple devices of differing storage amounts, instead of being able to just swap micro SD cards. You can find an abundance in Amazon by using the phrase "OTG card reader". There are other places that have these, but I would recommend staying away from Chinese websites and companies like Alibaba [their parent company will just steal your money].
The steps for this process are fairly simple:
There are tricks to make Android devices think their micro SD cards are actually internal memory, but this doesn't work on a lot of newer devices (and older devices), and doesn't actually add more than what is already possible. It is also possible to have apps and other items stored on your external micro SD card instead of your internal memory, but again, this does not add more than what your device is already capable of.
Update: Mophie Space Pack
The Mophie Space Pack is an external battery case with the inclusion of extra storage space for iPhones 5 and above. The great benefit of this method is that not only can you get more power on the go, but more storage space for files and photos!
However, many of the reviews on Amazon lean towards staying away from them and going for Mophie's external battery case without the storage capacity. Apparently, there have been numerous problems ranging from battery draining--opposing part of its purpose--and losing charging capabilities altogether. In one review, Mophie blamed the iPhone after the person had brought it to the Genius Bar to ensure that was not the case.
A definite downside on the storage side is that if you wanted, to say, upload your photos to iCloud; you first need to move all those photos to the iPhone's actual storage in order to do so...
What Else Can I Say?
I have not tested the iOS route detailed above. Again, I do have a Flash Air WiFi SD card, but have never felt the need to use it in this manner. I have tried all three devices for Android with success. There have been times where I desperately needed them, not so much for storage space, but because my phone cable was iffy at times and would stop a file transfer midway through. These methods seemed to guarantee against that situation from reoccurring. I do admit that this does not add to your internal storage at all, but I don't know anyone anywhere willing to use their time and money to attempt to add more storage to the inside of the phone itself. But external storage can be quite handy and keep your smartphone or tablet free of clutter, which can also help maintain its fluidity while multi-tasking between apps (or just in general).
iOS Devices
The following works with iPhones, iPads or iPods. However, do this at your own risk as there is a bit of money involved to get the process going.
You will need the following in order to get this running properly:
- An iOS device.
- Either a Transcendence, Toshiba Flash Air, or Eye-Fi WiFi SD card.
- A computer.
- A SD card reader with WiFi capability.
A WiFi SD card reader will make it so that you can have something small and portable that you can use the WiFi card in while on the go or waiting somewhere away from home. You will want to purchase one that has a built-in battery so that you don't need to constantly feed it power. If you don't, then you will likely only be able to use it in places like a plane that has USB ports for charging. You can find them on Amazon for $40 brand new, like this one. This particular WiFi card reader can also power up an external hard drive, which means a whole lot of storage possibilities for your needs!
These are the steps to take once you have met all the requirements from above:
- First connect your WiFi SD card to a computer.
- Transfer all needed media and documents to your WiFi SD card.
- Install any app on your iOS device that the WiFi SD card reader requires.
- Run the app from your iOS device to see and use all the media and documents on your WiFi SD card.
Android Devices
It should first be said that the above will work on Android devices too, so you can give it a go if you need a huge amount of storage space. But if you only require so much, you can try another method.
There are devices that will plug into your Android devices micro USB port and add extra storage. Some older Android devices are supposedly not compatible with this type of technology. I believe this is because of USB OTG support. If you do not have USB OTG implemented on your device, then you will not be able to use the following. Some older devices have the capability but just need to have USB OTG enabled. Others do not and cannot. In addition to that, most devices capable of USB OTG may require an Android OS of JellyBean or higher.
There are three ways to accomplish this procedure. Two are similar. One is more like a flash drive as it has a fixed amount of storage, but has a regular USB that can be plugged into a computer USB port, and on the other side is a micro USB for your Android device. The second is an adapter that has a slot for micro SD cards. With this you need to buy a micro SD card separately, but it too has normal and micro USB ports. The third is simply using a USB flash drive, and purchasing what is often referred to as an OTG cable. The cable has a female USB port for the flash drive, and a male micro USB port for your Android device.
If you already have a flash drive, OTG cables are rather cheap and can be found on eBay, Amazon, NewEgg, and numerous other places. You can find the first type in Amazon by simply typing in "micro USB flash drive" or "OTG flash drive". Some are inexpensive, while others will cost you a premium. The second type seems to be harder to find if you don't use the right terminology, expected since some manufacturers would probably prefer you to pay for multiple devices of differing storage amounts, instead of being able to just swap micro SD cards. You can find an abundance in Amazon by using the phrase "OTG card reader". There are other places that have these, but I would recommend staying away from Chinese websites and companies like Alibaba [their parent company will just steal your money].
The steps for this process are fairly simple:
- Place your flash drive, micro SD card, or OTG flash drive into a computer.
- Transfer all media and documents to your device.
- Plug your flash drive, micro SD card, or OTG flash drive into your Android device.
There are tricks to make Android devices think their micro SD cards are actually internal memory, but this doesn't work on a lot of newer devices (and older devices), and doesn't actually add more than what is already possible. It is also possible to have apps and other items stored on your external micro SD card instead of your internal memory, but again, this does not add more than what your device is already capable of.
Update: Mophie Space Pack
The Mophie Space Pack is an external battery case with the inclusion of extra storage space for iPhones 5 and above. The great benefit of this method is that not only can you get more power on the go, but more storage space for files and photos!
However, many of the reviews on Amazon lean towards staying away from them and going for Mophie's external battery case without the storage capacity. Apparently, there have been numerous problems ranging from battery draining--opposing part of its purpose--and losing charging capabilities altogether. In one review, Mophie blamed the iPhone after the person had brought it to the Genius Bar to ensure that was not the case.
A definite downside on the storage side is that if you wanted, to say, upload your photos to iCloud; you first need to move all those photos to the iPhone's actual storage in order to do so...
What Else Can I Say?
I have not tested the iOS route detailed above. Again, I do have a Flash Air WiFi SD card, but have never felt the need to use it in this manner. I have tried all three devices for Android with success. There have been times where I desperately needed them, not so much for storage space, but because my phone cable was iffy at times and would stop a file transfer midway through. These methods seemed to guarantee against that situation from reoccurring. I do admit that this does not add to your internal storage at all, but I don't know anyone anywhere willing to use their time and money to attempt to add more storage to the inside of the phone itself. But external storage can be quite handy and keep your smartphone or tablet free of clutter, which can also help maintain its fluidity while multi-tasking between apps (or just in general).
Buy a Smartphone! But NOT Because of Megapixels and Resolution. Here's Why...
There are many reasons to buy a smartphone, but there are also many reasons not to. I normally don't like buying anything (save food) without doing a bit of research first. Some people buy for brand name, others because the color's "cute". And some buy because it's the newest, so it must be the best, right? Well, I am going to try to help you navigate through this; not just for megapixels and resolution but a few other things that will give you a level of confidence as to what you are truly buying.
Brand Name Shenanigans
Brand name means everything to some people, but to the savvy, it is just a name. What really counts is what comes with it. For smartphones there are at least two big names: Apple and Samsung. There are plenty of other Android phones (Samsung makes Android and Windows phones) like LG, HTC, Sony, or Motorola, but Samsung's fast adoption of Android has made it synonymous with the brand, and therefore good to pick on!
Apple does have a great smartphone, the iPhone, and it definitely deserve praise as they are the only ones to produce that phone. I have found the "geniuses" quite helpful, often doing things completely free of charge when possible. Great support is usually warrant of a great brand name. However, for example, they do lag on certain things hardware-wise. The only 1080p display on any iPhone is the iPhone 6 Plus just released, while Android phones are already passed that as of this year. WiFi has a new standard (passed N) named AC. The new perks of it are amazing, but iPhone only added this to their repertoire with the iPhone 6/Plus. Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the LG G2 (last year's flagship models) already implemented the technology. The iPhone has also never budged from more than 1GB RAM, to keep this in perspective, many Android phones are coming with 2-3GB RAM. There are always the pluses such as being the first with 64-bit applications (which may or may not really help as I would consider the RAM an issue), retina display, and the iPhone 6/Plus has 128GB models.
Samsung on the other hand is known for a great deal of things: TV's, SSD's, and many household appliances. Their smartphones help put Android on the map, not to mention give the Samsung name further prestige. But if you dig a little deeper, the name may be the only thing to consider at times. I took a look at a first generation ASUS Nexus 7 tablet and a Samsung Galaxy Tab of the same year, and while the Samsung was around $50 more expensive, it's specs were sub-par in comparison to the Nexus. Do you really want to pay more for something slower? The only reason I could think of is for support, but I don't know anything about ASUS vs. Samsung support in the smartphone arena. When I had a choice between a Samsung Galaxy S4 and a LG G2 that was yet-to-be released, I didn't want to wait so I opted for a used Verizon Galaxy S4, which was still pricey. I got the phone and no more than a week later it was completely dead. No warnings or indications, as everything had been up-and-running, just dead. So I ended up buying the G2 a couple weeks later. This just goes to show while they do make quality products, brand name isn't everything.
Megapixels Myth
I'll jump into megapixels now which takes some explanation. While most people think a higher megapixel means a better camera, not necessarily. The basic fact is that higher megapixels simply allow you to add more into a picture than lower megapixels. An example would be if you're trying to take a family photo. Let's say at 10MP (megapixels) you can fit four of five family members, but at 13MP (in the same spot) you can fit all five. That is to also say, that if you left the camera setting at 10MP, all you would have to do is take a few steps back in order to get all five. Conversely, a few step steps back with 13MP would allow you to get an extra person or two in the picture if needed. The only time a lower megapixel is a drawback is when you can't step back any further because of a wall or cliff edge!
With that being said, one 13MP is not the same as another 13MP (or any other size MP smartphone camera). There are plenty of cameras with the same amount of megapixels that are not considered equal. Case in point, the LG G2 has a 13MP, but so does the LG G3. I have owned both. While the G2 has a phenomenal camera, I feel the G3 does outdo it. The color feels a bit more natural, and upgrades to the hardware have helped do this somewhat. Another thing to note is that yesteryear cameras on smartphones usually have older camera sensors, meaning they should not be as good as the newer models. But what about different manufacturers with the same amount of megapixels? Well, there are plenty of articles comparing many different phone snapshots, and while many have the same megapixel count, there are obvious differences in quality. The difference doesn't lie so much in the camera sensors, as they are often the same. Where it does lie is in the post-processing by the actual software of the smartphone. The post-processing often tries to "beautify" photographs by attempting different tricks to make it look better than what it actually is. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. This can make all the difference in low-light situations.
While most smartphones focus on jumping megapixels every year, iPhone's have not. They have been at 8MP for quite some time. I can only assume that they feel that people know about megapixel marketing myths and that 8MP is a solid amount to stay at. While I think it could use a bump, their camera sensors are great, and they definitely don't skimp on their accompanying hardware/software either. This just goes to show that even a lower MP smartphone does not mean it is worse.
One last thought on this is a smartphone's camera will NEVER be a replacement for a real camera, whether a handheld or professional-grade, it will beat out most any smartphone. Cameras are built to be cameras, which is why they have better hardware to support it and grant excellent quality.
Hack-tastic!
Now for those into "hacking" your phone, Android is by-and-far king. Windows does have some developers making modifications, but not enough to be a potential contender. iPhones can be "jail-broken", which allows it to add additional apps and capabilities for free. But their biggest drawback is that jail-breaking is dependent upon what iOS version you have, as it usually takes a long time before it can be accomplished on newer versions. This is not to be confused with "unlocking", which is the process of unlocking an iPhone from a carrier to use with any carrier (with the corresponding networks) worldwide.
Androids on the other hand have A LOT of leeway in this arena. To start off, let's go over a few terms. Rooting is the ability to gain access to certain parts of the Android OS that users should not otherwise have. Bootloader is the system that helps boot up the Android OS on a smartphone (think of it like a BIOS or EFI in a computer). ROMs are custom-made Android OS files that can give you special abilities, UI tweaks, etc. Recoveries are special systems that will allow you to make complete system backups [Nandroids] and wipe cache and data among other things. There are currently only two main recoveries, CWM and TWRP. To put this altogether first you root a phone. Certain apps require root before you can use them. ROMs require root, and sometimes a recovery, before you can add them to your phone. Once you have been rooted, you can then add a recovery and/or a ROM. This may not seem like much, but you can flash files in recovery that can add apps, tweak and optimize settings, increase CPU/GPU power, etc. Yet, if this type of thing scare you, don't worry, you don't need to do any of this to enjoy an Android!
Not to forget, the bootloader needs to be hacked, bypassed, or whatever in order to allow a recovery to be put through. And that root often can allow for unlocking your SIM carrier, which is often done through the bootloader.
Screen Resolution Mayhem
Screen resolution does matter on TV's and monitors, and the higher they are the better they can look. On a phone, it may matter, but I argue that it does not always. If you think so, just ask a person with a smartphone that has 1080p, and a person who has an iPhone 6 or lower.
As mentioned above, I have the LG G3, the first phone to have QHD. In case there is any confusion there are a couple terms you might see being used incorrectly and interchangeably, like qHD, QHD, UHD, or 4K. QHD means 4 times 720p (which is considered High-Def along with the likes of 900p or 1080p). qHD means only a quarter of full HD (1080p). UHD means Ultra High-Def, which includes 4K, 6K, and 8K. There are some arguments in the definitions of using 4K and UHD, but I won't get into that here. Anyways, the LG G3 had the first QHD screen, and still has the highest PPI (Pixels-Per-Inch), but that shouldn't last too long...
The G3 does look phenomenal, but I can't say I'm overly impressed. My G2 looked great too, and honestly, if they hadn't improved the screen resolution and pixel count, there would be no love-loss. Beyond this, I also own a ZTE U950, which was purchased in China during the Galaxy S3 days. It actually contains the same CPU and GPU (made by NVIDIA) as the international Galaxy S3. What it lacks is a good camera, and a high screen resolution. I owned a Galaxy S3 and while the S3 screen was superior, the ZTE U950 is not unbearable by any means. While I would prefer a higher screen resolution, it in no way takes away from the smartphone experience.
Going back to PPI, you'll notice all screens seem to vary. There is no common standard. This changes from big-to-small depending on the screen resolution and physical dimensions of the screen. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has a QHD screen, but it has less PPI than the LG G3.
While some prefer the G3 because of its "truer" colors, others state the Note 4 looks better. This likely has to do with what materials make the screen for the most part. LG uses AH-IPS LCD technology, while Samsung uses Super AMOLED.
Speed and Power!
People easily get fooled by speed and power. This includes CPU's, GPU's, RAM, and Batteries. LG now has a special "step" battery design that allows it to fit more into its batteries, which logically allows for a little more power. But Samsung now has a special ultra power saving mode that can set your smartphone's color to grayscale when there is only 10% left, which will supposedly let it last for another 24 hours! I have read that the Note 4 does better than the older LG G3, but that the Galaxy S5 does better than the newer Note 4. I have also read that the Note 3 still has better battery life than the Note 4, but that the Note 4 can charge in half the time of a Note 3. So, what this all means is that you have to take it with a grain of salt. Tests can be done in a variety of ways, your usage is what matters. And, if you really just want a phone but the battery is holding you back, don't forget there are always accessories to add bigger or more battery power.
On top of this, most newer Android devices support fast-charging, which allows you to charge your Android phone in half of the time it used to. So, this could be a benefit to a newer smartphone, but there seems to be some that have successfully got older Android devices to enable this feature (at their own risk).
RAM is essential to any smartphone. I have noticed that lower amounts (obviously) just can't function as well ones with higher amounts. Bigger is normally better, but take the iPhone as the devil's advocate. They use 1GB RAM and they are efficient. In Android, it seems that bigger is always better. When I had the G2, 2GB of RAM was plenty. Now I have the G3 with the same amount of RAM (3GB is also available), and sometimes I wonder if I should have opted for more - although it could be that I use up too much storage space, which ideally should not be the issue since it comes with that storage space to be used...
Do faster GPU's make for a better phone? I don't know. I don't do any hardcore gaming on my phone, I have an Xbox 360 for that. If you get into the latest and greatest 3D-rendered games, it might be a plus. And sure it could help watching movies. But a lot of older smartphones have little to no problems playing most games and movies. While it may be a good thing to get that upgrade, I wouldn't worry about it too much. A smartphone GPU that isn't more than five years old, should be fine for most of your needs. However, this may become more important when UHD starts being pushed more. And if you are worried about the GPU speed, many Android phones have tweaks to increase that, but you'll need to get into "hacking".
What about the CPU? A fast CPU is great, and I really can't see a point to getting anything lower than a dual-core, if possible. Many apps are still created with a dual-core in mind, however, quad-cores have gained acceptance since their introduction. And the numbers? Well, faster speed is always nice, but for what? Maybe for intense games, but for the most part, there aren't going to be too many advantages with a faster CPU other than possible loading times. As with Android GPU's, you can usually increase the speed of a CPU to help combat those times when you just need to go faster!
Note: Increasing (and decreasing) the speed of a CPU and/or GPU can be dangerous and "brick" your phone if done improperly. This also goes for messing around with the voltage your phone uses for what speeds are being utilized. Even if done properly, there can always be side effects like overheating to be careful of.
Storage Space Situations
Many of us are used to having a lot of space, and this can be a big issue. iPhones, as noted above, now have an option to get up to 128GB. This makes a lot of sense because they have no MicroSD card slot. It could be a real pain if you were to use up all the space, or if you could only afford a model with less space.
Androids are better about this as just about all of them now come with a MicroSD card slot, but not always. The LG G2 did not come with one (unless you were in Korea), so you were stuck with what you got. The LG G3 did like the Optimus G Pro (the flagship model prior to the G2) and put in a micro SD card slot. There are not an abundance of Android phones that offer 128GB models, but they do normally offer up to 64GB. There are a lot of models, like the G3, that also allow for up to a 128GB via micro SD.
Final Thoughts
As I said in the beginning of this post, this information should allow you to be confident in making a "smart" smartphone purchase. There are many things to consider, some based on preference, some based on hardware/software specifications. The most important message I have to reiterate is don't let numbers fool you into thinking that a product is better solely because of them.
Brand Name Shenanigans
Brand name means everything to some people, but to the savvy, it is just a name. What really counts is what comes with it. For smartphones there are at least two big names: Apple and Samsung. There are plenty of other Android phones (Samsung makes Android and Windows phones) like LG, HTC, Sony, or Motorola, but Samsung's fast adoption of Android has made it synonymous with the brand, and therefore good to pick on!
Apple does have a great smartphone, the iPhone, and it definitely deserve praise as they are the only ones to produce that phone. I have found the "geniuses" quite helpful, often doing things completely free of charge when possible. Great support is usually warrant of a great brand name. However, for example, they do lag on certain things hardware-wise. The only 1080p display on any iPhone is the iPhone 6 Plus just released, while Android phones are already passed that as of this year. WiFi has a new standard (passed N) named AC. The new perks of it are amazing, but iPhone only added this to their repertoire with the iPhone 6/Plus. Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the LG G2 (last year's flagship models) already implemented the technology. The iPhone has also never budged from more than 1GB RAM, to keep this in perspective, many Android phones are coming with 2-3GB RAM. There are always the pluses such as being the first with 64-bit applications (which may or may not really help as I would consider the RAM an issue), retina display, and the iPhone 6/Plus has 128GB models.
Samsung on the other hand is known for a great deal of things: TV's, SSD's, and many household appliances. Their smartphones help put Android on the map, not to mention give the Samsung name further prestige. But if you dig a little deeper, the name may be the only thing to consider at times. I took a look at a first generation ASUS Nexus 7 tablet and a Samsung Galaxy Tab of the same year, and while the Samsung was around $50 more expensive, it's specs were sub-par in comparison to the Nexus. Do you really want to pay more for something slower? The only reason I could think of is for support, but I don't know anything about ASUS vs. Samsung support in the smartphone arena. When I had a choice between a Samsung Galaxy S4 and a LG G2 that was yet-to-be released, I didn't want to wait so I opted for a used Verizon Galaxy S4, which was still pricey. I got the phone and no more than a week later it was completely dead. No warnings or indications, as everything had been up-and-running, just dead. So I ended up buying the G2 a couple weeks later. This just goes to show while they do make quality products, brand name isn't everything.
Megapixels Myth
I'll jump into megapixels now which takes some explanation. While most people think a higher megapixel means a better camera, not necessarily. The basic fact is that higher megapixels simply allow you to add more into a picture than lower megapixels. An example would be if you're trying to take a family photo. Let's say at 10MP (megapixels) you can fit four of five family members, but at 13MP (in the same spot) you can fit all five. That is to also say, that if you left the camera setting at 10MP, all you would have to do is take a few steps back in order to get all five. Conversely, a few step steps back with 13MP would allow you to get an extra person or two in the picture if needed. The only time a lower megapixel is a drawback is when you can't step back any further because of a wall or cliff edge!
With that being said, one 13MP is not the same as another 13MP (or any other size MP smartphone camera). There are plenty of cameras with the same amount of megapixels that are not considered equal. Case in point, the LG G2 has a 13MP, but so does the LG G3. I have owned both. While the G2 has a phenomenal camera, I feel the G3 does outdo it. The color feels a bit more natural, and upgrades to the hardware have helped do this somewhat. Another thing to note is that yesteryear cameras on smartphones usually have older camera sensors, meaning they should not be as good as the newer models. But what about different manufacturers with the same amount of megapixels? Well, there are plenty of articles comparing many different phone snapshots, and while many have the same megapixel count, there are obvious differences in quality. The difference doesn't lie so much in the camera sensors, as they are often the same. Where it does lie is in the post-processing by the actual software of the smartphone. The post-processing often tries to "beautify" photographs by attempting different tricks to make it look better than what it actually is. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. This can make all the difference in low-light situations.
While most smartphones focus on jumping megapixels every year, iPhone's have not. They have been at 8MP for quite some time. I can only assume that they feel that people know about megapixel marketing myths and that 8MP is a solid amount to stay at. While I think it could use a bump, their camera sensors are great, and they definitely don't skimp on their accompanying hardware/software either. This just goes to show that even a lower MP smartphone does not mean it is worse.
One last thought on this is a smartphone's camera will NEVER be a replacement for a real camera, whether a handheld or professional-grade, it will beat out most any smartphone. Cameras are built to be cameras, which is why they have better hardware to support it and grant excellent quality.
Hack-tastic!
Now for those into "hacking" your phone, Android is by-and-far king. Windows does have some developers making modifications, but not enough to be a potential contender. iPhones can be "jail-broken", which allows it to add additional apps and capabilities for free. But their biggest drawback is that jail-breaking is dependent upon what iOS version you have, as it usually takes a long time before it can be accomplished on newer versions. This is not to be confused with "unlocking", which is the process of unlocking an iPhone from a carrier to use with any carrier (with the corresponding networks) worldwide.
Androids on the other hand have A LOT of leeway in this arena. To start off, let's go over a few terms. Rooting is the ability to gain access to certain parts of the Android OS that users should not otherwise have. Bootloader is the system that helps boot up the Android OS on a smartphone (think of it like a BIOS or EFI in a computer). ROMs are custom-made Android OS files that can give you special abilities, UI tweaks, etc. Recoveries are special systems that will allow you to make complete system backups [Nandroids] and wipe cache and data among other things. There are currently only two main recoveries, CWM and TWRP. To put this altogether first you root a phone. Certain apps require root before you can use them. ROMs require root, and sometimes a recovery, before you can add them to your phone. Once you have been rooted, you can then add a recovery and/or a ROM. This may not seem like much, but you can flash files in recovery that can add apps, tweak and optimize settings, increase CPU/GPU power, etc. Yet, if this type of thing scare you, don't worry, you don't need to do any of this to enjoy an Android!
Not to forget, the bootloader needs to be hacked, bypassed, or whatever in order to allow a recovery to be put through. And that root often can allow for unlocking your SIM carrier, which is often done through the bootloader.
Screen Resolution Mayhem
Screen resolution does matter on TV's and monitors, and the higher they are the better they can look. On a phone, it may matter, but I argue that it does not always. If you think so, just ask a person with a smartphone that has 1080p, and a person who has an iPhone 6 or lower.
As mentioned above, I have the LG G3, the first phone to have QHD. In case there is any confusion there are a couple terms you might see being used incorrectly and interchangeably, like qHD, QHD, UHD, or 4K. QHD means 4 times 720p (which is considered High-Def along with the likes of 900p or 1080p). qHD means only a quarter of full HD (1080p). UHD means Ultra High-Def, which includes 4K, 6K, and 8K. There are some arguments in the definitions of using 4K and UHD, but I won't get into that here. Anyways, the LG G3 had the first QHD screen, and still has the highest PPI (Pixels-Per-Inch), but that shouldn't last too long...
The G3 does look phenomenal, but I can't say I'm overly impressed. My G2 looked great too, and honestly, if they hadn't improved the screen resolution and pixel count, there would be no love-loss. Beyond this, I also own a ZTE U950, which was purchased in China during the Galaxy S3 days. It actually contains the same CPU and GPU (made by NVIDIA) as the international Galaxy S3. What it lacks is a good camera, and a high screen resolution. I owned a Galaxy S3 and while the S3 screen was superior, the ZTE U950 is not unbearable by any means. While I would prefer a higher screen resolution, it in no way takes away from the smartphone experience.
Going back to PPI, you'll notice all screens seem to vary. There is no common standard. This changes from big-to-small depending on the screen resolution and physical dimensions of the screen. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has a QHD screen, but it has less PPI than the LG G3.
While some prefer the G3 because of its "truer" colors, others state the Note 4 looks better. This likely has to do with what materials make the screen for the most part. LG uses AH-IPS LCD technology, while Samsung uses Super AMOLED.
Speed and Power!
People easily get fooled by speed and power. This includes CPU's, GPU's, RAM, and Batteries. LG now has a special "step" battery design that allows it to fit more into its batteries, which logically allows for a little more power. But Samsung now has a special ultra power saving mode that can set your smartphone's color to grayscale when there is only 10% left, which will supposedly let it last for another 24 hours! I have read that the Note 4 does better than the older LG G3, but that the Galaxy S5 does better than the newer Note 4. I have also read that the Note 3 still has better battery life than the Note 4, but that the Note 4 can charge in half the time of a Note 3. So, what this all means is that you have to take it with a grain of salt. Tests can be done in a variety of ways, your usage is what matters. And, if you really just want a phone but the battery is holding you back, don't forget there are always accessories to add bigger or more battery power.
On top of this, most newer Android devices support fast-charging, which allows you to charge your Android phone in half of the time it used to. So, this could be a benefit to a newer smartphone, but there seems to be some that have successfully got older Android devices to enable this feature (at their own risk).
RAM is essential to any smartphone. I have noticed that lower amounts (obviously) just can't function as well ones with higher amounts. Bigger is normally better, but take the iPhone as the devil's advocate. They use 1GB RAM and they are efficient. In Android, it seems that bigger is always better. When I had the G2, 2GB of RAM was plenty. Now I have the G3 with the same amount of RAM (3GB is also available), and sometimes I wonder if I should have opted for more - although it could be that I use up too much storage space, which ideally should not be the issue since it comes with that storage space to be used...
Do faster GPU's make for a better phone? I don't know. I don't do any hardcore gaming on my phone, I have an Xbox 360 for that. If you get into the latest and greatest 3D-rendered games, it might be a plus. And sure it could help watching movies. But a lot of older smartphones have little to no problems playing most games and movies. While it may be a good thing to get that upgrade, I wouldn't worry about it too much. A smartphone GPU that isn't more than five years old, should be fine for most of your needs. However, this may become more important when UHD starts being pushed more. And if you are worried about the GPU speed, many Android phones have tweaks to increase that, but you'll need to get into "hacking".
What about the CPU? A fast CPU is great, and I really can't see a point to getting anything lower than a dual-core, if possible. Many apps are still created with a dual-core in mind, however, quad-cores have gained acceptance since their introduction. And the numbers? Well, faster speed is always nice, but for what? Maybe for intense games, but for the most part, there aren't going to be too many advantages with a faster CPU other than possible loading times. As with Android GPU's, you can usually increase the speed of a CPU to help combat those times when you just need to go faster!
Note: Increasing (and decreasing) the speed of a CPU and/or GPU can be dangerous and "brick" your phone if done improperly. This also goes for messing around with the voltage your phone uses for what speeds are being utilized. Even if done properly, there can always be side effects like overheating to be careful of.
Storage Space Situations
Many of us are used to having a lot of space, and this can be a big issue. iPhones, as noted above, now have an option to get up to 128GB. This makes a lot of sense because they have no MicroSD card slot. It could be a real pain if you were to use up all the space, or if you could only afford a model with less space.
Androids are better about this as just about all of them now come with a MicroSD card slot, but not always. The LG G2 did not come with one (unless you were in Korea), so you were stuck with what you got. The LG G3 did like the Optimus G Pro (the flagship model prior to the G2) and put in a micro SD card slot. There are not an abundance of Android phones that offer 128GB models, but they do normally offer up to 64GB. There are a lot of models, like the G3, that also allow for up to a 128GB via micro SD.
Final Thoughts
As I said in the beginning of this post, this information should allow you to be confident in making a "smart" smartphone purchase. There are many things to consider, some based on preference, some based on hardware/software specifications. The most important message I have to reiterate is don't let numbers fool you into thinking that a product is better solely because of them.
Monday, October 27, 2014
5 Helpful Software Tips for Your Computer
I have many software tools at my disposal, some I use very little but find irreplaceable, some I use a lot and of equal value. But many times people are unaware of certain tools, or add unnecessary tools thinking they somehow help. Today I want to explain some of my favorites and why you may or may not need them.
Compression Apps
Everyone who uses a computer has come across a .ZIP file one time or another. It is a file container that attempts to shrink one or more files in size to a single file that can be later opened. There a variety reasons to do this, such as sending one file instead of many through an email. Needing to send or transport many files and hoping to get a smaller file size out of all them while doing so. And even just needing to password-protect some important information.
The Rub
If you have used any iteration of Windows since 1998, Mac OS X since version 10.3, or certain Linux distros, you already have a .ZIP utility included in your OS! There is no need to install other programs to get them to open or need to be zipped. Many make the mistake that a third-party program is required and install that when first getting a new PC.
The Drawback
While the preinstalled software is great for .ZIP files, other (now) common compression extensions cannot be opened. Some of these include .RAR or .7z, both quite popular nowadays. 7-zip is freeware and can open .7z files. It can be easily downloaded and will also give you the option to integrate to right right-click menu on Windows, as well as open .RAR or .ZIP files. In addition, it supports most popular OS's. WinRAR is another favorite, but the free version will always have a pop-up (not adware or malware-based) trying to get you to buy the program. This will perform .ZIP or .RAR files, includes password-protection, settings for how to compress the file, and even a well-known benchmark. If you do not purchase the product, the only time it will become a nuisance if it trying to open multiple .RAR or .ZIP files at once.
Tip
Check this article to see when WinZip (an old, but not recommended application), 7-zip, or WinRAR is best to use depending on the circumstances. While it is a bit old, I doubt compression has progressed to the point to make it invalid.
Update: I just read this short article detailing how .7z compressed files are the best choice. It is from a couple of days ago and notes the downside is that no OS comes with 7-zip pre-installed, so you would need to download it regardless of your system choice. Keep in mind, the only items they compressed were games, so it is somewhat biased in that regard.
Adobe Reader
This has been a huge staple for many of us in the past. PDF's are here-to-stay, and we need something that can read them. While I still install Adobe Reader on new computers, sometimes I find that the download receives an error and will not continue.
The Rub
If you use newer versions of Firefox or Chrome browsers there's no need to install Adobe Reader. Internet Explorer also has this capability, but there have been reports of issues from time-to-time. All these browsers can easily view PDF documents, but you will need to notify the PC to set one as your default viewers for PDF's. To do this on Windows, right-click a PDF and click "Open with", choose the option to "Choose default program..." if necessary. Then choose your browser from the list. If your browser is not in the list your will have to browser and find its .EXE application in your "Program Files (x86)".
The Drawback
There really isn't much of a drawback here. Adobe Reader has a few extra functional features that most common users will never miss. And if you're into editing PDF's, Adobe Acrobat is the program you will need (or OpenOffice for the daring!).
Tip
Microsoft Office 2013 can view PDF's natively. If you don't have that, OpenOffice has long had the ability to view (and manipulate) PDF's, however it sometimes does not view them as perfectly as it should.
Registry Cleaners
Many people do not know what the registry is letalone that they may need a cleaner for it. Windows OS' have had a registry since version 3.1, and it moreorless stores configuration settings for applications from and for the system. Knowing this, have you ever wondered - after installing tons of software, possibly uninstalling just as many - why your computer slows down? Sure, it could be a RAM issue, or a storage issue, but what about when it just happens out-of-the-blue? Sometimes, it is a registry problem.
The Rub
Most of us will never know the importance of a registry cleaner. But these cleaners can often save lives! Having a clean registry can often be the difference between installing a program and getting errors and getting it to install perfectly. There are numerous other reasons about old unneeded files, browser issues, etc., but the main concern is that the more errors the more unseen problems that will arise. There are free registry cleaners available. CCleaner is well-known and a favorite. It is simple to use and has a rather simple GUI, there are better versions available but at a cost. Wise Cleaner is also fairly well-known, and I believe has a better GUI for ease-of-use.
The Drawback
This can really only help you. You can go without one, but it does nothing horrible if you do get one. The most I could say against it is that they can require you to close your browser, which if you have a lot of tabs open, will likely disappear upon reopening. It will also take out the trash, so if you have something in there that shouldn't be, take it out first!
Tip
I prefer PC Tools Registry Mechanic, or RegCure. I found both in combination work quite well. I use Registry Mechanic for the brunt of the cleaning, and RegCure finds anything leftover. These are both paid applications, but they will do wonders for your computer.
Windows Explorer Tabs
This is a new feature for me, but I do think it is useful (at times). On Windows 10, this should be an integrated feature (if the build versions are of any telling). If you remember a time before web browsers had tabs, you can probably recall a time when you had 10 or more browser windows open cluttering the desktop and confusing yourself. When tabs were first implemented by Firefox, everyone knew it was the future for web browsers. So why not have them as part of Windows Explorer (the browser of files for Windows)?
The Rub
While all web browsers now have this function, Windows Explorer does not. Do not fret, there are a couple of free programs that can help fix this. Clover 3 is modeled after Chrome tabs and looks beautiful. It does use Chrome browser shortcuts such as CTRL+T and CTRL+W. It supports Windows XP, 7 & 8. I have not tested this on Vista or 8.1, so do so at your own risk. QTTabBar integrates into Windows Explorer, and it works flawlessly. It does not have the beauty Clover 3 has, but other than that, it has many of the same shortcuts. If you delve into its options, which does take a bit of time, it becomes a great asset to any (commercially available) Windows OS. QTTabBar supports Windows 7 & 8, but may work with others.
The Drawback
Clover 3 looks spectacular but it's biggest drawbacks are almost all function-related. One that is not is that it does not integrate with Windows Explorer, but simply gives you another application to use. The shortcuts worked only once for me, and I have noticed that it can get really buggy. Recently it got so bad that I had to uninstall it. QTTabBar has great functionality without nearly no hiccups. The only problem is that the learning curve and time needed for customization make it a bit of a burden for those who want to just download and go. One minor issue the seemed to appear out-of-nowhere was being able to movie windows. For some reason I could barely drag a window, or it would assume I was double-clicking to enlarge... Essentially, if both were combined, it would be the perfect program. Alongside these problems is the addition of no formal support for either application.
Tip
A third choice is TabExplorer. While it may not rank as highly as the other two mentioned, it does support Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 for those on older Windows operating systems. It also has a support team. Whether they will be of any help (if needed) is not something I am privy to.
Detailed Media Information
This is more for those who work with or use a lot of video/audio files and need to find media details quickly. Sure there is always the clicking on a file's properties and checking its details, but there are often very little if any.
The Rub
MediaInfo is a light-weight, freeware application available for Windows, Mac, and many flavors of Linux. It will give you many details including bitrates, formats, frames-per-second (FPS), and much more! Once installed, you simple right-click on a media file and select "MediaInfo". It will then produce a windows with all the information for that media file.
The Drawback
It adds a tiny bit to the hard drive? I'm not sure what to put down for this. Unless you absolutely don't need it, it can become extremely helpful. Maybe if you have numerous things on your context menu, then it will just be that much more cluttered...
Tip
It does recognize newer codec types like VP9, so if you have a file that won't play, you can first investigate as to what file-type it is. Then you can determine if your default player can actually view it, or if you need to download a different player (or supplemental codec-pack).
Here We Are
So, you may never need any of these tips to help you. Yet, chances are you will at least find them helpful in one day for one reason or another. And if nothing else, a few may help free up some storage, if only by the tiniest bit. Keep in mind these are mostly items that will help Windows users, but some do apply for other OS's.
Compression Utilities, Adobe Reader, Registry Cleaners, Windows Explorer Tabs, & Detailed Media Information
Compression Apps
Everyone who uses a computer has come across a .ZIP file one time or another. It is a file container that attempts to shrink one or more files in size to a single file that can be later opened. There a variety reasons to do this, such as sending one file instead of many through an email. Needing to send or transport many files and hoping to get a smaller file size out of all them while doing so. And even just needing to password-protect some important information.
The Rub
If you have used any iteration of Windows since 1998, Mac OS X since version 10.3, or certain Linux distros, you already have a .ZIP utility included in your OS! There is no need to install other programs to get them to open or need to be zipped. Many make the mistake that a third-party program is required and install that when first getting a new PC.
The Drawback
While the preinstalled software is great for .ZIP files, other (now) common compression extensions cannot be opened. Some of these include .RAR or .7z, both quite popular nowadays. 7-zip is freeware and can open .7z files. It can be easily downloaded and will also give you the option to integrate to right right-click menu on Windows, as well as open .RAR or .ZIP files. In addition, it supports most popular OS's. WinRAR is another favorite, but the free version will always have a pop-up (not adware or malware-based) trying to get you to buy the program. This will perform .ZIP or .RAR files, includes password-protection, settings for how to compress the file, and even a well-known benchmark. If you do not purchase the product, the only time it will become a nuisance if it trying to open multiple .RAR or .ZIP files at once.
Tip
Check this article to see when WinZip (an old, but not recommended application), 7-zip, or WinRAR is best to use depending on the circumstances. While it is a bit old, I doubt compression has progressed to the point to make it invalid.
Update: I just read this short article detailing how .7z compressed files are the best choice. It is from a couple of days ago and notes the downside is that no OS comes with 7-zip pre-installed, so you would need to download it regardless of your system choice. Keep in mind, the only items they compressed were games, so it is somewhat biased in that regard.
Adobe Reader
This has been a huge staple for many of us in the past. PDF's are here-to-stay, and we need something that can read them. While I still install Adobe Reader on new computers, sometimes I find that the download receives an error and will not continue.
The Rub
If you use newer versions of Firefox or Chrome browsers there's no need to install Adobe Reader. Internet Explorer also has this capability, but there have been reports of issues from time-to-time. All these browsers can easily view PDF documents, but you will need to notify the PC to set one as your default viewers for PDF's. To do this on Windows, right-click a PDF and click "Open with", choose the option to "Choose default program..." if necessary. Then choose your browser from the list. If your browser is not in the list your will have to browser and find its .EXE application in your "Program Files (x86)".
The Drawback
There really isn't much of a drawback here. Adobe Reader has a few extra functional features that most common users will never miss. And if you're into editing PDF's, Adobe Acrobat is the program you will need (or OpenOffice for the daring!).
Tip
Microsoft Office 2013 can view PDF's natively. If you don't have that, OpenOffice has long had the ability to view (and manipulate) PDF's, however it sometimes does not view them as perfectly as it should.
Registry Cleaners
Many people do not know what the registry is letalone that they may need a cleaner for it. Windows OS' have had a registry since version 3.1, and it moreorless stores configuration settings for applications from and for the system. Knowing this, have you ever wondered - after installing tons of software, possibly uninstalling just as many - why your computer slows down? Sure, it could be a RAM issue, or a storage issue, but what about when it just happens out-of-the-blue? Sometimes, it is a registry problem.
The Rub
Most of us will never know the importance of a registry cleaner. But these cleaners can often save lives! Having a clean registry can often be the difference between installing a program and getting errors and getting it to install perfectly. There are numerous other reasons about old unneeded files, browser issues, etc., but the main concern is that the more errors the more unseen problems that will arise. There are free registry cleaners available. CCleaner is well-known and a favorite. It is simple to use and has a rather simple GUI, there are better versions available but at a cost. Wise Cleaner is also fairly well-known, and I believe has a better GUI for ease-of-use.
The Drawback
This can really only help you. You can go without one, but it does nothing horrible if you do get one. The most I could say against it is that they can require you to close your browser, which if you have a lot of tabs open, will likely disappear upon reopening. It will also take out the trash, so if you have something in there that shouldn't be, take it out first!
Tip
I prefer PC Tools Registry Mechanic, or RegCure. I found both in combination work quite well. I use Registry Mechanic for the brunt of the cleaning, and RegCure finds anything leftover. These are both paid applications, but they will do wonders for your computer.
Windows Explorer Tabs
This is a new feature for me, but I do think it is useful (at times). On Windows 10, this should be an integrated feature (if the build versions are of any telling). If you remember a time before web browsers had tabs, you can probably recall a time when you had 10 or more browser windows open cluttering the desktop and confusing yourself. When tabs were first implemented by Firefox, everyone knew it was the future for web browsers. So why not have them as part of Windows Explorer (the browser of files for Windows)?
The Rub
While all web browsers now have this function, Windows Explorer does not. Do not fret, there are a couple of free programs that can help fix this. Clover 3 is modeled after Chrome tabs and looks beautiful. It does use Chrome browser shortcuts such as CTRL+T and CTRL+W. It supports Windows XP, 7 & 8. I have not tested this on Vista or 8.1, so do so at your own risk. QTTabBar integrates into Windows Explorer, and it works flawlessly. It does not have the beauty Clover 3 has, but other than that, it has many of the same shortcuts. If you delve into its options, which does take a bit of time, it becomes a great asset to any (commercially available) Windows OS. QTTabBar supports Windows 7 & 8, but may work with others.
The Drawback
Clover 3 looks spectacular but it's biggest drawbacks are almost all function-related. One that is not is that it does not integrate with Windows Explorer, but simply gives you another application to use. The shortcuts worked only once for me, and I have noticed that it can get really buggy. Recently it got so bad that I had to uninstall it. QTTabBar has great functionality without nearly no hiccups. The only problem is that the learning curve and time needed for customization make it a bit of a burden for those who want to just download and go. One minor issue the seemed to appear out-of-nowhere was being able to movie windows. For some reason I could barely drag a window, or it would assume I was double-clicking to enlarge... Essentially, if both were combined, it would be the perfect program. Alongside these problems is the addition of no formal support for either application.
Tip
A third choice is TabExplorer. While it may not rank as highly as the other two mentioned, it does support Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 for those on older Windows operating systems. It also has a support team. Whether they will be of any help (if needed) is not something I am privy to.
Detailed Media Information
This is more for those who work with or use a lot of video/audio files and need to find media details quickly. Sure there is always the clicking on a file's properties and checking its details, but there are often very little if any.
The Rub
MediaInfo is a light-weight, freeware application available for Windows, Mac, and many flavors of Linux. It will give you many details including bitrates, formats, frames-per-second (FPS), and much more! Once installed, you simple right-click on a media file and select "MediaInfo". It will then produce a windows with all the information for that media file.
The Drawback
It adds a tiny bit to the hard drive? I'm not sure what to put down for this. Unless you absolutely don't need it, it can become extremely helpful. Maybe if you have numerous things on your context menu, then it will just be that much more cluttered...
Tip
It does recognize newer codec types like VP9, so if you have a file that won't play, you can first investigate as to what file-type it is. Then you can determine if your default player can actually view it, or if you need to download a different player (or supplemental codec-pack).
Here We Are
So, you may never need any of these tips to help you. Yet, chances are you will at least find them helpful in one day for one reason or another. And if nothing else, a few may help free up some storage, if only by the tiniest bit. Keep in mind these are mostly items that will help Windows users, but some do apply for other OS's.
Friday, October 24, 2014
USB 3.0 Hub Driver Fix & How to Bypass USB Hub Size Limit!
In my last article, I explained how I had just purchased two Toshiba Canvio 3TB external HDD's. Part of my learning process involved getting a new USB 3.0 hub that could take advantage of their speeds. Therein my journey took place to fix my USB 3.0 problems.
USB 3.0 Hub
I have been looking for a good USB hub for quite some time, and buying the two Canvios prompted me to purchase one since only two of my four USB 3.0 motherboard ports currently work. I had bought some USB 2.0 hubs on clearance a while back, but the first started having problems whenever it was moved. This indicated a cable irregularity, but nothing could be done since it was part of the product. It is now a toy for my young daughter who likes to chew on things (disconnected of course!).
I went through our local shops and priced a few USB 3.0 hub brands. I found the cheapest and it did look aesthetically pleasing. I bought it and brought it home. I connected the hub only to find it would not recognize my drives. On the fine writing on the hub itself it states that it cannot support drives higher than 2TB! True to form, my Canvios were not recognized when inserted and turned on.
USB 3.0 Hub Driver Fix!
The easiest thing to do is ensure that you have checked the motherboard's manufacturer's website, downloaded and installed any USB 3.0 drivers (I'll explain why later). The next would be to check the cables and try different ones, as well as different USB items. If that doesn't work, continue on...
The first thing to do is go into Windows 7's Device Manager and open the USB items. I found the generic hub and right-clicked to access Properties. I clicked on the Drivers tab and noted the Driver Provider, WHICH IS IMPORTANT!
I then found this site: USB3.0 Drivers
I should note that I had a 4-port hub, not a 2-port hub. Yet, I installed the 2-port driver for AsMedia. I uninstalled the driver (also under the Driver tab) for the generic hub within the device manager, but YOU SHOULD NOT TO DO THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE TO!!! Installing the downloaded driver, if it has a setup executable file, should work fine. If you do uninstall the driver, make sure you have drivers for your motherboard from the manufacturer.
Once the driver was installed the hub immediately found both of my drives. If you do not have a setup.exe file, you will need to have Windows browse to the folder where the USB 3.0 drivers are and hope that it sees them. (Check the subfolders option just in case.)
USB Hub Limit Fix!
If you're USB 3.0 hub does happen to state it does not allow external HDD's higher than 2TB (or possibly some other amount), you're not out-of-luck yet. I fixed it by installing the drivers above. It was able to recognize the 3TB Toshiba Canvios, BUT this may only be a viable solution for USB 2.0 hubs as described directly below...
Fake USB Hub!
I did some tests with AS SSD, and yes, it does work with HDD drives. My findings were unacceptable, but not that shocking for a generic Chinese brand. The speeds I was getting is indicative of a USB 2.0 hub, not a USB 3.0 hub. I tested each drive directly connected to my PC and to my hub, and the results were too large to be a mistake. So, I went back to the shop I bought it from and traded it in for another, slightly more expensive, 4-port model.
Driver - Different Amount of Ports?
My new hub worked, but I thought that the USB hub could be faulty, since only two of the ports were working. I then remembered that the driver was meant for a 2-port hub, so I thought I would seek out another driver and try my luck before returning that model too.
I found a newer version of the AsMedia drivers here on a French site that had a ton of drivers for whatever you can think of. I used the executable setup file to install the drivers and tested the two ports that had not been working. Voila! The USB 3.0 hub is now fully functioning on all 4-ports. BUT, after testing the drive speeds again, the transfer rates have been downgraded to USB 2.0...
So, at this point in time, I had the option of using two USB 3.0 ports at full speeds; or all four USB 3.0 ports at USB 2.0 speeds.
Note: These drivers may work for other hubs of different providers, or you may need to look elsewhere as I had to.
Motherboard Manufacturer USB 3.0 Drivers
When I originally uninstalled my USB generic hub drivers, I inadvertenly took away the ability for Windows to recognize my Seagate external HDD which is connected directly to my PC via USB 3.0. This created a lot of trouble, hence why I learned about all the driver information here!
Uninstalling the last set of drivers I installed for USB 3.0 forced my computer to do a reboot. (You can double-click the setup.exe file - if you got one - and it should hopefully give the option to remove the drivers in addition to repairing.) It hanged on booting, but a restart quickly fixed that. Once in my PC I reinstalled my motherboard drivers (which I had not been able to do before for unknown reasons), and the USB 3.0 hub immediately recognized my drives. On further testing, the speeds are what they should be, so the USB 3.0 hub is now fully functioning.
Motherboard vs. Provider Drivers
If you read through the horrors above, then you're probably thinking, "There's no reason not to use the motherboard manufacturer drivers." However, there are a couple reasons. The most obvious are that your motherboard manufacturer doesn't offer any with your computer, or, like me, you were unable to install them.
Maybe more importantly was the information I got from the tests I ran. While only one of the drivers above worked for USB 3.0, it did have an amazing speed increase on write-to-disk. I gained about 10-15MB/s on each Toshiba Canvio. However, the motherboard drivers gives my USB 3.0 Seagate a push of around 5MB/s for read-from-disk, and 2MB/s on write-to-disk.
So the toss up for me is having all four ports functional as USB 3.0, with a bit slower Toshiba Canvios and a slightly faster Seagate; or having only two functioning USB 3.0 ports with faster Toshiba Canvios. I have opted for the latter since I could really use the extra ports, and I did pay for four.
Note: I am using a motherboard that no longer gets updates from the manufacturer, so a newer motherboard may still be getting updated USB 3.0 drivers which may increase your transfer rates.
What Have We Learned
The knowledge set forth should allow you to get a USB 3.0 hub working (partly), or at the very least, have the knowledge on how to go about trying to fix one. In addition, it is possible to breach the limit of a USB hub, for better or worse. These things never seem important until they actually are, so if you feel you have wasted your time, trust me, you haven't. Will you remember what I have written is another matter.
USB 3.0 Hub
I have been looking for a good USB hub for quite some time, and buying the two Canvios prompted me to purchase one since only two of my four USB 3.0 motherboard ports currently work. I had bought some USB 2.0 hubs on clearance a while back, but the first started having problems whenever it was moved. This indicated a cable irregularity, but nothing could be done since it was part of the product. It is now a toy for my young daughter who likes to chew on things (disconnected of course!).
I went through our local shops and priced a few USB 3.0 hub brands. I found the cheapest and it did look aesthetically pleasing. I bought it and brought it home. I connected the hub only to find it would not recognize my drives. On the fine writing on the hub itself it states that it cannot support drives higher than 2TB! True to form, my Canvios were not recognized when inserted and turned on.
USB 3.0 Hub Driver Fix!
The easiest thing to do is ensure that you have checked the motherboard's manufacturer's website, downloaded and installed any USB 3.0 drivers (I'll explain why later). The next would be to check the cables and try different ones, as well as different USB items. If that doesn't work, continue on...
The first thing to do is go into Windows 7's Device Manager and open the USB items. I found the generic hub and right-clicked to access Properties. I clicked on the Drivers tab and noted the Driver Provider, WHICH IS IMPORTANT!
I then found this site: USB3.0 Drivers
I should note that I had a 4-port hub, not a 2-port hub. Yet, I installed the 2-port driver for AsMedia. I uninstalled the driver (also under the Driver tab) for the generic hub within the device manager, but YOU SHOULD NOT TO DO THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE TO!!! Installing the downloaded driver, if it has a setup executable file, should work fine. If you do uninstall the driver, make sure you have drivers for your motherboard from the manufacturer.
Once the driver was installed the hub immediately found both of my drives. If you do not have a setup.exe file, you will need to have Windows browse to the folder where the USB 3.0 drivers are and hope that it sees them. (Check the subfolders option just in case.)
USB Hub Limit Fix!
If you're USB 3.0 hub does happen to state it does not allow external HDD's higher than 2TB (or possibly some other amount), you're not out-of-luck yet. I fixed it by installing the drivers above. It was able to recognize the 3TB Toshiba Canvios, BUT this may only be a viable solution for USB 2.0 hubs as described directly below...
Fake USB Hub!
I did some tests with AS SSD, and yes, it does work with HDD drives. My findings were unacceptable, but not that shocking for a generic Chinese brand. The speeds I was getting is indicative of a USB 2.0 hub, not a USB 3.0 hub. I tested each drive directly connected to my PC and to my hub, and the results were too large to be a mistake. So, I went back to the shop I bought it from and traded it in for another, slightly more expensive, 4-port model.
Driver - Different Amount of Ports?
My new hub worked, but I thought that the USB hub could be faulty, since only two of the ports were working. I then remembered that the driver was meant for a 2-port hub, so I thought I would seek out another driver and try my luck before returning that model too.
I found a newer version of the AsMedia drivers here on a French site that had a ton of drivers for whatever you can think of. I used the executable setup file to install the drivers and tested the two ports that had not been working. Voila! The USB 3.0 hub is now fully functioning on all 4-ports. BUT, after testing the drive speeds again, the transfer rates have been downgraded to USB 2.0...
So, at this point in time, I had the option of using two USB 3.0 ports at full speeds; or all four USB 3.0 ports at USB 2.0 speeds.
Note: These drivers may work for other hubs of different providers, or you may need to look elsewhere as I had to.
Motherboard Manufacturer USB 3.0 Drivers
When I originally uninstalled my USB generic hub drivers, I inadvertenly took away the ability for Windows to recognize my Seagate external HDD which is connected directly to my PC via USB 3.0. This created a lot of trouble, hence why I learned about all the driver information here!
Uninstalling the last set of drivers I installed for USB 3.0 forced my computer to do a reboot. (You can double-click the setup.exe file - if you got one - and it should hopefully give the option to remove the drivers in addition to repairing.) It hanged on booting, but a restart quickly fixed that. Once in my PC I reinstalled my motherboard drivers (which I had not been able to do before for unknown reasons), and the USB 3.0 hub immediately recognized my drives. On further testing, the speeds are what they should be, so the USB 3.0 hub is now fully functioning.
Motherboard vs. Provider Drivers
If you read through the horrors above, then you're probably thinking, "There's no reason not to use the motherboard manufacturer drivers." However, there are a couple reasons. The most obvious are that your motherboard manufacturer doesn't offer any with your computer, or, like me, you were unable to install them.
Maybe more importantly was the information I got from the tests I ran. While only one of the drivers above worked for USB 3.0, it did have an amazing speed increase on write-to-disk. I gained about 10-15MB/s on each Toshiba Canvio. However, the motherboard drivers gives my USB 3.0 Seagate a push of around 5MB/s for read-from-disk, and 2MB/s on write-to-disk.
So the toss up for me is having all four ports functional as USB 3.0, with a bit slower Toshiba Canvios and a slightly faster Seagate; or having only two functioning USB 3.0 ports with faster Toshiba Canvios. I have opted for the latter since I could really use the extra ports, and I did pay for four.
Note: I am using a motherboard that no longer gets updates from the manufacturer, so a newer motherboard may still be getting updated USB 3.0 drivers which may increase your transfer rates.
What Have We Learned
The knowledge set forth should allow you to get a USB 3.0 hub working (partly), or at the very least, have the knowledge on how to go about trying to fix one. In addition, it is possible to breach the limit of a USB hub, for better or worse. These things never seem important until they actually are, so if you feel you have wasted your time, trust me, you haven't. Will you remember what I have written is another matter.
Toshiba Canvio: Sleep Function & Unallocated Space Fixes!
I recently ordered two used Toshiba Canvio 3 terabyte (TB) external hard disk drives (HDD) from Amazon. I made the decision after noting that a new Seagate 5TB external HDD would cost the same price. But what you get is what you pay for...
Toshiba Canvio
There seems to be a lot of different versions of the Toshiba Canvio with portable sizes and different storage amounts. Toshiba has never been my first go-to manufacturer for anything. I had a Toshiba Satellite laptop many years back, and it did right by me. However, I do recall that I had a different laptop with an internal CD-writer made by Toshiba that lasted a very short time. So, I decided that I would see how their external HDD's fared since I already have an external USB 3.0 Seagate.
Warranty Registration
A couple of notes on the 3TB model. It was first introduced to market in 2013, and has since been plagued by varying issues. The first being that there is no way to sign up for a product warranty through Toshiba's website. It will return an error as if you input the wrong serial number, but it won't matter in either case. You can contact Toshiba and they will tell you it is not possible online. This is despite having a 3-year warranty! Which is an additional reason I bought this since Seagate external HDD's normally have 1-2 year warranties depending on the model. Oddly enough, it is considered a NAS device if you check the first three serial number characters. This is in no way a NAS device by normal standards...
To remedy this, you will need to keep your receipt and just wait for a fateful day when you actually need to RMA it. Hopefully you never will, but there were many horror stories about how many of them died after a couple weeks of use. I bought this through Amazon, which keeps my order history (as does NewEgg, and many other large companies); so I just have to open my account for a receipt.
Once you need a RMA, and have the receipt, go to this link and click the "Start" button to begin the RMA process.
Sleep Function
This is the biggie that had all the Canvio users up in arms. Evidently, a lot of people bought this to make Windows backups. I do not use any type of Windows backup except for System Restore Points. I manually backup items to all my external drives, of which I have many. Putting that aside, it should still not be an issue to perform a Windows backup on one of these drives, but the fact is to the contrary.
The implemented sleep function on the Canvios is unable to be switched off. Toshiba has a sleep tool, but it is meant for older drives. And while Toshiba is well aware of the problem, they have yet to address the issue anywhere as these drives continue to be sold. This has impacted Windows backups by abruptly going to sleep during the procedure! Luckily, the problem has been around long enough that fixes have emerged from users.
Sleep Function Fix!
There are a few different techniques that should fix the sleep function issue. The most common fixes are software programs that will disable the sleep function. It seems that most, if not all, do not work. There is a registry hack, but this does not have any feedback and novice users should always stay away from the registry.
There are two working solutions: One is to have an empty file written (and then deleted) to the Canvio drive every so many minutes to ensure it stays on. The only problem here is that the drive is doing unnecessary work, and essentially using it up for nothing. The more practical method is using CrystalDiskInfo.
CrystalDiskInfo Method
Download the free CrystalDiskInfo program here (Standard .EXE edition). Install the program and you can make use of such things like how many times your hard drives have been turned on, and how many hours they have been ran. (This is quite useful for someone like me who took a risk and purchased used external HDD's!) More useful for this situation is the APM feature, which will help ensure the sleep function does not occur:
Note I: The reason we have chosen 80H for amount is that CrystalDiskInfo states that this is the minimum amount of power required to disallow a disk from going into standby (or in our case, sleep mode). I have tested and noticed that that lowest amount applicable is 60H. The different between those two amounts is the amount of power being used. So, 60H may be best in terms of saving power and disabling the sleep function.
Note II: The sleep function is there for a reason. Apparently these drives are fanless, so I believe the sleep function allows them to not overheat. This may also be why Toshiba does has not taken responsibility for the sleep function as an issue. Both of my Canvios heat up to around 50 degrees, however, one seems to always run a little hotter. Take heed that the sleep function is not always a bad thing!
Note III: To reenable sleep mode, just exit out of CrystalDiskInfo.
Reformatting a Toshiba Canvio
What many people will recommend when you first get an external drive is to reformat it. This will wipe out the preloaded manufacturer software, which is rarely needed, and usually found on their website.
I normally don't do this as I have never felt the need, but I decided to do so with the two Toshiba Canvio 3TB models because I had nothing on them yet. After all was said and done, I did notice a slight increase in the transfer rates, but nothing to get excited over. The said and done part was what really mattered here...
Unallocated Space
If you use Windows, you can reformat the drive by just going into (My) Computer and right-clicking on the desired disk. Then choose Format, and format as you like. But if you want to create partitions on the drive, or just prefer a more professional formatting feel, you'll want to use Disk Management.
What I discovered was truly odd. My mission for reformatting the drives was to see if I could find any way in which to perform a software RAID (in which I have not found one viable solution without hardware assistance). So, I deleted both volumes to begin the process.
The unallocated space, which is what that drive will then become, was separated into two parts: A one and two terabyte partition for each Toshiba Canvio. And no matter what I did I could not get the partitions to come back together.
Unallocated Space Fix!
I wasn't about to let two full terabytes go to waste, so I went ahead and use third-party software to resolve this issue.
I used EASEUS Partition Manager, which is free, and I prefer the interface. However, I would recommend against this as even if you choose custom installation and opt-out of all the extra software it wants to install, it will still install a piece of software that continues to pop-up on your desktop to advertise their programs. I ended up having to use the latest version of ComboFix to get rid of most of it. The last lingering part was going into the Program Files (x86) > EASEUS Partition Manager > bin and deleting the folder named "TrayPopup" (where you might need to reboot your computer first before doing so).
Another free program, which will not install adware, is MiniTool Partition Wizard (Home Edition). This will do the same thing as the aforementioned program, and is quite well-known in the Android community.
Using either software you will want to create a new partition, label it and add a drive letter, then apply the action. Ensure that you have allocated all the disk space so you get the full amount, otherwise you will need to go through this again. And even if you go through all the steps and it looks like everything should now be working, unless you have applied the action [button at the top], the actions you have performed have yet to be taken.
Note: The partition table is set as MBR, so it can only support up to 2TB when initially formatted. Another way around this problem is to use DiskPart and convert the drive to GPT, but this is not recommended for novice users as you can easily make mistakes and there are no safeguards.
Used From Amazon
As a finalalizing piece, I wanted to throw in that the used drives I got have been working fine. I have had no real troubles other than those mentioned above. With CrystalDiskInfo I found that one drive had been used for a little over 3 months, while the other was used for less than a day. The one that runs a bit hotter is the one that was hardly used. So, they both have their trade offs in terms of which is better. Had I been able to wait a couple months, I could've bought brand new ones at almost the same prices, but I couldn't, so I didn't. Used products is fine if you have tools to measure how they run, but if you don't, then used is really only preferable when affordability comes into play.
This Is The End
You should now know how to properly use a Toshiba Canvio, or be fully prepared if you plan to buy one (as it is the cheapest option for a 3TB on Amazon!). Other external hard drives are usually plug-n-play, as long as you have the appropriate drivers already installed. But the price for these Canvios is enough to sway many.
Toshiba Canvio
There seems to be a lot of different versions of the Toshiba Canvio with portable sizes and different storage amounts. Toshiba has never been my first go-to manufacturer for anything. I had a Toshiba Satellite laptop many years back, and it did right by me. However, I do recall that I had a different laptop with an internal CD-writer made by Toshiba that lasted a very short time. So, I decided that I would see how their external HDD's fared since I already have an external USB 3.0 Seagate.
Warranty Registration
A couple of notes on the 3TB model. It was first introduced to market in 2013, and has since been plagued by varying issues. The first being that there is no way to sign up for a product warranty through Toshiba's website. It will return an error as if you input the wrong serial number, but it won't matter in either case. You can contact Toshiba and they will tell you it is not possible online. This is despite having a 3-year warranty! Which is an additional reason I bought this since Seagate external HDD's normally have 1-2 year warranties depending on the model. Oddly enough, it is considered a NAS device if you check the first three serial number characters. This is in no way a NAS device by normal standards...
To remedy this, you will need to keep your receipt and just wait for a fateful day when you actually need to RMA it. Hopefully you never will, but there were many horror stories about how many of them died after a couple weeks of use. I bought this through Amazon, which keeps my order history (as does NewEgg, and many other large companies); so I just have to open my account for a receipt.
Once you need a RMA, and have the receipt, go to this link and click the "Start" button to begin the RMA process.
Sleep Function
This is the biggie that had all the Canvio users up in arms. Evidently, a lot of people bought this to make Windows backups. I do not use any type of Windows backup except for System Restore Points. I manually backup items to all my external drives, of which I have many. Putting that aside, it should still not be an issue to perform a Windows backup on one of these drives, but the fact is to the contrary.
The implemented sleep function on the Canvios is unable to be switched off. Toshiba has a sleep tool, but it is meant for older drives. And while Toshiba is well aware of the problem, they have yet to address the issue anywhere as these drives continue to be sold. This has impacted Windows backups by abruptly going to sleep during the procedure! Luckily, the problem has been around long enough that fixes have emerged from users.
Sleep Function Fix!
There are a few different techniques that should fix the sleep function issue. The most common fixes are software programs that will disable the sleep function. It seems that most, if not all, do not work. There is a registry hack, but this does not have any feedback and novice users should always stay away from the registry.
There are two working solutions: One is to have an empty file written (and then deleted) to the Canvio drive every so many minutes to ensure it stays on. The only problem here is that the drive is doing unnecessary work, and essentially using it up for nothing. The more practical method is using CrystalDiskInfo.
CrystalDiskInfo Method
Download the free CrystalDiskInfo program here (Standard .EXE edition). Install the program and you can make use of such things like how many times your hard drives have been turned on, and how many hours they have been ran. (This is quite useful for someone like me who took a risk and purchased used external HDD's!) More useful for this situation is the APM feature, which will help ensure the sleep function does not occur:
- Check off "Function > Resident".
- Check off "Function > StartUp".
- Go to "Function > Advance Feature > AAM/APM Control".
- Choose your HDD from the dropdown menu.
- Set APM to 80H (or 60H).
- Click Enable.
- Check off "Function > Advance Feature > Auto AAM/APM Adaptation".
- Go to "Function > Advance Feature > Auto Dectection > 30sec", you can make this faster if you like.
Note I: The reason we have chosen 80H for amount is that CrystalDiskInfo states that this is the minimum amount of power required to disallow a disk from going into standby (or in our case, sleep mode). I have tested and noticed that that lowest amount applicable is 60H. The different between those two amounts is the amount of power being used. So, 60H may be best in terms of saving power and disabling the sleep function.
Note II: The sleep function is there for a reason. Apparently these drives are fanless, so I believe the sleep function allows them to not overheat. This may also be why Toshiba does has not taken responsibility for the sleep function as an issue. Both of my Canvios heat up to around 50 degrees, however, one seems to always run a little hotter. Take heed that the sleep function is not always a bad thing!
Note III: To reenable sleep mode, just exit out of CrystalDiskInfo.
Reformatting a Toshiba Canvio
What many people will recommend when you first get an external drive is to reformat it. This will wipe out the preloaded manufacturer software, which is rarely needed, and usually found on their website.
I normally don't do this as I have never felt the need, but I decided to do so with the two Toshiba Canvio 3TB models because I had nothing on them yet. After all was said and done, I did notice a slight increase in the transfer rates, but nothing to get excited over. The said and done part was what really mattered here...
Unallocated Space
If you use Windows, you can reformat the drive by just going into (My) Computer and right-clicking on the desired disk. Then choose Format, and format as you like. But if you want to create partitions on the drive, or just prefer a more professional formatting feel, you'll want to use Disk Management.
What I discovered was truly odd. My mission for reformatting the drives was to see if I could find any way in which to perform a software RAID (in which I have not found one viable solution without hardware assistance). So, I deleted both volumes to begin the process.
The unallocated space, which is what that drive will then become, was separated into two parts: A one and two terabyte partition for each Toshiba Canvio. And no matter what I did I could not get the partitions to come back together.
Unallocated Space Fix!
I wasn't about to let two full terabytes go to waste, so I went ahead and use third-party software to resolve this issue.
I used EASEUS Partition Manager, which is free, and I prefer the interface. However, I would recommend against this as even if you choose custom installation and opt-out of all the extra software it wants to install, it will still install a piece of software that continues to pop-up on your desktop to advertise their programs. I ended up having to use the latest version of ComboFix to get rid of most of it. The last lingering part was going into the Program Files (x86) > EASEUS Partition Manager > bin and deleting the folder named "TrayPopup" (where you might need to reboot your computer first before doing so).
Another free program, which will not install adware, is MiniTool Partition Wizard (Home Edition). This will do the same thing as the aforementioned program, and is quite well-known in the Android community.
Using either software you will want to create a new partition, label it and add a drive letter, then apply the action. Ensure that you have allocated all the disk space so you get the full amount, otherwise you will need to go through this again. And even if you go through all the steps and it looks like everything should now be working, unless you have applied the action [button at the top], the actions you have performed have yet to be taken.
Note: The partition table is set as MBR, so it can only support up to 2TB when initially formatted. Another way around this problem is to use DiskPart and convert the drive to GPT, but this is not recommended for novice users as you can easily make mistakes and there are no safeguards.
Used From Amazon
As a finalalizing piece, I wanted to throw in that the used drives I got have been working fine. I have had no real troubles other than those mentioned above. With CrystalDiskInfo I found that one drive had been used for a little over 3 months, while the other was used for less than a day. The one that runs a bit hotter is the one that was hardly used. So, they both have their trade offs in terms of which is better. Had I been able to wait a couple months, I could've bought brand new ones at almost the same prices, but I couldn't, so I didn't. Used products is fine if you have tools to measure how they run, but if you don't, then used is really only preferable when affordability comes into play.
This Is The End
You should now know how to properly use a Toshiba Canvio, or be fully prepared if you plan to buy one (as it is the cheapest option for a 3TB on Amazon!). Other external hard drives are usually plug-n-play, as long as you have the appropriate drivers already installed. But the price for these Canvios is enough to sway many.
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