SSDs (Solid State Drives) are “flashing” on to the scene and altering the entire computer storage landscape as we know it. So why are SSDs being utilized more now than the traditional hard drive (HDD) and how are they different from one another? Well, let me tell you…

The traditional spinning HDD has a stack of physical discs or “plates” that will spin at a rate of at least 5400RPM and has an arm that moves back and forth to read the information stored on these plates. On these plates is where all of your information is stored: your photos, documents, music, etc.

Conversely, an SSD has chips that do not move at all. On these chips are, you guessed it, all of your information: your photos, documents, music and so forth. The SSD is nothing more than a big ol’ thumb drive that’s built into your computer and holds much more information. Having more individual moving parts, like an HDD does, means there is the possibility of smaller issues arising with each separate part, therefore creating more opportunities for malfunction of the hardware or, in some extreme cases, complete drive failure. With an SSD, there are no moving parts hence there is much less opportunity for the same types of failures and malfunctions. The fact that there are no moving parts is how they get the name “Solid State”.

With the traditional HDD, you typically will have more room for storing information. While the SSDs have typically less storage space, the access speed to the data on the drive is almost 3 times faster than that of the HDD, allowing ??everything?? on your computer to communicate at a faster rate. This means that your applications, install times and updates will run that much faster.

Why choose a Solid State Drive over a traditional spinning hard drive? Because they are faster and more reliable, saving you headaches in the future. They are definitely a SOLID choice!

A Lightning cable to end all Lightning cables! This Apple MFI Certified Cable was designed with aluminum ends for durability and a flat design for zero tangles!

Buy two of these and you get a *FREE Hammerhead Dual Port USB Charger for iPhone/ iPad & iPod* The Hammerhead Dual Port USB Charger features two USB ports and 12 watts of power output which means you can easily and quickly charge two devices at one time.

*Enjoy this special for the next week!*

All cables have the potential to fail due to something called strain relief. Essentially, the joint where the cable meets the connector can separate and fray after being pulled at sharp angles and twisting constantly.

There have been a few techniques used in cable manufacturing that cam help prevent this outcome. The most common, which can be seen on any Apple cable you own, is a thin rubber tube acting as a stiffener for the cord in this region. It also protects the cord housing from rubbing against the connector body. A method used on higher-end devices is a wire spring tightly wound acting as the rubber tube does.

As it turns out, even the strain relief prevention methods don’t always help. These cables don’t self-destruct, and this type of wear is preventable. However, a cheap and easy way to prevent this from happening in the future is by using shrink tubing. This is a cheap rubber tube that slips over a wire and shrinks snugly onto the cable when heat is applied. Slip it over both the connector housing and the first half-inch of the cable itself. This will act as a stiffener and protect the cable from strain relief damage.

??Disclaimer: We do not recommend doing this to any cables under Apple warranty; it will void it. We also don’t recommend doing this if you don’t have previous experience with shrink tubing. Small Dog Electronics takes no responsibility for voiding of warranty or damages caused by modifying your cables.??

The emails are already flying about just what the Prickly Mountain 4th of July parade float will be this year. We tend to wait until the last possible moment to make the choice, have a strict $300 budget and our floats are always people-powered. My place is usually someplace under the float where we have installed cupholders to use as I carry the float down the parade route.

Grace and I are heading down to Boston on Monday to catch the Cubs vs. the Red Sox but we still want to get out to Wrigley sometime this year to see the Cubbies, too.

Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

_Don, Stephanie & Mike D._

Yesterday, Apple announced an update to the iPod touch. Nothing major (those announcements are always saved for their Keynote presentations ) but it may excite some of you out there.

A while back, you may recall, Apple released a 16GB touch that was pretty much a dumbed-down version of their 32GB and 64GB versions — no rear-facing camera, only came in silver, etc.

However, now every 16GB iPod touch comes in all colors (pink, blue, yellow, black and silver), and has a rear-facing iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording, 4-inch Retina display, A5 chip, and a front-facing FaceTime camera for selfies and video chat.

The 16GB will come in at $199, 32GB at $249 and the 64GB at $299. With the decline in iPod sales over the years, it seems like a good move on Apple’s part — even if it’s still one of the top sellers in the non-cellphone media players category.

“*Check them all out here!*”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/Apple/iPod/iPod_touch/

There’s just a few days left (until *6/30*) to take advantage of our Dads & Grads specials that we are running “*in-store*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail and “*online.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/dadsandgrads/ If you still haven’t bought your grad anything, there’s still time!

Our in-store financing, however, will still be going strong through the end of the year. Every product in the store is eligible (excluding services). There’s no minimum requirement for 6-month financing, and if you purchase an iPad or Mac, you may qualify for either 12- or 18-month financing, pending approval.

* *6* month offer: No minimum amount
* *12* month offer: Purchases of $499 – $998
* *18* month offer: Purchases of $999 and up (until 10/31)

Click here for more details: “**Smalldog.com/finance**”:http://www.smalldog.com/finance