Author: Mike Moffit

Director of IT
  • A Petabyte on a DVD

    According to a recent article on Science Daily (one of my favorite retreats for reviews on journal articles from physics and computer science to sociology and psychology), “A full 90% of all the data in the world has been generated over the last two years.” This truly is amazing information. Apparently this comes as a direct result from “big data” research centers at organizations like Google and Facebook. These companies process a staggering amount of data while amassing and analyzing meta data on what we’re doing and looking for.

    As you may or may not know a standard DVD (not Blu-ray) holds 4.7 GB of data. Scientists have recently shown this can be increased to a Petabyte, or 1,000 TBs on a single DVD. In its simplest terms the researchers humpbacked two laser beams in what they call “electron beam lithography,” which in effect allowed for 3D writing. The technology allows for the writing of information on a nanoscale never before achieved. “The technique is also cost-effective and portable, as only conventional optical and laser elements are used, and allows for the development of optical data storage with long life and low energy consumption, which could be an ideal platform for a Big Data center.”

    Aside from DVDs it will undoubtedly have impacts on all forms of storage and processing. Is this the way of the future? What do you think will become of Blu-ray discs? I would love to hear what our readers think of yet another potential shift in the medium for which we store our data.

  • _Greetings!_

    I have been sitting inside trying to keep cool while we go through this scorcher of a week. It’s times like this I wish I had invested in an air conditioner. Yesterday I was reading an article, while being surrounded by my legion of small fans, about a new rumor for the Apple TV service. Now if you haven’t heard this rumor before, there are reports that Apple is trying to start its own TV service that would work with the provider you have for cable today.

    The point of the rumor though wasn’t details on the tech or the if they would bring in a TV platform to incorporate it, it was on the removal of ads from the service. Apparently, Apple wants to have a fee that you could pay, sort of like a subscription, that would allow you to watch your cable TV through the Apple service commercial free. Not sure how this would happen other than Apple paying the fees that come with that, but I am very interested in the by-product.

    Anyway, we got a great issue of Tech Tails for you this Tuesday! We have some very interesting info on DVD’s by our own Sherry Fuqua, food and accidental damage info from Kyle Simpkins that we can all relate to and some valuable info on our remote consultation services here at Small Dog with Michael Duplessis.

    Stay cool everyone!

    _Barry_
    “*barry@smalldog.com*”:mailto:barry@smalldog.com

  • Lingering Data

    Wondering if deleted data can be recovered is valid to be mindful of (but of course, you’re backing up, right?), though not necessarily…

  • Don’t want to spend $300 for a networked hard drive and Wi-Fi router combo? Neither do we. (A brand new, current generation 2TB…

  • Upcoming NH Events

    **4th annual FREE eWaste Recycling Event**
    Small Dog Electronics is excited to announce that we’ll be holding our fourth eWaste Recycling Event in NH! It’s open to everyone — carloads, truckloads, you name it.

    **Join us Saturday, July 27th at the Mall of NH from 9am – 2pm.**

    What is eWaste? As you may know, we use a lot of electronics in our daily lives, and unfortunately, many of them contain hazardous materials such as mercury or lead.

    In the last few years, Apple has manufactured devices and machines free of toxic materials, but chances are, you may have older “electronic waste” around the house that you need to get rid of responsibly.

    See our website for more details, **including what qualifies for drop off:**
    “**Smalldog.com/recycle**”:http://www.smalldog.com/recycle/

    Learn more about Small Dog’s commitment to the planet here:
    “**Smalldog.com/green**”:http://www.smalldog.com/green


    **iPad in Business Seminar at the Palace Theater**
    We’ve just finalized another stellar event in the iPad in Business series. Join us at the Palace Theater for a seminar geared toward businesses (large and small).

    **Save the Date: Tuesday, September 17th at the Palace Theater from 9am-1pm.**

    More details to come, so check out August’s issue of Best in Showroom or visit “**Smalldog.com/seminars**”:http://www.smalldog.com/seminars

  • SkillsUSA

    Over the past week, I have been in Kansas City, Missouri, competing at the National SkillsUSA competition. SkillsUSA is a worldwide organization that…

  • KnowledgeWave Classes in July/August

    Small Dog is excited to announce that we are offering three upcoming training sessions for businesses and IT professionals. iOS (iPad/iPhone) For Business,…

  • SPECIAL | Apple 2TB Time Capsule

    Apple released a new Time Capsule, which means we have last year’s 2TB Time Capsules still in the plastic wrap that we need to move.

    To do that, we lowered the price way down to $239.99! That is a $60 savings when compared to buying a current generation 2TB Time Capsule — and to sweeten the pot, we are also offering FREE SHIPPING on the first week of the promotion.

    Get yours now before while our supplies last!

  • SPECIAL | MacBook Air Bundle

    We love to offer little gems like this bundle because we know that these are the best prices around. No where else can you find a slew of *brand new* Apple products like this:

    * 13-inch MacBook Air (mid 2011)
    * 2TB Time Capsule (2009)
    * AppleCare Protection Plan
    * Hammerhead Neoprene Case

    For *less than the price of a current generation 13-inch MacBook Air,* this bundle won’t last long at $1028. Our stock is limited, so grab yours before they’re gone.

  • Recycle Your eWaste for FREE: July 27

    Just a couple of weeks until our 4th Annual eWaste Recycling Event goes down in Manchester, NH. We’ll be collecting all manner of electronic waste (well, maybe not __all,__ so “*see the list of accepted materials here.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/recycle?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=KB-ewaste) on Saturday, July 27th at the Mall of New Hampshire from 9am – 2pm.

    If you’re unsure of what ewaste is, then listen up. As you may know, we use a lot of electronics in our daily lives, and unfortunately, many of them contain hazardous materials such as mercury or lead. In the last few years, Apple has manufactured devices and machines free of toxic materials, but chances are, you may have older “electronic waste” around the house that you need to get rid of responsibly.

    Come out and join us!
    * Saturday, July 27, 2013 in Manchester, NH *from 9AM to 2PM*

    “*Click here to read more about our annual eWaste Recycling Events.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/green?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=KB-green
    “*Click here for more information about our 2013 events.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/recycle?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=KB-ewaste

  • A Few Tips & Tricks for iOS 6: Part II

    A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about some tips and tricks of iOS 6 that I thought readers would find helpful. Turns out there are __tons__ of tips for iOS 6 out there, so here’s a Part II!

    I’m not embarrassed to admit that I love using Emoticons in texts — those little smiley faces, people, various foods, etc. just really add a certain fun vibe to my messages. You too, could enjoy these on your iOS device. I had originally downloaded a third-party Emoji app but turns out they are actually just an international keyboard already built into your device.

    To launch, simply go into *Settings > General > Keyboard > International Keyboards.* Tap, *Add New Keyboard* and find *Emoji*. If you open Messages, or any other app where you can type, next to the space bar you’ll see a little globe icon. You can use that to switch between your regular keyboard and your new Emoji keyboard. Have fun!

    You might not be using Siri to her full potential. Did you know Siri is an expert on movies? You might have already known that you can use her to see which movies are playing at a movie theater near you, but did you know you can also ask her about which actors have appeared in the same movies together? For example, you might ask, “What movies star both Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd” and Siri will reply with her answer. Test her knowledge!

    If you’re finding the sweet Siri seems to be wrong or confused when you try and use her — correct her. Perhaps you asked her to call your friend “Aaron” but it thought you said “Erin.” Fix this mistake so she won’t make it again. After Siri tells you she doesn’t know what you’re talking about, scroll up and find the speech bubble that Siri displays. If you tap the bubble and it will allow you to edit what Siri heard and you can then resubmit the command. (__Ed. Note: This is awesome. And it works. -KH__)

    I recently learned that there is a super easy way to share your photos on your device with your friends and family. You’re able to do this between iOS devices and Macs (running Mountain Lion). Simply open Photos on your device. Tap *Photo Stream* in the toolbar, click the plus (+) symbol and enter a name for your group of shared photos and select the contacts you’d like to view them. You can then add photos that already exist on your device. Friends and family can even comment on them and “like.”

    I rarely ever have my phone out of vibration mode. A cool feature is the ability to create custom vibrations for texts and ringtones. If you’d like to know who’s calling you without even looking at your phone you can create a vibration for a specific contact. Open *Phone* or *Contact*, select contact, and tap the edit button. Scroll down to find the ringtone field and below that will be a vibration field. If you select that you’ll be able to choose from a selection of vibration patterns. Even further down, however, is the option to create your very own vibration. Tap *Create New Vibration* and start creating your own sweet rhythm.

    Hopefully you’ve learned some sweet new tricks to play with over the weekend. Enjoy!