You needn’t be an international banker, royal family member or Scarlett Johansson to want to keep your private files private. Basic digital security is something everyone should (do but few people actually do) practice.

One easy step you can take: When you save your files to an external disk drive, especially one you are likely to travel around with, make it a biometric drive. Like the LaCie Rugged All-Terrain Fingerprint-Secured External Hard Drive.

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Today almost all laptops store data on one of two types of devices: a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD).

In almost every way the solid state drive is the higher quality of the two. Because SSDs use flash memory they are significantly faster than HDDs. They use no moving parts and so are more durable. Compared to HDDs, they are also a bit quieter and less battery-draining.

The problem is: An SSD is much more expensive than a hard disk drive. A good 500GB 5400 rpm laptop HDD will set you back a mere $60. A faster, high-end 7200 rmp HDD can be had for around $85. But a 500GB SSD? That’s a whopping $2,000 or more!

If only there were a drive with the speed of an SSD but with the price of a HDD, you may be wishfully saying to yourself.

Now there is: The Seagate Momentus XL.

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In the United States, nearly 60% of computer-owning households have more than one computer. The figure is even higher in Sweden and South Korea, and nearly as high in Germany, Canada and England. For all those multi-computer households—especially households with a mix of laptops and desktops or a mix of Mac and PC—the HP MediaSmart Server is a very cool, and wise, investment.

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A 1 terabyte hard disk is just another 1 terabyte hard disk. Unless it is designed by Neil Poulton and possesses the technology of product leader LaCie. Then a 1 TB hard disk is a piece of art with a black mirror finish and ambient LED lighting. And then this 1 TB hard disk can near-silently transfer data at speeds up to 80MB/s. Compatible with both Mac and PC, this LaCie hard disk can interface through eSATA, FireWire 400 or Hi-Speed USB 2.0. An excellent deal at around $250, also available in 750 GB, 500 GB and 320 GB models.

BUY | eBAY

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