D_back Backs Up PC Files When a USB Drive Is Inserted

My initial interest in SVA Software's D_back backup program was due its "back up your PC on insert" capabilities. There are plenty of programs that will back up a USB drive to your PC when it's inserted, but only a few that backup your PC to said USB drive as D_back ($37, 21/day free trial) will. The program has some other unique features and worked quite well once configured, but it's a bit rough around the edges and not particularly intuitive.

D_back Backs Up PC Files When a USB Drive Is InsertedBackup program D_back's interface is clean, but not always intuitive.Why was I interested in the "backup on insert"? Because I've been doing it for years with external drives, using the autorun.inf file and batch files. Unfortunately, in the name of security, Windows 7 won't run the autorun.inf file. Now the only solution is a program such as D_back that sits in the background waiting for a drive to be inserted.

D_back's comprehensive scheduler, which facilitates the "on insert" backup, has a separate interface and may run either in the background or as a service. It's a bit tricky to set up an "on insert" backup, but there's a step-by-step tutorial on developer SVA-Software's Website. Thankfully, you may limit the backup to only a device with a specific volume label so that you don't back up to every portable storage device you insert--a trick I wish CrashPlan would emulate.

Another unusual and useful feature of D_back is backup via e-mail. The program zips up and attaches the backup to an e-mail, which it sends using SMTP. SMTP setup was problematic in version 1.69.8 that I first tested; however, 1.69.10 cured the problems. Obviously, you'll want to limit an e-mail backup to a small number of files--most inboxes don't allow more than a total of 10MB to 25MB in attachments. D_back also allows FTP and local backups and all backups may be incremental, differential, or stacked (multiple versions). You may also back up uncompressed for easy browsing and restore.

D_back has a few foibles, nearly all of which are interface-related. The nag screen on the demo gives you no hint on how to continue (hit the close button), and the default backup job backs up your program files folder, not My Documents or something more data-oriented. SMTP is spelled SMPT in one instance, and there are other signs that someone should spend some time fixing stuff minor stuff. Navigation in general is doable, but often unintuitive.

D_back is very versatile and once a backup is defined, it works very well. It's simply that setting up said backup isn't nearly as easy as it could be, and the program is a bit pricey. That said, its unusual abilities make it well worth checking out.

PNY Debuts Liquid Cooled Graphics at E3

PNY Technologies, Inc. ("PNY"), a global leader in flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state drives, High Speed HDMI cables, computer memory upgrade modules, as well as consumer and professional graphics cards, today announced the debut of an innovative product line of Liquid Cooled Graphics Cards. PNY's new Liquid Cooled Graphics solution will be showcased at E3 2011 from now until June 9th.


PNY and Asetek, a leader in CPU thermal management, have combined forces to launch a high-end Liquid Cooled Graphics solution geared towards gaming enthusiasts. Consumers will receive a fully integrated XLR8 GeForce GTX liquid cooled graphics system, with a combination GPU/CPU cooling version available as well. Engineered with a closed loop system, and built with an Asetek sealed water cooler already attached, the PNY design offers consumers an out-of-the-box ready, simple to install and reliable product.

PNY's Liquid Cooled system is on display at the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) 2011, taking place now through June 9th at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Attendees will have the opportunity to take a sneak peak of PNY's Liquid Cooled Graphics at work in the Creative Labs, Inc. booth #5638, located in the West Exhibit Hall.


"Together with Asetek, PNY will redefine the way gamers build and upgrade their PC systems," said Nicholas Mauro, senior marketing manager, PC components for PNY. "With a design that outperforms current equivalent air cooled models, this simple all-in-one solution will resonate deeply with gamers looking for a powerful yet affordable option. With tens of thousands of gamers already flocking to E3, there's no better place to launch this product than the world's premiere show for new technologies in computer gaming products."


"PNY's Liquid Cooled Graphics solutions deliver better performance, temperatures and acoustics to gamers with the reliability and ease of installation inherent in Asetek sealed liquid cooling," said Adrian Hodgson, marketing manager at Asetek. "We're thrilled to give E3 attendees the first chance to see these products in action."

USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt? The tech debate rages online

Will USB 3.0 beat out Thunderbolt (previously known as "LightPeak"), or will Apple finally step forward as the dominant contender between these two technologies?

Several years ago, the debate was between whether FireWire or USB 2.0 would dominate the world of interface standards. FireWire (Lynx, i.LINK, IEEE 1394) was faster than the USB standard by a wide margin. This didn't stop the world from leaning in the direction of the more widely available USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard.

The battle is alive once more between the latest edition of USB (3.0) and Apple's new Thunderbolt standard. Just like before, Apple's interface offers higher data transfer speeds, but USB has its traditional popularity on its side.

Chris Pirillo is a geek, internet entrepreneur, hardware addict, software junkie, book author, technology enthusiast, early adopter, idea evangelist, bootstrapper and thicker quicker picker upper.

Chauncey's daze could be numbered

Chauncey Billups could be playing himself off next season's team and out of a whopping $14.3 million final-season payday.

As each loss piles up, as each ragged performance goes by, Billups, 34, is giving Knicks team president Donnie Walsh increased motivation to cut ties.

Last night, Billups was 6 of 16 for 14 points, with 10 assists in the Knicks' sixth straight loss, 114-106 to the Bobcats, missing two jumpers down the stretch.

If the Knicks don't exercise his option, it would open up 2011 cap space and, would allow Walsh a chance to get a legitimate center through free agency and a cheaper one-year rental playmaker to share the duties with improving Toney Douglas.

Billups has a non-guaranteed 14.3 million due him next season. If the Knicks don't exercise the team option, Billups gets $3 million. That means $11 million comes off the cap, giving Walsh some room to operate, pending the labor agreement.

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan and Marc Gasol have been on Walsh's radar -- as first reported by The Post.

The Knicks are 1-7 since Billups' return from a thigh injury. Owner James Dolan thought he had it all set after last month's 13-player trade, that this club would be on auto-pilot until 2012, when Chris Paul and Deron Williams became free agents and throwing themselves at New York to join Stoudemire and Anthony.

Billups has not run the offense with precision, not allowing the spacing needed to make this brilliant scheme hum, and yesterday Douglas started in the backcourt with him, so he did not have to face the younger, quicker D.J. Augustin.

Billups was brutal Friday against Milwaukee and couldn't keep with Brandon Jennings, who scored 37 points -- 23 in the first half.

After the loss to Milwaukee, Billups took the blame.

"For me personally, I'm disappointed in the way I played. I can't expect the team win if I play like this," Billups said. "It was a bad game, so I am really taking responsibility for this one."

Billups explained D'Antoni's offense must be run to perfection for it to work. Billups has told confidants he's not crazy about the scheme. His agent, Andy Miller, had said Billups would retire if he were banished to Newark to play for the woeful Nets.

Billups might want to take his $3 million and run after this mess, though he has said differently about finishing his career in New York. After the trade, Walsh raved about Billups, compared him to Jason Kidd in the vein of playing to 37 because he is in such good shape.

But Walsh declined Miller's offer to get together and hammer out the final guaranteed year, saying he preferred to wait. It was the shrewd, patient move.

WATCH FOR SHARES OF GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER (GT) TO APPROACH RESISTANCE AT $15.31

Mar 24, 2011 (SmarTrend(R) News Watch via COMTEX) -- SmarTrend has detected shares of Goodyear Tire & Rubber (NYSE:GT) have bullishly opened above the pivot of $14.78 today and have reached the first resistance level of $15.08.

We are watching for a cross of the next upside pivot targets of $15.31 and $15.84. Also, the shares are currently trading above the 50-day moving average of $13.49 and above the 200-day moving average of $11.60.

In the last five trading sessions, the 50-day MA has climbed 1.05% while the 200-day MA has risen 0.51%.

In the past 52 weeks, shares of Goodyear Tire & Rubber have traded between a low of $9.10 and a high of $15.71 and are now at $15.10, which is 66% above that low price.

SmarTrend currently has shares of Goodyear Tire & Rubber in an Uptrend and issued the Uptrend alert on December 09, 2010 at $11.34. The stock has risen 31% since the Uptrend alert was issued.

In trading on Thursday, rubber plastics stocks were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.5%. Helping drag down the group were shares of Fuwei Films Holdings Limited , off about 7.5% and shares of Spartech off about 1.7% on the day.