No need to restore to use a clone

To celebrate the arrival of Mac OS X Lion, NTI Corporation is proud to announce its award-winning data protection software, NTI Shadow 5, is ready for Lion. For a limited time, NTI is offering a special discount price of only $9.99 (i.e. 75% off MSRP $49.99) to help give Mac users a peace of mind of having a full backup of Snow Leopard when upgrading to Lion.

"Upgrading to a new OS often times lead to troubles," said Hiroshi Nishimura, Mac Product Manager at NTI Corporation. "Having a clone backup of the previous OS gives you the protection and convenience just in case you need to go back.”

Why Cloning:
Cloning doesn’t require the user to spend hours restoring from a backup. The user can simply boot up from the clone and use it as is.

• Cloning creates an exact copy of the original partition in its native format
• Clones of boot partitions can be used to boot the Mac
• No need to restore to use a clone

Once Lion has been successfully installed, the user can install and use Shadow 5 on Lion. Shadow 5 can be used to maintain continuous backups of your data or synchronize data between various drives.

Shadow 5 has won prestigious awards such as Apple Store’s “Staff Pick” Award, and rave reviews from Macworld magazine.


NTI Shadow 5 OEM licensing is also available for software bundling with USB/FireWire drives, external hard disks, and NAS devices. The software is available in 26 languages including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

Voltaic System company launches solar charger for iPads

New York-based Voltaic Systems announced the release of its new case to charge the battery using solar energy.

Therefore, users of 'tablet' devices will be able to take it with them because they will be able to charge the battery at any time.

"Voltaic set out to design a lightweight case that could charge a tablet quickly, but also match the sleekness and simplicity of the many of the tablets," said Shayne McQuade, CEO of Voltaic Systems. "The Spark Solar Case is a powerful and compact way to carry and charge an iPad."

The chargers have two 6-volt panels, and users can switch between 6 and 12 volt charging. The cells are also high-temperature Lithium Polymer, which means their charging capacity lasts longer even when exposed to very hot sunlight. And the battery is large enough to fully charge a smartphone twice.

Voltaic is also launching the Spark's internal battery as a standalone product. The V39 USB Battery provides backup power for iPads, other tablets and smartphones.

The case can be purchased for 210 euros and the battery for 69 euros.

Three fixes for 'Failure at the USB' message

Question: I have a Dell computer running XP. It sometimes does not boot up when I turn it on. It says "Failure at the USB." Today it got to my screen and nothing showed but a blue screen, tried to reboot and got where I choose my screen and the mouse would not work; now it comes up again booting this system failed at checkpoint USBD.

― Donna, Rochester

Answer: Donna, from your description, it sounds like it could be one of three things. It could be that you have a failed hard drive, but that usually does not produce a USB failure message.

It could be that you have a USB drive plugged into your computer while you're trying to boot. That's a very common thing.

Most USB devices don't have an operating system on them, so when you try, you get a failure.

It could also be that there is a failure of the motherboard's USB system. That's actually the most likely possibility. That can be fixed by taking it to a reputable vendor, but you could also just buy a USB card to plug in to your computer (I'm assuming it's a desktop, since you don't say one way or the other).

You can then plug your USB devices into that, and not into the built-in USB slots in the computer. That can cost anywhere from $10 to $50; you should be able to get a decent one for under $30. Make sure it's USB 2.0 at least; 3.0 is better, but much more expensive right now.

Question: I'm caught in a dilemma with my computer that I'm not sure how to handle and could use some unbiased feedback and recommendations.

For years I have had my computers serviced by a local vendor and had them build my current system in 2006. For the most part I have been very satisfied but as you can tell from the age of my current system (Windows XP, Intel PentD 805 2.66 Dual Core, 1.5 GB RAM) I am due for some major upgrading.

The vendor told me I cannot install Windows 7 on this system and my attempts to install Office 2010 from my employer have also failed.

My dilemma is that my partner works at a local university and one of the IT specialists, who takes care of her work and home computers, is operating his own business on his personal time and she wants me to pay for him to upgrade my computer, rather than my trusted vendor. Supposedly he has all the proper licenses needed, as well as access to the upgraded parts, and at a reasonable price.

To say I am being put under some pressure would be an understatement, but before I lay out my hard-earned money I would like to know the pros and cons of each option.

― Jim, Rochester

Answer: Oh, dear ... I don't usually get involved in domestic disputes, Jim, but here's my dispassionate discourse on your dilemma:

I'm sure that your partner's tech is exceptional, and I'm sure that he is the salt of the Earth. But two or three or four years from now, when you need some sort of repair, where will he be? Also, what sort of warranty will he give? Who backs him up on that warranty?

The vendor you mention has been around for many years, and will likely be around for many more.

I recommend at least a three-year warranty on any device (that holds especially true for laptops), and I'm extremely confident that the vendor you name will be around then.

The specific tech who worked on your machine might not be, but the vendor (who backs the warranty) will certainly be.

2011 Nissan Juke | Road Test

New for the Middle East, the 2011 Juke is an all new small crossover. Nissan calls it a Sport Cross, meaning it’s a crossover with sporty tones.

Boldly designed, Juke’s styling at its best is controversial and at its worst is repulsive. Either ways, it gets the talk going.

Within the Nissan crossover line-up, Juke is smaller than the Quashqai. If you are shopping around for a small daily runner with a bit of an attitude and style, the 2011 Nissan Juke could be a good match.

2011 Nissan Juke - front 3q, static - 2Powered by a 1.6-liter direct-injection engine with an optional turbo charger, mated to either a continuous variable transmission (CVT) or a 6-speed manual stick, the Juke is built on Nissan’s well proven B platform that has been around for a while.

It’s a 5 seater with enough space for occupants and their luggage, and is primarily designed as a town runner with some personality.

With price ranging from AED 66500 – AED 88000, the 2011 Nissan Juke is not necessarily the cheapest option, and is not designed to be one either.

2011 Nissan Juke - front 3q, driving - 2Performance

We tested the 1.6-liter turbo charged version with both, the CVT and manual stick in and around the coastal town of Fujairah in UAE. The engine develops 190PS and 240Nm of torque; and can clock a claimed top speed of 215kmph.

The 2011 Juke feels nimble and sporty as long as you keep it plus of 2500rpm. Quick off the mark, the Juke tends to struggle a bit initially but once in its comfort zone, the Juke delivers performance levels expected from a normally aspirated 2.5-liter engine.

2011 Nissan Juke - interior, static, detail - 2The CVT gearbox comes with a manual shift option and, in our opinion, is better suited to the Juke. Looking at the driver preferences in the Middle East, we expect the CVT version to sell more than the manual stick.

Nissan claims Juke can reach 0-100kmph in 8.0 seconds.

The non-turbo version develops 117PS and 157Nm; can go up to 170kmph and takes 11.5 seconds to do 0 – 100kmph. We did not test this variant.

Although Nissan makes an all wheel drive version for some countries, the Middle East gets front wheel drive Juke only.

Ride & Handling

Urban traffic poses no challenge to the 2011 Nissan Juke, as expected from a small crossover. It was in the hilly roads around Fujairah that the Juke performed impressively. When pushed to the limits, slight understeer, mainly due to the excessive torque from the engine can be felt. This should not be a point of concern for a potential buyer who will rarely see the Juke as GT-R stable mate.

2011 Nissan Juke - interior, static, detail - 3There are three drive modes – Eco, Normal and Sport that can be selected at the touch of a button from Juke’s advanced information system. Engine, transmission and steering are adjusted to the selected mode.

While sport mode gives maximum driving pleasure, the 2011 Juke performed to our satisfaction in Normal drive mode, while the Eco mode gives you just about enough power to keep the wheels rolling.

Save Graduation Memories With Photo Processing and Frame Deals

Graduation parties and ceremonies have brought many great moments. You've probably captured the occasions with tons of photos. With that in mind, we searched for deals on digital photo processing, photo gifts and albums.

You'll find sales on many photo related items, including CVS photo processing, photo albums, digital frames, photo printers and a unique memory project using artist canvas.

Remember that CVS continues its "free gas" deals, in addition to this week's fabulous deal on photo processing, including free prints. A Frugal Family reader also shared a neat CVS Photo App that lets you print your photos directly from Facebook. Visit CVS Express Photo to find out how you can easily print photos and turn them into prints or customized gifts. It's a neat way to make a memorable gift for graduation or Father's Day.

CVS

Deal: Purchase 60 digital photo prints and get 20 free. Must use your CVS card. You can get the deal in the store or online with the promotional code, PRINT20.

Good through: June 11

Staples

Deal: Print your photos at home. Save $50 off the HP Photosmart Plus Wireless Printer. It's on sale for $99.98.

Good through: June 11

Walgreen's

Deal: Buy one photo album or frame, and get a second album or frame for half off. Both products must be the same price.

Good through: June 11

Michaels

Deal: Buy gallery wrapped artists' canvas and easels at forty percent off regular price. Michaels is featuring a neat memory project this week that preserves your photos on canvas. Visit Michaels Preserve Summer Memories project for more details.

Good through: June 11

Kmart

Deal: Save $20 off a Coby seven-inch digital photo frame. It's on sale for $29.99. The digital frame can be wall mounted or on a stand and includes a full USB port for JPEG photos.

Good through: Check with store for sale price and available quantities.