Periodically, I share findings about how technology improves my own productivity. In this post, I have some quick comments about back-ups and full-text search.
Last August, I wrote about using small external hard drives to facilitate back-ups. I realize that for users in corporate settings, including law firms, where back-up is often automatic, this is not a big issue. But anyone concerned about backing up a home machine might consider using SmartSync software. This software makes it very easy to copy only changed files from selected directories form your hard drive to an external device such as an extra hard drive or USB device. It’s always a good idea to consider a quick back-up after a day of work.
Separately, I have uninstalled the Google desktop search (see my prior post on this). After using for a bit, I found that I liked 80-20 better because it indexes more file types. Also, I had the sense that my machine performed more sluggishly after I installed Google Desktop, though I can’t really document that. I have no doubt that improved versions will soon appear, but for now I opted to reduce my desktop clutter and rely on a tool that I’ve used for some time.
And, for whatever it’s worth, I continue to be very happy with my Treo 600. It’s great for staying in touch with e-mail and integrating contacts, calendars, and my cell phone. My only complaint is that it’s way too hard for me to type on it relative to a Blackberry. If there are really good deals on upgrading to the 650 later this year, I would consider that.