Irvine, California-based Hard Drive Recovery Group (HDRG) recently published a new blog post about managing documents while working at home. The article can be viewed on the company’s official website.

Most people have been in lockdown for several months and, at this point, have probably gotten used to the new norm of effectively working at home. However, many still miss all of the quirks and the perks of working from their office, such as free instant coffee, having noisy and nosy workmates and having important documents printed on command. However, with the help of modern technology, people can now have the advantages of working in an office while continuing to work at home. In fact, document management and workflow implements may be made available so that they can have an easier time with remote working. There are also some great and easily implementable practices that teams and individuals can use to develop systems for processing documents.

As noted in the blog post, document management can be made more seamless and effective by allowing team members to collaborate on documents as opposed to just letting them have access to the document itself. However, there should be an auditing tool for the purpose of recording the actions taken by all recipients of the documents. Other features that can be added include automated document creation, multiple tab views of the document and records of correspondence. In fact, Techgenix, a leading online IT resource, states, “Thanks to growing and emerging enterprise collaboration tools, working from home or any remote location can now be almost as productive and rewarding as working from the office. These remote work collaboration tools allow employees and companies to work together on professional projects and plans while not working under the same roof. They are meant to reduce the bottlenecks of communication gaps, feedback and approval processes and more. They also help drastically in core aspects such as communication, planning, project and task management as well as file and data sharing.”

Another action that can be taken for more effective document management, as advised by Hard Drive Recovery Group, is turning on annotations. There are collaborative platforms (such as OneDrive and Google Drive) that allow users to easily distribute documents to teammates and other involved parties. These platforms also allow recipients to review, download and edit documents. However, there are situations where people do not want other people to make changes to the documents but still want to know the other party’s thoughts. In these situations, turning on annotations can be extremely useful. Turning on annotations and comments allows other parties to give their thoughts and suggestions without making alterations to the documents in question. This is important as providing and receiving feedback are key principles of effective collaboration.

Teams can also make sure to get their electronic approvals arranged. Right now, most people from rank and file to management are working from home. This can make getting proper approvals for documents from higher-ups difficult. Using email trails is an option, but this is neither the most efficient nor the most audit-friendly method for giving and receiving approvals. This is why it is important to regulate requirements and rules for electronic signatures and utilize electronic signature software that complies with legal standards. This helps make giving and receiving electronic approvals as flawless as possible. Workamajig, a company that helps businesses of all shapes and sizes to streamline their operations, explains, “Getting documents approved in a structured, timely fashion is one of the more understated challenges in project management. You might have everything lined up perfectly, but if a key stakeholder doesn’t give the ‘okay’ on schedule, things can go downhill quickly.”

Additionally, working from home presents the possibility of losing documents that are stored on people’s devices, which usually happens when hard drives are damaged. To combat this, Hard Drive Recovery Group is pleased to offer safe and secure hard drive data recovery for Mac and PC hard disk drives (using both software and clean room hands-on data retrieval techniques). They are dedicated to finding the most affordable and most efficient hard drive recovery services for their clients. They have almost 20 years of experience in data recovery, and they charge flat rates for their services. They also give accurate estimates to their clients before they provide their services. This means that clients will not be surprised at the cost of their services. Additionally, they do not charge a fee if they fail to recover the data.

Complete details about the company’s wide range of data recovery services can be found on their website. Alternatively, clients may connect with Hard Drive Recovery Group via social media to stay up to date with their news and announcements.

from Hard Drive Recovery Group

In our current situation, one of the most important things to master is putting files online. When most of us, if not everyone, is working from home and only armed with an Internet connection, it is inevitable that sharing of important files and documents is one skill that everybody should already be a master of. After all, hasn’t it been more than five months and running since the world started this anxiety-driven quarantine where everybody needs to practice a safe distance from everyone else? So by now, we would have already developed a deep appreciation towards devices and apps that allow working from home to be that easy and convenient. Who knew that such things like uploading, sharing, and downloading files would become second nature to us, as essential as knowing how to participate in a videoconference (something which we should be skilled with even outside work because Facetime-ing, Skype-ing, or Zoom-ing relatives from across the country and the world is such a welcome relief) or wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing when outdoors.

One of the most popular file-sharing and cloud storage apps that people use whether for work or for other purposes is Google Drive. Since Google Drive is obviously part of the Google suite of programs that is basically ubiquitous all over the world, then it goes without saying that you would be in the very small minority if you haven’t come across the platform. So, if you’re still at a bit of a loss with Google Drive and making the most out of it, here are some information about it:

 

Upload and Share Documents

In these times when nobody is in the office and everyone is working at home, sharing of pertinent files is of the essence. This is where Google Drive becomes a convenient platform because email attachments can only be of a certain size. If you need to share documents or files of a larger size, your email server wouldn’t be able to handle it and this is where Google Drive comes in handy.

The first method is the simpler of the two, and it involves dragging the file or folder from your desktop, and dropping it into the browser window. The second option is to click on the "New" button on the top-left side of the screen and select either "File upload" or "Folder upload."

(Via: https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-google-drive-guide#how-to-use-google-drive)

Download to Access Documents Offline

One of the most pressing features of a storage and file sharing platform for people working from home is the ability to download the shared files so that they can access it even if they are not connected to the net. This feature is very important especially for those who have intermittent WiFi or Internet connection.

You can use many Google Apps features offline, but only if you first set them up while you have internet access. Keep in mind that if you make edits while offline, collaborators will not see your edits and any edits collaborators who are online make will supersede your changes. Once you regain internet access, any offline edits will be synced.

(Via: https://it.stonybrook.edu/help/kb/accessing-google-drive-files-offline-on-a-mobile-devicecomputer)

Google Groups on Google Drive

If you want to share a file or document to not just one but several of your team members, it is not only possible but more convenient if you make a Google Group composed of these people and share your file with that group.

One of the advantages of Google Shared drives is that the group owns all of the documents in the Shared drives, so even if one member leaves, all of the documents remain. You can use Workgroup Integration to create a Google Group from current Workgroups. Once the permissions are granted to your Google Group, access to the Shared drives is automatically adjusted when you add or remove members from your Stanford Workgroup, allowing you to manage access entirely from within Workgroup Manager.

(Via: https://uit.stanford.edu/service/gsuite/shareddrives/create)

Multiple File Sharing on Google Drive

Another convenient feature of Google Drive is that it allows you to share multiple files all at once, not only one at a time.

If you want to share all the files in a folder, select the folder, click the Share icon in the upper- right-hand corner, enter the email addresses, and then click Send.

If any person you share with has a non-Google email address, you will have the option of either recommending that they sign in with a Google account or turning on link sharing.

(Via: https://www.smartsheet.com/content/google-drive-tutorial-faqs)

Meanwhile, if you have files that you have lost because you were too stubborn or lazy to use online storage solutions, allow us to help you. Read more at https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raidcenter/raid-recovery.html to discover a whole range of services.

The post Knowing Google Drive Inside Out Find more on: Hard Drive Recovery Group

via https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/knowing-google-drive-inside-out/

Irvine, California data recovery specialist Hard Drive Recovery Group (HDRG) is reaching out to the community to discuss how daily life may change in a post-COVID-19 world. Their views on this topic were shared in a recent blog post that can be read in full on the company’s website.

"The past few months have been remarkably difficult for everyone. While we are all waiting for this to be over, few of us have stopped to think about how things may never go back to normal," states Maureen Davies, a representative of Hard Drive Recovery Group. According to the local tech support specialists, this pandemic has stirred up new possibilities in several parts of everyday life. While not every change brought upon by COVID-19 is negative, weighing the impact that these changes will have in the future, both short and long term, is of remarkable importance.

Davies continues, "While we know that, currently, all that we have to do is to stay at home, the most remarkable changes to our everyday life are unlikely to go away in a post-COVID-19 world. The way we live has changed, perhaps forever, and while this is not necessarily a bad thing, thinking about how things may never be the same again is truly an extraordinary exercise. From automation to remote classrooms and offices, we are in for a treat after the pandemic ends, and while nothing is set in stone, we have put together a list of what we think will never be the same."

Hard Drive Recovery Group compiled a list of things most likely to change in the near future in another recent blog post. The most likely change, according to the local tech support specialists, will be the automation of everyday tasks.

Davies states, "Businesses will be under pressure to be liquid so as to stay afloat. Thus, costs will have to cut, particularly those that do not return profits. Employees who are not as productive as they should be will be cut off, automated procedures may need to be adapted and other employees may have to continue with remote work for businesses to save on operating costs. All signs point to the fact that the most simple jobs will be occupied by machines, overseen by people who can manage and keep an eye on several of these automated workers at the same time. Even in jobs that cannot be occupied by machines, we are more likely to see companies hiring remote workers, cutting down on costs significantly."

The areas that cannot have their costs reduced will be forced to take great leaps in the advancement of their respective technologies. Significant med-tech innovations and telemedicine are expected, as the government will most likely look for ways to prevent the overwhelming situation that hospitals and other medical facilities have had to deal with over recent months. This is where telemedicine and other remote medicinal services come in. Once the crisis recedes, remote health care will become the emerging default, if it is not already the default. Not only will telemedicine make everything cost-efficient to healthcare insurance providers and the patients themselves, doctors will also be able to provide their services to far more patients.

Online education is also very likely to continue increasing in popularity. This is already supported by the decline in student debt that has been observed recently, as students and their parents have demanded reimbursements for tuition and other fees because universities have opted to move classes online, an issue that is only likely to continue in the upcoming fall semester. Remote learning and its impending success will encourage more learners to go for this more affordable method since they can pursue the same education at a fraction of the cost. This will have a remarkably positive impact on the lives of most US residents, making superior education more accessible for everyone.

The company's website offers more details on Hard Drive Recovery Group and their services. Interested parties may reach out to Maureen Davies to follow up on any inquiries as well. Additionally, the company can also be reached through their social media platforms.

from Hard Drive Recovery Group

Now that most of us are still encouraged to stay home and not venture too much into the outside, disease-infested world, it is for sure that a lot of us have already rediscovered family memorabilia. If there is something that this pandemic has taught us, it is that family memories are truly invaluable. Births, family vacations, school programs, graduations, weddings, Thanksgivings, and Christmas can only be truly appreciated if they were captured in old photo albums and VHS tapes. And knowing how precious yet delicate they are, the thought of converting these photos and videos into digital formats has surely been considered. The good news is, for photos, the process of digitizing them is quite easy and straightforward. Turning old videos that have been stored in VHS tapes to digital may be a bit more challenging, although there are a number of ways to do it.

If you have old family videos in VHS, take note that the VHS format is temporary and has a tendency to degrade. After all, we may have experienced some videos getting erased as we used the same tape where we recorded a momentous family to record a TV show. That only goes to show that the VHS format is not permanent. So, while you still have the time, why not make it a project to transport these videos to the digital era?

DIY Plan A: With a DVD recorder

One easy way is to have a DVD recorder. You would only need to spend on a VCR player, a DVD recorder, and some DVD-R discs where your videos will be transferred to.  With some cords, you can connect them all to your TV and after some hours, viola! Your home videos will now be on digital format!

If you want to save some cash and are willing to put in a minimal amount of work, a DVD Recorder is an easy do-it-yourself option. It allows you to pop in a VHS (you will need a VCR for this), insert a DVD-R disc, and press record to dub the video over. There's a lot of waiting involved, but it isn't a ton of active work, and it's much cheaper than using a professional service if you have a lot of tapes.

(Via: https://sea.pcmag.com/gallery/30873/how-to-convert-vhs-home-movies-to-dvd)

DIY Plan B: Connecting your VCR with your computer

Now, if you don’t want to use a DVD recorder, another way would be to use your trusty computer and a VCR player. With cords to connect your VCR player and your computer, you can digitize these videos. Make sure you have some DVD-R discs (unless your computer has some seriously huge space where the digital videos will be saved to) so that your converted videos can be played not just on your PC or laptop, but also on your DVD player. Of course, you will also need a software that creates DVDs.

Connect your VHS video player to your PC using the cable or cables supplied with your chosen software. It should look something like the photo above. You may need a special Scart cable which has the red, white and yellow cables, or your video player may already have these outputs. (You won't be able to use front-mounted white, red and yellow connectors are these are almost always inputs - not outputs.)

(Via: https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/photo-video/how-convert-vhs-dvd-digital-3417308/)

Use a professional

If you want a professional to do it because you don’t want to be hassled by DIY and you think you may damage your old videos, there are digital transfer services you can take advantage of. There’s no need to invest in software and equipment, but you’ll have to shell out for their services, though. Also, you need of course to check whether the professional services near you are open or not, since a lot of stores are still closed.

Costco offers a digital transfer service through its Photo Center. You can transfer several types of videotapes to DVDs including VHS and S-VHS, Beta, VHS-C, Hi8, Digital 8, 8mm and MiniDV.

(Via: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2016/09/02/digitizing-video-tapes/89551880/)

If you are considering using professional services to shift your home videos to digital, you may also need to trust the pros like Hard Drive Recovery Group if you need to recover some files that have gone missing. Read more of our services here: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/hard-drive-failure.html.

The following blog article Welcome Your Home Videos To The Digital Age is available on Hard Drive Recovery Group

via https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/welcome-your-home-videos-to-the-digital-age/

Because most of us have been stuck at home, we can’t help (or rather we don’t mind anymore) but be overly informed of everything. By the time we wake up, among the first things we do would be to grab our phones. Once we have successfully unlocked the screen, it is 100% sure that you get drowned with all the information you will encounter. You get updates on how many people in the US and every single country in the world have become positive of the COVID-19 virus, how many have recovered, and how many have perished. You then get told of what your friends are up to, how many plants they have decided to grow, how many of them have signed up for Black Lives Matter initiatives, and how many vacations and nights out have been hidden from you as people are finally posting throwback pictures in abandon.

So, while you read your news alerts and social media feeds, you get lost and fall into a rabbit hole of news and information and before you know it when you look up from your phone’s screen, it’s already noon. You’ve “wasted” half of the day just “reading” all sorts of information. The thing is, chances are high that you will repeat this cycle throughout the day and for days, weeks, and even months to come. And that is definitely not a healthy thing to do. Information overload is not healthy, especially since we also have to deal with the uncertainty of the world’s situation. All of these factors are something we cannot easily handle. There is a need to pace ourselves with this avalanche of information because there is only too much we can handle. How to? There are some ways.

Is social media a good news source?   

It doesn’t take for scientific studies to make us realize that one of the leading sources, if not the number one source of information for people these days is social media. If you want to know something about the developments of the COVID-19 vaccine, you just go to your Google news alerts. Want to be updated with the US government? Just tap on Twitter. Wanna see how your friends have sharpened their culinary skills? Open your Instagram app. But is social media really a reliable source of information, though? Moreover, is it healthy for you to be informed so much with social media as your ultimate information source?

According to a newly published Pew Research Center report 55% of U.S. adults now get their news from social media either "often" or "sometimes" – an 8% increase from last year. About three-in-ten (28%) said they get their news "often," up from 20% in 2018.

(Via: https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2019/10/11/more-americans-are-getting-their-news-from-social-media/#5b8d753b3e17)

Be more discerning

Apart from avoiding getting overwhelmed with the quantity of information you have access to and actually consume, you also need to be careful with the quality of information you accept. You should not allow yourself to take in each and every piece of information you get because that is going to screw up your psyche. Besides, you have to check the quality of your news sources because there are so many so-called media outfits that turn out to be purveyors of fake news.

Standards: What information does this outlet provide about who they are, their mission, and their fact-checking process or standards?

Show me the money: Who is paying for their work, and why? Is this news outlet’s business model dependent to some degree on generating “clicks”? If so, how might that have influenced this story?

(Via: https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2020/0430/Fake-news-101-A-guide-to-help-sniff-out-the-truth)

Stop the addiction

With the abundance of news and news sources, we also need to realize that with our reliance to social media to “keep us updated” on what’s going on with friends and the rest of the world is actually an addiction. Therefore, our overconsumption of news and the need to know everything is also an addiction. Since we all know that addictive behavior is not good at all, then we need to put a cap on news addiction.

Unless you're ready to drop off the grid and move to a log cabin in the wilderness, cutting tech out of your life completely is unrealistic. What you can do is try consuming tech more mindfully.

(Via: https://sea.pcmag.com/gallery/20618/how-to-wean-yourself-off-smartphones-and-social-media)

Goodbye, news alerts!

One effective way to kick the addiction to news would be to stop getting alerted with news on your gadgets. There is really no need to be updated in real time of how many people have become positive with the coronavirus, right? There is absolutely no point in getting informed that there are now thousands of people in, say Africa, who are now sick with the virus. Thus, your life will not end if you miss an update from Google about a protest in Indonesia or an explosion in Lebanon. They are important of course, but in the current state of your life, not really.

Sick of Google spamming your phone with notifications about news articles? They can be pretty annoying, especially if you have no interest in most of the featured stories. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to stop Google notifications for news articles completely or reduce and refine the news notifications you receive.

(Via: https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2020/0430/Fake-news-101-A-guide-to-help-sniff-out-the-truth)

Now that you know how to separate valuable and fake news, you may want to focus on other pressing matters, like trying to recover missing files and documents. Here is something that may help you: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-data-recovery.html. Take advantage of our expertise and get your files back.

How to Maintain Your Sanity in Relation to the News is republished from Hard Drive Recovery Group

via https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/how-to-maintain-your-sanity-in-relation-to-the-news/

Hard Drive Recovery Group, an Irvine, California based data recovery service is reaching out to the wider community to share video conferencing tips that can help everyone adapt to the new era of video conferencing. The company is dedicated to providing high quality data recovery services to the residents of California and the surrounding areas.

Maureen Davies, a representative for Hard Drive Recovery Group, says, “The sudden onset of the COVID-19 crisis has meant that most, if not all of us, have been forced into staying home. However, life can’t just completely stop in its tracks, which means that we still have to get work done even as we fight this unseen enemy. Thankfully, advances in video conferencing technologies and online workspaces has meant that we are now able to work from home. Since most of us have not had the need for this technology in the past, we could all do with some tips on how to successfully pull off video conferencing meetings, especially since meetings are a large part of the modern working life.”

In a blog post shared on the company website, Hard Drive Recovery Group says the first part of succeeding in video conferences is to look the part. Looking the part in a video meeting will not just present the right image for the attendees of the meeting, but also affect the way one conducts themselves. Getting ready for a virtual meeting just as one would for a real-life meeting will go a long way to ensuring that the professional atmosphere is maintained and that the meeting is successful.

Something else that is very important is to make sure that the background of one’s video does not distract the participants of the meeting. Not everyone has a dedicated home office, which means that video conferences might be held from any place in the house. This could lead to something unflattering or distracting being in the background of the video, unless one takes care to avoid this scenario. One way to avoid this is to just clean everything from the background of where one will conduct the meeting from, but there is also the option to find a place in the house which is reasonably plain. Modern video conferencing software also allow an additional workaround to solve this problem, as they allow users to change the background to something else entirely.

Hard Drive Recovery Group also suggests that running a tech check is very important. In the blog post, the company recommends that everyone double check and make sure that their camera is functioning properly by attempting to record before the meeting even begins. Further, headsets should be in good condition and preferably have a functioning mute button that can be used when not talking. While most of today’s video conferencing software has a mute function, having a mute button on one’s headset can be more convenient.

While on the topic of sound, Hard Drive Recovery Group also touches on background noise. Headsets are purpose-built to make the user’s voice sound clear and eliminate outside noise. However, even with a top-of-the-line headset, there can still be factors outside of one’s control that can disturb meetings. From the neighbor’s lawn mowing to a baby suddenly crying, there are unavoidable things that can happen. However, Hard Drive Recovery Group has a solution: Krisp. This is an AI-powered noise-cancellation technology that can virtually eliminate those kinds of noises. While Krisp is normally a paid program the developers of Krisp have introduced a free tier of service in response to the coronavirus.

Hard Drive Recovery Group are experts in what they do, as evidenced by the company’s reviews. On the Google platform, the company has a perfect rating of 5 out of 5 Stars. In a recent review, Alica MacGeorge says, “My MacBook drive crashed, and these guys were the closest data recovery services company to my house. Real quick drive to their lab (off I-5), and Mike helped me with my case. Good price, excellent service!”

Those who want to learn more about Hard Drive Recovery Group and their services are welcome to visit the company's website to get started. They encourage interested parties to get in touch with Maureen Davies directly via email or phone, and the company can also be reached through the contact form on their website. Hard Drive Recovery Group maintains a presence on Facebook where they frequently post updates, share media and communicate with their customers.

from Hard Drive Recovery Group

Not exactly sure if this is COVID19 related or not, but Google in the first week of August announced that it is in the process of closing its music platform, Google Play Music. Currently, Google Play Music users can stream music, as well as purchase full albums or single music files from the platform. Unfortunately, this will not be the case anyway as Google has rolled out a schedule for the impending closure of its music platform. In the last weeks of August, the Music Manager function of Google Play Music will not allow users to buy, pre-order, upload, or download music from Google Play Music anymore.  Then, by October, the Google Play Music app will be rendered useless already as users cannot stream music from the app anymore. By the end of that month, Google will cancel subscriptions at the end of their subscribers' billing cycles, so they should have already migrated their Google Play Music library to a YouTube Music account or use a Google Takeout account to successfully migrate files. What will only be allowed until December in Google Play Music libraries will be uploads, playlists, likes, and purchases (but all those should have been migrated already, eh?).

But then, Google promises to inform users that they will be losing access to all this data by the end of the year. So, as of now, Google is recommending for all users to do the necessary migration and downloading as soon as possible, so that their music files will not get affected.

So, now that Google Play Music is closing shop, will there be other alternatives for its die-hard users? Will YouTube Music be really the only viable option for them? Knowing that YouTube is under the umbrella of the larger Google organization, it would seem to be a bad idea to put all your eggs in one basket, no matter how YouTube seems to be a very stable entity. So, for Google Play Music users who want to look at the larger and very vibrant array of options beyond the world of Google, here are some options to may want to consider keeping a top-notch music library:

 

Apple Music

Apple is quite aggressive in recruiting new users to its platform, offering access to Apple Music for free in the first three months to new users. Moreover, the company has also been beefing up its app on both Android and Microsoft to make sure all customer bases get enticed to jump ship and join the Apple bandwagon.

Apple Music has a key advantage over Spotify in that you can combine the songs you already own with the Apple Music streaming catalog. Siri users also get more robust voice controls for playback. Like Spotify, Apple Music has playlists that serve up songs based on your listening habits, but you can also listen to the Beats 1 Radio stations with human DJs at the helm.

(Via: https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-music-versus-spotify-best-music-podcasts-streaming-service-price-catalog-features-plans-compared/)

Plex

Most of us who have come across the platform Plex know that it is a popular arena to stream popular movies and TV shows. Well, it seems that Plex has expanded their offerings just in time to possibly get a share of subscribers from Google Play Music. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

Miss the days when MTV was music videos and not Sweet Sixteen parties? Let Plex fill that longing for the good ol' days through its new partnership with Loop Media. Plex Live TV subscribers are now able to stream music videos from 19 of Loop Media's music channels, which include Top Charting Singles, Hip Hop, and Country.

(Via: https://hometheaterreview.com/plex-delivering-music-videos-on-loop/)

Spotify

Who can forget one of the pioneers of music streaming? Spotify continues to be one of the strongest music streaming platforms with one of the largest libraries of music, with even former adversary Taylor Swift back in the fold. So, yes, you can stream Folklore to your heart’s content with a Spotify Premium account.

Spotify now supports video podcasts, starting with a handful of shows that can be viewed by most free and premium users. The company announced the news today, saying that all users where podcasts are supported will be able to not only listen to these shows but also watch them, both on desktop and mobile. For now, though, only certain podcasts are able to post video to Spotify; most podcasters won’t be able to upload their own video footage. Videos will start automatically when someone presses play, and they’ll sync with the audio feed, so if someone exits the app or locks their device while watching, the audio will continue.

(Via: https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/21/21332584/spotify-video-podcasts-feature-upload)

Tidal

Tidal rose in popularity because the music industry’s big names such as the power couple Jay Z and Beyonce have attached their names to it. Another draw of the platform is that artists provide users with exclusive content, so if you want a streaming service with loads of special features, go for Tidal.

As of August 20, 2019, Tidal now includes social features that make it easy for iOS and Android users to share music and video to their Instagram and Facebook stories. This is something we’ve seen with Spotify allowing users to post individual songs to a story. However, Tidal lets users post individual tracks or whole playlists which appear as still images on either social platform.

(Via: https://www.soundguys.com/tidal-hifi-review-25846/)

 

On the other hand, I bet you weren't able to say a proper goodbye to files in your computer that have suddenly gone missing.  There is good news, though. We can help you recover your files. Read on to know how we can reunite you with your missing files: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raidcenter/raid-5-data-recovery.html.

What to Do With Google Play Music’s Departure was first published to HDRG

via https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/what-to-do-with-google-play-musics-departure/

Hard Drive Recovery Group (HDRG), an Irvine, California based data recovery service, has just published a new blog post titled ‘Don’t Put Your Documents at Risk When Working Remotely.’ The blog post talks about how to keep one’s data safe and secure while working remotely. With a large number of people across the country having to work from home due to COVID-19, concerns surrounding the protection of data are quite prevalent. The pandemic has forced millions to work from home, and this can make it a bit more difficult to ensure that work documents remain safe.

“Other countries have imposed border lockdowns, curfews, and the US included, allow those who can, to work from home,” says the blog post. “As expected, employees will need to utilize company-provided devices in these uncertain times, as there is no timeline yet as to when the crisis will be completely defeated. But then, the ambiguity of the situation has been taken advantage of by cybercriminals who will exploit the paranoia of remote workers and expose data and hardware vulnerabilities in the systems they use.”

There are many ways to keep one’s data safe while working from home, and the blog post explores several. The first method of data protection the post mentions is the use of VPNs. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows one to connect to a computer safely even when using a network that is not very secure (like most home networks which are not built to withstand sophisticated cyber attacks). A VPN gives one an added layer of privacy by hiding their browser history and other important bits of information from those who may be looking to use said information for nefarious purposes. Through the use of a VPN, one can ensure the safety of company documents.

Another highly effective way to protect company data is to store documents in the cloud. “During this era of remote work, cloud-based services are a great option to use to store and transfer data,” the blog post says. “When documents are stored in a cloud, people with access to it can have copies to them, removing the taxing procedure of emailing documents to those who need to have them. Data loss due to malfunctioning or misplaced computers is reduced, if not avoided altogether.”

USB sticks and memory cards present a very serious problem when it comes to data security. When working from home, many people may find themselves needing to transfer files, and they often use USB sticks to do this. However, these devices can carry malware that can seriously affect the files that one may have stored on their laptop or PC, and Hard Drive Recovery Group’s blog post discourages the use of storage devices like USBs and memory cards.

Using strong passwords is another practice that the Hard Drive recovery service highly recommends. “Hackers are having a field day with so many people working from home as they use less secure networks that do not necessarily have industrial-strength firewalls and anti-hacking software,” says the blog post. “Thus, if you are working from home, your best defense against hackers would be to make sure they can’t infiltrate your accounts with you using super strong and hard-to-guess passwords. With your accounts and devices being unhackable, you can be sure unauthorized people can’t get their hands on your documents easily.”

Hard Drive Recovery Group offers data recovery service to clients all over the country, and many of them have left great reviews of their work. G. Adams, a Houston Texas resident, says, “Not only was I surprised at the knowledge of Jeff, my technician, but also at the price. I had read a lot of posts on the web about hard drive recovery costing in the multiple thousand dollar area, and I admit I was very skeptical when I was quoted a price. Jeff quickly diagnosed my problem over the phone and emailed me some drive recovery software to try. Within a half an hour, I had my missing files back. That's what I call service!”

For more information on Document Protection, get in touch with Hard Drive Recovery Group. The company is always ready to offer their assistance to customers who are dealing with the possibility of lost data.

from Hard Drive Recovery Group

If there’s anything the COVID-19 pandemic has made us do, that is it has further indulged us in our obsession with that one app that has helped us in maintaining our sanity in these troubled times – the all-powerful and absolutely entertaining… Netflix! The pandemic may have shrunk our world as most of us experienced being on lockdown at any point in the past three months, but thanks to Netflix, it didn’t feel like we’ve not “seen” the outside world as the streaming app exposed us to so many TV shows and movies not only from Hollywood but from all corners of the world. Admit it, you grieved as Nairobi met her untimely death in her team’s second grand robbery outing in Money Heist. Of course, who wouldn’t want to consider staying in the spectacular Hotel del Luna even if we are pretty much alive? Moreover, what made Netflix tick to most users is that when a Netflix Original program premieres, all the episodes are already available on the same day. Honestly, who can say no to a Netflix marathon? The wormhole Netflix takes us to does last for hours and hours, and before you know it, weeks and months have gone by, taking our minds off the harsh realities of the pandemic.

So by now, you must think that most, if not all of us are already experts in operating Netflix. Well, just because we spend so much of our time using the app and having our fill of movies and TV shows doesn’t mean we already know how to maximize its use. Chances are, we are only exploring around 5% of this app that has so much content, we may need at least three lifetimes to finish everything it offers. But then, why not explore ways to maximize our use of the app so that we can thoroughly enjoy ourselves? Here are some Netflix features you may want to know, some of them old, others only recently introduced.

Scrub your viewing history

Just like when we delete our browsing history to make sure that nobody using the family laptop sees that we’ve been poring hours on online shopping sites, there is now a way for you to clean your Netflix viewing history, just so that nobody else knows what programs you watch.

Whether you’re partaking in the Love social media trend, don’t want your family to see 365 dni in your viewing history, or simply watched a particularly cheesy sitcom you’d rather forget about, we’ve got you covered.

(Via: https://decider.com/2020/06/23/how-to-delete-netflix-viewing-history/)

Look for “Hidden” Programming

With millions of shows available on the app, Netflix users would never run out of things to watch. So, if you are already losing interest and getting bored with your current movie and TV show selections, you may want to look into other genres, using codes that will open a whole new world of programming for you.

If you weren’t a binge watcher before the pandemic, odds are you’re one now. If you’re a long time binger and you’re looking to take things to the next level, or you’ve been trying it out for the first time over the past few months, we have some advice for you. After all, life hacks aren’t just for weird things to do with lemons.

(Via: https://filmdaily.co/news/netflix-codes/)

Can you watch Netflix offline?

TO answer the question, yes. You just need to know how. This is perfect for users who may have intermittent internet connection or if you have mustered enough courage, moving somewhere.

As it turns out, Netflix now allows you to download a lot of their content for offline viewing — this way, you can still bring your favorite TV shows with you on long trips and plane rides.

(Via: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/how-to-download-movies-and-tv-shows-from-netflix/)

Netflix with your friends

Nowadays, Netflix and chill is not only a solitary activity we thought it is. Just because we can’t crash into somebody’s couch and have the whole gang watch something doesn’t mean we can’t have our friends watch something on Netflix with us. As popularized by apps like Zoom, virtual gatherings are the best we can do with strict social distancing still the norm. And now, you can host a view party on Netflix!

Netflix Party is a free Google Chrome browser extension that allows users to watch movies and TV shows on the streaming platform together from different devices.

The extension, which is unaffiliated with Netflix, was released in mid-March when local officials had just started implementing coronavirus pandemic lockdown restrictions that have kept friends and family home for months in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.

(Via: https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/how-to-use-netflix-party)

You may already be a master of Netflix, but of missing files, you are not. But we definitely are. Let Hard Drive Recovery Group help you in getting those missing documents back. Here's a sneak peek of what we can do: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-data-recovery.html.

The blog article Be a Netflix Master! Read more on: http://www.harddriverecovery.org

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The earbuds market somehow exponentially boomed at around 2019. While it used to be a joke when earbuds were introduced (remember the Saturday Night Live sketch about earbuds getting lost every time iPhone users dances, requiring them to keep on buying new pairs), but now it seems that those fears of earbuds popping out of restless users have been assuaged because the devices have been more popular than ever. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, which only helped in making earbuds more of a need than just a marketing ploy of some gadget manufacturers. Without cords and wires to disinfect every time you use them outdoors, the convenience and practicality these earbuds provide have indeed become more pronounced.

As the quality of these earbuds, particularly in relaying sound, improve through time, we consumers are spoiled for choices on what to buy. That being said, there is currently not one single set of earbuds that is perfect for all types of users. Those with iPhones and other Apple devices may of course prefer AirProds, while proud Samsung or other Android phone owners may prefer earbuds produced by their own device manufacturers. Then there are also those who want to use earbuds for their early morning walks (can’t go to the gym right now because of coronavirus fears) and those who use earbuds for multitasking. Those users may have specific features that are just about right for their specific needs.

One thing is for sure: All earbuds need to have a good seal in your ear. Make sure they fit your ears. After all, different users have different ear sizes, just like they have different preferences according to their needs. Alas, comfort trumps everything else. How can you really enjoy using your multitasking earbuds if they are too small that you find yourself checking if they’re still in your ear every 10 seconds like a paranoid person, or if they are too big that you feel like you have a huge block of earwax stuck in your ears?

So, without further ado, here are three of the best-reviewed earbuds available in the market today. As mentioned earlier, make sure your test them for comfort, not just for their function and features.

Why earbuds?

They're cool, they're chic, and they don't have messy wires for you to deal with, that's why.

When you make the transition to wireless headphones, the first thing you’ll notice is how convenient they are. Bluetooth technology allows you to be up to 33 feet away from your device without the signal being significantly degraded – this means you have a lot more freedom to move around without picking up your devices every single time.

(Via: http://www.dextroaudio.com/wireless-headphones-vs-wired/#:~:text=The%20Advantages%20of%20Wireless%20Headphone%20Technology&text=Bluetooth%20technology%20allows%20you%20to,your%20devices%20every%20single%20time.)

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus

Of course, the leader of Android devices has produced a pretty grand pair of earbuds.  Definitely recommended for Android users, not just those with Samsung devices.

Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners and anyone with an Android device should consider the new Galaxy Buds Plus. Although Wireless PowerShare is a Samsung exclusive, other important features including Spotify integration, are available across Android. Plus, even iPhone users will benefit from AAC support for lag-free media playback.

(Via: https://www.soundguys.com/samsung-galaxy-buds-plus-review-28974/)

Apple Airpods Pro

Of course, if Android has produced great earbuds, will the House of Steve Jobs be ever far behind? Airpods were the butt of all jokes when it was first introduced (the SNL sketch mentioned earlier featured the 1^st generation of Airpods), but now, they are the hottest selling add-on to any music or audio-loving Apple gadget geek.

AirPods are as much a communication tool as they are a way to listen to music and movies. But, much to my surprise, Apple has a legitimately excellent pair of buds here.

(Via: https://www.digitaltrends.com/headphone-reviews/apple-airpods-pro-review/)

Jabra Elite 75t

Those who are allergic to anything that is blatantly branded as Apple or Android should definitely consider this nifty set of earbuds from Jabra.

So how does Jabra's next-generation Elite 75t -- which, unlike the AirPods Pro, doesn't offer active noise cancellation -- stand up to the current competition? Actually, quite well, which surprised me a bit.

(Via: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/jabra-elite-75t-review/)

Your search for a great pair of earbuds may be over, thanks to us, but your search for files that have gone missing because you accidentally deleted them or your laptop crashed isn't. Don't fret, we can help you. We have experts in data recovery who can get you back your important documents: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/data-recovery-services.html.

 

The following blog article The Search for the Best Earbuds is courtesy of http://www.harddriverecovery.org

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