Gmail Contacts New Feature

Gmail just launched their latest feature - the amazing Contacts list. So what's nice about this new feauture?

Unlike the former Contact link located at the upper right of your Gmail view, the new Contacts link displayed at the left pane does more than just editing or adding your contact list. Here are the cool features I like about this new Contacts tool:

1. Simple interface for displaying/editing contacts info.
2. Can use it for specifying which contacts you want to send your composed email.
3. Click an entry to display not only the contact's details but also all emails related to this contact (harness the power of Google's search engine)

Although this new Contact feature is more usable than the previous version, some useful features should have been retained or added:

1. Filter tabs to easily navigate on the contact list based on the first letter of the contact's name.
2. CC and BCC options/checkboxes.
3. Can be used when replying/forwarding emails. Using the autocomplete function can be a pain if don't remember the contact's name, or if you want browse which people you want to forward the email.

CDR Backups: For How Long?

CDR is the most inexpensive medium for saving important digital files. I use it all the time to backup my precious digital pictures and audio files to free up some space on my hard disk. Although I can invest on more hard disk space, it's an expensive approach and not always a reliable option. If you are using Linux and have enough hard disk space for backups, using squashfs can be a good option. Still, saving those files on a CDR will save you from disaster in case the hard disk gets corrupted. I also create backups for my original CD collections so I don't have to worry about my friend damaging my CD in his pathetic player, hehehe.

But as with most data storage like the CDR, life expectancy is a big issue especially if you're archiving important files and audio CDs. So if you don't mind your data vanishing into oblivion after 3 years or you just want to copy the latest Linux distro version release, cheap CDRs are enough to do the job (usually costs around 4 to 8 pesos). For important files such as pictures, audio cds, MP3s/Ogg, codes, documents, I would rather buy branded CDRs like Kodak, Maxell, Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden (very expensive).

The following links provide useful information about CDRs and their durability:

• Lifespan of CDR
• The Myth Of The 100-Year CD-Rom
• The CD Information Center
• CD-R Media Longevity
• What is CD-R?
• Dye's of CD/Rs