Time Machine options

What storage devices are you guys using for your Macs? For my MBP I'm probably going to buy a Firewire 800 1TB drive but for the MBA which has no Firewire 800 or USB 3, I'm at a bit of a loss.

Since it only has USB 2 I'm thinking about going with a 128GB SDXC card (similar transfer rates, 20-45MB/s). I only use about 60GB of data (30GB for the full system when you cut out the VM).

The other choice would be a network based solution but none of the network drives (including Time Capsule) have very good reviews. Time Capsule is also hugely overpriced.

So what are you all using?

 

I'm also wondering as well… I've want to replace my WD My Passport drive with something bit smaller if possible… I'm however looking for a capacity of about 750-1000GB…

Isin't the SDXC cards expensive bogatyr?

 

$260 for the Sandisk one. But it's extremely small and much easier to pack.

I went with a WD 1TB FireWire 800 powered portable for the MBP:
My Passport Studio

 

I would never use a SD card for critical backups or for Time Machine - too small and easy to misplace or lose, and too fragile to any unintended external application of force or pressure.

 

That one seems extremely cool actually How big is it like WD My Passport? The love My Passport drive, but something a bit smaller, thiny, portable will be preferred.

I hate that with MBP the SD card is sticking a bit out, if it didn't I would defiantly go for a 128GB, or higher, if it were available..

 

It's about the same size as far as I know. I haven't received it yet.

Anything smaller would have to be flash based media - SDXC or a USB thumb drive. The Passport line is about a small as it gets for hard drives. Though you could look into a 7mm 2.5" or even a 1.8" hard drive with enclosure - but I think those are rare as the normal size is 9mm 2.5".

 

They're encrypted if they're lost. If I lose it, I do a new backup immediately, seems pretty easy. My SD card goes where my wallet goes, if I lose it, I know right away.

As to being fragile - never had an SD, miniSD or microSD fail me due to damage of any kind. And I've been using them for over 5 years - I still have my old 256MB ones which work.

 

Right - not fragile, as in failure (I've only had one go bad in 15 years). Fragile, as in if they get bent the case can crack, and the circuit board later fails.

Most of the 2.5 portable drives are quite small, and fit easily in a desk drawer.

 

Right, and I meant this too. Has not happened to me ever. Just treat it like it should be treated, with respect.

EDIT:
If there is a better alternative though I'm all ears. My only reason for going with the SD is that the speed is the same as my USB 2 drives. So smaller seems like the better choice for my work MBA. If they offered 2.5" portable Thunderbolt drives yet, I'd probably go with that instead. All the Thunderbolt systems seem to be these giant drive arrays currently.

 

I was actually look for a 1.8" drive, but haven't found one yet.


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I really like your idea about the backup and SD card, maybe something I can do too.

Speaking for you, wouldn't it be okay to buy a USB 3.0 drive, don't you have any other PC (Personal Computer) with USB 3.0?

The best thing for me actually would be to replace the CD/DVD with another HDD… But…


EDIT:

Just found Kingston Wi-Drive 16GB (Wireless Storage for iPod touch® Gen 3& 4, iPhone® and iPad®), wish it were available in 1TB

 

I sold all my ThinkPads, no USB 3 laptop anymore. While I can buy a USB 3 and use it at USB 2 speeds, I feel I might as well go with the SD card at that point.

In my opinion: No sense in backing up to an internal drive as the intent is in case something happens to the laptop, not just if something happens to the data. Laptop is lost or stolen - all backups gone too. Liquid spilled on laptop - all backups gone. Laptop chewed up by your dog... well you know.

 

Ah, how could to exchange ThinkPads for mac -.-

I see, I meant for external data storing. I've watched some videos/reviews of the Western Digital My Passport® Studio 1TB and it seems really nice… I might go for one of those as well, since I've have my current 1TB drive which is USB 3.0.

Are you planning on any review-ish thing when you get your drive? I'm mainly going to use that for movie and pictures storage. But, for the backup, I think I'll go for the SD solution… Or my other WD drive… I have currently, 3 working… But, lately My Paspport have been acting strange...

 

I am developing an application for iOS and Windows isn't an option for that. I tried hacking it into VMWare Workstation but it ran like crap as a virtual machine and I didn't want any hassles for my night work. I can only afford 1 personal laptop at a time so I sold my personal ThinkPad and bought my MBP. All four virtual machines on it run Windows (Win7, 3x Server 2008 R2) for all my Windows development work.


Then I figured since my last 20 years of experience was all Windows, I'd switch my work laptop as well so I could get used to and know OS X like I know Windows.

Being the I.T. Manager for my company, getting approval for the only Apple product in the place was pretty easy It actually integrated smoothly with our entire network structure (AD, Exchange, etc).

It's unlikely I'll ever push a mass switch from our Lenovo ThinkPads and ThinkCentre systems but for travelers who want thin, I may offer them MBAs in the future.

Eventually I'll write up a review on my complete experience in switching from Windows to OS X and all the products I picked up along the way.

 

Hey that sounds pretty interesting! Well, I've got my first laptop when I were 11, and since I have been using Windows. It have almost been a week since I've switched and I'm already in love with OS X. Of course it is not perfect, but who is?

I have started immigrating data into iTunes, everything in place is like a dream. That is why I've asked for a External drive, have never really cared about OS backup as it can always be reinstalled however…

I'm also the I.T. Manager for my company, but that said, it is nothing special, we are running 1 SBS2011, 10 local computers linked to the server, and you know switches and all the stuff… Everything in the house is Lenovo, even desktops, only the screens remain Asus and Eizo.

I'm the only one with Mac, and as you said, everything worked perfectly from day 1.

But, in my case, this is my work and personal computer. I like having everything in one place. When I need something else then Outlook, fire up external desktop, problem is solved.

I haven't any time to figure out OS X, in depth yet. I've did some yesterday, fell asleep while waiting for my system to restart.

By the way, back to the bluetooth music/steaming, do you get some lag, randomly? This does only happened while listening to music from my MacBook, not a single time with my iPhone…

 

I haven't had any lag while listening to music over bluetooth.

I will note that I would on my Windows based systems when I used a bluetooth keyboard with the bluetooth headset. Typing caused lag. That's the only time I've had audio lag while using bluetooth.

 

Hmm, strange… it seems to only happened while stressing the network card… Such as loading a website, but very rare and random...