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Utopian Frontiers may change your perception of the economy, government, technology, the environment and even humanity…

What does the future hold? That is a question that people are asking more and more each day. As the future seems unsure for people around the world, it is a great time to consider what your future holds…

People Who Will Enjoy This Book

• Science fiction readers
• anyone interested in the relationship between humankind and technology;
• people interested in alternatives to current social/political/economic systems.

Some Theme and Topics From Utopian Frontiers

• Environmental integrity
• Non-monetary economics
• Alternative communities
• The future of humanity

We are looking for people who would like to review this unique new book – it will get you thinking, make you wonder, prompt you to reconsider the “norm” and includes adventure, surprises along with twists and turns. This is YOUR chance to take a peak into the “rabbit hole”….

Contact nikki@nikkileigh.com to participate in this virtual tour.

About Utopian Frontiers – The Book

What if there was a secret city at work on finding answers to the survival of humanity? Technologies beyond your imagination; a city expanding, recruiting and evolving. There is no government, no money, no bosses, institutions, cars or roads; and age takes on new meaning.

This “facity” is one big research product in and of itself, and nothing else quite like it exists on this Earth. This is the city that Erwin Sharp and his family are drawn into on the fringes of a national park. They fall headfirst down the rabbit hole into a world of space probes, cancer cures, and a core myth that defies belief. They soon realize that some doors are only meant to swing one way. This is a parable of trust and hope–a flashing beacon of hope in a world hell-bent on destroying itself. It is ultimately a story of ambition, of owning up to life, showing up and trading up. In a story that is as controversial as it is reassuring, sometimes it is possible to find something you always hoped existed, and in finding it, you confront your own truth as much as that of the world you live in.

What is inside the mysterious Hall 8, and what does that have to do with Erwin? And how is water the mechanism of peace or destruction? Thick with adventure, revelations and twists, this story shows how what we accept is only that which we’ve been conditioned to accept, and why an ancient Mayan prophesy doesn’t actually mean what you think.

Based on a project created by M.H. Parsons and J.P. Roach – http://utopianfrontiers.com/book/

About Utopian Frontiers Non Profit Organization

UTOPIAN FRONTIERS FOUNDATION is a non profit organization dedicated to developing multi-media works intended to educate and provoke meaningful discourse on global environmental concerns – including the relationship between humankind and technology.

To educate and increase the public’s understanding of the environment and its importance by offering courses, seminars, conferences and meetings and by collecting
and disseminating information on that topic.

Contact nikki@nikkileigh.com to participate in this virtual tour.

The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life by Daniel Sieberg

I just saw the cell phone commercial that says the small business with the best technology rules. While I am a big fan of technology and couldn’t have my business without it – I would tweak that statement a bit. Let’s change that to – the small business (or person) that knows how to utilize the best technology in the best way, rules.

I think the majority of people understand the use of technology can get totally out of control. When I see neighborhood kids walking down the street and texting to the people beside them – it seems the use of technology is out of control. That is just one of many examples we see every day.

If you are one of the many people who has a cell phone, a computer, a laptop, several email accounts, several social media accounts, and iPad and various other technology items – you know what I mean. Just finding enough plug ins to recharge all those things can take a while. So, maybe you need The Digital Diet. I know the word “diet” scares people, but author Daniel Sieberg steps readers through his 4 step plan, one step at a time.

There are a number of quotes from the book that I really enjoyed…

“At the core, the Digital Diet is about common sense and common courtesy, Impress yourself and those around you. Be the master, not the slave.”

“Technology makes life more sterile and makes it too easy to avoid a conversation (services like slydial send you straight to voice mail), face responsibility (sorry, didn’t get your message), or display emotions (those emoticons just don’t cut it). Too often technology allows us to replace meaningful interaction with superficial ones. Many of us have become terrible and ineffective communicators and blog and elfish broadcasters. Lots of telling but very little listening. We’ve come to rely on what I call, in fast food term, “drive through conversations”. Pull up, get what you want and drive away. No fuss, no muss. If only real life were so convenient.”

“… our heads down, all too often we give in to our gadgets and let them be our guide. But when we use our mind and our social graces to overcome a particular dilemma, like catching the right train, there is a sense of pride that we accomplished something, not our device. That’s one key to better management of our digital life. Recognize those occasions when your brain is able to solve the problem and rely on it.”

Let’s face it – keeping up with every new gadget, toy, program or social site is very exhausting. So, using Sieberg’s plan makes sense. These are short summaries of the 4 step plan.

Step 1 – Think – Consider how technology has overwhelmed our society and the effect it’s had on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Step 2 – Boot - Take stock of your digital intake using Sieberg’s Virtual Weight Index and step back from the device.

Step 3 – Connect - Focus on restoring the relationship that have been harmed by the technology in your life.

Step 4 – Vitalize - Learn how to live with technology – the healthy way, by optimizing your time spent e-mailing, texting, on Facebook and web surfing.

As with any diet plan, you should review all the steps and then find the best way to utilize the plan to improve your life. But having read this book and shared the information with friends, I really think you will be pleasantly surprised by the things you will learn about yourself by reading this book and working through parts of the plan. Imagine the difference it could make when you’re able to take back control of your life…

For much more on each of the 4 step, you can get your own copy at http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-4-step-addiction-balance/dp/0307887383 (print) and http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-addiction-balance-ebook/dp/B004J4WM3G (Kindle)

Family Tip #1

Schedule a time for the entire household’s gadgets to be charged. In other words, let’s say at around 9:00 p.m. all the gadgets use the same power bar or charging station in the house. The gadgets get to hang out together while the family members turn their attention to other things (or preferably one another).

Family Tip #2

“Chill out”—the next time your son or daughter comes to the dinner table with a smart phone or iPod or laptop, try putting it in the fridge during the entire meal. It won’t do any harm to the device. Then serve it as the final course, after the dessert.

Family Tip #3

Encourage the idea of “no- heads- down discussions” while in the house. No one is allowed to be looking down at a gadget or a computer while having a conversation. If your son or daughter (or husband or wife) won’t take the time to make eye contact and look up while talking, then simply stop the conversation until they do. If a task needs to be done on a gadget or a computer, then it should be completed fi rst and not done during a conversation. Keep the face- to- face chat sacrosanct. It won’t be easy, and confrontations will surely occur, but try to be resolute in your enforcement.

E- obesity

It’s not a revelation to say that this country has an obesity problem. But there is mounting concern that gluttony for technology is creating what I call the “e- obesity” problem. By that I mean that our increasing appetite for gadgets and the Web has made us lazy and less active. Most days, the only parts of our bodies that are getting a great workout are our fingers and thumbs, and they are often being overworked.

First let’s look at the numbers as they apply to the young generation. The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project recently found that half of American teenagers send more than fifty text messages a day and that one-third send more than one hundred a day. Every day. Add that up over a month and we’re talking easily in the thousands.

Two-thirds of the texters surveyed said they were more likely to use their cell phones to text friends than to call them. Fifty- four percent said they texted their friends once a day, but only 33 percent said they talked to their friends face to face on a daily basis (a probable harbinger of the death of “small talk”). The Kaiser Family Foundation reported that young people between the ages of eight and eighteen spend on average seven and a half hours a day using some sort of electronic device, from smart phones to digital music players to computers. In essence, they’re online for the time spent at a full- time job, which is a number that likely startled many of you, even those who keep your smart phone in plain sight during waking hours.

The role of technology in childhood and adult obesity has now been proven without a doubt. More than forty studies have been conducted on the matter, and many indicate that the availability of technology contributes to a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain in children. A Canadian study conducted in 2003 and published in the International Journal of Obesity linked seven- to eleven- year- olds’ television and computer use to a significantly increased risk of being overweight or obese. The study found that children who spent three or more hours a day using technology had a 17 percent to 44 percent higher risk of being overweight and a 10 percent to 61 percent higher risk of obesity.

For much more information about Daniel Sieberg and The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life visit  http://www.danielsieberg.com/. For your own copy, visit http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-4-step-addiction-balance/dp/0307887383 (print) and http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-addiction-balance-ebook/dp/B004J4WM3G (Kindle)

The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life by Daniel Sieberg

Have you ever felt that something hasn’t really happened until you post it on Facebook or Twitter? Does a flashing red light on your BlackBerry make your heart flutter? Do you know you shouldn’t be texting and driving—but still do it? If you said “yes” to any of these questions then you’re not alone; you’re among the millions of people who can relate to being overwhelmed by technology. Fear not—from leading technology reporter Daniel Sieberg comes the first self-help book to address America’s newest addiction: THE DIGITAL DIET: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life, a four-step, dietary-style approach to help you slim down on everything from gadgets to social networks to video games.

The Digital Diet is a 28-day plan that’s meant to reawaken our awareness of technology in our lives, provide tools and gadgets to improve life, and instill the right motivational/practical formula for managing it in the future. It can be tailored based on age, profession, hobbies, and a person’s particular electronic poison and includes a self-assessment, a detox phase, and a week-by-week guide to building time for technology back into your routine.

These are the 4 steps:

Step 1 – Think

Consider how technology has overwhelmed our society and the effect it’s had on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Step 2 – Boot

Take stock of your digital intake using Sieberg’s Virtual Weight Index and step back from the device.

Step 3 – Connect

Focus on restoring the relationship that have been harmed by the technology in your life.

Step 4 – Vitalize

Learn how to live with technology – the healthy way, by optimizing your time spent e-mailing, texting, on Facebook and web surfing.

Step 1 – Re: Think (Excerpt from The Digital Diet)

In recent years there’s been a raging debate in the tech world between those who believe we need to unplug on a regular basis and those who say plugging in is both necessary and advantageous. But the argument between the two misses the point: the goal is moderation. I’m not advocating going “off the grid” or even eliminating technology for a while and then giving yourself permission to indulge later. My intention is to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the online and offline worlds and teach you to recognize when operating in one rather than the other is a suitable option. Perfection isn’t possible. But seeking betterment is.

Some experts argue that the way we live in the twenty-first century is no different from the way we lived a hundred years ago because it’s relative. Back then we had to struggle with milking machines and a washboard. Or getting the mail and wanting to read a book. The difference is that those activities had a finite experiential window. People would stress about these pursuits or needs before they finished them, but once the physical act was complete— the book closed, the washboard down, the mail opened— it was on to another activity. Not so today.

Today we are part of the matrix. I don’t mean the movie; I mean the endless web of questions about the kids’ babysitter and birthday reminders and wondering if that accounting report is finished. We don’t “tear ourselves away from work” anymore; our work tears us away from everything else. And there is often little sense of completion with work or other activities. We can adjust the time and place of a meeting instantly through text or e- mail, or we can change our mind about the color of a rug and order a new one. We can be reached at all times in nearly all places.

Our connectedness often translates into a constant state of flux, and the decisions in our lives are rarely final. The technology that helps us stay in touch also makes us crazy by constantly demanding our time and attention. Just as we set up a Skype call so the grandparents can see the new baby, the boss e-mails and asks for an “emergency” update on the budget numbers. But there are ways to cut through the sticky strands and turn that web into an empowering weapon rather than a net (think Spider- Man).

Step 2 – Re: Boot (Excerpt from The Digital Diet)

This is the beginning of a journey aimed at asserting your control over technology, improving your communications, and taking back your real life. The dividends could last a lifetime.

The first step in the process involves powering down. That’s good news, I promise. During the next stage in the diet you will assign a value to each device and online tool. Those values will become part of your Virtual Weight Index, or VWI. Following that, the key part of the diet looks at which technologies are effective for you and your family, which ones are unnecessary, and which ones can be eliminated. Eventually I will outline a digital intake plan that you can tailor to your particular situation, lifestyle, and needs. That plan will very much let you stay in touch. Along the way, we will delve into brain and body exercises to relieve stress, and I’ll offer plenty of fun tips and tricks to stay positive. In the end, you’ll regain a balance to your life that has probably slipped away in the past decade.

The critical stage of the Digital Diet is the beginning, because it homes in on why you’re here, assesses your current situation, and forces you to ask what you’re afraid of giving up if you trim your tech (and even eliminate it for a short while). In the detox stage, the goals are:

1)    highlight the amount of technology in your life

2)    appreciate what it’s doing to your communication, multitasking, and self- worth

3)    imagine your life without technology by eliminating it from your life for a short period of time

4)    briefly discover alternatives, and

5)    establish boundaries with friends and family.

Onward.

Take Action: It’s time to detox. First, put your personal devices and temptations in a box. That’s right, a literal box. It can be a shoebox, or, if you’re a bit more gadget heavy, then you can always use the top drawer of a dresser. And I mean everything— the cell phone, the BlackBerry, the laptop, the portable video game. Go on, I can wait. If you can’t move something, like your video-game console or your desktop computer, then shut it down and put a garbage bag or something similar over it.

Now have a look at them. How do they make you feel? Likely a mix of emotions. Which are taking up the most of your time and energy? You may see some devices as both utopian and dystopian. Your smart phone is where you receive a photo of your niece playing soccer but also a reprimanding note from your colleague. For now, physically and mentally separate yourself from your gadgets. Leave them in the box as we head to the next phase.

For much more information about Daniel Sieberg and The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life visit  http://www.danielsieberg.com/. For your own copy, visit http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-4-step-addiction-balance/dp/0307887383 (print) and http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-addiction-balance-ebook/dp/B004J4WM3G (Kindle)

Why did you decide to write this book?

It started as part of a personal journey to streamline my own technology intake. During a series of events in late 2009 I realized that despite my myriad gadgets and devices and websites, I had actually lost touch with my family and friends. My over-indulgence in technology was largely to blame, and I needed a plan going forward. I still love technology but now I make it work for me rather than the other way around.

How is your book different from others about “de-teching”?

In my opinion, too many books about “de-teching” or “offlining” start and stop with the idea of abandoning technology—forever, for a short time. My book is about instilling a greater cultural awareness (both at home and in the workplace) while encouraging people to use technology to their advantage. It’s about having a long-term strategy that works for all aspects of life. There are anecdotes and tips and ways to maximize your time spent in the digital world, and clear guidelines on how to trim the stuff that isn’t enhancing your relations and work. It’s about consciousness and control, which I think we’ve lost over time as technology has infiltrated so many aspects of our lives.

Can you explain the concept of “Facebook envy” and how it can have a negative impact on your mood?

Social networks make it easy to be a voyeur and peek over our digital fences. If we indulge in that behavior too much it can result in feelings of inadequacy, jealousy and frustration. Most people portray an idyllic life on social networks and don’t reveal the very real struggles they may be going through. Therefore the way we “see” our friends and family can be distorted and inaccurate. My hope is that this book gives people perspective on their real life versus their online avatar or alter ego. Real life is real, social networks are not. End of story.

What is the link between technology and childhood obesity?

There have been countless studies linking the over-use of technology with childhood obesity. Whether it’s spending too much time playing video games or avoiding physical activities or simply exercising the fingers and thumbs and nothing else. Parents constantly struggle with monitoring their child’s use of technology, and the book is meant as an educational resource that inspires them to stay involved. It’s also about suggesting plenty of technologies that assist children with losing weight or staying in shape. There are real ways to incorporate gadgets and software and do it the right way.

Some may initially think this is a book about the evils of technology. Can you explain why its not?

It’s absolutely not a book about the evils of technology or how everyone should be anti-technology. Just like a diet book isn’t anti-food but rather about consuming meals that make you healthy and energetic. In the same vein, my book encourages people to embrace technology but for the right reasons and for the right occasion. It’s all about seeking balance. Technology that liberates not inundates.

It seems that nowadays everyone around you is on their phone checking emails, texting, and/or talking. What do you consider proper phone etiquette when in public places, particularly business meetings, train rides, and restaurants?

We crave someone reaching out, responding to a text or an email, and all too often we sacrifice the people around us. The book outlines some practical suggestions for juggling your technology and keeping your relations intact. For example, eliminating what I call “tech turds.” That refers to dumping your smartphone on the table at a restaurant or at the dinner table. It’s a clear sign that the people around you are less important than whatever you receive on your device.

What is your advice to parents who want to try the digital diet as a family but are getting resistance from their kids?

Keep trying. There are real benefits to be gained from finding a balance. It doesn’t mean unplugging everything in the home or flushing gadgets down the toilet. It’s about having heartfelt and patient conversations. Sometimes that’s easier said than done but it’s always worth pursuing. And to be honest, the parents can be just as guilty as the kids in terms of establishing a pattern of behavior. If the kids see mom or dad always typing on a smartphone or constantly tied to the computer then they may emulate that. It starts with parents getting control of their own digital diet and then being upfront and straightforward with a plan in the household.

How is “digital overload” affecting the corporate world, and what can employees do to slow down?

I think what some employers don’t realize is that tethering people to work through technology may actually be making them less productive. Many new studies question the effectiveness of multitasking, and a worker’s morale and motivation can plummet if they don’t get the balance they need. I look at a number of technologies that help people organize their life and structure their “e-day,” which is when online time begins and ends. The corporate world can learn a lot from a digital diet that still fosters innovation and inspiration.

Can you explain the concept of a “data hoarder”?

Data hoarding is a decidedly modern diagnosis. It means never wanting to delete anything for fear of possibly needing it one day. Or keeping old gadgets and websites even when they’re obsolete. We’re all guilty of data hoarding on some level. But in extreme cases it can be debilitating and physically and mentally harmful.

How important is the digital diet when it comes to texting and driving?

Critical. Texting and driving simply should never happen. Period. I’ve interviewed a father who lost his son to a woman who was texting and driving. Was she flirting with a lover? No, she was texting with someone at her church. The reasons don’t matter—the two activities just don’t mix. That said, there’s no question the desire to text (or email) while driving can creep in to even the most responsible person’s mind. To that end, the digital diet looks at technologies to help “outsource self-control.” There are several programs that will switch off the messaging feature while driving.

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TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL SIEBERG, PLEASE CONTACT:

CAROLINE SILL, 212-782-8943, CSILL@RANDOMHOUSE.COM

THE DIGITAL DIET:

The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life

By DANIEL SIEBERG

Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group; May 3, 2011

Trade Paperback Original; $13.00; ISBN: 978-0-307-88738-2

Ten Digital Diet Rules to Live By

From THE DIGITAL DIET By Daniel Sieberg

1. Avoid tech turds. Don’t just dump your smart phone on the table at a restaurant or at home. Keep it in your pocket or purse unless it’s critical to have it out. If you must have it out, acknowledge its presence and inform your companions that you’ll check it only in an emergency. It’s a courtesy that you’d appreciate, too.

2. Live your life in the real world. If you must post a status update or tweet or blog about something in your life, then make sure it’s something you’d be willing to announce to anyone you know face to face.

3. Ask yourself whether you really need that gadget. There are tons of cool stuff in the tech world, and some of it might even improve your or your family’s life, but don’t feel compelled to buy every new toy that comes out. Before you make a digital purchase, question its necessity.

4. Seek tech support. Navigating the wilds of the wired world can sometimes be too much to handle alone. It’s okay to ask for help and it’s also okay to use technology to help “outsource self control” when needed. Check out the many programs that can assist with budgeting your time online.

5. Detox Regularly. Once you’ve completed the Digital Diet, return to the detox phase one day a month. You can do this as a family, too. Use that day as a touchstone to remember what life can be like without technology.

6. Sleep device-free: Move your chargers out of the bedroom to another room in the house, and let your devices live there overnight. They need a break from you, too.

7. It’s either the human or the device. Work toward choosing people over the device. Yes, there’ll be times when it’s tricky or nearly impossible to choose between your smart phone or laptop and paying attention to your child or your loved one or your friend, but try to use your devices more on your own time rather than during the time you share with others.

8. Remember the “if /then” principle. Choices that you make in the virtual world can have an impact in the real one. For example, if you don’t find the time to put down the gadgets and log out once in a while, then you might lose the ability to appreciate the finer moments in life.

9. Structure your e-day. Work toward a finite beginning and end to your connectedness. In other words, dive into the gadgets and the e-mail and the texts only when you’ve composed yourself in the morning. When you’re ready to unplug in the evening, do it without reservation and focus on what—and who—is immediately around you.

10. Trust your instincts. If you think you might be spending too much time being a voyeur on social networks or playing online games or endlessly texting, then you probably are. That little voice knows when it’s all become too much. Listen to it. Pursue the ultimate goal of balance and awareness.

For much more information about Daniel Sieberg and The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life visit  http://www.danielsieberg.com/. For your own copy, visit http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-4-step-addiction-balance/dp/0307887383 (print) and http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-addiction-balance-ebook/dp/B004J4WM3G (Kindle)

About the author

Daniel Sieberg is an EmmyÒ-nominated reporter who hosts Tech This Out! for ABC News NOW. He has also covered science, environment, space and technology stories for CBS News, CNN, PBS, NPR, BBC News, Planet Green, MSNBC, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Oprah.com, Details, Time, The Vancouver Sun, CTV News, CleanSkies.TV, Fuse.TV, The Nate Berkus Show and The Dr. Oz Show.

About The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life

Have you ever felt that something hasn’t really happened until you post it on Facebook or Twitter? Does a flashing red light on your BlackBerry make your heart flutter? Do you know you shouldn’t be texting and driving—but still do it? If you said “yes” to any of these questions then you’re not alone; you’re among the millions of people who can relate to being overwhelmed by technology. Fear not—from leading technology reporter Daniel Sieberg comes the first self-help book to address America’s newest addiction: THE DIGITAL DIET: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life (Three Rivers Press; On Sale: May 3, 2011; Trade Paperback Original; $13.00), a four-step, dietary-style approach to help you slim down on everything from gadgets to social networks to video games.

The Digital Diet is a 28-day plan that’s meant to reawaken our awareness of technology in our lives, provide tools and gadgets to improve life, and instill the right motivational/practical formula for managing it in the future. It can be tailored based on age, profession, hobbies, and a person’s particular electronic poison and includes a self-assessment, a detox phase, and a week-by-week guide to building time for technology back into your routine.

I just received this and wanted to pass the humor along

Since more and more Seniors are texting there appears to be a need for a STC (Senior Texting Code). If you qualify for Senior Discounts this is the code for you.

Please pass this on to your CHILDREN and Grandchildren so they can understand your texts.

ATD: At The Doctor’s
BFF: Best Friend Farted
BTW: Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM: Covered By Medicare
CGU: Can’t get up
CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center
DWI: Driving While Incontinent
FWB: Friend With Beta Blockers
FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
FYI: Found Your Insulin
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!
GHA: Got Heartburn Again
HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement
IMHO: Is My Hearing-Aid On?
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
LOL: Living On Lipitor
LWO: Lawrence Welk’s On
OMMR: On My Massage Recliner
OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas.
PIMP: Pooped in my pants
ROFL… CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing… And Can’t Get Up
SGGP: Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
TTYL: Talk To You Louder
WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?
WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again
WTP: Where’s The Prunes?
WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil
GLKI (Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In)

Flash memory gets its name because its microchips are arranged in such a way that its section of memory cells get erased in a single action or “Flash”.

Both NOR and NAND Flash memory were invented by Dr. Fujio Masuoka from Toshiba in 1984.The name ‘Flash’ was suggested because the erasure process of the memory contents reminiscent of  a flash of a camera, and it’s name was coined to express how much faster it could be erased “in a flash”. Dr. Masuoka presented the invention at the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) held in San Jose, California in 1984. Intel recognized the potential of the invention and introduced the first commercial NOR type flash chip in 1988, with long erase and write times.

Flash memory is a form of non-volatile memory that can be electrically erased and rewriten, which means that it does not need power to maintain the data stored in the chip. In addition, flash memory offers fast read access times and better shock resistance than hard disks. These characteristics explain the popularity of flash memory for applications such as storage on battery-powered devices.

Flash memory is an advance from of EEPROM (Electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) that allows multiple memory locations to be erased or written in one programming operation. Unlike an EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory) an EEPROM can be programmed and erased multiple times electrically. Normal EEPROM only allows one location at a time to be erased or written, meaning that flash memory can operate at higher effective speeds when the systems using  it read and write to different locations at the same time.

Referring to the type of  logic gate used in each storage cell, Flash memory is built in two varieties and named as, NOR flash and NAND flash.

Flash memory stores one bit of information in an array of transistors, called “cells”, however recent flash memory devices referred to as multi-level cell devices, can store more than 1 bit per cell depending on the amount of electrons placed on the Floating Gate of a cell. NOR flash cell looks similar to a semiconductor device like transistors, but it has two gates.The first one is the control gate (CG) and the second one is a floating gate (FG) that is shield or insulated all around by an oxide layer. Because the FG is secluded by its shield oxide layer, electrons placed on it get trapped and data is stored within. On the other hand NAND Flash uses tunnel injection for writing and tunnel release for erasing.

NOR flash that was developed by Intel in 1988 with the unique feature of long erase and write times, and its endurance of erase cycles ranges from 10,000 to 100,000 makes it suitable for storage of program code that needs to be infrequently updated, like in a digital camera and PDAs. Though, later card demand moved towards the cheaper NAND flash, NOR-based flash is the source of all removable media.

In 1989 Samsung and Toshiba created NAND flash with higher density and lower cost per bit’ then NOR Flash with faster erase and write times. However it only allows sequence data access, not random like NOR Flash, which makes NAND Flash suitable for mass storage device such as memory cards. SmartMedia was the first NAND-based removable media and numerous others followed  like MMC, Secure Digital, SD-Picture Cards and Memory Sticks. Flash memory is frequently used to hold control code such as the basic input/output system (BIOS) in a computer. When BIOS needs to be changed (rewritten), the flash memory can be written to, in block rather than byte sizes, making it simple to update.
On the other hand, flash memory is not practical to random access memory (RAM) as RAM needs to be addressable at the byte (not the block) level. Thus, it is used more as a hard drive than as a RAM. Because of this particular uniqueness, it is utilized with a specifically-designed file system, which extend writes over the media and deal with the long erase times of NOR flash blocks. JFFS was the first of the file systems, replaced by JFFS2. Then YAFFS was released in 2003, dealing specifically with NAND flash, and JFFS2 was updated to support NAND flash as well. Still, in practice most  follow the old FAT file system for compatibility purposes.

Although it can be read or written to a byte at a time in a random access fashion,the limitation of flash memory is  it must be erased a “block” at a time. Starting with a freshly erased block, any byte within that block can be programmed. However, once a byte has been programmed, it cannot be changed again until the entire block is erased. In other words, flash memory (specifically NOR flash) offers random-access read and programming operations, but cannot offer random-access rewrite or erase operations.

This effect is partially offset by some chip firmware or file system drivers by counting the writes and dynamically remapping the blocks in order to spread the write operations between several the sectors, or by write verification and remapping to spare sectors in case of write failure.
Due to wear and tear on the insulating oxide layer around the charge storage mechanism, all types of flash memory erode after a certain number of erase functions ranging from 100,000 to 1,000,000, but it can be read an unlimited number of times.

In spite of all these clear advantages, worse may occur due to system failure, battery failure, accidental erasure, re-format, power surges, faulty electronics and corruption caused by hardware breakdown or software malfunctions; as a result your data could be lost and damaged.

Flash Memory Data Recovery is the process of restoring data from primary storage media when it cannot be accessed normally. Flash memory data recovery is a flash memory file recovery service that restores all corrupted and deleted photographs even if a memory card was re-formatted. This can be due to physical damage or logical damage to the storage device. Data even from damage flash memory can be recovered, and more than 90% of lost data can be restored.

Laptops are sent back to manufacturers for a number of  different reasons. Perhaps the purchaser finds the screen of the laptop scratched or with a  blemish, the packaging of the laptop is dented or it simply does not function correctly.These units are usually returned to the manufacturer. Once sent back these laptops can not be resold as new,they are inspected, tested for quality then repackaged by the manufacturer and resold at a reduced price.  These laptops are called refurbished laptops.

How they do it

When the laptops reach the factory, they undergo inspection for any manufacturing defects by passing through various stages of tests. If no defect is found, the hard drive is formatted and a fresh operating system is loaded. Once this is done it’s tested again for no less than 4-5 hours to check for any defects, any parts are replaced if they are found to be defective. The refurbished laptop is then given a new serial number to mark it as a factory refurbished unit. The process carried out for the restoration of laptops may differ from company to company, but the main goal is the same, to make the laptop run as efficiently as if it were brand new.

Custom refurbished laptops

Also available are  custom refurbished laptops which are reassembled to match the customer’s preferences.  It allows consumers to customize their laptop by selecting features options like, screen size, processor speed, multimedia capabilities, memory capacity, hard drive size, optical drives, graphics, accessories, Blue-tooth and various other options. It gives the consumer an opportunity to get a  laptop that suits their needs, at a very affordable price.

Like new only better

Have you ever bought something brand new that didn’t work right out of the box? Have you wondered how something brand new could be defective or not work properly? This is due to the fact that manufacturers don’t test every unit they produce.They do sample testing by pulling a unit every so often and testing it. Though this does help with over all quality control, it does not mean that every unit that has been manufactured works. Refurbished laptops are very reliable because they are checked for high standards of performance and full functionality, before being packaged and sent out for resale.This is done with every unit almost guaranteeing you laptop will work when you first use it.  Most brand name laptop manufacturers offer refurbished units. This allows consumers to obtain the latest models at a reduced price. Though it varies from Brand to brand ,refurbished laptops like new ones, do come with a warranty. Commonly a 1 year manufacturers warranty is offered.  These warranties  support replacement of parts and maintenance that may be required. So if your in the market for your first laptop, need to upgrade an older model,or simply need an extra one but cant afford the cost of a brand new unit, ask about refurbished ones, neither you or your bank account will be disappointed.