| Mac comes with a vast amount of hard disk space, | | | | small financial investment, especially if you have a |
| but that doesn't mean that you should keep | | | | spare hard drive handy. You can use it to augment |
| everything stored on it. | | | | your internal storage, as an emergency enclosure, or |
| Some of the devices which are connected to | | | | to provide back up storage. |
| computers via this standard are: | | | | Most of these types of devices don't require you to |
| • external magnetic hard drives | | | | install software to use them. Check the |
| • external optical drives, including CD and DVD | | | | documentation that came with your drive to be sure. |
| reader and writer drives | | | | Some can also draw power from your computer |
| • portable flash memory devices, particularly | | | | through the attached FireWire or USB cable, so they |
| key drives | | | | don't need a power adapter. |
| • adapters bridging between standard flash | | | | When you purchase an external hard drive kit and |
| memory cards and a USB connection | | | | add your own hard disk, you often obtain |
| • digital cameras | | | | high-capacity storage for less than the cost of a |
| • digital audio players (iPod, audio, Creative | | | | smaller external drive. An added bonus is that the |
| Move series and other DAPs) | | | | easy assembly process is less disruptive than |
| • high-end hardware media players | | | | replacing your computer’s internal hard drive. |
| • Card Readers | | | | When you buy a new computer, if you don't want to |
| If you want to store files on a CD or DVD, a | | | | lose productivity, just place your old drive in the USB |
| FireWire or USB hard drive, a USB flash drive, or | | | | 2.0 External Hard Drive Kit, You won’t need |
| other removable storage media (like a Zip disk), | | | | to spend hours reinstalling software. |
| here's how to connect each device to your Mac and | | | | USB Flash Drives |
| access it. | | | | These itty-bitty devices can fit in the palm of your |
| CD DVD Burner: | | | | hand, but can pack upwards of a gigabyte or more |
| While all current Apple computers come with a built-in | | | | of data on them. Also known as USB thumb drives, |
| CD burner, you may want to connect an external | | | | these storage devices are handy for shuttling files |
| one if you need to make direct CD copies, or you | | | | from computer to computer. And they're incredibly |
| may decide to get a DVD burner (if your computer | | | | simple to use: Just plug one in to any USB port on |
| has only a Combo Drive) if a bigger storage medium | | | | your Mac and the device should show up on your |
| is desired. | | | | Desktop as a mounted volume icon. |
| USB External Drives: | | | | Other Storage Devices |
| If you use iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, or GarageBand | | | | Zip drives, media card readers, tape drives, and other |
| even once a week, you've seen the free space on | | | | storage devices can also be easily connected to your |
| your hard drive shrink so much that another hard | | | | Mac in the same manner as connecting a CD or DVD |
| drive is on your Christmas list. | | | | burner. |
| The USB 2.0 External Hard Drive Kit is compatible | | | | If your storage device uses removable media, the |
| with 3.5" IDE hard disks, UDMA 33/66, ATA-100/133, | | | | icon that appears on your Desktop may take on the |
| or AT-6. It solves any space dilemma with only a | | | | appearance of the media at hand. |