Computer and internet briefs

Oct 23, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Don't defrag your SSD

Berlin (dpa) - If you own a solid state drive (SSD), don't try a defragmentation process on your own. Defragmenting organizes linked data scraps that are sometimes spread across a drive in the name of efficiency. Defragmenting often speeds up access to data by bringing it all together.

But SSD drives usually do this automatically, reports German computer magazine c't. That makes manual defragmenting unnecessary. Plus, unnecessary overwrites can shorten the lifespan of a drive.

SSD drives use flash drives instead of magnetic discs, making them, in the extreme, three times as fast as standard devices. The speed upgrade is especially noticeable in computers with higher-power multiple-core processors, reports c't. Speed boosts are rarely noticed with slower chips.

Depending on their size and speed, flash hard drives can be relatively more expensive. Devices with 80 to 160 gigabytes currently offer the best price-performance ratio, costing less than 150 euros (205 dollars).

However, SSD technology is more robust and less likely to generate errors than standard drives. Nonetheless, it's always a good idea to back up data. If there's a problem, data lost from an SSD drive is almost impossible to resurrect, even with professional recovery methods.

Facebook to get easier for iPad users

Berlin (dpa) - A new in-house app should make Facebook access much easier for iPad users. The programme for Apple's tablet computer uses the full screen: a change from the days when it was limited to the smaller resolution of an iPhone.

A menu with a list symbol opens in the upper-left corner, leading to a new page list with the social network's most important contents. That includes everything from status updates to personal messages to event invitations. Groups, Facebook functions and account settings are also there. Photos are arranged in an album view. 'This is like a slide show for all your friends and memories,' wrote Facebook manager Leon Dubinsky in a company blog.

Add websites to your Windows toolbar

Berlin (dpa) - If you've got websites you call up regularly you can save links to them directly in the toolbar of the Internet Explorer 9 browser or the Windows 7 operating system and open them up any time directly from there. Just drag the icon next to the web address to the toolbar. The advantage is that one then has a miniature view, allowing an overview of links or of icons that, for example, launch videos. It also decreases the chance of accidentally landing in a phishing website because of a typo.

Preventing automatic startup on a Macbook