How to recovery from disk failure - Windows 7

Today, my Dell XPS 8300 suddenly can not reboot. The BIOS setup can not even recognize the hard disk.
I use a OCZ Vertex 2 Solid Sate Drive (SSD) as the boot disk (C drive). This is the second failure in half year. Looks like the reliability of SSD still can not compare with traditional hard disk. However, SSD will greatly improve the performance of your computer.

I should bought the Intel SSD, which is more expensive but is acclaimed to be more reliable.

Learned the lesson, I went to buy a Intel 530 series SSD (120G) and use it to replace the OCZ SSD. Now, I need to re-install Windows 7 and all  software and all kinds of personal settings. This usually takes hours and maybe even one day. Fortunately, I have used Backup and Restore feature of Windows 7 to create system image and system repair disk before. All I need to do is put the system repair disk (DVD) into CD-ROM and change the boot option to boot from CD-ROM.
The rest is simple, just follow the instruction. Only thing to remember is excluding your other disks from the restore (since you don't want your data be wiped out).
In half hour, my computer is restored to the latest system image (I set backup weekly). Everything is same. Seems nothing happens.
If you have not use the Windows 7 Backup and Restore, do it now! It can save you from disasters like virus infection, hard disk failure (like me). All you need is a blank DVD and some hard disk space.
The step is simple.

First, go to Windows 7 Control Panel and select Backup your computer.

Then, click on Create a system repair disc, select CD-ROM or BD-ROM (Blue Ray), put a blank DVD in the CD-ROM and press Create disk (click to view bigger picture).

It takes about several minutes. You only need to do this once. The same disk can be used  for your other computers too. Label the disk and store it in a place you can easily remember.

Next step is creating system image, click on Create a system image, then you can choose where to put the system image. Suggest choose a separate hard disk with enough space (not C drive). Depends on how many programs you installed, it may take more than 100G space.
If you choose DVD, you may need prepare lots of DVDs. Network location maybe slow and you need another machine.

Next choose which drive to backup, The system drive is selected by default.You don' need to select other drives.

Next page just click on Start backup.

That's it! Now you no longer need to worry about the virus or hard disk failure.

Optionally, you can also enable automatic backup so that you don't need to creating system image manually. I backup every Sunday at 1:00am, when I am not using computer.
You can also backup other files (like your documents) by choosing which folder you want to backup. One thing to remember is do not backup too many files since it will take long time to backup and it will take lots of spaces. Only backup the files which are not recoverable like your own documents. If you have lots of photos, I   do not recommend using this way to backup since it will take long time to backup and you can not browse photos in the backup. Just make a copy to your removable hard disk or another computer.

iPad Coolest Tricks -1

iPad is easy to use and you can get most of the functions without reading a user manual. But there are some very cool tricks people might not know even they use iPad for a long time.
Here are the coolest tricks I found.

Use five fingers to close an application

Everyone knows to use the Home button to close an application. But there is a better and quicker way. Just put your five fingers on screen and pinch. This like using your five fingers to zoom out a picture. 

This cool feature is not turned on by default (Apple should do that). To turn it on, go to Settings, General and find "Multitasking Gestures" and turn it on.

Swipe four fingers up to display multitasking bar

Once you have Multitasking Gestures enabled, you can also display the multitasking bar by simply swiping your four fingers up. This is same as double click on the Home button. On the multitasking bar, you can switch to recent apps or close apps.

Swipe four fingers left and right to switch apps

Want to go back to the previous apps? Many people just press Home button and then find and click the previous app on the home screen. A better way is display the multitasking bar by press Home button twice and then select the previous app on the multitasking bar. With the Multitasking Gestures enabled, the best way is just use your four fingers to swipe to the left. If you want to go back just swipe right.

This gestures may be slow if the app you switch to has been used used for a while. It takes some time for the app to start and display.
With the above 3 tricks, you don't need a physical Home button anymore !(almost).

New IBM Research Center and Data Center In Ontario

Good news if you are looking for working for IBM in Ontario.


Earlier today, IBM, together with the Governments of Canada and Ontario and a consortium of seven universities led by the University of Toronto and Western University, announced a $210 million investment to create the IBM Canada Research and Development Centre. This research initiative will support 145 new, highly skilled jobs in Ontario and contribute to Canada's position as a global innovation leader.

This significant news involves:

• an investment by IBM of up to $175 million to form the IBM Canada Research and Development Centre -- the first time IBM Research will have a home in Canada; 
• a further investment by the Government of Ontario of $15 million towards the creation of the Centre; 
• a contribution of $20 million by the Government of Canada that will allow a consortium of seven Ontario post-secondary institutions to install two high-performance IBM Blue Gene/Q supercomputers and develop a cloud computing platform to underpin the initiative’s research collaboration; and
• the announcement of a new IBM data centre in Barrie, Ontario, which we expect to be fully operational in the early fall.  

Free iPhone App - Chinese Recipes

If you like to cook, this free iPhone App is for you. 

Note: Although it can run in iPad, the screen is small.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mei-shi-jia-zong-heng-da-jiang/id509531323?ls=1&mt=8

Google Project Glass - The Future of Smart Phone

Watch this video, it is amazing. You can do many things you usually do with your smart phone just with a pair of glass: like taking photo, navigation, answer phones. 

This looks like the ultimate personal device. 

Question is when we can buy it. So far, it looks like in the early design stage.  Also, for guys who already wear glasses, is there a way to integrate to existing ones? 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/111626127367496192147/posts

iPad Games - iBomber Defense Pacific

If you like tower defense game (like Sentinel), you will like this one. I have played through all levels. Strange thing is there is one level in the middle is the hardest one. The others are easy.

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/ibomber-defense-pacific/id498249308?mt=8

iPad Games- Infinite Blade (On sale for 99 cents)

This game has great graphics. It was used as the demo game when iPad is launched.
Now it is on sale for 99 cents (Normal price is about 5 or 6 dollars). Definitely worth to buy, especially if you have the new iPad. It is optimized for the retina display.

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/infinity-blade/id387428400?mt=8