Survive power outages with $29.99 battery backup
(Credit: Best Buy)One of the nice things about using a notebook is that if there's a sudden power outage, you won't instantly lose your work. Desktop users aren't so lucky, which is why it's essential to plug everything into a battery backup (aka uninterruptible power supply). If the lights go out, you'll still have a few minutes in which to save your work and power down the machine safely.
Best Buy has a CyberPower battery backup on sale for $29.99. It includes six wide-spaced outlets, all of them surge-protected and three of them powered by the battery. The 240-watt backup promises between 8 and 20 minutes of runtime, depending on the power demands of your hardware. It also has a pair of phone/fax/modem ports to keep that gear from getting fried. CyberPower even backs your equipment with a $35,000 warranty. Battery backups can cost a pretty penny; here's your chance to get one on the cheap.
Business web hosting from Aplus.Net
However if I do do a long document, I'll have to remember to save a backup copy....or buy the cheaper brand of power backup, since who needs at least more than 10 minutes backup?
to these items. Going with one of the top two TrippLite or APC
comes with a better insurance policy should something go
wrong, and for those of us with desktops, we can plug in the
essentials as well and last longer than 8 minutes. I have
everything except my printer on battery. External HD, Cable
modem, router, USB expansion, even a tv tuner... I can keep
operating.
I was set to record a program once on TV and with the utility
saying they'd have power up in about an hour I thought I might
as well use the UPS to record it on the computer.
Your cheap power strip "surge" protectors that sell for $10 are
worthless. If you only want a surge protector spend the money
and buy one that has meat like Tripplite's industrials.
With the UPS's price dropping compared to 15 years ago you are
ahead to have one rated slightly over your systems needs. That
way you can last longer in outages if you need to. Oversizing a
UPS is never a problem except for the electrical bill you will pay.
It will just let you run longer and draw more amperage.
Undersizing will be a flaw when you can't run the tower and
monitor. So make sure to look before you leap into buying UPS
devices.