Jeff Carlson takes on the latest information in the newly updated Take Control of Your Digital Storage. Topics include choosing SSD vs HDD and NVMe, when Thunderbolt 5 matters, APFS basics, and why cables and enclosures affect speed and reliability. They cover backup strategies, OWC DIY builds, iOS/iPadOS Files support for external drives, NAS pros/cons, and even using SD cards—when it’s smart, and when it’s not.

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Show Notes:

Chapters:

[0:00] Welcome and why storage knowledge matters

[1:13] New edition: Take Control of Digital Storage

[2:15] When storage goes wrong: errors, space, missing files

[3:25] APFS, Finder free space, and modern Mac limits

[5:46] SSD vs HDD; Thunderbolt 5 reality checks

[7:55] NVMe terms, enclosures, and choosing wisely

[9:13] Do you actually need max speed?

[10:24] Photographer’s perspective on “want vs need”

[12:19] Cable chaos: labeling, charging vs data rates

[16:43] Backup strategy: fast vs affordable drives

[19:03] DIY builds with OWC; reliability over bargain boxes

[26:02] iOS/iPadOS Files: formatting and managing externals

[29:53] NAS basics: use cases, speed, and security cautions

[33:41] “Sneaker-net” to NAS and Ethernet options

[37:32] SD cards as storage: pros, cons, and lifespan

[43:21] Pricing, page count, and where to learn more

Links:

Take Control of Your Digital Storage

Guests:

Jeff Carlson is an author, photographer, and freelance writer. Among many other projects, he publishes the Smarter Image newsletter, which explores how computational photography, AI, and machine learning are fundamentally changing the art and science of photography. He’s covered the personal technology field from Macs and PalmPilots to iPhones and mirrorless cameras, publishing in paper magazines, printed books, ebooks, and websites. He’s also the co-host of the podcasts PhotoActive, writes for Take Control, has spoken at several conferences and events. He lives in Seattle, where, yes, it is just as gray and wet and coffee-infused as you think it is. Catch up with everything he’s doing at JeffCarlson.com.

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