Archive for July 16th, 2010

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Western Digital WD Elements 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDBAAU0010HBK-NESN
 
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $129.99
Sale Price: $78.35
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description

Designed with the same commitment to quality that made WD external drives the number one drives in the world, Western Digital’s WD Elements USB 2.0 external hard drives are the right answer for simply affordable add-on storage. Just plug it in to a USB port and start saving your photos, music, video, and files. Kit contains; USB 2.0 external hard drive, USB cable, AC adapter, Quick Install Guide.

Product Details

  • Simply affordable
  • Easy to use
  • USB 2.0 Hard drive

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Very good hard drive!
 
Review Date: November 24, 2009
Reviewer: Sree V. Remella, Tempe, AZ
I work for Computing support at Arizona State University, and I have enough technical knowledge to be certified as a TECH JUNKIE :).

I am a photographer too, so I have tons of Photos (about 160GB), Videos, Software, Movies and Documentaries. I was looking for a simple external hard drive without any backup software included, I am smart enough to do manual incremental backups with file tree structure intact (I use GOODSYNC to backup, its very simple and easy to use and free).

I have looked at many many external HDDs and narrowed down to two models "Samsung Story 1TB - very good one too" and this one (I wanted it to be cheap too - got this for $85 on [...]). I did not go with other WD models because of their annoying Backup Software.

Coming to the WD Elements 1TB: Its much smaller than I expected. It is dead silent, I had to touch it to convince myself that it was running, when I first turned it on. Its not too heavy either. The indicator light is placed at the rear, which is a very good thing (I find these LED's annoying, especially at night).

After I did the first setup, I copied 383GB of data (931GB was total space). It took about 4hr 47min, speed varied between 20MBps to 37MBps. This is pretty good speed for USB 2.0. It was just a bit warm (my old segate hard drive would be very very hot for this amount of data transfer).

I would recommend it to beginners or pros alike. I am very happy with this purchase!


UPDATE:

After about three months of heavy usage, it never gave up on me. Its still dead silent and works flawlessly. It never got even warm!!

Follow these steps to get GOODSYNC for FREE:

In the beginning GOODSYNC was free, later they made a paid version as it gained popularity..

but there is a way to get PRO version for free...

1. go to good sync website
2. signup for a trial offer and you get PRO serial for free (I signed up for eMusic trial)
3. Once you get the serial, end the subscription before the trial expires...

NOTE: The above mentioned procedure may not work anymore :(

UPDATE: 07-28-2010

I sold my WD Elements 1TB and got a 2TB one a couple of months ago(as my data is on rise all the time), couldn't be happier :)
I bought it from TigerDirect for $156 and got $23 cashback via Bing...awesome!!
Excellent, well designed product for the money!
 
Review Date: November 19, 2009
Reviewer: Gaurav Kumar, Union City, CA
I bought this on sale at Fry's for $99, way below the amazon price. I wanted something simple as most hard drives these days come with their annoying built in software which cannot be deleted (like WD Essential Edition). This is a hassle free drive and is not bundled with any of the extra software which is exactly what I wanted. You simply plug it in and it works. It can easily be formatted to work with macs as well. I've been using WD hard drives for years and I own several models of the "essential" and "passport" editions. They are very reliable.

This elements hard drive has a sleek and sexy, minimalist design. It is well built overall and constructed of durable plastic. There is a slot for the USB cable, a slot for the power adapter and a tiny circular white light which blinks when it is in use (the light is not overwhelming as some hard drives can be). All three of these features are on one side/face of the hard drive (as shown in the picture), so if you have this plugged in and it is facing away from you, you won't see the light at all. This doesn't bother me but it may be a turn off for some people.

When in operation, it is very smooth and quiet compared to other WD hard drives I own. This may be due to the fact that it is closed entirely and there are no holes for ventilation as in other WD models. But this doesn't bother me because I just use this as a backup and don't need it on all of the time. This could (emphasis on "could") be an issue if you are constantly using your hard drive because it may become hot. I haven't experienced this at all, just speculating. If you are just backing up files and, say, watching a movie on your computer which is stored on the hard drive, I think you'll be fine and there won't be any heating issues.

More info here on WD's website: [...]
Good value, no extra junk software!
 
Review Date: December 2, 2009
Reviewer: ScottW, Northwest Washington
I purchased the 1tb Elements (WDBAAU0010HBK-NESN) for use with a Dish DVR 622.

Installation was was truly "plug and play". I simply took it out of the box, plugged it in, and it was immediately recognized by the DVR. I have since transferred about 200gb of content to/from it, and have watched content directly from the drive. So far, it is working perfectly. It automatically spins down after a few minutes of non-use, as well as when the DVR is powered off. It also spins back up automatically (less than 10 seconds) when the DVR accesses it.

One thing some people might not like: The case is designed to sit flat (as pictured), not on its side. There are four small non-skid pads on the bottom corners, but none on either side. There is no indication on the box, in the documentation, or on Western Digital's web site as to whether the drive will work properly on edge. As a general rule, WD drives are designed to operate sideways or even upside down (any X,Y,Z orientation), so this one probably will too -- but you'll need to provide your own non-skid pads.

Several similar Western Digital drives, such as the late model "My Book" series, now include a firmware-based CD-partition that is difficult to remove, and can cause compatibility issues with some devices. That partition contains backup software and utilities that are of questionable value in any case, and of absolutely no value when using the drive with a non-computer device (like the Dish DVR). The Elements -- at least at time of this review -- doesn't include any of that junk. (Note: WD does have a downloadable utility to remove the partition from the other drives, but if you don't want that junk then save yourself the time/trouble and just buy the Elements drive.)
Very nice drive for a low price
 
Review Date: November 23, 2009
Reviewer: T. Truong, San Jose CA
I picked this up from Fry's when it was on sale for 100 bucks.
I like the price.
I think the main differentiators between this and the higher price drive is that it has only 1 year warranty, and does not come bundled with any software to help you back up stuff.
But seriously who uses any of those anyways? Drive is preformated to NTFS, if you have a mac you'll need to reformat to be able write to it.
what I like:
very small.-for a 3.5" drive. very quiet and does not vibrate as much as my seagate 1.5TB drives.-This maybe due to the drive running at a lower RPM. I couldn't find the SPEC to say what this drive spins at.
Drive spins up and down(powers down) when not in use. very nice. the white power LED isn't overly bright.
dislike: enclosure snaps together, making it hard to swap out the drive in the future. only 1 year warranty. but I think that the 1 year is pre-built into the pricing.




Total value for money!
 
Review Date: January 11, 2010
Reviewer: Karan Madan, Chicago, IL USA
This is a great external hard drive for expanding your digital storage capacity. I was in need for added storage and wanted to go for the 2TB WD Elements External Hard Drive. I wasn't really happy with the prices I was seeing for the 2TB hard drive, and that is when I decided to check up on the 1.5TB drives. WOW! I was amazed at the price Amazon was offering these drives and I got two of them. Yes, two! (My work requires that kind of storage space)
I got 3TB worth of storage for the price of a 2TB External hard drive!

That said, let us talk about the performance of these drives -

1) Build and form factor - Nice sleek looking enclosures. All black, the sides are fingerprint magnets with a glossy finish. The top and bottom panels have a matte finish. Looks matter to me, even if it just an external drive. The microUSB and AC sockets are closely spaced with a small white indicator light besides them. All in all very compact, sleek, and aesthetically pleasing device.
2) Performance - I am getting constantly good speeds on these drives. Reads at 30MB/s and writes at about 24MB/s, which is good and fast enough for my needs.

As always, users have to be careful with all hard drives, internal or external. I am handling my drives with the utmost care. I don't want to lose any important data.

Finally, this drive is a complete value for money purchase. I say go for it if you are out looking for a large capacity external hard drive.
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Western Digital 2 TB Caviar Green SATA Intellipower 64 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive WD20EARS
 
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $159.99
Sale Price: $109.99
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Product Description

WD Advanced Format technology increases media format efficiency, thus enabling larger drive capacities. WD Advanced Format drives are specifically optimized for Mac and the latest Windows operating systems such as Windows Vista and Windows 7. WD Advanced Format drives work with legacy operating systems such as Windows XP but require the use of the free WD Align software available on www.wdc.com/advformat. Available in capacities up to 2 TB, WD Caviar® Green™ SATA hard drives reduce power consumption by up to 40% and offer best-in-class acoustics and operating temperature. Based on WD's exclusive GreenPower™ technology, these drives are designed to deliver power savings as the primary attribute. As hard drive capacities increase, the power required to run those drives increases as well. WD Caviar Green drives make it possible for energy-conscious customers to build systems with higher capacities and the right balance of system performance, ensured reliability, and energy conservation. They are ideal for PCs, external storage and other devices that require lower power consumption and cool, quiet operation.

Product Details

  • WD Caviar Green hard drives reduce power consumption by up to 40%
  • A fine-tuned balance of spin speed, transfer rate and caching algorithms designed to deliver both significant power savings
  • IntelliSeek - Calculates optimum seek speeds to lower power consumption, noise, and vibration.
  • 2TB capacity holds up to 400,000 digital photos, 500,000 MP3 files, and 240 hours of HD video.
  • 3 year limited warranty.

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Western Digital WD Elements 2 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDBAAU0020HBK-NESN
 
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $152.99
Sale Price: $124.99
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Product Description

Designed with the same commitment to quality that made WD external drives the number one drives in the world, Western Digital’s WD Elements USB 2.0 external hard drives are the right answer for simply affordable add-on storage. Just plug it in to a USB port and start saving your photos, music, video, and files. Kit contains; USB 2.0 external hard drive, USB cable, AC adapter, Quick Install Guide.

Product Details

  • Simply affordable
  • Easy to use USB 2.0

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Toshiba 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive HDDR320E04XW (Vivid White)
 
Manufacturer: Toshiba
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List Price: $69.99
Sale Price: $59.99
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Product Description

Toshiba’s Portable External Hard Drives make computer backup simple. Our drives take the complexity out of backing up your computer data by providing easy-to-use backup software for both Windows and Mac users. Powered by USB 2.0, you can take your files just about anywhere. Just one click and you’re on your way to creating a digital safety net to help protect your files. With Toshiba’s Portable External Hard Drives, you’ll enjoy mobile storage space for even the largest digital libraries. Our 320GB1 Drive is capable of storing up to 91,000 digital photos, or 84,000 digital music files, or 260 downloaded digital movies. Toshiba’s Portable External Hard Drives work with both Mac and PC computers and include software that makes backing up your computer simple.

Product Details

  • Capable of storing up to 91,000 digital photos, or 84,000 digital music files, or 260 downloaded digital movies
  • Complete System Backup and Recovery for Windows Users.”
  • Password-protected data encryption
  • Internal shock sensor and ramp loading technology helps protect the drive
  • USB Powered for portability

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Motorola SB6120 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 eXtreme Broadband Cable Modem
 
Manufacturer: Motorola
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List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $84.81
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Product Description

Motorola SURFboard SB6120 Cable Modem. DOCSIS 3.0 Certified. Integrated U/S Amp USB 1.1 16 SIDs Designed to provide a cost effective next generation technology for our MSO customers to offer a high speed residential or commercial service tier. User-friendly online diagnostics and bonded channel status page Remote management using SNMP and TFTP 1 GHz Tuner GigE PC connectivity IPV6 support Up to 160 Mbps downstream up to 120 Mbps upstream Rear panel color coded for ease of installation and troubleshooting Front panel easy to read operational LEDs to indicate status and simplify troubleshooting Multi-colored LED option to identify Bonded Channel mode

Product Details

  • Designed to provide a cost effective, next generation technology to offer a high speed residential or commercial service tier
  • User-friendly online diagnostics and bonded channel status page
  • Features a 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Port for incredible wired network speeds
  • Capable of downloading up to 2000 times faster than 56k analog phone modems; up to 4 times faster than DOCSIS 2.0 broadband
  • Intuitive, easy to read front panel operational status LEDs

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Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX for PC and Mac
 
Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc
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List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $59.99
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Product Description

With the Logitech Performance Mouse MX, you have the power to achieve. You can track precisely on more surfaces, even glass tables (4mm minimum thickness), with Logitech Darkfield Laser Tracking. And your mouse is ready when you are, thanks to the tiny receiver that stays in your notebook and flexible micro-USB charging.

Product Details

  • New Logitech Darkfield Laser Tracking works on more surfaces than other mice--even on glass
  • Tiny Logitech Unifying receiver stays in your computer--plug it in, forget it, even add compatible wireless devices without multiple USB receivers
  • Flexible recharging system for easy charging through your computer or a power outlet, even when you're using your mouse
  • Hyper-fast scrolling lets you fly through long documents and web pages
  • Sculpted right-handed shape with stealth thumb controls for rapid-fire web browsing, application switching, zooming and more

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Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBABM0010BBK-NESN (Midnight Black)
 
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $144.99
Sale Price: $119.99
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description

The world's most popular portable drive now features maximum capacity to store all your favorite videos, music, photos, and important files. Still sleek and compact, you can load it up and take it with you anywhere.

Maximum capacity.

Only a few milimiters thicker to accomodate our highest capacity mobile drives. Plenty of room for all your stuff.

See your life safe in one place.

WD SmartWare software - A visual control center with a single screen view of all your data. From it you can back up, retrieve, and secure your files.

Password protection.

An extra level of security with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.


Features at a glance
  • Automatic, continous backup
  • Visual backup control center
  • Hardware encryption, password protection
  • WD SmartWare software
  • 2-years limited warranty

Maximum capacity, maximum style - Store all your favorite videos, music, photos, and important files. Still sleek and compact, you can load it up and take it with you anywhere.

WD SmartWare™ - A control center for your drive that gives you the power to:

-- Protect your data automatically - Relax, your data is secure. Automatic, continuous backup will instantly make a second copy whenever you add or change a file.

-- See your backup as it happens - Seeing is believing. Visual backup displays your content in categories and shows the progress of your backup.

-- Bring back lost files effortlessly - Retrieve your valuable data to its original location whether you’ve lost all your data or just overwritten an important file.

-- Take control - Customize your backup, set drive security, run diagnostics, manage the power settings, and more from the WD SmartWare control center.

Find out more about WD SmartWare™

Drive lock - Gain peace of mind knowing that your data is protected from unauthorized access or theft with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.

Ready to plug-and-play with Windows PC's - if you're a Mac user, check out our Mac version of this product.

USB 2.0 interface - Powered directly from the USB port on your PC. No separate power supply is needed*.
* An optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power from the USB port.

Planet friendly - We designed a small box from recycled materials to minimize waste. We encourage you to recycle it.

Ideal For

  • Protecting your data with automatic, continous backup
  • Retrieving lost data effortlessly
  • Adding extra storage space for photos, videos and music
  • Securing private or sensitive data

Compatibility

Formatted NTFS
Windows® XP, Windows Vista®, Windows 7
Mac OS® X Tiger®, Leopard®, Snow Leopard™ (requires reformatting)

What's in the box

Ultra-portable hard drive, WD SmartWare software, USB cable, Quick Install Guide.


Backup software you'll really use � WD SmartWare

Five great reasons to love it:

1. It's easy - Data backup can be a chore, but it's your family photos, your movies, your music - your life - and it's important to protect it. So we made this software extra easy because we really want you to use it.

2. You can see your life safe in one place -
See your content displayed in easy to understand categories like movies and photos. Watch the progress of your backup as it happens with the instant-feedback color bars. Now you can truly be sure that all your stuff is backed up.

  • A unique visual interface lets you see the drives connected to your computer.
  • WD SmartWare will automatically scan your computer and find all of your personal files, including e-mail.
  • Content category gauges show how much information you have to be backed up in each category. You can even mouse over a category to see a file count.
  • Simply click Run Backup and WD SmartWare will automatically start backing up your files.
  • As your backup is running the category gauges will change color showing you the backup as it happens.
  • When finished, you’ll see a status screen and information about your backup. You only have to do this once. After the first backup your files will be backed up automatically every time you change or add a file.

3. It's always on the job - WD SmartWare is always watching your computer, so when you change a file and save it, create new files, add new pictures, movies, or songs, WD SmartWare will instantly back them up.

4. You can bring back lost files effortlessly - If you ever accidentally delete an important file, or need to get an earlier version of a file, you can find and retrieve it in seconds with this easy-to-use interface.

  • Restore files and folders by categories – photos, music, video, for example.
  • Find a lost file with the search function.
  • Go back in time to retrieve an older version of a file.

5. You're in control - WD SmartWare software is also a control center for your external drives. From it you can:

  • Customize your backup
  • Set drive security
  • Run diagnostics
  • Manage the power settings, and more...

Product Details

  • 1TB Maximun capacity in the palm of you hand
  • Automatic, continuous backup
  • Password protection and military-grade 256-bit hardware-based encryption
  • Ultra-portanble design
  • Powered directly from the USB port

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Iomega Prestige 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 34919 (Gray)
 
Manufacturer: Iomega
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List Price: $129.99
Sale Price: $89.99
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Product Description

The Iomega Prestige Desktop Hard Drive USB 2.0 provides a simple and affordable solution for all your storage needs. Ideal for adding capacity to your system, this stylish drive offers a sturdy aluminum construction and included stand. Available in up to 2 TB capacity, it is the easiest way to save photos, music, videos, and more. Iomega Protection Suite is included with solutions to access your PC, easily backup your data, and protect your computer and online experience. Software available via easy download! The suite includes Trend Micro Internet Security (1 year subscription), Iomega QuikProtect, EMC Retrospect, and MozyHome Online Backup service.

Product Details

  • Easy-to-use - Simple USB 2.0 interface; just plug and play
  • Stylish & Durable - Now more compact and available in a charcoal gray brushed finish; sturdy aluminum construction
  • Secure - Iomega Protection Suite software includes Trend Micro Internet Security, Iomega QuikProtect
  • 3 Year Warranty with product registration

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Iomega Prestige 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 34275
 
Manufacturer: Iomega
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List Price: $94.99
Sale Price: $74.00
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description

The Iomega Prestige 1TB External Hard Drive is an easy-to-use, affordable, and energy-efficient desktop storage solution. Featuring a stylish and durable aluminum design, plug-and-play functionality, and a secure EMC Retrospect Express software license for easy file backup, the Prestige is the easy way to store your photos, videos, and music, and to protect your important computer files.


The included stand lets you place the Prestige both vertically and horizontally. View larger.

With a 7200 RPM spindle speed and 8 MB or more cache, you'll have quick access to your data. View larger.
Plug-and-Play Simplicity and 1 TB Storage Capacity
The Iomega Prestige uses a USB 2.0 interface for fast data transfers with universal compatibility. The USB 2.0 interface allows for plug-and-play simplicity with a data transfer rate of up to 480 Mbps. Additionally, the drive is already preformatted NTFS, so you don't have to waste time formatting to use it.

The Prestige features a drive with 7200 RPM spindle speed and an 8MB or higher cache buffer. This provides performance that results in fast access speeds and low latency.

And with 1TB of storage capacity, the Prestige gives you the ability to store up to 4 million photos, over 18,500 hours of music, or 1,500 hours of video.

Stylish Aluminum Case
The Prestige has durable aluminum construction with a brushed-metal finish that will stylishly complement your desktop or workstation. An included stand gives you the option of either placing the drive horizontally or vertically.

Not only does the aluminum design look good, it also works to dissipate heat, allowing the drive to run cooler and quieter.

Backup Software Included
A license for EMC's Retrospect Express software is included (software is available via download), allowing for easy file backup that keeps your data safe. Also included is free MozyHome Online Backup, which provides 2GB of online data storage.

Compatible with Macs and PCs
Whether you have a Mac or PC, the Prestige will do the job. The drive requires a PC with Windows Vista, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional or Windows 2000 Professional, and a Pentium II class processor with 256MB RAM and a USB 2.0 connection, or a Mac (PowerPC or Intel) with OS X 10.3 or above with a USB 2.0 port.

The Iomega Prestige 1TB External Hard Drive is powered by an Energy Star qualified adapter and is backed by a one-year warranty.

What's in the Box
Iomega Desktop Hard Drive, Connection Cable, Quick Install Guide, HTML User Manual and Help Files, Backup software license included, software via download (PC only).



The stylish aluminum enclosure complements your desktop.

Product Details

  • Easy-to-use - Simple USB 2.0 interface; just plug and play
  • Stylish & Durable - Stylish drive, available in a dark silver brushed finish; sturdy aluminum construction and includes stand
  • Secure - Iomega Protection Suite software
  • 3 year warranty with product registration

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Logitech Trackman Wheel Optical (Silver)
 
Manufacturer: Logitech
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $25.84
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Product Description

Reliable optical technology combined with an innovative scroll wheel that acts as a third button sets Logitech's 904353-0403 Trackman Wheel Optical apart from ordinary trackball mice. Patented optical technology provides superior precision, reduced wear, and smooth motion, and eliminates the need for regular cleaning. The scroll wheel provides easy scrolling and the added convenience of an extra mouse button, enabling you to jump easily to your favorite Web sites. The ball is ideally positioned for thumb operation, and the comfortable shape of the mouse allows for strain-free extended use. Its smaller size also saves desk space, reduces hand and wrist movement, and plugs very easily into your system's USB or PS/2 port. Compatible with both Windows and Macintosh systems.

Product Details

  • Bulk/Retail - Retail
  • Connectivity - USB&PS2
  • Color - N/A

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