Creating a Cast Iron logo is only a few easy steps in Photoshop. Beyond the effect, hopefully you will learn some powerful tools you can use in many places.

The first step is create the “bump map”. This is a black and white map that will simulate a “bump” or raised surface in the Render Filter. First make sure the logo is black on white.
1)Copy the Layer Logo and blur it until you still see the logo but it’s very blurry
2)Copy the original layer and blur it about half as much as the first
3)Copy the original layer and blur it .5 Pixels
4)Add a black layer right under the lightly blurred layer
5)Add a small amount of noise to the layer
6)Screen all the layers together (except the original)
7)Goto the Channels palette and copy any channel (Red Green or Blue) to a new channel and then return to the RGB view and the Layers Menu
8)Create a 50% Gray layer
9)Add the “Lighting Render” Filter
10) Set the lighting to Directional, and set the bump to the channel you created
11)Take the minimally blurred layer and multiply it to the gray layer then pull the opacity back to make it look darker
12) Create a new layer and fill with white
13) Add heavy noise and motion blur
14) Create Selection using the Original logo layer
15) Add this selection to the blurred noise and set to overlay
16) You can add a gradient over text to make it more metallic

USB memory comes in all shapes and sizes these days. While basic drives are getting smaller and cheaper than ever, there are also interesting things happening at the more cutting-edge end of the spectrum, including high-capacity drives that fit into your pocket, and memory keys that keep all your data safe using hardware-based encryption.

Mini USB hard drives
These two drives both use a tiny hard drive--the kind that you might find in a tiny device like a PDA or digital audio player--but stuff it into a tiny USB-key size. The upside is faster read/write speeds than flash memory, but the moving parts make them a bit more fragile and susceptible to damage while in use.

Memorex 12 GB Mega Travel Drive
www.memorex.com
$149
Memorex’s entry into the 12 gigabyte USB key sweepstakes is a bit larger than Verbatim’s 12 gig drive, but that extra bulkiness also gives it a bit more padding…so while it may not fit as easily into your pocket, it will take a few knocks. The USB connector swivels into the body when the drive isn’t in use, and the whole thing can be put into a protective silicon sleeve for added ruggedness.

Verbatim 12 GB Store’n’Go USB HD Drive
www.verbatim.com
$149
Verbatim’s drive is truly skinny, which makes it one of the best ways to fit a lot of data into a tiny space…but it doesn’t have a lot of extra padding, so you’ll want to be very careful that you don’t damage it while it’s in your pocket or connected to your notebook. The USB connector folds into the drive when not in use. It comes with a tiny faux-leather carrying case for slightly better protection while it’s in your pocket.

Secure USB flash memory drives
For business people, getting data from place to place is a necessity, which is why USB memory has become so popular -- the problem is that if there’s any private date on these removable drives, it can fall into the wrong hands. A new generation of secure drives uses built-in hardware encryption to keep that data away from prying eyes. All you need to do is set a password when you first set up the drive; then, when you unplug the drive, no one can see your files without the password.

Kingston Data Traveler Secure
www.kingston.com
$40 and up (estimated); price varies with capacity
The Data Traveler Secure comes with built-in 256-bit AES encryption, and puts the drive into lockdown mode after multiple failed attempts to enter a password. Users have the ability to set the size of a public (unencrypted) area and the private (encrypted) area of the drive. The downside: it’s only compatible with Windows 2000 SP4+, Windows XP SP1+ and Windows Vista…sorry Mac and Linux fans. Available in 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities.

Verbatim Corporate Secure USB
www.verbatim.com
$65 and up (estimated); varies with capacity
If you’re really after security, the Verbatim drives make sure everything on the drive is encrypted (there’s no “public” area offered) with 256-bit AES encryption. That means you’ll never worry that you’ve put sensitive data onto the wrong portion of the Corporate Secure USB drive, but it means you’ll absolutely need to enter a password in order to access any of the data on it. Again, you need Windows 2000 SP4+, Windows XP or Windows Vista to access the data on the drive…at this point there’s no Mac or Linux compatibility. Available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB capacities.