Don't let Hurricane Bill destroy your technology - that was the advice given by the Computer Society of Bermuda last night as the storm barrels towards the Island.

Islanders were urged to back up data and unplug gadgets to ensure precious work and costly equipment wasn't zapped. Computer Society of Bermuda (CSB) spokesman Raymond Seymour said: "If you are in love with your computers and electrical devices, like that 42-inch flat screen TV or that BlackBerry which keeps your life in balance then take steps to protect them." All vital data should be backed up - everything from important work files to programmes and digital media you bought online.

One tip is to get a flash drive and copy Word, Excel and PowerPoint files to it for portability.

Any media you can't bear to lose should be burned to DVDs including films, music and digital photos.

Important work files can be transferred to an external hard drive - but do it before your power goes out. Either use a back-up program found on your computer or manually copy files over.

There are also some online back-up services for e-mails and contacts.

Go to Google Gmail or Microsoft Live Mail and open accounts to take your inbox and contact information. This will allow you to receive mail over your cell phone, if it is Internet enabled, and act as a back-up should your machine be inaccessible. And for data you can pay for a subscription to copy your hard drive's data with services like Carbonite or Mac.

However you will need a high-speed Internet connection for this to be worth your while. And don't forget to unplug expensive electronic items.

Mr. Seymour added: "And if you are thinking of using a surge protector, don't. Lightning strikes aren't power spikes, they are cardiac arrests for electronics."

And while it's tempting, when holed up in a storm with no power, to ring all your mates to check how they are making out - don't. It's far better to conserve power, particularly with cellphones, BlackBerries, iPods and laptops which all have rechargeable batteries, because if things get really bad, you might need your communications working to contact emergency services.

"If you must be entertained, consider low-tech options like the transistor radio, board games, cards or books," said Mr. Seymour.

Generally laptops can give you two to four hours depending on the model while iPods last more than six hours depending on the model and generation. Cellphones and BlackBerries can give you a few days on regular standby, but if you have them set to continuously download messages, spam included, your battery will drain faster. Also, your BlackBerry can get full.

So remember to give your devices an uninterrupted charge before the storm.

Conservation of your gadgConservation of your gadget usesage should start during the storm, but is most critical after the storm has passed.Mr. Seymour added: "Once you have been able to assess your situation, then consider trying to reach the outside world. "Be patient with your service providers. Your matter may be important, but they are obligated to provide reliable service to all their customers."And the CSB also has some handy tips for those wanting to reassure friends and family that you survived the storm - use Facebook and Twitter. These services let you reach people without text message costs.If you have a smartphone with data service, you can broadcast from your device - no computer is needed. Sign up for these services in advance of an interruption. One message can be sent to everyone who has subscribed to your stream.Also, you can track your friend's comments and those of people across the globe.Personal e-mail may not be reliable because mailboxes get full and may bounce when there are outages.If you rely on data and have a power interruption remember:l Your DSL and router will not work. It may be wise to turn on dial-up temporarily if you have a telephone line.l Easy Connect, North Rock Wireless and Cable Modem will not work because they need power.l Cellular One and M3 Wireless offer 3G keys that slip into your laptop if you need the convenience of continuing Internet coverage. This depends on computer's battery life and the cellular network's stability.l Smart phones with dial-up networking are an option - some Bluetooth phones can be used as wireless modems. This can be convenient but it is expensive (up to $2.04 per megabyte if you are on a low data plan).l Government has free Internet at Post Offices across the island and has terminals at Hamilton library, which also has an open Wifi Connection.If you have a landline and power is interrupted:l Remember your cordless phone will not operate.l It is recommended you purchase a landline phone, if you don't have one.For information on the storm:l Emergency radio station is on 101.1 FM.l Shark Oil for online hurricane tracking - www.sharkoil.bml For weather information - www.weather.bml The Government portal at gov.bm