The most recent articles from Computeract!ve

Sony Micro Vault USM-F

Anthony Dhanendran — 2005-08-26T00:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Friday 26 August 2005 at 00:00:00

A USB key with fingerprint security

Keeping files stored on a USB key secure has become an important issue now that so many of us these days use such devices instead of floppy disks and CDs.

Sony's answer is a USB drive with a built-in fingerprint reader; this secures any files put onto the drive and also acts as a fingerprint reader for the PC. You can, of course, opt not to install the software, in which case the drive will be recognised as normal by Windows XP (or a Mac) and can be used as an ordinary 256Mb USB drive.

Once the fingerprint software is installed, it's fairly impressive. Once fingerprints are stored, it is simple to encrypt and decrypt files. You can also use it to log in to the computer or a website if the drive is plugged in - if the drive is unplugged, it will revert to using typed passwords. You can also save Internet Explorer favourites to the drive, and fingerprint-protect them.

It's more expensive than a standard 256Mb drive, but the extra features certainly add value.

Imation Disk Stakka

Anthony Dhanendran — 2005-06-03T14:25:14.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Friday 3 June 2005 at 14:25:14

A carousel that catalogues your CD and DVD collection for you

The Disk Stakka is an ugly blue-and-white plastic box slightly larger than a conventional CD storage box. The difference between the two is that this one has a USB connection on the back. Plug it into your PC and you can catalogue your CD or DVD collection.

After inserting a disc into the front-loading slot, you will be asked to name it and enter some basic details. You can get the PC to automatically catalogue what's on the disc, but this requires ejecting the disc, putting it in the PC, pressing a couple of buttons, then putting it back in the Stakka - a bit too fiddly for our liking.

Because it doesn't actually read the contents of the disc, you can store any CD or DVD disc, such as Xbox and PlayStation 2 games, but you won't be able to catalogue them fully.

Once it's all done, you can access the discs from your PC. If you want a particular file from a disc, simply browse or search for it using the Stakka software and double-click on the file, at which point the Stakka will eject the corresponding disc.

It works, but it's a lot of hassle, unless you happen to have 100 discs full of un-catalogued files. It's also ridiculously expensive.

Contact:

Imation 01344 402000

www.imationltd.co.uk

Disgo Pro 2Gb

Luke Peters — 2005-03-07T15:45:59.000Z

Luke Peters, Computeract!ve, Monday 7 March 2005 at 15:45:59

Massive storage on a tiny device

As is the norm with most computer technology, the physical size of devices shrinks as their power grows. In tune with this, Disgo has launched a USB key for under £200 that can hold 2Gb of data.

The Disgo PRO 2Gb is a flash memory device, so there are no moving parts, making it less susceptible to damage. It's small enough to fit on a key ring and comes in a protective shell. In our tests, it transferred 2Gb of data in under four minutes, which is pretty quick.

It doesn't need any software to install; just plug it in and Windows XP will do the rest. It appears as removable media in My Computer so you can drag files to and from the device.

Included is KeySafe, an application that allows you to password-protect your data, and MyKey, which shows how much space is left on the device.

The Disgo sells at a good price for this much storage, although there are slightly cheaper options available.

Contact:

CMS 8960 6000

www.mydisgo.com

TViX

Simon Crisp — 2004-11-26T10:53:19.000Z

Simon Crisp, Computeract!ve, Friday 26 November 2004 at 10:53:19

A novel digital media player

Claimed by its makers as the "world's first DVD jukebox", the attractive TViX joins the rapidly growing number of digital media players designed for the home, such as the AOpen MVP Player.

Rather than a streaming audio device, the TViX connects to a PC via USB 2. Once attached, you can transfer digital video, images and audio. It comes in 160Gb and 250Gb models, costing £246 and £335 respectively, and supports most media file formats.

With a software upgrade it will even support Ogg Vorbis. This ability to upgrade the firmware in the TViX is a major advantage as it allows you to keep up with the latest formats.

Once information is stored on the TViX, you can attach it to a TV or stereo via S-Video and audio connections. There's 5.1 support for surround-sound systems.

The top of the unit houses the playback and menu buttons. These are duplicated on the remote control, along with features such as image scaling. You also get password protection for directories and a thumbnail browsing library for your images.

The quality largely depends on the source file but we found it to be pretty good in both audio and video.

Contact: Channel Dynamics 0870 607 0540

www.tvix.co.kr/eng

Buffalo RUF-C512M

Anthony Dhanendran — 2004-10-29T08:55:38.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Friday 29 October 2004 at 08:55:38

One of the smallest flash drives around

The floppy disk held sway for many years as the number one choice for transporting files from place to place. However, the advent of the USB flash drive could finally signal the death of the floppy.

With recent versions of Windows, you can simply plug one of these drives into a spare USB port and almost instantly begin to transfer files.

Buffalo's Flash Drive is one of the smallest examples available, but it is also one of the largest around in terms of capacity, with a huge 512Mb of storage. If you plug it into a USB 2 socket, it is extremely fast - once it was full it took us around 90 seconds to transfer its contents to a computer.

It comes in a neat transparent blue plastic casing with a keyring attachment at one end. At the other, a detachable cover keeps the USB plug free of dust. It does feel slightly flimsy, and the cover is so small it's easy to misplace, but it's still useful and attractive.

Contact: Buffalo 01753 555000

www.buffalotech.co.uk

DESlock+

Tim Smith — 2004-09-09T10:31:08.000Z

Tim Smith, Computeract!ve, Thursday 9 September 2004 at 10:31:08

Keep your files secure using this USB key.

DESlock+ makes it easy to encrypt sensitive information and store passwords on your computer.

It looks like any other USB key but rather than storing files, the DESlock+ retains encryption codes. These codes are used to scramble and decipher files and emails, making it virtually impossible for people to steal your information.

After installation, you can protect any file or folder by right-clicking on it and selecting the encryption command from the menu. This only works when the DESlock+ is plugged in, offering a further element of security.

As a password is required to use the DESlock+, your files should be safe even if you lose the key, although an extra device is provided in the box for backup. Extra keys cost £50 each.

Emails can also be protected. DESlock+ will integrate with Microsoft Outlook, but not Outlook Express, and you'll have to disable Word as your email editor as DESlock+ uses its own software. You can also encrypt individual sections of text.

Although there's no memory to store files, the DESlock+ is nonetheless a good file security product.

Contact: Deslock 0808 100 1233

www.deslock.com

Iomega REV Drive

Cliff Joseph — 2004-09-03T09:25:33.000Z

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Friday 3 September 2004 at 09:25:33

Iomega's new storage solution.

Zip drives were a huge success for several years, but have fallen out of favour as most home PCs now include a recordable CD or DVD drive.

Iomega's REV, however, is a kind of 'Super Zip' that attempts to leapfrog those rival technologies by offering extra storage at a competitive price.

It consists of a main drive unit that can accept removable cartridges.

But where the Zip cartridge has a maximum capacity of 750Mb, a REV cartridge can store a thumping 35Gb worth of data at just £45 per cartridge.

You can buy the REV as an internal drive unit or as an external model with a USB 2 interface. The £280 price tag is a bit steep, but the ability to add 35Gb of extra storage for just £45 a shot makes it a good choice for audio or video buffs with an ever-growing collection of files that they need to store.

Contact: Iomega 020 7216 0003

www.iomega-europe.com

Iomega QuikTouch Video Burner

Cliff Joseph — 2004-08-11T10:06:29.000Z

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 11 August 2004 at 10:06:29

A clever attempt to further simplify the creation of DVD discs.

The process of recording video and storing it on CD or DVD can be a bit confusing if you're a newcomer to digital video work, so Iomega has tried to simplify matters with its new QuikTouch Video Burner.

The QuickTouch is basically a recordable DVD drive that can handle all the main types of recordable discs. There's nothing special about that, but Iomega has added a few extra features of its own.

The drive has an analogue video-capture device built in, so you can connect it to a VCR or analogue camcorder. Then you just press the QuikTouch button on the drive to launch the bundled DVD software. This will quickly capture your video clips and burn them straight onto a blank disc for you.

Iomega also includes a program called the DVD Wizard, which allows you to back up data or create audio discs as well, so the QuikTouch drive makes a good general-purpose backup device.

It is a bit expensive compared to ordinary recordable DVD drives. You're paying extra for those video capture features, so the QuikTouch will mainly appeal to people who have an analogue camcorder that they want to use with their PC.

Contact: Iomega 020 7206 0003

www.iomega-europe.com

ClipDrive BIO

Ben Styles — 2004-08-05T10:13:37.000Z

Ben Styles, Computeract!ve, Thursday 5 August 2004 at 10:13:37

Now your fingerprint can secure your personal data on this USB device.

The ClipDrive BIO is a USB storage device that can secure your data by using fingerprint recognition. The device has two partitions (places to store data): a public partition that anyone can access and a private partition that enables you to lock away sensitive data.

The secure partition can only be accessed after you have 'enrolled' your fingerprint using the set-up software. Once stored, you can access the private partition by pressing your finger against the small sensor mounted at the end of the key. The set-up options are very simple and make light work of the enrolment process. You can also choose how big or small your partitions are, too.

However, you can only unlock your private partition if the accompanying security software is installed on your PC. While this does protect the data if you are unfortunate enough to lose the ClipDrive, it's not much use if the PC you're using hasn't got the software installed. In its favour, though, the security program is small (around 6Mb) so it can be stored on the public partition, ready for installation.

Contact: Jadetec 0113 281 7788

www.jadetec.co.uk

Western Digital Media Center

Simon Crisp — 2004-07-27T13:41:14.000Z

Simon Crisp, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 27 July 2004 at 13:41:14

A fast hard disk with a memory card reader and USB 2 hub built in.

With the explosion of internet viruses and other nasty things out to destroy your data, backing up your hard disk's content is fast becoming a way of life for computer users. With the size of hard disks ever increasing in desktop PCs, the easiest way to archive files and documents is to use an external hard disk.

Western Digital's Media Center takes the idea further with the addition of an innovative 8-in-1 memory card reader and a USB 2 hub.

It's a chunky yet well-built device, weighing in at just under 2kg. We looked at a 250Gb model, the top of the current range, but there are also 160Gb and 200Gb versions available. At the heart of the Media Center lies a Western Digital Special Edition hard disk that has a spin speed of 7,200rpm (revolutions per minute) and an 8Mb buffer. To cut a long story short, this means that it's super-quick at transferring data.

The front panel contains buttons that control the Media Center's main functions: 'automatic backup', which is used to schedule backups, and 'backup on demand', which is used for backing up at any time. Also on the front is a single USB 2 port for connecting peripherals. On the back are two FireWire ports and two more USB 2 ports.

However, if you decide to connect the Media Center to your PC using FireWire, you cannot use the card reader or USB 2 ports. To rectify this, you have to use both FireWire and USB 2 cables. When both are connected the FireWire is automatically assigned to the hard disk, which will leave the USB 2 powering the ports and the card reader.

The 8-in-1 card reader accepts all the main types of memory card, such as CompactFlash, Microdrive, SD, SmartMedia, MMC, Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro.

Knowing just what to back up and how to do it quickly and safely is a tricky subject. Thankfully, the Media Center comes with a wizard-based software package, Retrospect 6.5. Simply pressing the automatic backup button launches the software and the wizard is on hand to guide you through the whole process quickly and effortlessly. A utility of this pedigree would be more than welcome with all hard disks.

Contact: Western Digital

www.westerndigital.com

Freecom FHD-XS 20Gb

Niall Magennis — 2004-07-15T11:10:17.000Z

Niall Magennis, Computeract!ve, Thursday 15 July 2004 at 11:10:17

Extremely small and no need for carrying cables - now that's portable.

USB storage keys have proved immensely popular because they're small, universally supported by Windows XP and make moving files between PCs a doddle. Now Freecom is trying to bring all those benefits to external hard disks.

This petite 20Gb storage unit is the smallest external drive we've ever seen. It uses a 1.8in disk, which is the same storage technology employed in the latest and smallest MP3 jukeboxes.

The drive is about the same thickness as a CD case and around two thirds of the size. One big advantage this unit has over larger external units is that it is completely powered by the USB so there's no need to carry around an extra power supply. There's also a flip-out USB connector built into the case so you won't need to pack extra cables either.

When you plug the drive into a Windows Me, 2000 or XP machine, it's recognised automatically as a USB storage device. This means there's no need to faff about with drivers.

Overall, it's hard to fault the FHD-XS 20Gb. It's extremely small, very convenient and amazingly easy to use. You are paying a slight price premium for the drive's modest dimensions, but if you need a high-capacity external storage unit this is one of the best.

Contact: Freecom 01423 704700

www.freecom.com

Iomega Mini 128Mb

Luke Peters — 2004-05-14T09:53:49.000Z

Luke Peters, Computeract!ve, Friday 14 May 2004 at 09:53:49

A removable storage device with a photo holder.

There are countless examples of USB removable storage devices on the market, with not too much to differentiate them. While some double up as digital audio players, the all-new Iomega Mini's cunning trick is, wait for it, a photo holder.

Yes, accompanying the 128Mb of internal memory is a slot for inserting small photos of your favourite snaps. Cynicism aside, it's a novel idea that turns your bland USB key into something a bit more personal.

It supports USB 2, so transferring files is very quick indeed - it takes around 30 seconds to fill it up with any sort of data you like. There is a 512Mb version available too, which will hold four times as much data but costs three times as much.

The Iomega Mini supports Active Disk technology, which allows some applications to run directly from the USB drive. It's also compatible with Apple Mac computers.

And, apart from a funky protective lid design that wraps itself around the whole device, that's about it. At just over £50, it is very well priced and for anyone that's finally making the jump from floppy disk to the 21st century, the Iomega Mini is a safe bet.

Contact: Iomega 020 7216 0003

www.iomega.com/europe

Amplio PhotoBank 20G

Rory Reid — 2004-05-13T10:16:08.000Z

Rory Reid, Computeract!ve, Thursday 13 May 2004 at 10:16:08

A portable method for storing your digital photos.

Given the high cost of memory cards, storing a large quantity of digital snaps on anything other than your PC can be very expensive. The Amplio PhotoBank is a portable hard disk and memory card reader that provides a more cost-effective means of stockpiling your data.

The device is fairly light and portable and is operated off a rechargeable battery. It's also very easy to use thanks to a logical menu system. Files can be transferred from your memory cards to the 20Gb hard disk without the need for it to be connected to a PC.

The PhotoBank is also USB 2 compatible, which means pictures and data can be shifted to and from your computer very quickly. Unfortunately, while it is compatible with CF (CompactFlash) cards as standard, the device is not supplied with a CF card adapter, which it needs in order to read other types of memory card. A 4-in-1-adapter is available, but this adds £20 to the overall cost.

The PhotoBank 20G is a useful solution to backing up your digital pictures but it's hard to justify the price tag.

Contact: Amplio 0870 872 5070

www.memoryplus.co.uk

PenDragon 128Mb

Tim Smith — 2004-03-04T13:39:26.000Z

Tim Smith, Computeract!ve, Thursday 4 March 2004 at 13:39:26

This handy gadget doubles up as a storage device and wireless networking adapter.

Whether you like it or not, USB flash drives are replacing the floppy disk as the preferred way of moving files from one computer to another. The PenDragon takes this idea one step further and includes the hardware for wireless networking as well.

As a USB flash drive, the PenDragon can hold up to 128Mb. It also has a clever sliding lid protecting the USB plug that can't be removed and therefore can't get lost. The manufacturer also supplies a USB extension cable and a clip for attaching the PenDragon to the side of a notebook rather than having it protrude from the back or side.

Windows XP recognises the PenDragon automatically, allowing the Wi-Fi drivers to be loaded directly from the device, which means no extra driver CD to carry around. Windows XP also has its own software for detecting wireless networks, so connecting to Wi-Fi is easy. Users of previous versions of Windows can use the drivers supplied on the accompanying CD.

The only minor frustration is that data transfer is limited to USB and not the faster USB2. Other than that, it's a pricey, yet handy tool for notebook fans and there is also a 64Mb version available.

Contact: Idealcomputing 0871 700 0153

www.idealcomputing.co.uk

Acer MP3 Flash Stick

Luke Peters — 2003-12-18T11:14:38.000Z

Luke Peters, Computeract!ve, Thursday 18 December 2003 at 11:14:38

A removable USB storage device.

Many removable USB storage devices now double up as portable music players, allowing you to listen to digital audio files stored on the device. The USB Flash Stick is such a gadget and can hold 128Mb of data and allows any MP3 or WMA file on the device to be played back through the supplied headphones. However, while this is a good idea, the technology inside the device isn't.

First, there's no ID3 support, meaning every track is identified by a number rather than the song title. It's also very slow at transferring files - it took 44 seconds to shift a 10Mb MP3 file - poor in comparison with the USB storage devices reviewed in issue 148. The jog wheel is also unresponsive at times, meaning lots of finger fiddling and while the combined headphone/neck strap seems a novel thought, it's flawed because it often it gets tangled up. Battery life is good but the device isn't rechargeable.

The MP3 Flash Stick does have its good points, though. Windows automatically recognises it as a removable disk, which allows the simple dragging and dropping of files. It's also very loud in playback mode, sound quality is good and it can also be used as a voice recorder.

Contact: Acer 0870 900 2237

www.acer.co.uk