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It’s not unusual not to own a flash drive or portable hard disk these days, and most of us use these handy devices to store anything and everything from photos to PDF documents for work.
Unfortunately, it’s also not unusual for most of us to not use these handy storage devices to run a regular backup of files.
“I should start backing up my documents somewhere other than on my C drive” was one remark I heard just recently as a colleague struggled to set up her PC after a brief desktop shift left her unable to access documents she desperately needed.
So the office Christmas gift-list for 2009 will include a flash drive, and it’ll most definitely be the new SanDisk Ultra Backup USB Flash drive.
Synonymous with portable storage, SanDisk offers a wide range that is also reassuringly reliable, with my personal favourite being the Titanium range, simply because it looks good while carrying out transfers in the blink of an eye.
However, the Ultra Backup USB Flash drive is pretty attractive too.
The main reason lies in its simplicity while cloaking an otherwise tedious and for some, complicated task.
Starting at 8GB (S$49) and doubling in storage space right up to 64GB, the SanDisk Ultra Backup USB Flash drive appears just like the new-look Cruzer, with an understated black coating and a hint of red.
The only tell-tale sign that this is different are the words “BACKUP” stamped on a small raised button on the face of the flash drive.
It’s not any larger than any other USB flash drive, and just as light for easy portability.
The light-weight finish however, is also its downside as the overall plastic feel could leave you wondering if the product is sturdy.
Still, it's easy to appreciate the flash drive when it's popped into your Mac or Windows PC and a faint orange glow appears to hint that it is quietly humming along.
If you want a plug and forget-about-it device, the Ultra Backup USB Flash drive is it, but only on its second and subsequent use.
This is the only USB flash drive with a backup application on board, and runs when activated with the press of a button.
That means you will need to set some parameters on initial use. Fortunately, it’s quite simple.
All you need to do is decide whether you want the Ultra Backup USB Flash drive to run through all your files and sub-folders on the C drive which is the default, another drive or just some items which can be further defined according size.
After that, the next time you drop in the Ultra Backup USB Flash drive to your laptop or desktop, just press the “Backup” button and leave it to do the rest.
One of the problems in backing up files is the time required for the whole process.
Having once spent a few hours backing up files from my laptop to a removable hard disk, I was all set for a similar experience with the SanDisk.
In the case of the Ultra Backup USB Flash drive, it surprisingly took not a few hours but a few minutes (six minutes to be precise) to complete the backup of 1423 files which ranged from documents to photos and music.
With a clear on-screen menu, it’s easy to eject as well as to explore the USB flash drive which can be used to restore files which are neatly placed in predefined folders.
You will find your different backup versions easily and you can choose at the initial set-up, how may versions you’d like to keep as well as how far back to go – either a day, 1-2 weeks or 1-3 months.
This flash drive comes in extra handy when you switch computers as it’s able to run the backup folders on a new PC.
Most catastrophes we see in life come with little prior warning.
While we all love what technology has offered us, from digital photos to video sharing, its shortcoming is that when a file is lost, it is most often lost forever.
So unless you have printed out all the digital photos you took on your wedding day, kept hard copies of the notes and cards that were sent as well as received and burnt a CD of ‘your song’, there could come a day where you’ll find yourself wishing that you had pressed the backup button.
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