Digital Gear: Back Up, Digitally
Backing up--your PC or your car--can be hard to do. This month's gadgets can
help.
Agam Shah, IDG News
What do computers and auto safety measures have in common? The need for proper
backup! Fortunately, there are more slick data backup options for PCs than
ever before, as Apricorn's high-capacity Aegis Mini hard drive proves. And
nowadays, digital backup isn't restricted to PCs: Roadmaster USA's Roadmaster
Wireless VR3 Backup Camera delivers images from a car's rear to a dashboard
screen, to help make driving in reverse safe. Also in the mix this month is
Logitech's Wireless DJ Music System, which wirelessly transfers music from a PC
to stereo speakers.
Apricorn's Aegis Mini
Data on my hard drive magically disappeared a year ago, so now I back up my
data monthly onto CDs. An attractive backup alternative is Apricorn's Aegis
Mini, a portable, pocket-size, 60GB hard drive that is both speedy and
convenient to carry.
The $239 drive uses a short wire to connect to a computer's USB 2.0 port. As
with other USB memory devices, the PC immediately detects the drive, and
voila--you
have an extra storage device. In my tests, data transfer rates between the
Aegis Mini and an internal hard drive were quicker than with any flash storage
device I've used, which makes the drive an ideal backup device.
The Mini comes with a cable extension and Apricorn's Data Protection Software
Suite for data backup, synchronization, and encryption. The drive is compatible
with Windows 2000/XP and Mac OS X. It is available at
Apricorn's Web site .
A
Firewire version
is also available, for $249.
Seat belts, air bags, GPS equipment...there are never enough car safety
devices. Now you can add to the list Roadmaster's Roadmaster Wireless VR3 Backup
Camera, a two-piece camera and LCD screen combo designed to protect a driver
from accidents when moving in reverse. The camera's lens, which sits by the
rear license plate, shoots and wirelessly transmits images to a 2.5-inch
(6.35-cm) color screen on the car's dashboard. The camera is useful for giving
you a clear look at potentially dangerous traffic as well as for revealing kids
or pets playing behind the car, so you can back up safely.
Roadmaster officials caution drivers that they should still always look back
when driving in reverse; this $149 device is supplemental. Intended primarily
for minivan and sports-utility vehicle users, the camera has a 110-degree
horizontal and 80-degree vertical viewing angle. The Roadmaster Wireless VR3
Backup Camera is available at major U.S. stores or at
Roadmaster's Web site .
Though PC sound systems continue to improve, some users still prefer to hear
songs played through high-wattage stereo speakers. With that in mind, Logitech
has announced the Wireless DJ Music System, a three-piece hardware package that
wirelessly transmits music files from a PC to a stereo system. The equipment
bundle includes a receiver, a transmitter, and a remote control.
Unlike other wireless music bridge products, such as Linksys's
Wireless-G Music Bridge
and Sondigo's
Sirocco --
both of which use Wi-Fi--Logitech's Wireless DJ relies on Bluetooth 1.2.
Bluetooth's range is more limited than Wi-Fi's, but the DJ uses Bluetooth Class
1, which Logitech says expands the reach of signals. Using adaptive frequency
hopping, the DJ identifies interference sources and transmits the music over a
channel that isn't subject to interruption, Logitech said.
The transmitter, which you attach to your PC's USB port, sends songs to a
receiver connected either to a stereo system via standard RCA connectors or to
multimedia speakers via a headphone jack. Logitech says that the DJ can
transmit music roughly 50 meters (150 feet). A screen-equipped remote control
displays
the PC's audio files and controls playback and volume.
The system is slated to ship in late September in the United States and Europe,
for $250.
Lock That iPod
Targus Group International combats iPod theft with the Mobile Security Lock for
iPod--a gadget designed for iPods with dock connectors that prevents would-be
thieves from plucking the device off a backpack, purse, or briefcase. A
retractable cable with a three-digit combination lock loops around a strap to
secure
the iPod. Of course, it only works with iPods with dock connectors. You can
find the $40 device at Apple retail stores or at the
Targus Web site .
Agam Shah is an editor with the IDG News Service, based in San Francisco.
Questions or comments? Write to
Agam Shah .
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126741-page,1/article.html?RSS=RSS
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