SanDisk turns SD cards into laptop backup

 

Gallery

By Barry Collins

Posted on 4 Mar 2008 at 15:38

SanDisk has unveiled a new adapter at CeBIT 2008 that turns SD cards into a laptop backup device.

The FlashBack device is simply a SD/SDHC memory card adapter for a laptop's ExpressCard slot. However, SanDisk has coupled this with software that automatically backs up and encrypts the owner's data as they work.

Having your data backup device slotted inside the laptop itself is hardly the ideal solution if the laptop is lost or stolen. But SanDisk rather optimistically claims that the FlashBack will come into its own in cases of accidental damage, such as spilling coffee all over the keyboard or knocking the laptop off a desk.

The company also claims it will remove the headache of scheduling backups for laptop owners. "This is a 'set it and forget it' solution for every laptop user with an ExpressCard slot who wants to be protected from unintended data loss," claims Matthijs Hutten, SanDisk's senior product marketing manager for accessories.

"We all know that we should frequently make backups of our critical files. But most of us don't get around to it because it seems like too much of an effort, or we simply forget to do it. This practical solution does the job and does it automatically. So if your PC suffers a breakdown, you can flash back to your latest files wherever you are."

The software currently only works with Windows PCs, and data can be restored on any PC with a compatible memory-card reader.

The FlashBack will start shipping this summer for $29.99, without a memory card.

Click here for full coverage from CeBIT 2008