Clickfree C2 Portable Backup

Clickfree's backup products aim to remove any confusion from the process by automating almost everything. The C2 is no different. It's an Apple-white external hard disk with an integrated USB cable which, once connected to a PC, will start up automatically, scour the system for files of various preset types, and back them all up. As a basic backup device it requires no real user input at all – just connect it every so often to keep things up to date and forget about it.

But of course there's more to the C2 than that if you need more power. When connected it pops up with a splash screen that counts down to the automated backup routine, but if you interrupt it you can set many of the usual backup parameters. It offers scheduling should you wish to leave it permanently connected, 256-bit encryption via a password, and the ability to backup your music collection from an iPod without the horrors of iTunes.

The file format selector can be tailored to your needs so you don't fill the disk with unwanted system files, and you can exclude TEMP files and limit the search to chosen locations. You can also designate entire folders to be copied completely to the C2 hard disk. In our tests it worked smoothly and quickly during both the backup and restore processes, although it did designate 2,000 tiny antivirus temp files as AVC video clips.

In most regards it's not all that different from your average consumer backup software, although the feature set is understandably a little limited and the interface is designed to be simple enough for the PC World crowd. A few nice touches do stand out though, such as the integrated image viewer: this gathers all the images in your backup set and lets you print them, email them or even share them on Facebook and MySpace directly from the Clickfree software. It's not exactly essential stuff but it fits with the type of likely user.

The price takes into account the software, but £91 for a 250GB 2.5in hard disk is still pretty steep – you're paying a good £30 to £40 premium over similar slim external models. For novice users that may be an expense that's justified by the hand-holding nature of the well-implemented software and process. Anyone who wants a little more control, though, will probably be able to do as much and more with a cheaper hard disk and Windows' own backup utility.

Author: David Bayon