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Review: Clickfree C3 Wireless Automatic Backup
Sat, 1st Jan 2011
FYI, this story is more than a year old

In the November issue of NetGuide we checked out the C2 Automatic Backup device, which automatically backed up your important files to a 500GB external drive. The key difference in the C3 is that it does so wirelessly! Well, kind of. After the first backup, which still requires you to plug the device into your computer via USB, you can configure the C3 to establish a wireless connection with any computers you’d like to back up. Once you’ve plugged the C3 into a power outlet, the C3 will continue to regularly back up your files, completely removing any need for the user to do so manually – it can just be left to its own devices, and it couldn’t be simpler. It’s a major improvement over the C2, which was not a bad device in itself, but you either needed to keep it plugged into a USB port or remember to do so with regularity.

It does swap out one hassle for another, though, and that is that the C3 requires its own power supply. It’s not a huge deal, but spare power points near your computer are becoming as scarce a commodity as spare USB ports (not to mention the added expense to your power bill). Still, it’s not a deal breaker by any stretch, and it’s a small price to pay for such hassle-free backup.

It’s worth noting that the Clickfree devices don’t appear to distinguish between different accounts on the same computer. So when you restore a back-up, it may combine, say, the ‘My Documents’ folders of multiple users, which means your documents could get mixed in with those of others!

PROS: Couldn’t be easier to use, and it’s completely hassle-free after the initial set-up. Supports wireless N protocol. Very clean and easy-to-use interface, and restoration is a breeze. Compatible with both Macs and PCs.

CONS: Requires its own power source. Doesn’t distinguish between multiple user accounts.

VERDICT: The Clickfree C3 completely removes the hassle from the ever-important task of backing up your important files.