Mobile Computing News, Reviews, & Tips

Backup Review: Online Backup Services

Synchronizing files inevitably leads to the topic of backing up your data. One way to protect files is to use an online backup service. Jon L. Jacobi tested five that provided the most compelling prices for average users: Acpana Data Deposit Box, Connected Data Protector, FirstBackup, Pro-Softnet's IBackup, and Xdrive.

Backup Review: Best Backup Software

Notebook users need to be even more concerned with backups than desktop people. Since we're on a roll with this backup thing, here's another one for you: In our ranking of the best backup software, we gave the nod to EMC Dantz Retrospect Professional 7 ($95). The software is full-featured, backs up over a network easily, and includes licenses for two computers. Read our comparison chart for specs on our Best Buy and the other packages we tested.

Backup Drive Review: Portable Backup Storage

And we're back again, beating the backup drum. PC World's Alan Stafford tested four recent USB 2.0-based portable backup drives, including Sony's $199 Micro Vault Pro USD-5G, which includes automatic syncing software.

Notebook Review: Lenovo's Ultraportable ThinkPad X41

Now that Lenovo has taken over IBM's ThinkPad line, how is the popular notebook faring? Judging from PC World reviewer Carla Thornton's experience with the new ThinkPad X41, not bad at all. The X41 is Lenovo's first ultraportable to include a fingerprint reader; it has an excellent keyboard and long battery life; and it weighs just 3.4 pounds. But you'll need an external optical drive, and the notebook has only an eraserhead pointing device. Our test unit was $2049; go to our Product Finder for the latest prices.

PDA News: A Wi-Fi Card for Pocket PCs

Need to add Wi-Fi to your Windows Mobile 2003 device? Socket Communications' new Go Wi-Fi E300 ($89) is a Secure Digital card with a wireless antenna. The company says the device is the smallest, fastest, most secure 802.11b SD card available. You also get Socket's Wi-Fi Companion, graphical software for managing Wi-Fi connections.

Suggestion Box

Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it. However, I regret that I'm unable to respond to tech-support questions, due to the volume of e-mail I receive.

Sign up to have the Mobile Computing Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.