BIOS: Technology Means Business

An increasing number of executives, small business owners, students and creative professionals are going mobile.

A recent IDC research study predicts that the global mobile worker population will grow by more than 200 million users between 2004 and 2009.

To meet the fast-growing market demand for portable storage, Maxtor has announced it is shipping the new OneTouch III Mini Edition drive. The drive is the company’s first small form factor external storage solution.

Designed with the mobile professional in mind, the slim, elegant and portable solution is the latest addition to Maxtor’s OneTouch product family.

Weighing in at approximately 198g, it is the first mobile storage solution in the industry that comes fully loaded with the latest software innovations to protect and manage digital content, including automated backup, data encryption, data synchronisation and system rollback to restore applications and operating system while keeping digital files current.

To make it simple to share and update data and files between home and office, the Maxtor OneTouch III Mini Edition includes Maxtor Sync, a software feature that automatically synchronizes files between two or more computer systems on the same operating platform.

Another innovation now standard across Maxtor’s third-generation external storage family is a system rollback feature that reverts a PC’s applications and operating system to a healthier point in time, while preserving current data. The feature helps combat spyware or adware that can slow a system to a crawl, or even bring it to a halt.

Like all Maxtor OneTouch storage and backup solutions, the smallest member of the family includes automated backup software to ensure valuable files and content are backed up on a set schedule or with the touch of a button, a pioneering feature that Maxtor introduced to the marketplace in 2002.

The portable system, finished in titanium metallic paint, is equipped with black rubber side panels molded to fit above the housing on all sides, providing non-skid ‘feet’ as well as added vibration protection. Because of its rugged industrial design and compact size, the system can be stowed and transported easily in a purse, backpack or briefcase.

For added data security, which is a particular concern for on-the-go business users, the Maxtor OneTouch III Mini Edition drive includes two levels of security: software encryption to safeguard its contents if the drive is ever lost or stolen, and Maxtor DriveLock, embedded firmware that further restricts data access should it fall into the wrong hands.

The firmware is designed to deny access without the correct password even if the internal hard drive is removed from the casing and attached to another computer. The OneTouch III Mini Edition comes in a 60GB (£85) or 100GB (£115) capacity and easily connects to a Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP computer via a USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port. All models are based on 2.5-inch ATA HDDs running at 5400rpm.

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