May 15 - 11:50am EDT   Hendrickson Software this week released Compass 1.0, an automated email archiving and viewing tool. Available for Windows, Macintosh (Universal Binary), and Linux, the company claims that Compass works with virtually every email client and that future versions will archive and view Office documents, PDF files, and more. The software offers selective, automated email archiving with Purify, or AppleScripts and the ability to define Compass message stores for email messages grouping using criteria such as "from" address or user defined phrases. Users can also preview HTML and attachments using the built-in email browser and quickly backup the archive with a click of the ... [full story]

May 6 - 4:50pm EDT   You should always backup your data so you never lose any of your files. While you can always backup your files to a USB flash drive or a DVD, those solutions may not be able to store enough data, forcing you to copy your data to multiple devices or discs. For most people the simplest solution is to backup data using an external hard disk, plugged into a Mac through a USB or FireWire cable. You can buy dedicated external hard disks, or connect an old external hard disk using a drive enclosure. If you want an external hard disk with a stylish exterior, however, you might want to consider LaCie’s Hard Disk by Neil Poulton. [full story]

May 1 - 10:30am EDT   Mozy has released a final version of MozyHome for Mac 1.0, what it calls the "industry's first" unlimited online backup service for the Mac. The service, which boasts more than 700,000 users and 6.2 billion backed up files, allows users to transparently backup files over the internet -- up to 2GB of online backup absolutely free (and no expiration date) or $5 per month for unlimited online backup capacity. Mozy protects photos, music, videos and other files types from hard drive crash, accidental deletion, natural disaster or theft. Files are encrypted with 448-bit Blowfish encryption and transferred via a 128-bit SSL connection. [full story]

April 30 - 3:55pm EDT   Las Vegas-based hosting company Macminicolo is offering an unusual new service, intended to provide extra redundancy for Mac users. Called Transport, it involves hosting a user's Time Capsule drive in the company's data center, where it is protected from disasters that might otherwise affect a customer's home or office. While a Capsule can be used for remote Time Machine backup, it can also be used for more traditional backup, or alternately as a file server. [full story]

April 26 - 12:55pm EDT   Qdea on Saturday released Synchronize! Pro X 6.0, a major upgrade to its Mac OS X system backup and file synchronization utility. Version 6.0 brings three new features: "Fast scan", which uses FSEvents technology in Leopard to dramatically speed up the time it takes to update a backup. According to the company, the folder scan time for a typical update to a "Bootable System Backup" of Leopard is under a minute, compared to over 10 minutes without "Fast scan". The update also brings "Folder Watch", which tracks changes to the contents of a folder to trigger a backup. Two different folders on directly-mounted disks (does not work with remote disks) can be monitored, ... [full story]

April 21 - 11:10am EDT   Japan's Oneriver has released the second version of TimeDrawer, its special file versioning software. The program operates similarly to Time Machine, in that it automatically makes incremental backups of documents such as text or code files; unlike Apple's application, however, TimeDrawer backs up the instant it detects changes, instead of waiting until an upcoming scheduled interval. This allows users to recover information from as little as a few minutes ago. [full story]

April 15 - 10:20pm EDT   Small Tree Communications recently unveiled the EasyAoE, a new software product that allows users to efficiently use a Serial ATA drive over an Ethernet network for backup and storage purposes. The application reportedly simplifies the backup process, allowing less experienced to effectively ensure their data is safe. Small Tree Communications is selling EasyAoE for $150, with a five user license available for $500. [full story]

April 15 - 7:50pm EDT   Speed Download 5.0.2 ($25) download manager designed to be a unified hub for almost all downloading and file transfer activities. This release fixes the following issues: Transparency in the floater retained after SD restarts; SD no longer prompts about a component update after each restart; SD remembers changes to the toolbar visibility after each restart; a bug that could potentially cause SD to crash after completing a download. The new release has also updated SD Enhancer for better performance and compatibility. [Download - 7.7MB] Interarchy 9.0.1 ($60) Download/upload tool for FTP, FTP/SSH, FTP/SSL-TLS, HTTP, HTTPs, WebDAV, WebDAVs, iDisk and Amazon S3. Includes Growl Support ... [full story]

April 11 - 7:15pm EDT   WireTap Studio 1.0.6 ($70) audio recording and management solution. Record the discrete audio output of any application, as well as all Mac system audio, or record audio input from any microphone, line-in, or audio input hardware. The new release includes these enhancements: fixed fade-ins; fixed a crash when loading a waveform that was previously partially loaded; fixed some problems with effects and mono output formats. [Download - 25.6MB] MimMac 1.9 ($10) updates the cloning, backup, and file synchronization utility. Version 1.9 adds full Leopard compatibility, as well as many internal changes to retain Tiger and Panther support. MimMac is a Universal Binary application, and requires ... [full story]

April 8 - 9:40pm EDT   Memeo today unveiled LifeAgent 2.2, a new version to its automated software backup solution, that introduces support for Flickr and .Mac iDisks. Using LifeAgent, users can automatically back up data to a network folder, external hard drive, removable media, the internet, and now Flicker and iDisk. By securing multiple backup locations, LifeAgent helps ensure that data will be safe in the event of an emergency. LifeAgent is available for $30 from Memeo's website. [full story]

March 25 - 9:05am EDT   Hard drive maker Western Digital has announced a new line of external USB drives, the My Passport Elites. The drives weigh less than 5oz, and are in theory small enough to fit in a pocket; they are nevertheless entirely USB powered, and are available in 250 and 320GB capacities. Like some other WD drives an external gauge shows how much space is left, and files are safeguarded using 128-bit encryption. Automatic backup software is included. [full story]

March 17 - 5:45pm EDT   QuickerTek today unveiled the Time Capsule Antenna Array, a 3dBi tri-antenna which can be positioned anywhere to improve broadcast range and speed. The company advertises that the antenna boosts broadcast depth by up to 50-percent, allowing users to backup from a more distant location. The kit is available for both the 500GB and 1TB versions of Time Capsule, starting at $130 for a self-install kit, or $200 as installed by QuickerTek. [full story]

March 10 - 12:30pm EDT   While all new Macintosh computers come with Time Machine, Apple’s unique backup program that allows you to go back and retrieve previously deleted files or older versions of recently modified files, you can’t use Time Machine unless you also have a second volume. To take the guesswork out of which type of external hard disk to buy, Apple offers Time Capsule, a simple, fool-proof external hard disk specifically designed to work with Time Machine. The simplicity of Time Capsule is apparent when you open the box and find just four items: the Time Capsule unit, a power cord, an installation CD, and a printed setup manual. [full story]

March 5 - 6:00pm EST   With inexpensive CDs/DVDs and external hard disks, it’s easy to back up your data. The problem is backing up your data is worthless if a catastrophe wipes out your hard disk and any backups stored nearby. To protect your data, you need to back it up and store it in a physical location far away from your computer. Corporations have been using such offsite storage options for years and now everyone can enjoy similar offsite storage using Xdrive. A subsidiary of America Online, Xdrive gives everyone the ability to back up and store their data over the Internet. Now if something happens to your computer, you can recover your crucial files off Xdrive and get back to work ... [full story]

March 4 - 1:35pm EST   Memory maker SanDisk has announced the FlashBack Adapter, a new storage add-on for notebooks. The device plugs into a notebook's ExpressCard slot, and automatically backs up key files on a computer using special Windows software. A key difference with alternatives is that the FlashBack utilizes SD or SDHC cards, for a maximum storage capacity of 32GB. Neither cards nor the adapter protrude when inserted. [full story]