CEDIA 2007 - Maxtor OneTouch 4 external storage syncs multiple computers

Perhaps I'm just not suffused with the CEDIA spirit, but Maxtor's OneTouch 4 external hard-drive range just doesn't look as "vault-like" as they'd have us believe it's been designed to resemble.  Still, that's pretty much the only criticism I can fling at the backup/sync range so far – from the spec list, at least, they seem to have cornered the market for secure storage with more options than you can shake a stick at.

 

For a start, the range – that consists of the basic OneTouch 4, compact OneTouch 4 Mini and advanced OneTouch 4 Plus and will be available in sizes up to 1TB by the end of October – makes use of simple software that automates multi-machine backup and synchronisation as well as manages the advanced 256-bit AES encryption available on the latter two models. 

Inside the casings there are convection cooling systems and shock mounts suspending the inner drive-caddy.  Maxtor bundle an app called SafetyDrill, which (on Win XP and Vista PCs at least) creates a real-time backup of your computer's data and, in the case of a serious crash, when booted from the included recovery CD restores everything from the most recent backup. 

The basic OneTouch 4 is available in 250GB, 500GB and 750GB capacities for $99.99, $169.99 and $269.99 respectively; the OneTouch 4 Mini in 80GB, 120GB, 160GB capacities for $99.99, $119.99 and $149.99 respectively; and the OneTouch 4 Plus in 250GB, 500GB, 750GB and 1TB for $129.99, $199.99, $289.99 and $359.99 respectively.  All but the 1TB OneTouch 4 Plus are available now; that model will be available by the end of October.

Maxtor OneTouch 4 Press Release