Iomega Clik! Drive

Clik! is the new data storage device from Iomega that adds affordable data storage to Handheld PCs, notebook PCs and digital cameras. Clik! is an external drive that connects to the H/PC via cable and PC Card. It's small and easy to carry with you in a briefcase or large handbag, but you can't leave it connected to the H/PC all the time. Because of this, I think it's more suitable for storing backups and archival data. Leave the data you need immediately on your H/PC's internal memory. Back that up on Clik! and keep archived letters, reports, graphics, company templates, data sheets and the like on the Clik! disk. You can connect the Clik! Drive up to your H/PC in seconds and download the data you need.

Clik! Drive Plus: A very complete package

I reviewed Clik! Drive Plus, Iomega's top-of-the-line Clik! package for mobile computer and digital camera users. The Clik! Drive comes with two additional packages, one for digital camera users only (which does not include the PC Card Interface), and another for H/PC and other mobile computer users (which does not include the Flash Memory Reader).

Clik! Drive Plus comes with:

* Mobile Drive and Battery -- the external drive that reads the disks and the battery that powers it. The Mobile drive with battery is a little smaller, but twice the thickness, of a Palm-size PC.

* Clik! Disk (and plastic case) ­ a 40MB removable disk that holds the data.

* PC Card Interface -- PC Card and cable lets you connect the Mobile Drive to your Windows CE 2.0 H/PC, notebook computer, or any PC with a PCMCIA card drive. You cannot connect Clik! to a Palm-size PC.

* Flash Memory Reader ­ Clips on to the Mobile Drive and lets you copy data files from a CompactFlash or SmartMedia card directly to a Clik! Disk in the Mobile Drive. Many digital cameras save images on one of these two storage cards. The Flash Memory Reader is included primarily for that use, but there's no reason why a PC Companion user couldn't use the device to copy data from a CompactFlash Card to the Clik! Disk. However, the single-button copy function is an all-or-nothing proposition. You push the button and it copies everything from the CF Card to the Clik! Disk.

* Desktop Dock -- similar to a PC Companion's data cradle. Connects to your desktop PC using the Parallel Port Interface described below. Slip the Mobile Drive into the Desktop Dock to copy files back and forth between the Mobile Drive and desktop PC. Desktop Dock powers (and recharges) the Mobile Drive. The Desktop Dock provides another way for H/PC users to transfer data to and from their desktop PC.

* Parallel Port Interface -- connects Desktop Dock to the parallel port on your desktop or notebook PC. The Parallel Port Interface has an additional pass-through parallel port attached to it, letting you attach the Desktop Dock and a printer to a single parallel port.

* Power Supply -- an AC/DC adapter used to power the Mobile Drive or the Desktop Dock.