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TMCNet: Computer Column

[June 11, 2009]

Computer Column

Jun 10, 2009 (Computer Column - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- My flash drive is wonderfully useful to me. A flash memory drive is an ideal way to take data from one place to another. It's so small, I carry mine wherever I go. My kids use theirs in school, rather than lugging around a portable PC. They load their work onto the little stick at home and offload them into the computer at school.

The same can be said for today's portable hard drives. If there's an available USB port on a computer, just plug it in and get your data. But carrying around an external hard drive, no matter how small, can be bothersome. And sometimes a public access computer doesn't offer an open USB port for you to use.

Now there's a new device that offers an alternative way to access your memory stick and external hard drive remotely using the Internet.

The Pogoplug from CloudEngines is a little white box that you first plug into any AC outlet using its built-in plug that secures the unit up against the wall socket. It also comes with an extension power cord. You just slide off the fixed plug and connect the power cord to the Pogoplug. This is very handy if you use a power strip or have limited access to a wall socket.

The next step is to connect the included Ethernet cable from the Pogoplug to your computer's router. Given the amount of data it needs to move, it's nice to see that the Pogoplug supports the faster gigabit connection. Finally connect any external hard drive or memory stick into the USB port on the Pogoplug. It's really very simple to connect. There's no port configuration, you need not know anything complicated like IP addresses, firewalls nor anything else like that.

CloudEngines has made the Pogoplug pretty much a no-brainer when it comes to accessing the device. You go to a special Pogoplug Web site and select the registration procedure the first time. A series of short videos walk you through the connection and then it auto-detects the presence of your Pogoplug. If for some reason it can't be located, you are given the added option of typing in your Pogoplug's unique serial number that's printed on the device. Once you have set things up, you just log in with your name and password from then on.

Once the Pogoplug is located on your network, anything that's plugged into the Pogoplug's USB port is now fully accessible over the Internet via any Web browser. All of the files and data are available to be viewed or downloaded. If you want the attached drive to act like a logical device, you will need to download and run a small configuration program.

From then on, anything attached to the Pogoplug will look like another hard drive. You can click on the drive as you would any other storage device on your PC or Macintosh. There's even an iPhone app that gives you access. If you want to share files on the attached drive with others, just click on the files you want to share and enter their email addresses. They will receive a shared link on which they just click.

According to CloudEngines, plans are in the works that will let the Pogoplug directly connect to offsite backup services, offer file synchronization as well as photo printing.

Pogoplug works with Windows XP and Vista, and Macintosh OS 10.5 running on Intel-based models only. The Pogoplug sells for $99 and is available directly at the Pogoplug Web site, www.pogoplug.com.

Craig Crossman is a national newspaper columnist writing about computers and technology. He also hosts the daily national computer radio talk show, "Computer America," heard on the Business TalkRadio Network and the Lifestyle TalkRadio Network, Monday through Friday, 10 p.m. to midnight, ET. For more information, visit his Web site at www.computeramerica.com.

Craig Crossman is a national newspaper columnist writing about computers and technology. He also hosts the weekly radio show, "Computer America," heard nationwide. For more information, visit his web site at http://www.computeramerica.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Computer Column Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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