I’ve always been an advocate of PDA backups. Whether it was via a cradle
or removable media – a good backup is very important. When I was in the
process of exchanging my iPAQ 2215 (due to some hardware issues), the
backup became even more vital as it allowed me to swap Pocket PCs without
losing any of my data in the process. mdm,
through their MultiMedia Card (MMC) based software, has introduced yet
another way to backup your important data: Secure File PDA Backup. How
does it compare with other backup options? Read on for the full review.

WHAT’S HOT

   The fact that the software comes on it’s on
MMC card is great! Plus it includes enough space to hold a few backups
on the same card.

SETUP

   There is no setup to speak of. You pop the
card into your open SD/MMC slot and start the program – it automatically
creates an icon for later use. This review was completed on my iPaq
2215.

IN
THE BOX

  
The software comes packaged in a nice looking box. And as you can see
from the example above, this software is compatible with not only Pocket
PCs, but also Palm OS devices.

Inside
the packaging is the Secure File PDA Backup MMC card, a 6-card caddy,
a multilingual Getting Started Guide, and mdm’s
Software License Agreement.

The
card itself has a total of 61.2Mb available (with initially 57.2Mb free
for backups).

PROGRAM
FEATURES

    First, let’s review the features (copied
verbatim) that Handango
has on their website:

After
selecting the language preference, you have the option to Run Sprite
Backup (or have it run automatically when the card is inserted), or
"Let a friend try it!".

If,
for some reason, you attempt to start Sprite Backup without having
the card inserted, a message (with a countdown) will appear asking
you to insert the backup card.

Initially,
Sprite Backup begins in Basic mode with large buttons and few options
(most importantly the ability to Switch to Advanced Mode).

Tapping
the Backup Now button begins the backup process – to continue on,
you must acknowledge the Warning message (which appears with every
backup you make).

  
My first basic backup quickly failed due to insufficient space. Why?
Well, by default, the entire PDA is selected for backup – INCLUDING
any persistent storage (which means, for me, the iPAQ File Store and
512 CF card).

When
a backup operation does complete with errors, however, you are given
the option to review the backup report (which contains such information
as Start/End time along with the reason for the error).

Switching
over to Advanced mode (and waiting through a short scan of the file
system), you can see that you have more options to choose from.

From
the Backup Options selection you can:

Compress

HELP
AND SUPPORT

    Along with the included Getting
Started Guide, mdm
has a FAQ and contact form on their website.
You can also find additional support through Sprite
Software.

SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS

    size=2>According to mdm,
Secure File PDA Backup requires a Windows Mobile™-based
Pocket PC 2002 or higher with SD/MMC expansion slot and 4Mb of
free program memory (and at least 32Mb total memory). Palm requirements
can be found on mdm’s
website.

BUGS
AND WISHES

    I
found no fatal errors. And my wish list is short:

• Add
  the ability to specify a location other than the MMC card
• Prompt
  for the removal of prior backups
• Allow
  more control over persistent storage (ie exclude removable media)
  
• Remember
  prior backup choices from session to session
• Not
  enough space for 64+Mb backups

PURCHASING

   
You can buy this card directly from MDM
(Handango). The price shown is $49.95. According to Handango’s
page, this software can’t be downloaded, they have to ship it
to you.

PROS

• 
  

  On
  its own MMC card!

• 
  

  More
  than enough room for a few backups

• Contains
  all you need in one package.
• Gives
  you a quick and easy way to backup your PDA

CONS

• Can
  automatically overwrite prior backups
• 64Mb
  of space might not be enough for some PDAs
• Doesn’t
  remember backup choices from session to session
• Price

OVERALL
IMPRESSION

   As I mentioned before, backups are
extremely important. And mdm
has done a great job of making this process as simple as possible,
but without leaving out any needed features. But my biggest complaint
is the price. For just a few dollars more, I could purchase Sprite
Backup and a 256Mb SD card which would not only accomplish the
same task, but also leave me additional space for other applications.
That said, I would have to say this product isn’t really marketed
towards a power user, but someone who is looking for a safe, fast,
and easy way to securely backup their PDA. If you haven’t been
backing up your PDA yet, and are looking for a simple solution,
Secure File PDA Backup from mdm
may just be the way to go.

Have
you used Secure File PDA Backup? See something that isn’t quite
right? Tell us what you think! Click on the Discussion Link below.