Maxtor creates one-touch backup

NEWS
Hard-drive maker Maxtor wants to transform the pedestrian activity of backing up files into something racy. The company has developed a new feature designed to let computer users back up files, folders and drives with the touch of a button. The feature, OneTouch, is built in to a new line of external hard drives, the Personal Storage 5000 family. Backup starts when a user presses a button on one of the drives. The units come with built-in USB 2.0/1.1 and FireWire interfaces, along with 3.5-inch hard drives, the same type used in desktop PCs. Maxtor's development of the feature reflects the growing need for hard-drive makers to explore new niches in their ultra-competitive market. The business increasingly yields slimmer margins despite rocketing drive capacities, and several big name companies have expressed their disenchantment. Fujitsu has abandoned the field and IBM has finalised plans to spin off its hard drive business in a joint venture with Hitachi. Manufacturers have been developing new technologies and strategies to set themselves apart from one another. IBM announced a "tag 'n seek" technology for its desktop drives to improve performance and the three major hard-drive makers, Seagate, Maxtor and Western Digital, last month cut back on warranties of some drives to save costs. Anna Jen, Maxtor's senior director of retail marketing, said OneTouch was initially developed at Quantum, before that company was acquired by Maxtor in early 2001. She added that Maxtor had streamlined the original technology. The Personal Storage 5000 products are compatible with Macs and PCs and come with Dantz Retrospect Express software, which allows consumers to choose which files to backup and how frequently. Files aren't compressed, Jen said, because "we give you plenty of storage." Jen added that according to Maxtor research, the two biggest obstacles to backing up files are convenience and expense. So the company looked to make the process faster and cheaper than the competing Zip and CD-RW technologies. The Personal Storage 5000 family consists of three external drives: the 5000XT, 5000DV and the 5000LE. The $399.95 (£240) 5000XT comes with a 250GB hard drive and FireWire and USB 2.0 interfaces. The 5000DV costs $299.95 (£179) and comes with a 120GB hard drive and FireWire and USB 2.0 interfaces. The 5000LE includes an 80GB hard drive, USB 2.0 and 1.1 interfaces and costs $199.95 (£120). All the drives are currently available.
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Talkback

As far as I can see I was taken in by what I thought was Maxtor's good reputation. Following is what I have found out since I bought this drive:

It is SLOW due to the SLOW transfer rate! Maxtor is using a FireWire 1394a chip at 400Mbps rather than the 1394b chip which goes at 800 to 1600 Mbps, and which is VERY AVAILABLE. This means that actual transfer rates may be faster with the older USB2! I should have LEARNED the difference between the different FireWire standards...just because Maxtor states FireWire doesn't mean anything!

Also, the Retrospect Software is an "Express" version - I guess not a full version. Although OEM somehow it is not even configured properly for the Maxtor drive. For example there is no advice in the Retrospect "HELP" for "One Touch." It is ignored. When you go to use the One Touch button it does not allow you any but the simplest backup. The advanced options in the Retrospect software are NOT at all intuitive through One Touch. For example I cannot find anyway to use that cute (One Touch) button on the drive using the encryption or compression options in the software.

In addition, due to the fact the Retrospect software is OEM (sic) it is not the latest version of Retrospect (6.5) and Maxtor has no upgrade that I can find on its website.

I made the mistake of buying this hardware believing that Maxtor, being a "respected" company would be using the latest hardware standards and would be using fully configured OEM software.

via Facebook 28 August, 2004 06:27
Reply

Caveat emptor -- let the buyer beware. If you don't do your research then you can't blame anyone else. I train PC technicians and the only hard drive names I've heard consistently bashed are Fujitsu and Conner. Maxtor does seem to be one of the better brands.

via Facebook 1 September, 2004 19:16
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