Even though you should be storing most of your documents in the cloud with Google Documents, backups of your home and work computers are still crucial. Files, pictures, videos, music, etc – all these things are important to us. If they weren’t, well, we probably wouldn’t spend as much time on the computer as we do. Backing up regularly is traditionally a chore, and creates more clutter. You have to back up somewhere, and usually an external hard drive gets the nod.
Yuck, external hard drives. An ugly little box. Another USB cable hooked up to an already overloaded computer. Yet another power cable hooked to the rats nest of a power strip. Since we’re going for simple and uncluttered, this really isn’t the answer.
Apple Time Capsule to the rescue
Since I’m a fan of multi-talented gadgets, I have to ask – What if you could combine one of your current devices with an external hard drive? Then you could just replace that device, and it would eliminate the need for an extra device. Apple has created such a device, in the form of the Time Capsule. Essentially a wireless router ( Airport Extreme base station ) and external hard drive in one, this little device is brilliant. Choose from the 1TB or 2TB models ( $299 or $499, respectively ), and replace your current router. No extra wires. No extra power adapters. One in, one out, if you will.
If your family is full of Mac users, you can wirelessly backup to the Time Capsule using the built-in Time Machine software. Backups happen in the background, seamlessly, without you ever lifting a finger beyond the initial setup. Your home backup needs are met without any additional devices, clutter, or effort. The initial cost is steep, to be sure. But the payoff is well worth it, in my opinion.
