Discuss on ooVoo

Manufacturer: Rebit
Estimated Retail Price: $199.97
Part Number: Rebit Desktop Drive 1TB
Editors Rating: 5/5

Rebit’s external hard drive backup solution is truly “ridicuslously simple backup”. The Rebit 1TB appliance is $199.97 from Rebit.com. Unlike other backup solutions which either tell you to drag and drop the files onto the drive, or create a backup schedule, the Rebit is instant backup. All you do, is simply plug it in and it does all the work for you. Your first time of using the Rebit appliance, it will do a full backup of your entire drive, this might take several hours.

The nicest thing about Rebit, is that it constantly backs up. For example, let’s say I created a document, and I accidently deleted half of the contents and saved the file. Not to worry, Rebit has created multiple versions of the file which can be easily recovered from the Rebit SaveMe. The Rebit requires absolutely no user interaction, except for entering your license key.

Unlike Rebit’s competitors, such as the HP SimpleSave (which I will be reviewing soon, hopefully), ClickFree, Kanguru, etc, Rebit backs up everything including applications and system files to an image file that can only be read by the Rebit software. Users will constantly remain protected against viruses and hard drive failures. As Rebit constantly increases and decreases the amount of historical data, users will always have a previous version of their file for fast and easy recovery. Rebit is the only true backup solution on the market. Many users find having to backup data to be a troublesome and time consuming task. Well, not with Rebit. As I said, all you do is plug it in, and voila, it starts to backup. You never have to tell it when to backup as it constantly backs up every minute, without any user interaction. Another nice thing, Rebit doesn’t install any “sponsor programs” unlike its competitors, which cause frustration.
The Rebit has two ways of restoring files from it. You can either click and drag files from the Rebit to your desired location, or using the Rebit PC Recovery CD. The nice thing about Rebit is that it can backup a maximum of 6 PC’s. It also supports Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7. I hope to see a new model of the Rebit releasing soon that supports USB 3.0, this would deliver unprecedented transfer speeds.

“Now consumers can easily add the specific content they want to their hard drives, and still rest easily knowing their entire operating system is protected,” says Charlene Murphy, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Rebit Inc. “With SaveMe’s new SmartSave Personalization Technology, consumers have much more flexibility. We are pleased to provide this ground-breaking feature.”

Rebit has an appropriate hard drive to suit your needs. The portable backup drive is available in 250GB, 320GB, and 500GB storage capacities. Desktop drives are available in 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB models. Also available from Rebit are portable drive solutions. Rebit also has software that is available for purchase for use with other external drives. Rebit’s SaveMe Express backup software is useful for individuals who require only single-PC backup and recovery and it is not inclusive of SmartSave.

Like every product, there are advantages and disadvantages. Rebit is a great device, but some small things could be improved. Some of the disadvantages of the Rebit are its short AC adapter, as well as its lack of e-SATA and FireWire. Also, the ability to have the hard drive LED to turn off when the computer is off, would be nice. As this LED is very bright, your room lights up like a Christmas tree.

Overall, I still give the device a 5/5, even though of these small issues, because they can be solved easily. Just push the switch at the back of the Rebit when the computer is powered down.

« »