Clickfree Transformer syncs and backs up your iPod or iPhone

Written on 7:51 AM by Mujtaba

One of the more annoying functionality deficiencies of the iPod and iPhone is the inability to slurp music off the drive and to your computer. You can do the opposite, of course, but the former is a functionality gimped not through technological impossibility, but because of the absurd demands of the music industry.

There’s software to get around the issue, of course, and it works fairly well. But if you’re looking for a hardware solution, the recently announced Clickfree Transformer will allow you to slurp down music, videos or photos from your iPod with no software installation necessary.

It works just like a regular sync cable. Hell, it is a sync cable. All you do is plug it into your USB port, connect your iPhone or iPod and then boot up iTunes. Not only will your music files be updated on your iPod, but you’ll also have the option to suck down any files you want to, to backup on your hard drive.

Where it gets a bit more confusing is how the backup is accomplished. According to the press release, the Clickfree transformer will automatically backup when an iPod is plugged in, with no software to install or setup and no manual to read.

That sounds a lot to me like you have no choice but to backup your full iPod every time you sync it with the Clickfree Transformer, which is, charitably, crap. And so is the price: the plain white Clickfree Transformer costs $50, while the black SE version works with regular USB drives as well. That’s a lot of money to spend on something you can do with software for free.

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