The fact that the iPhone does not allow you to input memory cards in it can be a bit inconvenient at times when you have to backup your data. Imagine you have to backup some of your contacts and images and you do not have access to a PC, yes wouldn’t you hate to be in such a situation but more often than not we might end up in one. Hence there is a need for a device which would allow you to back up your data conveniently without the need of connecting to your PC.
Iomega’s SuperHero promises to be one such device which not only backs up your data but also charges it at the same time. Precisely it backs up your contacts and photos while its charging your phone. Lets go ahead and take a look at how the SuperHero saves the day for us.
In the Box:
- Charging & Backup dock
- Charger
- 4GB Lexar card
- User Manual
Build Quality:
For starters the build of the SuperHero looks really solid with a square metal finish. The SuperHero has a brushed metal finish which really goes with the look of the iPhone. It has a 4GB microSD card in the box which has to be placed at the back of the SuperHero. The back also houses the charger port. On the top front of the device is the dock station which is compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs, Iphone4 and the iPod Touch as well.The base of the device has a black rubber padding which helps keep device stationary on your desk.
Software:
As son as you put your iPhone on the dock it prompts you to download the SuperHero backup app from the App store. Once the app is downloaded and the phone is placed in the dock the option are simple. Oh yes! You must always unlock the device before you place it into the dock or else the app wont function. You can either choose to backup either your contacts, photos or both. And once in the cradle the device will backup the phone automatically in 30 seconds even if you do not choose to.
Performance:
Once the backup begins, you’ll realise that the backup process on the SuperHero is very slow. As per Iomega the slow transfer speed issue culminates from Apple’s end due to their slow iPod Access Protocol (IAP), which limits the speeds to ‘SuperSlow’ levels. I could manage to backup only about 27 photos out of the 90 on the device in 30 minutes. The device takes about two hours to full charge your device from scratch and if you compare that with the speed of backup of the device you will find that you may have to keep the phone docked up for another good 2 hours to backup your full data.
So when I look at it, though its more convenient its very slow which iTunes can outpace anytime. Although the fact that the device starts to back your phone again excatly from where it had left so that there is no duplication.
Once backed up, restoring the device is pretty simple wherein you just have to click the Restore button and the device does the rest provided you restart with an iPhone again. The device saves your contacts in the MBP format which will be recognized only on the iOS devices and hence if you are trying to back up the contacts on any other platform, it wont work. There is also no support for multitasking. So your backups would be interruptedwhen you are receiving a call, which I imagine can happen a lot of times. Definitely, not a deal breaker though.
Verdict:
The Iomega’s SuperHero can only backup contacts and photos, unfortunately no apps, videos, music etc can be backed up. But this has more to do with Apple then Iomega, which doesnt really allow third parties full access to their iOS devices. Besides the slow transfer speeds are again a pain which may get sorted out if Apple changes its IAP. And the multitasking bit is a small issue but still cant be ignored.
You might want to buy this device which costs $70, only if you want a hassle free, simplistic and convenient way to charge and backup your device. And its even more reasonable to own this thing if you fear losing your photos and contacts which you are not really comfortable syncing on the cloud.