Thank you to Connected Data, maker of the Transporter, for sponsoring iPhone J.D. The Transporter is a hard drive that stores your files and securely shares them with all of your computers and iOS devices so that you can access your files from anywhere. But unlike Dropbox or other cloud-based services, your data is stored on a hard drive that you own, and which you keep at your office or home, so you maintain full custody of your data. Thus, you don’t need to worry about your documents being on the cloud and in the possession of a third party that hasn’t signed a confidentiality agreement with you. Also, there are no subscription fees. Just buy the hardware once.
I wrote extensively about how I use my Transporter in August of 2014, and I menioned that I use it virtually every day. That’s been true ever since I first started to use a Transporter in early 2013, when the company sent me a free unit to try out in connection with its first sponsorship of iPhone J.D., and it remains true today. But that same Transporter is even more valuable today than it was in 2013 because Connected Data frequently updates the Transporter to add new features.
For example, a new feature added just this month is a second option for sharing files. Before the update, you could right-click on a file on your computer to create a link to a file, and then you could email that link to someone else so that they can download the file. When they do so, they are downloading the file directly from your Transporter, and they need to first install a browser plug-in on their computer to communicate with your Transporter. This file transfer method is great for privacy because your file remains on your Transporter, but it does require some extra work by the file recipient to install the plug-in. The new feature is that you can now choose whether you want to create a Direct Link or a new Standard Link. When a recipient of a Standard link clicks the link, your file is sent from your Transporter to the Connected Data website, and then the recipient downloads the file from the Connected Data website without having to install any plug-ins. You lose the inherent privacy of a Transporter for that one specific file because a copy of your file exists on the Connected Data server, but it is faster and easier for the recipient, and is a perfect option if you are transferring one or more files that are stored on your Transporter and are not confidential, such as a large file that you are sharing with opposing counsel. Learn more about this new option here.
To get more information on Transporter, click here to access the Legal Solutions page of the Transporter website.
There is one issue with storage of this type, which is, at least as I understand it, there is no redundancy as you would have with cloud storage (multiple servers in case one fails) and the local location could be subject to a hazard such as a fire or flood, which would eliminate your data. I engaged a cloud storage service after hearing about people who had their data backed up to an external hard drive adjacent to their computer, which was lost in hurricane Sandy – it’s now floating somewhere in the ocean! So this seems like a great idea as a supplement to, but not a replacement for, cloud storage.
Interesting device! I’ve always enjoyed the convenience that clouds give you, just not necessarily the lack of privacy. This seems like the perfect device, then! Thanks for sharing.
That is the very reason that it makes sense to get two Transporters. I have one at my home and one at my office. That way, if my office burns down, I have a 100% backup at home. They sync to each other automatically without any interference by the user, so you just always have a complete backup if you have two devices. As long as you can think of a good second location to store a second Transporter, you get offsite protection without needing to use cloud storage.
-Jeff
Jeff: Perhaps you could write a piece with a very basic explanation of Transporter, the difference between the small unit and the larger one. Especially for people like me who struggle with the tech aspects. I’ve been looking at this and I like the concept but I’m confused about setup and how the syncing works. I have a home office and if I put another unit in a second location does it need to be hooked up to a computer or just plugged into an outlet? Do I get an app for my iPhone/iPad? I’ve been on the Transporter website and, frankly, part of the problem is I’m unsure what questions to ask because I’m unsure what it is I still don’t know. I learn a lot from your postings, thank you for that.
Joan, I can try to do that the next time I write about the Transporter. In the meantime, I’ve written about it many times before. Click on the Index link at the top of this page, scroll down to the Transporter (in the “Other Hardware” section, and you’ll see links to my posts on 3/4/13, 4/1/13, 5/15/13, 1/13/14, 3/17/14, 5/14/14, 8/12/14. You might wan to start with the 5/14/14 post.
-Jeff