Review: Clickfree Transformer for iPhone

Have you ever wanted to make use of the extra space in your iPhone? Or did you ever want to transfer the music from your iPhone to any computer? If you are looking for a solution to those questions, look no further than the Transformer for iPhone by Clickfree.

Transformer for iPhone by Clickfree

The Transformer for iPhone by makers Clickfree is the company’s newest iPhone accessory. It is the ultimate solution for file backup to the iPhone and music transfer from the iPhone.

Backup Solution

The Transformer for iPhone can backup the contents of your computer hard drive to the unused space in your iPhone. So if you have a 32GB iPhone 3GS and are only using 8GB on it, the remaining space will be used as backup storage. In another example, with my uses of the accessory, I have my 8GB iPhone 3G now being used as a backup drive because the iPhone 3GS is my new primary phone.

Do make note however that the Transformer does not overwrite existing content on the iPhone. It only writes to empty space so you can rest assured that your current content is safe.

The one thing that I really like about this backup solution is that it requires no software to install or setup. You plug the Transformer into a USB port and then connect your iPhone and you’re finished. On your computer you follow a very clean interface that guides you through the backup process. No software, no installs, no registration, nothing.

By default, the Transformer does an automatic backup of as much of your computer files that can be stored on the iPhone. However I did not want this option so I dug around for an optional backup method. What I found was that you can select which file types to backup to the iPhone.

While this was not the ideal solution for me, as I like to backup specific files, it is still extremely beneficial because you can backup a lump sum of files of varying file types. The Clickfree Transformer also supports over 400 file types.

Supported file types (brief list):

  • Photo files
  • Music files
  • Video files
  • Presentations (such as Powerpoint or Keynote)
  • E-mail
  • Artwork
  • Spreadsheets (such as Excel or Numbers)
  • Documents (such as Word or Pages)
  • Websites

The Transformer supports incremental backups and can be used with multiple computers. You can also restore your backed up files back to a computer using the same interface as when the files were first backed up.

Music Transfer Solution

The music transfer function of the Transformer is a fantastic feature. This function allows you to move your music from your iPhone to your computer. Remember that we are used to music going the other way around, from computer to iPhone, but the Clickfree Transformer enables the other method.

While I have personally never had the need for a backward music transfer process, I have numerous friends that have told me the frustrations of moving their music from their device to the computer.

Using the same method as the backup solution above, you plug the Transformer into a USB port and then plug in the iPhone. Using the same easy interface as before, you choose to import your music. You can import entire playlists or specific songs, as you have both the options to choose individual playlists or songs (I really liked these options).

Final Score

The Clickfree Transformer provides two extremely useful functions, file backup and music transfer, that are not always readily accessible. The process of either function requires no software to install and only requires plugging it into a USB port.

The built-in interface for backups and music transfer is very clean and easy to use and provides enough custom options for basic use. Lastly, the small size of the Transformer keeps it looking good with your iPhone and when everything is connected, the Clickfree Transformer even acts as a charger.

The Clickfree Transformer is scored a 5 out of 5.

System Requirements

  • Available USB port
  • An iPod or iPhone (with sync cable)
  • The latest version of iTunes installed
  • Windows Vista, Windows XP or Windows 2000
  • Mac OS X Leopard (10.5) or later with Intel
  • 100MB free hard drive space

Where To Buy

The Clickfree Transformer is available on the Clickfree Online Store for $49.99 USD.

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