Review: Clickfree Transformer SE for iPhone

If you ever wanted to make use of the extra space in your iPod/iPhone, transfer the music from your iPod/iPhone to any computer or use any USB Hard Drive as a backup solution, then check out the new Transformer SE for iPod/iPhone by Clickfree.

Transformer SE for iPod/iPhone by Clickfree

The Transformer SE by makers Clickfree is the company’s update to its popular Transformer for iPod/iPhone accessory. There are some new features this time and the SE comes in a slick piano black finish.

Backup Solution

The Transformer SE for iPod/iPhone can backup the contents of your computer hard drive to the unused space in your iPod/iPhone. So if you have a 32GB iPhone 3GS and are only using 8GB on it, the remaining space can be used as backup storage.

A bonus that comes new with the Transformer SE is that you do not need to have an iPod or iPhone in order to use the accessory. The Transformer SE can be used with any USB Hard Drive. Whether it is a USB Hard Drive or iPod/iPhone, the Transformer SE turns the device into a backup solution by using only the available space on that USB Hard Drive, iPhone or iPod.

As with the original Transformer, the Transformer SE requires no software to install or setup. You plug the Transformer SE into a USB port, connect a USB Hard Drive, iPod or iPhone and you’re finished. On your computer you follow a very clean interface that guides you through the backup process.

By default, the Transformer SE does an automatic backup of as much of your computer files that can be stored on the USB Hard Drive or iPod/iPhone. However you can also select specific file types to backup. The Clickfree Transformer SE 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 SE supports incremental backups and can be used with multiple computers, each with its own independent backup and label. You can restore your backed up files to a computer using the same interface as when the files were first being backed up. The Transformer SE also makes a great solution for moving files from Windows to Mac and vice versa.

Music Transfer Solution

The music transfer function of the Transformer SE is identical to the original Transformer and is still a fantastic feature. The function allows you to move your music from your iPod/iPhone to your computer. Typically users move music the other way around, from computer to iPod/iPhone, but the Clickfree Transformer SE enables both ways!

Using the same method as the backup solution above, you plug the Transformer SE into a USB port and then plug in the iPod/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 from.

Final Score

Like the original Transformer, the Transformer SE provides two useful functions; file backup and music transfer. The process of either function requires no software to install and only requires a USB port.

The new feature with the Transformer SE is that you are not restricted to just an iPod or iPhone, but can now use any and all USB Hard Drives for backup.

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

Considering the added features of the Transformer SE over the original Transformer, I cannot justify the new price tag. So while the new Transformer SE is definitely nice and adds some extra flexibility, the original Transformer includes the majority of the features of the SE version.

The Clickfree Transformer is scored a 4.5 out of 5.

System Requirements

• Available USB port
• A USB Hard Drive (if using the USB HDD method)
• An iPod or iPhone (with sync cable) (if using the iPod/iPhone method)
• The latest version of iTunes installed
• Windows 7, 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 SE will be available on the Clickfree Online Store for $89.99 USD on October 5 2009.