TORNADO SPEEDS FILES FROM PC TO PC

How do you copy a file from one computer to another? How do you copy multiple files from one PC to another? You could copy the files onto a CD, pop it out of the drive and insert it into the other PC. But you are limited to around 640 megabytes of data and it's cumbersome at best, moving the disc back and forth. You can also use a flash drive but again you still have to first load what you want, unplug it from one and insert it in the other, then drag and drop the files onto the other computer. You could also use the Internet but if the files are of any real size, you're in for a long wait.

The fastest way to copy files is to directly hook one computer to another. You can buy a USB data transfer cable but that requires a bit of expertise in that you also have to first install the appropriate transfer software drivers on each computer and then run some kind of copying application that lets you select the files that you want to transfer. Another direct PC to PC option is using an Ethernet crossover cable. This is a special cable that has one of its wires crossed so that the computers can communicate with each other without having to go through an additional piece of equipment such as an Ethernet hub. The problem here is pretty much the same as with the USB data transfer cable in that you have to install special data transfer software along with the corresponding drivers on each computer. There has to be a better way of doing this and of course there is, otherwise I wouldn’t have anything more to write about in this week's column.

The Tornado makes the process of setting up a direct PC to PC transfer about as simple as it gets. The Tornado is a small circular plastic reel that contains a single cable that can be extended or retracted in much the same way as any spring-loaded reel operates. At the end of each retractable end is a USB 2.0 plug. The idea here is to simply plug one USB end into the PC from which you want to transfer the data and the other USB plug into the PC to which the data is being sent. That's about it. There is no software to be installed on either computer. The Tornado has all the proper drivers and data transferring applications built directly inside. So there's no software to load, no drivers to install, no cables to buy and no installation Wizards to follow. You just plug it in and begin transferring the data.

After plugging in the Tornado, each computer will display a From and To screen that lists all the files and directories on each computer. The screens display the files on each computer in a top and bottom split screen display. To begin transferring from one to another, you simply drag and drop any number of files you want to move from one split screen to the other. You can drag and drop a single file, multiple files or entire folders/directories at one time using this method. An nice little added feature is the Tornado's LED indicator that flashes when data is actually being transferred. It's a visual confirmation that the data transfer is actually taking place.

The transfer speeds are up to 25 megabits per second so you can copy a large number of files in a small amount of time. But most importantly, the time it takes to set everything up before you even begin a direct PC to PC transfer is reduced down to almost nothing. It really doesn't get much easier than this.

The Tornado's cable will extend up to four feet in length and it requires no external power as it draws its power directly from the USB connection. The Tornado is compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 standards which comes in handy if you're transferring data from an older computer to a newer model.

The Tornado works only with Windows-based computers running Windows 98SE, ME, 2000 and XP. It sells for $59.95 and is available at the Data Drive Thru Inc. website at www.thetornado.com