BlueNomad Launches BackupBuddyVFS v3

Posted By: Ryan on Monday, November 29, 2004 12:35:07 PM

Blue Nomad has launched BackupBuddyVFS v3.0. The new version is designed to make it easier to protect data on handhelds by automatically saving back-up copies of data to memory cards. Further, speed, security and overall performance have been improved as well.

Key features added in version 3.0 include:

Automatic compression of backup files to reduce space requirements on expansion cards;

"Checkpoints" which allow users to maintain multiple backup sets on expansion cards;

Improved data encryption to secure back-ups from unauthorized access;

Archiving capabilities which keeps copies of files deleted from the device on the expansion card,
enabling the files to be easily located and reinstalled if needed;

The ability for multiple devices and users to back-up to the same expansion card.

For those who depend on their mobile devices for maintaining daily schedules, contact information, office documents and other critical data, their greatest fear is a device failure that erases their vital information. Even those who routinely synchronize their handhelds with their desktop PCs can lose any information added to their device since their most recent HotSync. The ability to quickly backup data to, and restore from, a memory card is an invaluable safety net for anyone with important information stored on a Palm Powered device.

Backup buddy for Palm OS With BackupBuddyVFS installed on a Palm OS PDA or smartphone, users can effortlessly backup critical data to Secure Digital, MultiMedia or Sony CLIE Memory Stick expansion cards. In the event of a data loss, BackupBuddyVFS can be used to restore the lost data from an expansion card. Not only does BackupBuddyVFS preserve data that may have been added since the most recent HotSync, it also enables users to restore lost data immediately rather than waiting until they return to their desktop PC to synchronize their device.

“BackupBuddyVFS provides our customers with peace of mind when they are on-the-go and have no other way to recover from data loss on their handhelds,” says Alexis Hinds, president and CEO of Blue Nomad. “BackupBuddyVFS has saved mobile device users from countless panic attacks as they no longer fear devastating data loss on their PDAs and smartphones, and we are delighted to once again offer a solution that offers a practical and easy-to-use way of ensuring data protection.”

BackupBuddyVFS is designed to work with organizers that support the Virtual File System (VFS), such as PalmOne Treo, Palm Tungsten and Zire, and Sony CLIE devices. BackupBuddyVFS can be used with virtually any Palm OS device with a memory card. It is available now for $19.95. [BUY]

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17 total comments

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Amazing Progress Made!

dmacdonald95 @ 11/29/2004 3:33:38 PM #

w00t, First post! This is a great piece of software, in fact, it's one of the only I've registered, and its great with the XXMB Backup Cards avaliable now a days, even works with my Z31 :D

Palm Zire -> Palm Zire 31

RE: Amazing Progress Made!

Ronin @ 11/29/2004 9:21:36 PM #

I purchased this program a few weeks ago, primarily for the encryption as I am already a registered user of BackUpMan. I was also please to see that the backups were no considerably smaller, thanks to the compression features. However, when I need to restore my device from the backup there was a host of problems including error messages and soft reset loops. Fortunately, in an abundance of caution had a current BackUpMan backup which restored my T3 perfectly and without even a hiccup.

Now I am back to unsecured backups. I hope BackUpMan adds encryption or even a password protected backup feature soon.

In the Spirit of Umoja,
Ronin

RE: Amazing Progress Made, but....

twrock @ 11/30/2004 6:53:33 AM #

... still use it with caution.

I upgraded to v. 3.0 some time ago. I wanted the encryption (vs. Backupman). But the first time I needed it, it failed me. I can't say for sure it was a fault of BBVFS, but I don't have any better explanation. Somehow some of my backup files had been corrupted making it impossible to use after I restored the entire system. I had just performed a backup in preparation of trying out some new software, so I assumed I would have no problem after a hard reset. No such luck. I particularly remember that my ZLauncher background JPG file was completely "mangled", causing ZLauncher to malfuntion. After trying a bunch of things and still not knowing the extent of the damage, I finally gave up, waited until I got home, and restored the whole thing with BackupBuddy (desktop program). It worked without a hitch, and I fortunately could remember all the appointments and other information I had added that day.

Moral of the story? Having two separate backup systems might be a very good idea.

The $10 mil question...

Marshall Flinkman @ 11/29/2004 3:34:50 PM #

Will it work on the Tungsten T5 and Treo 650...?

RE: The $10 mil question...

gidora @ 11/29/2004 3:58:17 PM #

Nope. It crashed with a sys error 0505 or something on my T5. So much for the latest from backupbuddy...

Casio(256k)>Psion Siena(1M)> Visor Prism(8M)> TungstenT(16M)>T5(256M!)

RE: The $10 mil question...

Midge @ 11/29/2004 5:30:30 PM #

Right Back Up 1.8 (standalone.com) works great w/T5. Haven't tried it w/Trio 650. I prefer it to BackupBuddy anyway, and it's only $10.

RE: The $10 mil question...

gidora @ 11/29/2004 9:17:45 PM #

Which version of Right Back are you using? My T5 gets locked into endless loops whenever I try to confirm anything in the pulldown menu. It also stops with an "OS error" about a thrid of the way through.

Looked promising... As far as I can tell, CardBackup, FlyBackUp, McFile, all fail trying to back the T5 up to SD. Anyone else?

Casio(256k)>Psion Siena(1M)> Visor Prism(8M)> TungstenT(16M)>T5(256M!)

RE: The $10 mil question...

fkclo @ 11/30/2004 12:09:53 AM #

1. BBVFS 3 was released quite a while ago. I was using it on my T3 back late Oct 2004. So, its release is not really "news".

2. It will not work on T5. When I switched to T5, BBVFS V3 crashed. Emailed Blue Nomad, and they confirmed v3 is not ready for T5. They are working on a new release.

3. Actually, to be best of my knowledge, no backup program works with T5 - yet. Some user has reported success with MegaLauncher's backup utility (originally part of MegaCommander), but not for me.

Francis

RE: The $10 mil question...

Midge @ 11/30/2004 4:34:49 PM #

Gidora, Sorry for the slow reply.
Version 1.8 Released last week sometime, specifically to fix for T5. I'd read about pre-1.8 problems, and hadn't moved it to T5 until the 1.8 upgrade. Hope this helps.

RE: The $10 mil question...

gidora @ 12/1/2004 10:00:15 AM #

Midge,

That's strange. I tested 1.8 and got the terminal blinkies. It works, huh? Wonder if I have to start from scratch again - I'm thinking maybe my button hacks have corrupted the prefs or something...

Casio(256k)>Psion Siena(1M)> Visor Prism(8M)> TungstenT(16M)>T5(256M!)

Great program, dissapointing cost to update.

Strider_mt2k @ 11/29/2004 3:55:22 PM #

It's dissapointing that BlueNomad won't upgrade long time registered users like myself who happen to be running v2.x unless we fork over another $15.00.

Luckily though, v2.1 still works perfectly on my TH55, so I don't really need to upgrade.

If you don't already own BB:VFS you really should.
It's a great backup program, if not THE greatest.

I can't fault BlueNomad for doing what just about every other PalmOS developer is doing nowadays.
They got kids to feed too I suppose.

RE: Great program, dissapointing cost to update.

Blue Nomad @ 11/30/2004 12:57:44 PM #

Actually it is a free upgrade if you purchased BBVFS since April 2004. For previous users, we offer a 50% off coupon code that can be used on our store. This brings the cost down to $9.98 for the upgrade.

See our BBVFS download page for more info and a link to version history:

http://www.bluenomad.com/bbvfs/prod_bbvfs_download.html

If you are a previous user of BBVFS and didn't receive our update notice,
you can contact Blue Nomad Upgrades and we can send you info for
the upgrade. Please include your name, email and order number and info.

Bobby Genest
Blue Nomad Software

anything freeware available

pmdesherb @ 11/29/2004 9:14:27 PM #

I can't find a freeware taht will do job. Anybody has a suggestion?

Thanks

RE: anything freeware available

robman @ 11/30/2004 7:56:09 AM #

The token answer is "HotSync".

Seriously, though, I have been using Palms for a long time and HotSync seems to work pretty well for most "well-behaved" applications. Granted, I run almost everything off of my SD card now anyhow, so it is less of a point.

Also, you can always go through with Filez and mark the backup bit of important databases to force them to be included in a HotSync.

Anybody else wonder why PalmSource has not bought this technology from BlueNomad yet??

Palm Enthusiast since 1998

RE: anything freeware available

Tamog @ 11/30/2004 2:25:14 PM #

Well, maybe because we dont need it that badly.
However, Hotsync and BlueNomad do two entirely different things: BlueNomad can backup and restore a Palm ON THE ROAD, while Hotsync needs a PC for this task!

Find out more about the Palm OS in my blog:
http://tamspalm.blogspot.com

RE: anything freeware available

Strider_mt2k @ 11/30/2004 4:08:14 PM #

Hotsync is one answer, but not the mobile answer.

IMO
Relying on a hotsync to back up your data is slaving a mobile device to a non-mobile one, thus negating it's "mobilocity.

RE: anything freeware available

socram @ 12/6/2004 2:12:34 PM #

Its not availiable anymore, but I still use BackupBuddyVFS:Free 2.02, which pretty much looks like BBVFS:Personal, but was free back in the day. Still works with OS5 on my TH55, and while it doesn't allow for multiple backups like the MS Backup Program, its much easier and quicker to use. At least I think so.

Palm Software on sale