Clickfree introduces hassle-free wireless backup for mutiple computers

Clickfree is introducing today a system that can back up your data from multiple computers using a wireless network.

The company has made it easy to back up data automatically simply by plugging a backup hard disk drive into a computer’s universal serial bus (USB) port. But the new version lets a user back up as many computers as they want — both Windows or Mac — via a wireless connection.

This is the kind of simple and automatic technology that is needed for a tech product to reach the masses. Clickfree is one of those companies that truly gets the meaning of simplification. That’s important because only about 15 percent of computer users currently back up their data.

The Toronto, Canada-based company’s real name is Storage Appliance, but it has started going by Clickfree. The company made the announcement in advance of the Consumer Electronics Show, the tech trade show that takes place this week in Las Vegas.

With the new backup system, called Clickfree Wireless, the backup drive can be placed anywhere in the home or office. Using the company’s Backuplink technology, the system can connect to multiple computers that are connected to the home network. With this system, consumers don’t have to download, install, or configure software. They simply plug the Clickfree device into each computer to perform an initial backup. All the settings will be found and configured, and then backups will be handled automatically over an 802.11n wireless network.

After the initial backup, the Clickfree Wireless device does not need to be hooked up to any computer for it to continue backing up and safeguarding customers’ digital data. It will handle the backups via a connection to your home network’s router.

That means your photos, music, videos and other documents will be easily protected and restored without much hassle if necessary. You can also backup iPods, iPhones and iPads easily.

The 500-gigabyte version will sell for $179, and the 1 terabyte version will sell for $249. The products are available now and systems with more capacity will be available later in the first quarter.

Clickfree raised $30 million to date in three rounds of funding, including a $15 million round last year. Investors include Tandem Expansion. Rivals include Seagate, Western Digital, Hewlett-Packard and Pogoplug.

Clickfree was founded in 2005 and has 100 employees.