Backup is a word we don’t like, mainly because of the fears and pains attached to it. However, the fact is that there are thousands of options available, from hard disks that can plug into your USB port, to those with e-Sata or firewire port, and even some that come attached to your home network. Still, many of us have asked whether this option could be automated, without the clutter of cables and additional power adapters.

Well, Apple, with its keep-it-simple policy and aptitude for innovative design, has found a solution, and it is called the Time Capsule. It is painfully expensive like other Apple products, but is the only good looking, wireless and backup device in the market.

The design is so simple that all you see is a plain white box with the Apple logo—the three Ethernet ports and USB Port are tucked away at the back—never guessing that it is actually a backup device with wireless capabilities. It is a bit too big for a wireless router, but small, sleek and smart for a network-enabled hard disk. There are no buttons, antennae, or switches, just a small LED lamp that stays green if all is good and starts flashing amber if something goes wrong.

This is as simple as things can be.

To setup the device, you need to run an Airport Utility (available both on Windows and the Mac OSX); the wizard mode takes you through most of the settings. But it seems Apple has done something wrong, for every change needs a reboot of the device. So if you were sharing your Internet connection through it, all your PCs get disconnected during the reboot.

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