TechWatch: Pocomail; Clipdrive; Migo

Portable e-mail software
Tired of Outlook Express and all its viruses and vulnerabilities? Or the huge bloat of Outlook just to read your messages? Want an e-mail client that can easily fit all your mail in a few megabytes so you can carry it around with you on a USB keychain drive without having to lug the rest of your computer? Then take a look at Pocomail PE, an inexpensive Windows e-mail client that has been out for many years and just keeps getting better and better. Despite its stingy size, it comes packed with features, including filters, support for IMAP servers and the ability to download headers to preview messages. There are also instructions for using a variety of portable storage devices, such as iPods, zip disks and USB drives, for holding your e-mail. You can download a free trial version at the site; the setup time is about three minutes. This is one of those software programs that's both wide and deep. I'm giving this gem a two thumbs-up.
Pocomail PE, www.pocomailpe.com Price: $39.95

Portable secure keychain disk
Another variation on the keychain disk combines an up-to-2-GB drive with a fingerprint scanner. The ClipDrive BIO sounds almost James Bondish, but unfortunately turns out to be more like Austin Powers. In my tests on old and new machines and laptops, the installation was vexing and only worked on one out of five PCs. In addition, the gizmo requires several different drivers to see both the protected and unprotected partitions on the drive, although a nice plus is that you can allocate space between the two on the fly. In addition to drivers, you also need to install special software to run the finger scanner. While the storage is impressive, the better bet is to get one of the less sophisticated keychain drives that doesn't need as much software support to work.
ClipDrive BIO, www.clipdrive.com Price: $973 for 2 GB (other models available for less)

Portable e-mail hardware
If you want portability with Outlook and to routinely move back and forth between two PCs, Forward Solutions' Migo is an intriguing idea. It looks like an ordinary USB keychain drive, but contains specialized synchronization software that will save your Outlook mail, calendar and contact files, and the state of your Windows desktop. The trouble is, this software is poorly implemented. Maybe it is just me: Other reviewers have raved about it, but I had a hard time trusting the device to really keep my e-mail in synch, and the user interface isn't as intuitive as it could be when moving back and forth between machines. A far better solution would be to free yourself from Outlook entirely. Buy an ordinary USB drive and use Pocomail (reviewed above).
Migo, www.4migo.com Price: $199.95 for 256-MB drive

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