Mobiu: Secure Office on a USB Stick

Over the past 8 months, I’ve done a lot of research into setting up a writer’s office on one of those small USB memory sticks.  It’s easy enough to set up one, though It does take some time and effort, and a little bit of expense.  The new Mobiu USB stick offers it all — plus one of the best security solutions I’ve yet run across.

So, just what does it do?  And why would a writer want an office on a stick?

Essentially, these days a USB stick can carry all the software and data files that a writer would ever need.  Just plug it into any Windows computer, and everything pops up for your use.  And, significantly, when you unplug the USB stick, absolutely no trace of your work or activity is left behind on the host computer.  That means, of course, that your work can always be with you — at home, in the office, on the road, on vacation.  All you need is a host computer to plug into.

As appealing as that concept might be, there are natural fears and dangers.  Those little sticks are easy to lose.  I lost one about a month ago.  And they are sometimes subject to theft — my home, sadly, was broken into last week, and one of the items stolen was a USB stick.

There are solutions to these risks.  First, always carry your USB stick in a small neck pouch, never in a pocket.  I broke the rule, to my shame.  Second, never carry critical personal data on a stick.  Third, encrypt your stick, or protect it with a password.  All valid steps, easy to execute.  But still, even I am wary of entrusting my writing life to a USB device.

Mobiu offers an ingenious, though rather pricey solution.

First, the stick has a unique design, with a removable chip, rather like those one puts into a cellphone to personalize your phone service.  This chip, however, is designed to provide encryption and security, both online and in the event of loss or theft.

Second, as I understand it, the Mobiu is essentially a secure gateway to data stored on a secure server somewhere online.  You do your work, and it is stored online for future use.  The stick itself does not necessarily store all the data onboard.  This online storage feature is part of the package you pay for when buying the Mobiu stick.

Third — and I really like this feature — if your Mobiu is lost or stolen, you simply visit the Mobiu data site and change your access code.  Anyone who finds the stick will then, even with the most rigorous effort, have no way to access your data.  Brilliant!

Fourth, the Mobiu comes with some pre-installed software.  The Firefox browser, for one.  But of more interest to the writer, the Mobiu carries the entire SoftMaker Office Suite.  This software package is German-designed and is well known in Europe.  It has a reputation of being fully compatible with Microsoft Office.  I use it often myself, and I have already written a review of the suite’s word processor.

For more information, you can view the Mobiu demo video, which you will conveniently find in the sidebar — or at my VIDEO FOR WRITERS website.  And you can visit the Mobiu homepage.

And to round out the information, here is a press release about Mobiu from the SoftMaker software developer:

Mobiu is a USB stick that lets you safely take your office with you wherever you go.

That means: protected access to all your files, a web browser and a portable version of SoftMaker Office 2008 for Windows, as well as access to shared workspaces with colleagues and clients.

Mobiu employs the same secure “chip and pin” technology that banks use to dramatically reduce online banking fraud in the UK. Should you lose the Mobiu key, your connection to your data is easily recovered with a new Mobiu key (just like replacing your bank card if you lose it), and your lost Mobiu is immediately deactivated so your data remains safe.

As easy as a USB thumb drive, but infinitely more clever, Mobiu offers you and your company tight control over your data and increased productivity when on the road.

If there is sufficient interest in use of a USB for writing expressed in the comments below, I will share what I’ve learned over the months.  I can address the range of word processors available for use on USB, additional tools of interest to writers, security measures to take and much more.

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    Comment by
    tomcolvin
    19 Jan 2009

    Patty, thanks for the information about the SanDisk drive. I'll have to
    check that out. As a MAC user, do you know anything about Storymill? One
    of our readers is asking for feedback.

    Comment by
    Patty
    19 Jan 2009

    That's cool, Tom. I have only had experience with SanDisk's secure USB drive. Same features that you described in the Mobiu, and the secure USB drive supports Mac too. That's perfect for me since I use a mac and cannot afford to compromise my data.

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