Are you an Apple iPhone user and have no idea how to back up your photos, videos and contacts? Or maybe the correct question should be, you do know how to back up but just dislike using iTunes or iCloud because it's complicated and you're wondering if there's another alternative that can backup as well as charge? Well, Sandisk might have the right device for you - the iXpand Base.
Design - Pretty straight forward
The iXpand Base is a pretty simple looking charging pad, inside the box, it comes with the product and a power adapter that charges 15 watts and 3 amps, along with a 6-foot cable attached to it. Unfortunately, you will have to use your own Apple Lightning Cable to charge and back up since it's not provided. The charging pad has a nice soft rubber top and between the top and bottom, there is actually a small space there for your cable, it's called the wrap-around groove and this will surely keep your table tidy from tied up cables.
The top, nice sponge for your iPhone or iPad
The bottom with the USB port there
Then for the back, the microUSB port for the power adapter, a microSD slot for the 128GB Sandisk memory card, and the wrap-around groove
Oh look, instructions lol
How to use it - Easy as walking in a park
Before you start using the iXpand Base, you will need to have the iXpand Base App downloaded on your iPhone first so go to your App Store and get it for free. The app will work with any iPhone or iPad devices as long as it is iOS 10 and above. According to the complete device list over at their website, even the iPod 5th generation works with the device so that's pretty great for those who still have it. You can also back up even if your device is offline.
Here's how the app looks like in the App Store, don't download the wrong one because there are other Sandisk apps too
Once you have it ready, simply register and plug in the Lightning cable then it will start backing up automatically
Took me quite a while to back up 1758 items, like an hour haha. But once you've done so, new items get back up in a snap
Here's how the settings look like, nothing too complicated
Depending on the number of photos, videos and contacts you have, it may actually take a while to back up everything. All these files will be automatically saved into the microSD card and as for the "fast charge" label on the box, it's hard to tell how fast it exactly charges because we don't have the latest iPhone (we aren't willing to sacrifice our limbs or internal organs for it) but we think it should be able to reach 100% in two hours. Using the original Apple charger adapter (29W, 30W, 61W, or 87W) and the USB-C to Lightning cable is definitely faster.
Conclusion - Convenient
Currently, there seem to be three variants in the Malaysia market. The one that you're reading about right now is the 128GB version and it costs RM499. If you don't need that much memory storage, there's the 64GB model for RM348, or the 256GB model for the hungry ones for RM848 in Lazada.my. Then on 11street, it starts with RM339 (64GB), followed by RM479 (128GB) and RM729 (256GB).
Personally, as a former Apple user, the iXpand Base is definitely pretty convenient for those who prefer a quicker way to charge and back up their iPhone or iPad, then retrieving it from the microSD card on their laptops or computer on-the-go. On the other hand, if you're quite tight on budget, it's actually not that hard to use iTunes or iCloud as your back up source, as it can do more to save your songs, apps, podcast, personal information and others as well. So, if you have the money to burn and you couldn't be bothered, then the iXpand Base should be the way to go.
What do you think? Would you want the iXpand Base? Discuss in our Facebook page and stay tuned for more tech reviews at TechNave.com.
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