Remotely connecting two computers is still a pretty big pain. It usually requires two parties jumping through a bunch of hoops to get things working. This includes each computer having the same software, using various passwords, and waiting on a connection. iTwin, a new startup launching today at TechCrunch50 aims to make the process entirely plug and play.
iTwin takes the idea of remote connection and transfers it to hardware. A simple two-part USB drive allows one user to plug it in to one computer and then snap off and hand the second part to someone else with another computer. They will then have instant access to the other computer. It’s as if there was a hard line cable connecting two computers anywhere in the world, but there is no cable, just the USB drives and the Internet. As iTwin puts it, they’re the “cable-less cable.”
The idea came to the team when they realized that remote access to a second computer was simply too complicated for most users. Everyone gets how to use USB drives, but those simply either don’t have enough storage to share an entire other computer’s hard drive, or are not secure enough (you could lose the drive, etc). So iTwin combines the two technologies.
This is a product totally designed for the mass market, not the techies, though they’re obviously welcome to buy and use it as well, iTwin notes. Next year, some 200 million flash drives are expected to be sold, that’s the market iTwin is looking at.
The plan is to launch iTwin in the first half of 2010 for $99. CEO Lux Anatharaman and COO Kal Takru presented the company today. They are based in Singapore.
Expert Panel Q&A (paraphrased)
The experts: Don Dodge, Yossi Vardi, Ron Conway, George Zachary, and Jason Hirschhorn.
Q: Security is a big concern.
LA: Everything is encrypted.
Q: What happens when I lose the other half?
LA:You just pull out your half and your data is safe.
Q: How many people are in the company?
LA: Two of us and three engineers.
Q: Does this kill remote desktop?
LA: It certainly could.
Q: How much does this cost?
LA: Eventually if we make enough of these it will be super cheap to make. We will distrupt portable storage.
Q: What distribution channels?
KT: We will initially sell it online through our own web store. The initial launch with be in Singapore, in 6 months in U.S. and Europe.
Q: File sync is a big problem. How do you compete with what Microsoft is doing with Live Mesh, with its free offering.
LA: Uploading a terabyte to the cloud is still too time consuming and expensive. This is a two-person device to give people a very easy and tangible way to save something.
Q: Would you take another meeting with them?
DD: Pass
YV: Pass
RC: I’m software too but I would consider
GZ: I would take another meeting
JH: Cool technology but retail is tough.
Video
Other Coverage:
TC50: iTwin allows encrypted, cableless file-sharing VentureBeat.
iTwin allows for easy file-sharing CoolestGadgets.
iTwin lets you share files over the internet Engadget.
iTwin Wireless USB Networking Device TFTS.
The iTwin lets you transfer files over the internet with ease, if you don’t already know how to do so Geek.com
Use iTwin USB To Share Data Between PCs Wirelessly, Share Data Overseas! TechnologyNerd.
this is definitely something i’ll use.
Nice! ++
Not sure, if this makes sense. what if one part gets stolen?
Physical security is one of the major concern in such small USB devices.
Second important part, what if some one removes it from one pc and puts up on to another pc that has been setup to leach? all the security that they are promising is just gone in a instant.
i would still prefer a Client/Server based AES encrypted sessions instead of plugging on some thing that can be easily removed.
Not sure, if this makes sense. what if one part gets stolen?
Physical security is one of the major concern in such small USB devices.
Second important part, what if some one removes it from one pc and puts up on to another pc that has been setup to leach? all the security that they are promising is just gone in a instant.
i would still prefer a Client/Server based AES encrypted sessions instead of plugging on some thing that can be easily removed.
like the gentleman said, its as easy as unplugging the device for security,
BUT, i would go so far as to say that from computer A, you cannot access the hard drive on computer B. only the files that were put into your ITwin folder.
looks pretty neat and i would certainly be interested in picking one up. alot of future possibilities with a program such as this.
An Innovative idea! Even now connecting two computers is still a pretty big pain and takes more time.But iTwin a new startup aims to make the process entirely plug and play which takes the idea of remote connection and transfers it to hardware.Normally there is a hard line cable connecting two computers anywhere in the world, but there is no cable, just the USB drives and the Internet in iTwin which is quite interesting.
use GigaTribe instead!!
GigaTribe is the best way to share large file
gigatribe.com
Cool beans! Last week I tried connecting two computers via IP address since they were in the same network! But this is something cool.
Interesting, but not scalable, unless they created a peer swarm with all machines having these plugs, with appropriate security/closed networks.
What do you mean by not scalable? Why does it have to scale beyond 2 users? Isn’t this for me and mom (for example) to share stuff because it’d be super easy to do so this way?
I think Windows/Mac makes this easy enough – If Samba were better designed, that would be cool.
Anyway, everyone, including my mom, has a geek within a phone call away to help debug stuff:)
-1
+1
Yes, this looks very interesting.
But, can we please all stop with the iThing?! It’s lame and kinda getting on everybody’s nerves, I guess…
I like this idea but what’s the point of having the USB key? Presumably it’s to hold the software, and maybe a certificate, but why couldn’t you just download it?
Don Dodge really sounds clueless here and he’s a judge?
He’s like Oh Microsoft has this sync software blah blah.
The POINT of iTwin is that you don’t need to configure and install software.
I don’t think its meant to be a “synchronization software”… its probably more for a case where you have a clueless girlfriend and you want to give her a file that is too large to upload.
You give her the other pair, the plugs it in.. and wullah. The gf isn’t going to log on to some MS “cloud service” and learn how to sync her drive to yours.
Don really has his head in the sand on this.
Chip, If all you wanted to do was share a file with a friend, why would you need this? There are lots of easy ways to do this.A simple USB memory stick, email attachment, IM file transfer, etc.
Microsoft Live Mesh shares files with friends, and keeps changes synchronized, automatically, with no effort. And…its free. It is really simple. No big software installation, etc.
You are right…I don’t get it.
Don.. apologies for being a little mean spirited.
I can’t put it another way. Say someone brings a laptop to your home and wants to copy a bunch of files.
You have a few options:
1) Turn on windows networking, find each other’s computers (which can sometimes take a WHILE) and set the proper file sharing permissions.
2) Use Live Mesh, which requires at least *some* setup (come on, its not magic). You need to at least sign up, log in, etc.
3) Plug two USB devices into the USB port.
I can see Live Mesh being useful for someone wanting to work on multiple PCs/devices…. but for ad-hoc connections, this can’t be beat.
Its almost like connecting a USB cable to both computers… which unfortunately… USB doesn’t work like that
Let me add that the files are too large for a USB key… which I’ll admit is a stretch these days.
The market for this thing is for people who don’t know how to download stuff…like your mom!
The point of the physical key? Convenience!
Do you actually want your girlfriend to log onto Yahoo!
Click on a software download link.
Decide if her PC is running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
Download the software.
Remember which folder she downloaded the software to.
Install the downloaded software.
Enter the user account or key to pair with your remote PC.
OR……
Plug in the physical USB unit?
I use TeamViewer, its free!
TeamViewer is NOT entirely free.
This is pretty cool. Too bad the judges didn’t like it that much.
Love the MS dweeb…”it competes with us so I don’t see a market for it.”
I see this a as a big issue from a business perspective. way too easy to take info off of a corporate network and save it to an off site personal computer. I see this as an IT nightmare. looks like another port I have to block…
Screw your blocking…information wants to be free…Fire the morons that share what they are not supposta…Stop trying to use tech to fix stupid.
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Interesting product, but bad presentation. Why the hat?
Sounds like some neat technology but I wonder if it would be better through firewire instead of USB. It would definitely be quicker but less people have a card for firewire.
Brilliant and truly innovative. This is a godsend to non-geeks in a way many geeks might find hard to understand.
In the home, imagine easy and simple file-sharing between daddy’s laptop and mummy’s desktop. In the office, 2 team members easily sharing files in real time. And it’s a dead easy way to back up files too.
There is scope, though, for a one-to-many option. And 100% cloud computing will kill the idea of locally saved files anyway. But in the meantime, very impressive. The best applications are those which will solve ordinary peoples’ problems.
http://www.amusis.com
100% cloud computing is a joke – there are a lot of reasons I will always keep files local.
I don’t see how this is a great idea. If you are using the USB key to transfer files, …… why not just put the files on a usb key? You still have to physically give the key to someone to use it. Is it for a real time connection so you can constantly keep the link open to transfer files? If so, a $100 price point for that is way too much when you already have free services that do this. So what if you have to install something? It’s still a lot easier to do than to justify a $100 cost to do it. Look at Dropbox, http://bit.ly/15OhGK , easy to use, and free. Works great too.
I don’t see this being a backup solution since you would have to have two computers. Most people don’t have a remote computer somewhere that’s theirs. They usually have it in the same house. If its in the same house its a lot easier to transfer files using an actual USB drive.
If i had the option of uploading it to the cloud and then sending my mum a direct link to the shared file/folder vs. paying $99 for some kind of usb dongle and then having to travel across the country to give one half to her (or post it to her)…. I know which one would cause us both least hassle.
Wow! If some people (VC people) are actually considering this idea (maybe it was just $20), and if some people are actually writing a post and a comment about it (@parislemon and @arrington), and if this idea actually beat 950 others (@arrington’s post about “a free diner”) and got to the finals of TC50, i can say merely one thing : WOW!
On the other hand, Mint.com was the finalist of TC50, and rounded lots of money, so iTwin and Mint.com are “alike”, from the point of brilliance. Just like both Lady Gaga and Vivaldi “are” in the music business.
I thought the guys pushing investors and bloggers (even breaking and entering) were d..kheads, but i can’t blame them now. Maybe their ideas are even worse, which would mean that there is no chance to make Silicon Valley survive, due to insufficent level of minds.
This comment was a bit longer and more political, but i edited it, since it will probably just disappear in the crowd.
Every heard of Dropbox? Works better than this….
Looks pretty damn cool to me. Large file sharing is definitely a pain in the ass. Seems like it could have great applications in education, especially in group project settings.
Using a $15 8Mb USB stick gets the file transfer done also.
Thus their target price is $20 and the use needs to be very convenient.
I definitely prefer use GigaTribe, why use USB??
GigaTribe is free, secured, and beautiful. See GigaTribe 3 tomorrow!!
gigatribe.com
I guess the assumption is that both computers have to be on the network. What if one of them is behind firewall/proxy? Would it still work?
it will work between any two computers connected irrespective of whether one or both of them r behind firewall or not.
Best part of this idea is that brain dead setup and out of sight and mind ux.
Pogoplug is in this space as well, and its also at the 99 dollar price point- its offer is more robust, but involves more setup etc.
I would definitely use itwin for specific needs in sharing files dead simply with teams.
good god..
I couldn’t believe what these “judges” didn’t understand what kind of market this itwin was going for. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry because Ron kept asking if they have distribution. Of course they don’t have any yet! thats why they’re trying to find funding/backing to get distribution! duuuhhh!
It just goes to show you that even if someone is labeled an “expert”, its only within their defined field, even if it is within the upper umbrella of technology.
I also find it funny that Don said if they’ve ever heard of MS live mesh. I’m a tech guy and i barely know what that is. Ask my mom or my family what that is and they wouldn’t even know where to begin. I guess he is has a skewed view because he works at MS.
Sorry Don, but you guys haven’t solved the problem.
Good problem – bad solution
I see iTwin as a Facebook for hardware devices. It is a fundamental platform to connect hardware devices. Then, on top nof this fundamental platform, developers can build all kinds of applications to facilitate communication between hardware devices.
Although there are software based approaches to share and transfer files, many people in the world still prefer to use thumbdrives to access and transfer files. With iTwin, we no longer need a browser to access a website, remember and type in password. We don’t need to consider browser compatibility when accessing a website. iTwin is a brainless solution to file access and transfer. It moves authentication to the next level. With iTwin, it is physical bodies authenticating with physical bodies, just like fingerprint authentication. iTwin reduces authentication by one step, which is remembering and typing passwords.
I think the target market for iTwin might not be the small minority who are extremely tech savvy. It is the majority of the world who are not so tech savvy and who would prefer to have a convenient sloution to access and transfer files.
The pain in this age is not that of carrying an additonal small device to access files. The pain is “thinking” when you already haev so much to “think” about your daily activities. iTwin provides a mindless solution to that problem.
I see iTwin as a Facebook for hardware devices. It is a fundamental platform to connect hardware devices. Then, on top nof this fundamental platform, developers can build all kinds of applications to facilitate communication between hardware devices.
Although there are software based approaches to share and transfer files, many people in the world still prefer to use thumbdrives to access and transfer files. With iTwin, we no longer need a browser to access a website, remember and type in password. We don’t need to consider browser compatibility when accessing a website. iTwin is a brainless solution to file access and transfer. It moves authentication to the next level. With iTwin, it is physical bodies authenticating with physical bodies, just like fingerprint authentication. iTwin reduces authentication by one step, which is remembering and typing passwords.
I think the target market for iTwin might not be the small minority who are extremely tech savvy. It is the majority of the world who are not so tech savvy and who would prefer to have a convenient sloution to access and transfer files.
The pain in this age is not that of carrying an additonal small device to access files. The pain is “thinking” when you already haev so much to “think” about your daily activities. iTwin provides a mindless solution to that problem.
This is info about remote computer troubleshooting is good one of the computer services, more about computer help and support just visit once
Don Dodge said it best, I’d pass too. I’ve got enough usb drives laying around from 500 mb to an 8gig Kingston drive. Why not just hand one off to whoever i want to give files to?? If your in london then i’ll refer you one of the million file transfer sites. duh. Everyday people will not want this. I’m one of them.
The fact is that this file transfer method is more secure than other online file transfer sites. You basically have your own encrypted channel on which to transfer data. The fact that there is no need for a username or password is a plus.