American Power Conversion's battery backup systems have been staples of computer networks at offices small and large for some time. The handy devices -- some as small as a stereo speaker, others much larger -- not only provide precious extra minutes for computer uses to save their data in the event of a power outage, but they also regulate the electrical currents so that using the microwave in the company lunchroom doesn't fry every server down the hall.
Now that home computer users rely on their machines more than ever, APC has a smaller, more affordable unit just for them, called the Smart-UPS 420VA. What makes it so smart, you ask? Well, when the power goes out, the device automatically kicks in and supplies juice to the connected deviced until the utility company gets things fixed.
After charging the Smart-UPS 420VA for a few hours, I easily attached our test PC and installed the PowerChute software that serves as the interpreter between your computer and the UPS. I was a bit amused to discover that the software uses the 9-pin interface on the back of a PC (normally it goes unused unless you have 1996 joystick) to auto-configure the device.
Once installed, the software monitors how much power a PC consumes, and also keeps tabs on the battery's capacity. I simulated a power outage, and just as I anticipated, the device gave me three minutes to save all my files before it proceeded to safely close all my applications and shut down the PC. By changing the pre-set configuration, it's possible to run a PC for 20 minutes before the automatic shutdown kicks in.
Though the product is made for home PCs, I found the instructions were too lengthy and too complicated for home users.
