New Product Review: Take Personal Pocket Safe

While moving recently, I had to sort through piles of bills, documents and records that were housed in a clunky, old file cabinet. Some of this paperwork went back years, and I had to review every page to try and figure out what was relevant and what was not. Ultimately, the whole experience led me to believe I need a better method of organization.

Then, a couple weeks ago, InventHelp’s Invention & Technology News published an article about an invention called the Tâke Personal Pocket Safe. For those who missed the article, the Tâke Personal Pocket Safe is a small flash drive that requires an external password (a feature I believe every flash drive should have) and includes its own information-storage software. While our article certainly painted the Pocket Safe in a favorable light, a PR rep for the company was quick to note the device has a number of benefits beyond storing web usernames and passwords (the aspect of the invention we focused on). She even provided a sample product so I could check it out for myself. So I did...

A small instruction booklet explains to users in a few quick steps how to set the PIN Code and activate the device. From there, you simply plug it into a computer’s USB drive and the software opens. Though a voice guides users through setup, the software is basically intuitive. Icons are listed down the left side of the screen for different information categories (e.g., financial accounts, credit cards, website logins, vehicle records, insurance policies, real estate, etc.) and when a user clicks on an icon, information fields appear to the right. As the user enters info, the Pocket Safe saves it automatically, so there’s no chance of losing data. Individuals also can attach files to accounts (such as scanned copies of insurance policies, vehicle information, product warranties, tax records, etc.), and an additional “miscellaneous” section allows for attachment of anything else (like secret photos or a copy of your latest novel). The company claims the device can keep “70 years of bills and bank statements, health records, and scanned copies of important documents”, so there should be more than enough memory for the average user.

Immediately after using the safe for the first time, I wished I’d had it when I moved. All those questionable papers that made me wonder should I keep this or toss this? is this a necessity? could have been easily scanned and saved in the Pocket Safe right alongside their corresponding accounts - allowing me to get rid of excess paper and still breathe easy. In the week since I started using the Pocket Safe, I’ve reduced my paper records to a single folder. And, along with decreasing paper clutter, there is also an eco benefit to using the Pocket Safe. Individuals who like to hold on to their monthly statements (bank statements, credit card bills) can opt to receive paperless versions and save them in the Pocket Safe. While organizing account information is usually a grueling task, the Tâke makes it easy. No more sifting through papers or folders to find a particular document; with the Pocket Safe, you can access any record in a couple clicks.

Of course, many people will still worry about placing so much personal information in one place. I must admit, I myself was a bit nervous at first (despite the extremely unsecure file cabinet I had it all in before). But, assuming individuals keep their PIN codes to themselves, the Safe is a tough nut to crack. The company estimates it would take a person ten years, working 24 hours day and 7 days a week, to randomly guess a code. And if someone tries to smash open the casing, all information automatically deletes. Now, you’re probably thinking: but the information would still be lost. But Tâke has an answer for that too: online backup. The Never Lost backup service is free for 60 days and then $19.95 for a 12-month subscription. Another option I thought of is to buy another Tâke Personal safe as a backup and keep it in another area - like at the office or in a safety deposit box (you know you live in unsecure times when you dream up ways to backup your backup). Granted, I don’t work for the CIA or anything, but I felt secure enough with the Pocket Safe to make it a mainstay in my record keeping.

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