With Windows network file/folder sharing being as difficult as it is to set up and get working, this might actually be pretty useful as an alternative. Especially if you’re trying to transfer files between two different Windows versions. Even XP Home to Professional can be a nightmare with Windows networking alone.
As for the software though, free open-source titles are available that do the same thing. See http://www.heidi.ie/node/6.
macs use firewire. you can also do this with a crossover cable.
Heck yeah, especially if they both have Gigabit Ethernet, which would completely outrun USB 2.0.
MAC USERS: Before you ask “Will this work with a Mac?” please consider that you probably don’t have to care. Most recent Macs have Gigabit Ethernet and also, auto-sensing Ethernet ports, which means that contrary to earlier posts you do not need a crossover cable…just grab any Cat5 cable or better, plug it into both Macs, and transfer files at speeds significantly faster than FireWire 400, FireWire 800, or USB.
“Whooooooosshhhh” - Tornado Style
WTF? Ethernet is faster, and even wifi G is rated at double that speed. A lot easier to transfer files over the network too.
Nope. A USB cable has 2 different ends on it, the PC side and the device side. The tornado has 2x PC sides.
I bought one of these before. Transfer rate is pretty fast but there is a 4GB file size limitation. This loads in your PC as a CD rom drive so any files larger than 4 GB it will not transfer. I would pay $10 for it, not at this price.
Theoretical maxes. Actual values are smaller and dependent on things like your hard drive. 100Mbs isn’t 10 times slower than 1Gbs.
HEY!! Finally something I actually own! When these first came out they were around $70, but I finally snagged one at Staples last year for $40. I’ve gotten a lot of use out of this thing, transferring files between my laptop and desktop. Great product, and for $25 I highly recommend it…
Firewire? Not with the new MacBooks… 
Shame you thought $40 was a good deal when you could do this with a $5 crossover cable or your existing router.
And you can do the PC Eraser part with DBAN … also free.
I bought one of this at Christmastime, and it is AWESOME! And this is a great price (I paid the same, luckily for me, and have had it for 3 months of transferring bliss). simple to use and simple to store. Great product. Buy it, you’ll like it!
I’m not sure about Vista but it is pretty easy to transfer data with Ethernet in XP. Just hook the two computers together, and if sharing is enabled in Windows, you can find the other computer in My Network Places. Each computer will have a default Shared Folder that you can drag-and-drop files to. Sharing is easy to enable too, just one click for that.
Vista doesn’t have ‘simple’ file sharing like XP did, I found it impossible to transfer my music library off of it through a normal network. Would this bypass that?
Tornado is an Alleged Auto Fuel Saver:
http://www.tornadofuel-saver.com/?gclid=CNnssfOgs5kCFQEoGgodTT8a7g
No software needed or USB
Woot, you amaze me with this writeup, simply the best, although It does scare me away from purchasing this product. I would like very much so for my family not to be injured whilst transferring files.
Average home users have a router set up to split an internet connection, but don’t have an actual file sharing network set up. They’re two different things, at least software-wise. You can’t automatically transfer files between computers just cause they’re connected to a router. It can be a hassle to set that up correctly, especially with different Windows version. Windows security is a little retarded when it comes to network sharing.
Was “Eraser” really a good name choice for software that is supposed to copy and/or backup data?
Most of the people posting here are so asinine. Can’t you people see the forest for the trees? Are there other ways to do this? Yes. The point is, however, that like with many computer products this product is designed to make things simple and also to make complex tasks attainable for someone with a beginner’s or intermediate level of computer knowledge. Most of these responses presuppose that everyone has a dearth of computer knowledge when the fact is most people don’t.