There's nothing like discovering you have a "compromised" card while in line, trying to purchase groceries or gifts. It's both embarrassing and worrisome. The mind may wander, as you begin to wonder what else has been compromised. Not everyone can remember dozens of passwords; some may stick to less than half a dozen. Think about it: you have email accounts, work logins, multiple social network accounts, banking information, wireless accounts, even your CrackBerry account! Perhaps you, yes you, use a single password, the ONE password...to rule them all! Um, actually, that's not the best idea. What you need is a powerful and organized way to manage everything that is for your eyes only.
Marc from Ascendo Inc has been in contact, letting me know about the updates made a little while ago to their password manager, DataVault. You may recognize the name from a review I did back in 2008. To meet with the demand of the customer, Ascendo Inc has worked quite hard to enhance upon an already impressive password manager. That being said, let's take a look what the newest version of Ascendo DataVault has to offer.
About Ascendo DataVault
DataVault was developed and brought to you by Ascendo Inc. The company has also developed other applications including; the money managing Ascendo Money, the shutterbug sidekick Ascendo Photos, blubber busting Ascendo Fitness and the multitasking Ascendo iJuggle. DataVault can work solely as a BlackBerry stand alone application or you can choose to sync it with the DataVault desktop application. DataVault is available for BlackBerrys running OS 4.0 or higher. The file size of the application is 614 kb. The desktop application requires a Windows PC with 5MB of space. So I won't repeat myself too many times, have a look at my previous review to understand the basics of what Ascendo DataVault offers.
lock it down with a password
To ensure that any information is locked up securely, DataVault requires you to create a password upon the initial startup. While this does protect your information, the password can be reset. Please note that by doing so will wipe any previously entered information. The look of DataVault has been updated; it appears smoother and more in line with RIM's current offerings. Though your information is securely locked away, it's the level of organization made available that is the true strength of this application. As with previous versions, DataVault promises to organize your information by category and by type. This makes searching for information much more efficient and much less frustrating. Categories keep your banking information separate from your work logins and passwords. As before, the information you enter can be viewed as a list, or in a tree view. This time around, DataVault's latest update still allows users to expand or collapse individual tree levels or multiple levels simultaneously. You can also decide the default display of the tree view, for example; whether you want it expanded or collapsed upon selecting tree view.
List View
Tree View
This newest version of Ascendo DataVault has added some much needed BlackBerry Storm support. I guess in this case, DataVault's "Roll and Scroll" feature should be renamed "Swipe and Scroll". In my opinion, the list view is definitely made for the Storm, as the wiping is faster than scrolling. In the list view, the application still allows you to view entries and their respective fields in a grid pattern. Scrolling through is slow with other BlackBerry smartphones, making it frustrating to view information. Storm users can also easily alter the size of columns in list view, by sliding the column borders. In order to speed up the input of your private information, the application still offers numerous templates under various categories. If none are to your liking, you can create one of your own.
Manage templates
One feature I really enjoyed was "live links". In other words, any URLs, phone numbers or email addresses I have entered, I can click on and visit the URL, call or send an email. This isn't a new feature for most devices, but with DataVault now having full Storm support, Storm users can benefit from live links as well.
Those who have used DataVault on older devices will remember the ability to assign icons to your entries. While these were a great for easily identifying types of entries, these needed to be updated for newer BlackBerrys (running OS 4.6 or higher). The icons, as well as folder icons, have been expanded to 24 x24 pixels. These look especially vibrant on the Bold and Storm.
Icons!
There have been numerous updates since the last review, but I'm glad to see that they haven't taken anything away, especially the security. Your information is still protected by powerful AES encryption. Emails can still be encrypted and can only be decrypted by a fellow DataVault user. The password generator also continues to help you come up with hard to crack passwords. I mean, how many times can you use your dog's name before someone figures it out? Ascendo has always been known for their highly structured, highly dependable products.
hey, no peeking!
Conclusion
Ascendo Inc continually improves upon its products, and DataVault was definitely not left behind. From major support improvements, to minor tweaks and shortcuts, users new and old will be able to sleep well knowing that their private data is tucked in tighter than they are. I should elaborate and say they are neatly tucked, not rolled up into a ball. The application is incredibly organized. Ascendo DataVault is pricey at $29.95. To figure out if it's the right password manager for you, they do offer a free 30 day trial.
Pros
- Full Storm Support
- AES Encryption
- Maintain a highly organized database
Cons
- Roll and Scroll feature still not smooth for non-touch BlackBerrys
More Info
