System for multi-device electronic backup

1 . A method comprising:

initiating a backup operation for a system, where the backup operation is configured to store backup data to a storage device;

determining whether the system is coupled to the storage device; and

storing backup data locally if the system is not coupled to the storage device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the system is re-coupled to the external storage device; and

updating the external storage device with the internally stored backup data.

3 . The method of claim 1 , where storing backup data internally includes storing a full copy of data to be included in the backup.

4 . The method of claim 1 , where storing backup data internally includes storing changed data from a previous backup operation.

5 . The method of claim 1 , where storing backup data includes storing data in as a hierarchical file system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , where initiating the backup operation includes initiating the backup operation according to a schedule.

7 . The method of claim 1 , where initiating the backup operation includes initiating the backup operation according to one or more triggering events.

8 . The method of claim 1 , where updating the external storage device includes copying backup data from the system to the storage device.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing additional incremental backup data locally until re-coupled to the storage device.

10 . The method of claim 1 , where determining whether the system is coupled includes detecting a presence of one or more storage devices.

11 . The method of claim 1 , where determining whether the system is coupled includes receiving a user input indicating that the system is not coupled to a storage device.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a user input to store backup data locally.

13 . The method of claim 1 , where the storage device is external to the system.

14 . The method of claim 1 , where storing the backup data locally includes storing the backup data internally.

15 . A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

initiating a backup operation for a system, where the backup operation is configured to store backup data to a storage device;

determining whether the system is coupled to the storage device; and

storing backup data locally if the system is not coupled to the storage device.

16 . A method comprising:

initiating a backup operation for a system, where the backup operation is configured to store backup data to a storage device;

determining whether the system is coupled to the storage device; and

storing backup data on an alternative storage device if the storage device is unavailable.

17 . A system comprising:

means for initiating a backup operation for a system, where the backup operation is configured to store backup data to a storage device;

means for determining whether the system is coupled to the storage device; and

means for storing backup data locally if the system is not coupled to the storage device.

18 . A method comprising:

disconnecting a device from a first remote storage device;

storing backup data locally while the remote storage device is disconnected;

coupling a second remote storage device to the device; and

syncing the locally stored backup data with backup data stored on the second remote storage device.

19 . The method of claim 18 , where the first and second storage devices are the same storage device.

20 . The method of claim 18 , where syncing includes comparing the locally stored backup data with the backup data stored on the remote storage device and storing changed data from the data stored on the remote storage device.

21 . A method comprising:

providing a device with local storage;

providing a remote storage device, the remote storage device being coupled intermittently with the device;

providing a backup application for storing a state of the device or a state of applications executing on the device;

determining if the device is coupled to the remote storage device;

if the device is coupled to the remote storage device, store data from backup application on the remote storage device;

if the device is not coupled to the remote storage device, store data from the backup application on the local storage.

22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

if the device is re-coupled to the remote storage device, syncing backup data stored on the local storage with backup data stored on the remote storage device.

23 . A method comprising:

defining a criterion for capturing a state of a view of a user interface of a device;

capturing the state of the view in accordance with the criterion;

determining if the device is coupled to a remote storage device;

if the device is coupled to the remote storage device, store the captured state of the view on the remote storage device; and

if the device is not coupled to the remote storage device, store the captured state of the view locally on the device.

24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving a prompt to suspend presentation of a current view and present a captured view; and

reinstating the captured view into the current view of the user interface.