Initial release May 9, 2012 Website www.fixmestick.com | Development status Active | |
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Developer(s) FixMeStick Technologies Platform macOS, Microsoft Windows Available in English, French, Dutch, German | ||
The FixMeStick is an external virus-removal device developed by FixMeStick Technologies, a Canadian company based out of Montreal, Quebec. The FixMeStick was released for sale on May 9, 2012. It is currently sold internationally across North America and Europe.
Contents
History
The device was created by software engineers and entrepreneurs Marty Algire and Corey Velan. The FixMeStick was designed as an external bootable device that allows it to remove malware that could not be removed from within an operating system.
At the time of its launch, it was compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, and later added support for 8, 8.1, and 10 when each were released. A Kickstarter campaign was launched on January 15, 2014 to design a FixMeStick for the macOS. The Kickstarter campaign was successful and raised the goal in time, and the first versions were shipped out to backers on June 6, 2014.
Currently the FixMeStick is compatible with all versions of Windows made after and including XP, and with Mac operating systems.
On January 15, 2014, Algire and Velan appeared on CBC Television’s Dragons’ Den. They asked for a CAD$500,000 investment in exchange for a 20% share and each dragon made an offer.
Features
The FixMeStick is a bootable Linux based device that uses malware scanners by Kaspersky, Sophos, and Avira. Since the FixMeStick is a bootable device that runs on its own operating system, it is designed to remove malware that could not be removed from within an operating system and the FixMeStick program is not installed on the computer. The FixMeStick also updates its malware definitions via an internet connection each time it runs a scan.
Reception
The FixMeStick has a 4 out of 5 star rating and has an editor’s rating of “excellent” on PC Magazine. It also holds a 4 out of 5 star user rating on Facebook, 4.5 out of 5 stars on HSN, and 3.8 out of 5 stars with 670 user reviews on Amazon.com.