Mountain View, California (dpa) - It only takes one experience working on someone else's computer to notice it: it's disconcerting to work without your browser bookmarks and other personal settings. There are several solutions to this problem, using either removable storage media or web-based services.

U3 technology offers one approach to a personalised mobile work environment. It uses a joint software and hardware standard developed by USB stick makers to allow for programs and configurations to be executed directly from a removable storage device.

That means that a user can call up his or her own web browser without storing the program or other data on the hard drive of the computer itself. Storage sticks with the U3 start menu software and a special U3 chip offer functionality like password protection and are not much more expensive than other standard USB sticks.

The Ceedo virtual start menu interface works similarly to U3. It launches as soon as the storage device is connected to the host computer. It allows programs to be started from the flash drive even without administrator rights. The Ceedo costs around 30 dollars and has a tool on board for installing additional programs onto the Flash drive. Software running under Ceedo can be identified by the red frame and the symbol in the corner of the window.

A program is left on the computer to delete all traces of usage once the storage device is removed. That program itself is then later deleted by Windows. Unlike its competitor U3, Ceedo runs on almost any removable storage media, but personal data is not secured through either a password or encryption, reports the internet portal heise mobil in Hanover, Germany.

Password protection but not encryption is also the story with the simulated, adaptable Windows interface MojoPac, for use on external hard drives, USB sticks or even the Apple iPod. In principle the no-cost MojoPac environment can be used to install any Windows applications. Ringcube, a hardware maker, is advertising its ability to tie entire computer and online games into MojoPac, touting its product as a laptop replacement.

"Free yourself from heavy laptops," the Mountain View , California based company boasts.

No matter which approach you take, caution is advised when it comes to storing sensitive data. "Ensure that important data is always stored in encrypted form on the stick, and make regular back-ups of it as well," heise mobile says. Personal data should also only be decrypted, if the host PC is trustworthy.

These solutions all encounter problems, if the owner or administrator of the foreign computer has restricted or barred the use of the USB ports or card readers. Internet-based solutions are then often the best path to accessing your bookmarks. Options of that type include free services like Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer for users of the Firefox browser or Bookkit for users of either Firefox or Internet Explorer. Social bookmarking services like Delicious or Mister Wong can also help find your favourite sites quickly even when not at your desk. (dpa)