There are a number of different portable hard drives on the market today, and we here at GadgetReview are certainly no strangers to them or their usefulness.  I recently reviewed a model that made its own WiFi network to transmit data to your mobile devices, and while it was a nice feature, the drive was ultimately hampered by it because it would kill your ability to use any internet, and the transfer speeds left much to be desired.  Hitachi’s offering into the world of ultra portable hard drives has no WiFi feature, and ends up not missing anything because of it.

The Touro external hard drives are pretty nice to look at – while Seagate drives have sharp corners, and angles to draw attention to them, the Hitachi Touro brand seems more focused on rounded edges to make it look as though the drive is flowing better.  It might seem something silly to comment on, but on a desk full of hard corners, the round edges really stood out as something different.  While that doesn’t affect performance, it does affect your ability to just drop this drive in your pocket and go.  I’ve tried to do that exact thing with some other so called portable drives, and have ended up jabbing my upper leg more times than I can count.  Not so with the Touro Mobile Pro.

In fact, the Touro Mobile Pro really looks like a large iPhone 4 – black plastic on the top and bottom, with a band of metal around the center (no lens for a camera though, or home button…. or touch screen….. okay, maybe it’s not completely like an iPhone 4, but it is damn well close).  One think about the Touro’s case (and really any gloss black case) is that it sucks up your fingerprints.  I resorted to only grabbing it by the metal band, because I got tired of having to clean my own smudges off of it – I’m a little OCD like that.

Fortunately, this drive isn’t all just eye candy.  Sporting a platter that spins at 7,200 rpms, the Hitachi Touro Mobile Pro is a zippy little thing with good performance.  Couple that with the fact that it connects via USB 3.0, and you have a drive ready to transfer things to and from itself at speeds bordering ridiculous.  The drive is noticeably missing both FireWire and eSATA connections however, and while you can get special “bottom” pieces for those connectors on the Seagate model I reviewed, you can’t do that on the Touro Mobile Pro.  While thise connections aren’t super important to most people, the ones that do want to use them must turn elsewhere.

Another issue is that the Touro Mobile Pro only comes with a max of 750 GB of storage (there is a 500 GB model available as well).  I think Hitachi realized that this is a relatively small amount (I remember when I thought 1 GB was huge – how times have changed), and included 3 GB of cloud storage free with every drive.  While it may not be the absolute best solution to the issue, it’s at least something extra on top – and who doesn’t like getting extra when they buy something?  The drive can also be used on a Windows based PC, or on a Mac – however you’ll need to reformat it for a Mac as it is already set up for the NTFS system.  The drive also comes with a pre-loaded backup software that works well enough, but I think every other external hard drive I’ve reviewed comes with some sort of backup software – although to be fair “Hitachi Backup” does work better than some others.

Editor’s Rating:

4 out of 5 stars

Great

The Bottom Line:  The Touro Mobile Pro external hard drive from Hitachi is a fine solution if you need to take some files with you from place to place, and while it has less connection options than its competitors it also has a lessened price tag, which makes it a good trade off.

Pros:

• Rounded edges mean that you won’t hurt yourself leaving it in your pocket
• 7,200 RPM platter is nice and fast for a drive of this kind
• The included backup software really works nicely, and could become your backup planner of choice

Cons:

• The distinct lack of a FireWire or eSATA connector is very noticeable when you’re used to them being there
• A maximum of 750 GB of storage isn’t super small, but it is smaller than the competition
• I would honestly have preferred a matte finish because I’m so OCD about fingerprints on my stuff

You can pick up the 500 GB version of the Touro Mobile Pro from Amazon for $89.99 or the 750 GB model from Amazon for $99.99

 3.5 out of 5 stars

Hard drives, while a necessity, aren’t exactly a product that warrants much fervored discussion.  However, Segate’s latest GoFlex Satellite hard drive is a new breed of storage thanks to built-in WiFi and a battery, and it’s, well, kind of exciting.

The Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage, model STBF500101, can store up to 500GB of data, and while it is geared largely towards iPad users, it can be used by any tablet, laptop or computer with a built-in WiFi or USB connection.

Design

Recessed power button adds a nice touch – click to enlarge

The enclosure of the drive is all plastic, so it’s not the sleekest or most svelte of drives that I’ve seen from Seagate, but that’s a caveat I’m willing to accept given the unique feature set.

Two small LED lights adorn the face of the drive indicating wireless status and remaining battery power.  A recessed power button is embedded on the edge of the drive and sits adjacent to the LED lights.  On the opposite side is a 5V DC port, which unfortunately is not mini or micro-USB.  Nonetheless, Seagate has provide not only a USB wall wart for charging the internal battery, but an unusually handy and small car adapter that isn’t any larger than a mini Bic lighter.

Much like all of Seagate GoFlex line of hard drives, there is a proprietary port that is covered by a small plastic flap.  Remove it and you can plug in the included USB 3.0 cable.  The cover is small and black, so I could see myself easily losing it in the depths of my bag.

Battery and connectivity status LED lights – click to enlarge

The internals of the drive have been designed to be extra rugged.  Drop it or give the drive a sudden jolt while the spindle is rotating and it will automatically lock into place to prevent any damage to your data. However, I’m not sure I can say the same for the plastic casing.

Accessing the drive takes about 45-60 seconds, but once connected it is as simple as opening your web browser and punching in any URL; by default your browser will redirect to the drive’s built-in menu system.  If you’re accessing the drive from an iOS device, you can use the aforementioned method or download the accompanying app from the iTunes store.  Both are a mirror images of one and other, though the app is useful since in theory it speeds things up a bit for an iOS device since it doesn’t have to waste seconds downloading additional data.  On the other hand you can upload a file to the drive when accessing it from a computer, something not available in the iOS app.  Simply navigate to “folder view” where upon an upload button will appear.

A variety of tabs divide up the drive’s content by type.  So if it’s an MP3 files it will be listed under “music”, if a MOV file then under “videos” and so forth.    Unfortunately, the drive’s firmware hasn’t been designed to catalogue files and more importantly music using the embeded MP3 ID3 tags. As a result you’ll have to manually search and painstakingly crawl through you library to locate a track, though there is a search feature.  In other words, you can’t sort by artist, song title, time or any other info, which is what makes iTunes so useful.  Furthermore, this storage device, when connected wirelessly, doesn’t behave like a ‘host USB’ device, so you won’t be able to access the stored files from the iTunes application. Ultimately, this seriously diminishes the drive’s usability for the sake of taking your music on the go.  But Seagate’s intention is market this drive to those who are looking to the watch movies while in the car or on a plane.  So by the very nature of the movie files, which are generally speaking large in size, there will be less of them, so sorting and finding what you’re looking for shouldn’t be such an endeavor.  So to summarize the drive’s UI and app, while intuitive, is anything BUT analogous to that of the native iTunes apps for the iPhone or iPad.

Update: Seagate reached out and said they’re planning to launch a new firmware update on 10/16 which will address some of the sorting and UI concerns that I’ve stated above.  Expect an update around this time.

On a separate note, the iOS app will open files stored in an iTunes folder in the iOS browser, while other files, located I suppose else where, are opened directly in the app.  I’m not sure what the logic is here, but I can only presume that this has something to do with an Apple stipulation.

Connectivity

Seagate GoFlex interface – click to enlarge

Plug the Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage in via USB and it behaves like a standard hard drive.  However, it is formatted for PCs, so you’ll need to install the included Paragon software to make it Mac compatible for writing contents to its memory.  Seagate was quick to point out that this is a $50 piece of software that they’re including for “free”.

Connecting to the drive wirelessly, although not entirely unorthodox might take a bit more patience than you’re generally accustom to.  First you must find the drive’s SSID in your WiFi menu.  Once you’ve forged a connection you won’t be able to access the drive’s contents and surf the net simultaneously; it’s one or the other, though Seagate says they’re working on a firmware update that might negate this shortcoming.  If you’d like, you can add a WEP security pass code to the drive, much like a router, so your neighbor can’t login and steal your data.

I did have a few issues connecting directly with the drive wirelessly. However, I should point out that you need to be patient.  The drive takes about 30 seconds to appears in your computer or iPad’s WiFi list and another 30-45 seconds to form a connection.  In terms of connectivity, the drive froze on me a few times requiring me to power cycle it.  When the LED battery light glowed red this issue seemed to be a more prevalent, but perhaps the battery was almost dead and didn’t have enough juice to stream a movie or form a connection, despite emitting a wireless signal and SSID.

When testing the drive at my local Starbucks, I was able to make an initial connection, but after a few minutes, once my iPhone locked and the display turned off, the connection to the drive was lost requiring me to return to my iPhone’s settings menu, reinput the WEP code, and relaunch (as in close the background process) the Seagate accompanying app.  So fair to say that making and maintaining a connection, especially after adding a WEP security code, is a laborious task.  This is complete conjecture on my behalf, but the connectivity issues largely erose after adding the WEP security code.

Update: A recently issued Firmware update seems to have improved the drive’s overall connectivity. It now connects faster and maintains a connection with my iPhone or iPad despite it locking.

Connecting to the drive using a laptop or computer is a slightly different experience than an iOS device.  While you can stream movies directly from the wireless hard drive on an iOS handset, I was forced to download them to my computer’s local storage before I could use them.  Unfortunately, mid way through my testing, I was unable to access the drive using my laptop’s browser despite connecting to the drive’s WiFi signal.

Update: I managed to find a work around, which is to punch in the “router’s” IP address: 192.168.0.1.  Unfortunately, using this method I wasn’t able to view or download .m4v files, although .mov files played in the browser.  I’m still trying to figure out a better resolve, if any exists.

Performance

5V DC port – click to enlarge

The battery on the GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage is designed to last for up to 5 hours.  Expect to get about 25 hours on standby mode, which means the drive won’t be spinning, but will be available if you decide to connect to it.  If the battery status LED light glows green it is fully charged or has more than 50 minutes of juice left. Once it glows red the drive’s battery needs to be recharged.  I would have preferred if Seagate added another LED color to indicate a wider range of charge remaining as 5 hours and 51 minutes is a pretty large gray area.  During my testing I can say that this battery life isn’t quite on par and it seems to be questionable as to when the drive enters standby mode.  During one day of testing, after a full over night charge, the red LED light turned on after little to no use of the drive, although it had been in “standby mode” for 6 hours.

In terms of playback performance and usability I had a few issues when initially testing the drive.  Playback was a bit spotty when streaming my first movie, “True Legend,” but has ceased to be a problem since.  The drive’s refresh between menus aren’t exactly what I’d call speedy and you’ll need to be a bit patient when accessing content compared to the speed of natively stored files on the iPhone, iPad or laptop.  Despite my initial streaming issues I was able to “scrub” through a movie’s time line with little to no delay with image and audio appearing almost instantly.

Up to 3 devices can access the drive simultaneously.  That, in my opinion, is a feat in and upon itself.  But the buck doesn’t stop there.  Those same devices can stream an HD movie simultaneously.  And not just the same movie, different movies. I tested this feature on two iOS devices and the speed and quality at which the content played back was seamless, almost to the point where anyone none the wiser wouldn’t believe it was being drawn from the same wireless source.

Conclusion

We’ll probably never see a day when the iPad and iPhone can store 500GB of data.  Not because it isn’t plausible, but because the storage landscape is rapidly shifting to the cloud, negating the need for large amounts of local storage.  Pair that with 4G networks which can deliver theoretical download speed of up to 50mbps, and mass local storage for portable devices is all but needed.  Netflix is a perfect example of this shift as is Spotify (amongst others). But nonetheless, all of the aforementioned technologies have yet to to mature to the point where it negates a device such as Seagate’s wireless hard drive.

As a result Seagate’s GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage solution is a excellent product for families and friends that are traveling together and want to be able to share their media.  However, the firmware or software leaves something to be desired, at least for now.  They’ve been listening to their customers and have plans to continue to issue updates that will improve and streamline its UI.  In fact, Seagate will launch the next Firmware update 10/16 which will address many of the shortcomings I unearthed during my testing.

Bottom line: It’s a stellar wired hard drive that happens to boast a wireless connection when you need it. So the way I see it, it’s all gravy, though you’ll pay a premium for that sauce.

The Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage can be purchased from Amazon and a variety of retails for starting at $179.

Pros:

• Wirelessly streams up to 3 HD movies simultaneously
• Can be used as a normal 500GB hard drive to store contents
• Rechargeable battery includes a tiny car adapter

Cons:

• Cannot simultaneously connect to the net and the hard drive
• Can’t access stored content wirelessly from a native iOS apps such as iTunes; won’t behave like a USB host device
• Battery life is questionable

123►

4 out of 5 stars

With everyone and their mother having smartphones and tablets now-a-days, portable storage is a big thing.  Normally you would facilitate extra storage for your device by slapping a memory card into it, however unless your device can handle an SDXC card (and no tablets or smartphones can yet), then you’re limited to 32GB.  What if you wanted something more – something more substantial?  Enter the Seagate GoFlex Satellite 500GB ultra portable hard drive.

The concept behind the Seagate GoFlex Satellite hard drive is an interesting one – make a pocket-sized hard drive that can easily be accessed from any mobile device at any time.  Think about the possibilities here – you can store whole movies or a load of music without having to worry about running out of room, and just stream them when you need them.  You can even download things from the hard drive straight to your device – just in case you would ever need to (in case you didn’t feel like carrying it but needed something off of it).  It does all of this by creating it’s own WiFi network which you then connect to from your various devices.  In concept it’s a really great idea, in practice though it does fall short at times.

One of the ways that it falls short, is that you can forget about using the internet while you’re connected to it.  It would have been great if it would have worked as a “pass through” – I understand that it couldn’t be done for 3G or what have you (because of different service providers), but if I’m connected to another WiFi network, why can’t I just set the GoFlex to connect to that same network?  For someone like me who’s job requires them to be constantly connected to the net in order to answer emails and look ad product data, the down time can be a killer.

Also, if you’re using an iOS device, the Seagate GoFlex Satellite doesn’t work nearly as well as if you were using an Android based device.  While most of the features work the same, downloading from the GoFlex becomes an issue.  It’s not because of any fault of the drive, but rather because of the way that Apple stores it’s files.  With any of the Android tablets I have, I was able to download music from the drive straight to the tablet, disconnect, and then easily play said music.  On my iPhone however, the second I disconnected, the things I downloaded were no longer accessible.  It’s not just that they didn’t transfer into the iPod file list; even when I opened the GoFlex app and went to local content, the files would be visible for all of two seconds, then would disappear.  No matter what I tried, this was the result – it showed me the files long enough for me to know they were on my iPhone taking up space, but I couldn’t access them until I re-connected to the GoFlex.

For my Android devices though, the GoFlex proved a very valuable tool – I was able to put a few kid’s movies on it so that for once I had some peace and quiet on the road (it even comes with a car charger for just such purposes), and I was still able to store a large library of music for myself.  I’ve taken to just leaving it in the car anymore, because that’s where I most use it, and it’s so small it fits pretty much anywhere I have space.

Right out of the box it works with USB 2.0, where it gets decent transfer speeds, however you can upgrade to USB 3.0, or eSATA though by just buying a cable kit.  I transferred close to 400 GB of music, pictures, documents and two movies to this, and it took about five and a half hours – pretty much what I was expecting from the USB 2.0 connection ( Windows showed an average transfer speed of 17 MB/second).  Normally I wouldn’t be transferring so much at once though, so that’s not really an issue – besides, anyone who’s archived drives before knows how long it takes.

Despite the few issue I had with it, the Seagate GoFlex Satellite 500GB hard drive is a decent little product.  It’s a lot of space for a price that’s not too bad.  I’m not sure if an update to the app or a firmware update will fix the issues on iOS devices, but again I don’t fault Seagate for the stupid ways Apple handles files.  While I still wish that I could connect the GoFlex to another WiFi network so I didn’t lose all internet access while connected to it, that’s not really a deal breaker either, as you just have to remember to disconnect from it when done.  All in all, I’d recommend this to anyone who owns an Android device, and to iOS users as long as they know the limitations.

Final score?  Four stars out of five.

Pros:

• Extremely small and lightweight – you can keep it in your pocket and forget it’s there
• Nice large capacity means you can store a LOT and access it whenever you need to
• Included car charger is a welcome bonus

Cons:

• Some issues with transferring files to an iOS device for use when not connected to the GoFlex
• The glossy black finish is a magnet for fingerprints
• No way to access the internet on whatever device is connected to it

You can pick up a 500GB GoFlex Satellite drive from Amazon for $179.99

Western Digital has just launched a new hard drive that they’re gearing towards Macbook Pro and Macbook Air owners.  How so?

First off the My Passport Studio sports the same durable, anodized aluminum enclosure as Apple’s laptops, which resists scratching and fingerprints. Sexy, but it’s performance and compatibility that really counts. So that’s why they’ve preformatted it for Mac computers and made it Time Machine ready right out of the box.

While Western Digital hasn’t pitched us on the internals (no word on spindle speed) and their durablity, this hard drive does rock dual Firewire 800 ports, which allows you to connect to your computer at blazing fast speeds and daisy chain another compatible hard drive if need be.

And for those of you with a Firewire 800 port, there is USB 2.0.  Which is a shame, because if they were really targeting the in crowd (by in crowd we mean Apple owners), they would have outfitted this storage device with a Thunderbolt port.  But alas, no such interface exists.

The My Passport Studio is available in 3 capacities (500GB, 700GB and 1TB) and weighs no more than .68lbs.   It starts at $129.99.

Hard drive enclosures, as in the box surrounding the spindle, are often black, boxy and sure as hell don’t complement your svelte Macbook Air, or even Pro.

The iHdd 2 Slim External Hard Drive Enclosure does just that, though we’re wondering if they’ve officially licensed the Apple logo.  Intuition says no, but does it matter?

It’s an enclosure, which means you’ll need to add your own SATA/2 2.5-inch hard drive, which shouldn’t be too tough since the seller says no screws or tools required.

The case is USB 1.1/2.0 compatible, which is a bit of a shame, since the new Macbook Airs sports Thunderbolt.  Capacity caps out at 500GB, more than enough especially with Apple’s iCloud service launching in a few days.  And the Apple logo, it glows.  Boooya!

You can grab one for $99.99.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Seagate has been a name synonymous with computer storage since 1979 (they were Shugart Technology in 1978).  Throughout their history, they’ve had a number of “firsts” – they made the first 7200 rpm hard drive, the first hard drive with the Fibre Channel interface, the first 15,000 rpm hard drive; and the list goes on and on.  Along with the amount of innovation they’ve brought to the table, they’ve also had some of the highest quality drives as well – consistently ranking higher than comparative drives, and constantly winning various awards from different sources.  So when the Seagate rep contacted me and asked if I wanted to review their new 4TB GoFlex drive – the first drive to break the capacity barrier – well, how could I possibly resist?

To look at the drive on the outside, you might never guess what it’s hiding underneath.  There’s no loud or flashy (and unnecessary) labeling on it to scream “Hey look at me, I’m bigger than the competition!”  They’ve gone with a beautifully minimalistic design on this drive – you really wouldn’t be able to tell it from any other GoFlex drive.  Jet black, with one little Seagate company logo on the front, it easily fits next to any PC or laptop.  The GoFlex drives I’ve seen before have always had a manageable footprint, but somehow Seagate was able to shrink it down even further in this model (it measures 6.22 x 4.88 x 1.73 inches).

One feature of this GoFlex drive, is that straight out of the box it can be used on either a PC or a Mac.  No messing around with different drivers and what not – it’s truly plug and play on both systems (i.e., no need to format).  The 4TB GoFlex is USB 3.0, which means the transfer rates are wonderfully fast – however there are a number of adapters out there that will allow you to hook it up to FireWire, eSATA, or even USB 2.0 (if you either don’t have any USB 3.0 slots, or don’t feel like using them).  The included USB 3.0 adapter is pretty cool, as it has four white LEDs on it – each light represents 25% of the storage space on the drive, so you instantly have a rough idea of how much you’ve used.

Memo Backup (a normal bloatware product) is pre-installed on the drive in order for you to backup your system (Mac users need not fear – it is fully compatible with Time Machine).  Honestly, Memo is pretty much junk – there’s a LOT of better options out there.  Memo Backup lets you do basic things for free, but then wants to charge you for any advanced features.  In any case, no matter if you use backup software or not, the drive really is quite zippy.  When testing it’s write speed, it ran at an average of 88 MBps, and it’s reading speed is a nice 100 MBps.  It might not be the fastest drive I’ve used, but it’s damn well close.

The only real problem I had with the drive is that it had a tendency to tip over when it was on my desk, but moving it next to my tower solved that issue.  The drawback that most consumers will see however, is the price point.  With the previous 3TB model being almost half the price, unless you’re an early adopter (or really need that extra space), it might just be better for you to wait for the price to come down a bit.

The drive itself is grade A material – I do with the base was a bit wider though in order to handle the tipping issue I mentioned, however it’s not a deal breaker.  The bottom line is that if you want a 4TB external drive, if you want a great drive you can move from system to system, or if you just want to show off to your friends that “mine is bigger than yours”, then the Seagate 4TB GoFlex is most definitely the way to go.

Final score is four and a half stars out of five.

Pros:

• You can hook it up to a PC or a Mac with no formatting
• It is running 4TB of space – there is nothing bigger that’s commercially available right now
• The read and write speed is pretty fast on it
• Oh, did I forget to mention?  IT’S 4 TERABYTES!

Cons:

• The price is absurdly high, as is the price on all new tech
• There’s a slight stability issue because of the shrunken footprint
• Only 7200 rpms – not a true negative, but you know faster ones will be coming soon

For now, you can only get the Seagate 4TB GoFlex drive from the Seagate website (but next month it’ll be available everywhere) for the price of $249.99

If you’ve got yourself a hefty collection of media files then you might wanna consider Western Digital’s latest My Book Studio Edition II hard drive, which provides up to 6TB of storage in what the company says is the same footprint as their 4TB model.  While it lacks a USB 3.0 interface, it does sport USB 2.o, Firewire 400 and 800 and eSATA.  RAID support is present, along with Mac Time Machine compatibility, a 5-year warranty and the option to open the box and replace drives yourself.

Western Digital’s My Book Studio Edition II is available now for $549.99.

Read

There was a time in the 80s that Michael J Fox had to go into hiding because he became so popular from the Back To The Future movies.  While that fame may have fizzled out, the Delorean, an iconic vehicle from the era continues to mystify anyone who saw the films.  Ultimately, the car fell into limited production despite the movies being a massive hit and are now seen few and far between.

If for some reason you couldn’t get your hands on one, here is chance to do so, albeit a 1:18 to scale sized replica.  And it ain’t just a model, it’s also a 500GB hard drive.  Unfortunately, it won’t achieve the same blazing fast speeds as the movie version since it sports a USB 2.0 connection.

For all this nostalgia you’ll pay $250, which is $2 per GB, unheard of in today’s market.

Read

Ain’t she a beaut’?  This is Lacie’s Starck Mobile.  It sports a USB 3.0 interface, which means if you’ve got the appropriate tech on your computer you can transfer files up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0.  Don’t worry though, it’s backwards compatible with the older serial bus.  The 500GB drive is housed in a 2mm resistant aluminum casing, which not only adds protection but efficiently dissipates heat.

Lacie is currently sold out of the $109.99 drive.

Read

When someone mentions hard drives I usually start to nod off.  But surprise, surprise, Seagate’s latest batch of hard drives are a cool and noteworthy product that shouldn’t be over looked by anyone in search of a storage solution that will scale for the years to come.

Unlike most hard drives, which feature a fixed interface, Seagate GoFlex line can be upgraded in to insure future compatibility.  The idea is so simple it’s one of those “why didn’t I think of it” moments.  Each hard drive is pretty much your standard storage array, except the interface, where the USB plug inserts, it can be removed and replaced with a new one.

An example you ask?  You bought your computer 3 years ago, well before USB 3.0 emerged on the scene.  During that time you purchased an external hard drive, which in all likelihood sported a USB 2.0 connection.  A year later you destroy your computer and decided to upgrade to a new machine, which has the latest in connectivity.  All of sudden you’re hard drive, though still compatible, isn’t taking advantage of  your new computer’s hardware.  So what’s your resolve?  Purchase a new hard drive.  But if you had a Seagate GoFlex hard drive you could simply buy a new interface, save some money and not go through the hassle of copying your contents from drive to drive.

In terms of usage it’s pretty cut and dry.  Read and write times are right on par with any other set of hard drives and although we didn’t test the heat output with either drive we had no problem holding them in our hand while in use after or during an extended period of time.

Changing the hard drive’s interface is as simple as using a universal charger; just pop off the old adapter and plug in the new one (eSATA, Firewiree 800 or USB 3.0).

GoFlex doesn’t mean you can just change the interface on the hard drive.  Once the adapter is removed the hard drive (portable version only) has a unique and proprietary interface that works specifically with Seagate’s FreeAgent TV HD media player and Net Media Sharing Dock.   That means you can copy your movies and music to the drive and pop it in the compatible media player and never again worry about the hassle of lost USB cords.

It’s also compatible with Seagate’s Net Media Sharing dock, a dual docking device (there is also a USB port for adding other storage devices) that connects any attached hard drive to your home’s network, enabling you to access your drive’s contents from any where you’ve got an Internet connection.  Seagate has tapped Poguplug for this tech, so checkout our review on that for more info regarding UI and ease of use.

To setup the Net Media Dock, all you need to do is plug the power in and connect it to your home’s router using the included Ethernet cord.  Assuming you’ve docked a compatible FreeAgent Portable hard drive, and the light has turned a steady green, you just head to Seagate’s website (www.seagate.com/ activatemygoflexnet) to setup and access the drive’s content.  Yes, the URL is god awful, but once registration is complete, which they do in a simple step-by-step process, the worst is over. After that you can access the drive’s contents by heading to http://goflexnet.pogoplug.com/view.html.  For those on your phone you can just download one of their mobile apps.   On another positive note, Pogoplug is now free for the lifetime of the product, which wasn’t the case when we reviewed their previous Pogoplug compatible device, the Free Agent Go Dock.

So what’s the catch?  If anything the price.  Some of the upgrade interface cables cost as much as $40, while the Net Media Sharing Dock is $99.99.  A 320GB FreeAgent GoFlex Ultra-portable drive starts at $89.99 and a 1TB GoFlex Desk External Drive is $129.99 (they come packed with USB 2.o cords, you’ll have to spend more for the USB 3.0).  Of note, Seagate just added a new capacity of 1.5TB to their portable GoFlex drives.

Seagate’s GoFlex Hard Drives are nothing short of excellent.  The removable and replaceable interfaces make them a fantastic solution for anyone debating a computer upgrade, but don’t know what external hard drive to get with in the meantime.  USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, but don’t forget that the interfaces can be swapped out for Firewire 800 or eSATA, great if you change hard ware or work with someone with more advanced hardware.

Amazon sells the GoFlex line of products.

Pros:

• Modular interface means future compatibility
• Portable drives have a pocket friendly form factor
• PogoPlug is now a free service

Cons:

• Slightly expensive
• New interfaces aren’t cheap

[starreviewmulti id=5 tpl=20 style='starrating' size='30']

Lacie, which we’ve largely criticized in recent time for minor product iterations, has just blown us away with the LaCie Wireless Space.  Yes, it’s another hard drive that comes in 1TB and 2TB capacities, but what makes this sucker different is the built-in WiFi.

Much like Apple’s Time Capsule, which is a wireless hard drive, the LaCie Wireless Space is fully compatible with Apple’s Time Machine backup system.  That means no more snaking cords or dragging your hard drive to your computer(s) to back up its contents.

Got content to share? No problem, because the Lacie Wireless Space is UPnP/DLNA compatible and syncs with iTunes.  That means you can play music, movie and photos on any computer in the home or office. 

The Wireless Space can also serve as a Gigabit router, a WiFi Extender (you’ll already need a wireless router) and access point for printers, meaning you can put just about make everything wireless.

The LaCie Wireless Space arrives this October and will start at $229.99.

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CalDigit is really serious about fast storage speeds. Despite Apple’s reluctance to incorporate USB 3.0 into their hardware, CalDigit has forged ahead and developed both PCIe and ExpressCard USB 3.0 adapters, for Mac Pros and MacBooks, along with drivers, to give Mac users some sweet 5Gbp/s speeds. In addition, the CalDigital AV Drive takes advantage of the speed, with up to 2TB of storage and 145MBps transfers. They’re available now with the PCIe adapter for $59 and the 1TB external drive for $199. Other prices are currently unavailable. Check out the video below to see them explain just how rad the AV Drive is.

September 6, 2010 – Placentia, CA. The CalDigit AV Drive is now shipping. CalDigit has been dedicated to creating RAID storage solutions, specifically designed for the demanding content creation industry. The CalDigit AV Drive is CalDigit’s first single drive solution, and it has been completely optimized for audio and video. The CalDigit AV Drive is also the first USB 3.0 drive for the Mac providing blazing fast throughput, reaching speeds up to 145 MB/s. The dual interface drive also supports FireWire 800, which has been optimized and runs up to 30% faster than other FireWire 800 drives.

CalDigit’s engineers developed specialized PCIe cards and drivers to support the optimum USB 3.0 experience. The USB 3.0 interface is capable of 5Gbps transfer speeds. Not only is it faster than USB 2.0, it offers significant improvements in power management and data flow. USB 3.0 is the ideal choice for audio and visual professionals. Best of all, it is backwards compatible with USB 2.0.
If you don’t have USB 3.0 yet, FireWire 800 will allow you to connect to your current computer. Then when you get the CalDigit SuperSpeed PCI Express Card or a USB 3.0 equipped computer, you will be ready to start using the CalDigit AV Drive at the fastest possible speeds. The CalDigit AV Drive features the latest in FireWire technology from CalDigit. Unlike other FireWire 800 drives on the market, which have typical speeds of 58MB/s though 74MB/s, the CalDigit AV Drive can achieve speeds of 85MB/s. This 30% increase in speed allows for faster file transfers and more real time when video editing.

The AV Drive was designed to bring users the highest quality product at the best value. CalDigit engineers spent a great deal of time fine tuning every last detail. The internal components of the AV Drive feature a cable-less design so there is no need to worry about loose parts and thus decreasing the likelihood of problems. The components of the AV Drive are housed in a strong aluminum chassis designed to handle the abuse of everyday life. The sleek and sexy design is as functional as it is good looking. The front facing button allows the user to power the AV Drive with ease, while also serving as a status indicator

The CalDigit AV Drive was designed to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Special power management technology allows the AV Drive to sleep, wake and shutdown along with the computer. If the computer goes to sleep, the AV Drive will follow. CalDigit uses top quality components in the power adapters and specifically designs them with grounding support to protect and prolong the life of your product.

CalDigit is more than just a brand. They design, innovate and create. Unlike other storage brands, CalDigit is involved with every part of manufacturing process, from conceptualization to production. CalDigit has a passion for what we do and strives to provide our customers with the best products possible. Doing so requires being completely involved in all aspects of production, not just throwing OEM parts together and stamping a logo on it. CalDigit takes pride in being unique, and all products are built exclusively by CalDigit. Simply put, there is nothing quite like a CalDigit drive.

Price & Availability
The CalDigit AV Drive is available today at your local CalDigit Certified Dealer or online at the CalDigit store. The 1TB CalDigit AV Drive starts at only $199 and the CalDigit SuperSpeed PCI Express Card is $59. A 2TB version of the CalDigit AV Drive is also available.
About CalDigit (www.caldigit.com)
CalDigit has been dedicated to the content creation industry for years. Every product is exclusively designed with the user’s requirement in mind. CalDigit has a team of world-class software and hardware engineers. Closely bonded, the CalDigit team works to develop the best RAID software and hardware in the industry. CalDigit is the one source for Video Editors, Photographers, and Musicians. CalDigit offers users a secure, practical, and a sleek modular design, which provides users with advanced replacement and true single vendor support. CalDigit is your complete RAID solution choice, at an affordable price. Corporate headquarters are located in Northern Orange County, California, where all products are tested and assembled.

So you’ve got the 64GB iPad, but that’s hardly enough to carry all your photos and music when on the go.  What’s an early adopter like you to do?  Simple, pick up a HyperDrive.  It’s a 3.2-inch touchscreen device that reads 12 memory card types and lets you transfer data back and forth to the iPad.

They start at $249 (no hard drive included) and go all the way up to $599 (750GB).  The $249 version is ‘casing only’, which means you’ll need to install your own 2.5-inch SATA hard drive.  They say the battery, which is some sort of generic Lithium-ion laptop battery, has a single charge life that will let you back up 250GB of data.

Keep in mind you can also transfer images, music and any files stored on a memory card to the HyperDrive.  So if you travel and take an ass load of photos this could be a great solution.  It also supports hard drive partitions for different format support, has a wide variety of options and in case you’re wondering it connects over USB 2.0.

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Consumer adoption of USB 3.0 is forging on full speed ahead, and Iomega’s joined the cause with their new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 hard drives. Best of all, the company vows to keep its prices the same as its USB 2.0 line. The high speed goodness starts with the eGo series, which arrives October with 500GB and 1TB drives. Then, in 2011, the Prestige line will join the USB 3.0 team.The eGo line includes Iomega’s Drop Guard Xtreme which guarantees protection from drops of up to seven feet. Pricing varies, but can be found on Iomega’s website.

Iomega Sets the Market Standard for Portable Hard Drives – First to Offer New SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Models at USB 2.0 Prices!

Award-Winning Premium eGo Portable Hard Drive Line – First to Feature All USB 3.0 Models with Hardware Encryption – And Industry-Leading Ruggedness, Too

SAN DIEGO, August 24, 2010 -Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a leading innovator in digital protection solutions for consumers and small and medium businesses, is excited to announce that it is moving to the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface for all Iomega USB 2.0 portable hard drives, beginning with the award-winning line of Iomega® eGo™ Portable Hard Drives. The new all-USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives will feature hardware encryption and super toughness, too, thanks to a drop spec twice the industry average – all at USB 2.0 product prices. This market-leading move continues Iomega’s tradition of technology leadership.

“As a market leader in external hard drive solutions, Iomega is proud to be the first to move towards an all USB 3.0 portable hard drive lineup – and at no extra price premium to our customers,” said Jonathan Huberman, president of Iomega Corporation and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. “With a super fast USB 3.0 interface delivering speeds of up to 10 times that of USB 2.0, super tough with a 7-foot drop spec that’s twice the industry average and super secure with AES 256 hardware encryption, Iomega’s eGo Portable Hard Drives will be the premium must-have portable storage product. Factor in our bundled software Protection Suite with popular titles such as Iomega’s QuikProtect, v.Clone and Trend Micro’s Internet Security, and that makes Iomega’s USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives an exceptional premium solution at the same price as most entry level basic USB 2.0 products.”
USB 3.0 Transition Timeline for Iomega Portable Hard Drives

Iomega plans to move all eGo Portable Hard Drives in 500GB* and 1TB** capacities to the new USB 3.0 interface by early October. Totally compatible will all USB 2.0 computers, the new USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives will include Iomega’s industry-leading Drop Guard™ Xtreme, which provides added protection from drops of nearly seven feet or twice the industry average***.

In the first quarter of 2011, Iomega plans to move the Iomega® Prestige Compact Portable Hard Drive line to USB 3.0 on all models. Shortly thereafter, Iomega will move the rest of its portable external hard drive models to the USB 3.0 interface.

Perfect for slipping into a laptop bag or pocket, all of Iomega’s 2.5-inch portable hard drives are host powered, requiring no external power supply beyond the power provided through the USB bus on a personal computer, laptop or netbook. Iomega’s new USB 3.0 portable hard drives are completely backward compatible with personal computers and other devices that only have USB 2.0 ports. Iomega offers USB 3.0 adapter cards (sold separately) to insert into USB 2.0 laptop and desktop computers so users can experience native USB 3.0 transfer speeds of up to 5 gigabits per second.

More Than Just a Portable Hard Drive – A Total Solution
Iomega prides itself on providing total solutions, which is why all of the new Iomega USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives come complete out of the box with 256-bit hardware encryption built-in (PC only), as well as the cables required to enjoy your drive right away, whether your desktop or laptop has USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ports. The Prestige family of portable hard drives will also feature 256-bit hardware encryption built-in (PC only) with the transition to USB 3.0 models in the first quarter of 2011.
Best Software Package Bundled With Portable Hard Drives Today

Included free of charge with all of Iomega’s eGo and Prestige Portable Hard Drives is the Iomega Protection Suite, a one-stop portfolio of backup and anti-virus software giving users added protection for their photos, videos, music and other files.

The Iomega Protection Suite includes:

* v.Clone™ software, an Iomega exclusive, captures a complete virtual image of your PC – including the operating system, all applications, your settings, and all your files to your Iomega hard drive. Access the cloned copy and use it seamlessly on another computer, just as if you’re working from your own PC. When you reconnect, automatically sync your data to your primary PC, so that files are always up to date****.
* A complementary 12 month subscription to Trend Micro™ Internet Security for the PC, or Trend Micro™ Smart Surfing software for Mac.
* Iomega QuikProtect: backup software for simple scheduled file-level backup of data to hard drives and network-attached storage devices (for Windows and Mac desktops and notebooks).
* Roxio® Retrospect® Express software: backup all of your data plus applications and settings (for Windows and Mac desktops and notebooks).
* MozyHome™ Online Backup service: Convenient online backup service with 2GB of online capacity for free (unlimited online storage for $4.95/month). MozyHome Online service allows Windows and Mac users to restore their most important data from any computer with internet access, at any location in the world.

All of the software elements in the Iomega Protection Suite are accessible via easy download to owners of Iomega eGo and Prestige Drives.
Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drives – Beauty and the Beast

Not only are Iomega’s award-winning eGo Portable Hard Drives super fast and super rugged, they’re head-turners, too. Sporting a sleek, smaller enclosure than the previous generation of eGo portable hard drives, eGo Portable Hard Drives are among the smallest 2.5-inch HDD portable hard drives in the market today. Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drives are available in a variety of colors that include Ruby Red, Midnight Blue and Silver.

To appreciate how much data can be stored on a high capacity 2.5-inch drive, an Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive with 1TB of capacity can hold up to 400,000 photos, over 250,000 songs or 385 hours of video*****.
Pricing, Availability and Warranty

For more information on Iomega’s complete line of portable hard drives, including current pricing, please go to www.iomega.com. Also be sure to see Iomega’s new USB 3.0 product video at YouTube.

The Iomega USB 3.0 Adapter for USB 2.0 laptops is available for $39.99, and the Iomega USB 3.0 PCI Express Adaptor for PC desktops is $39.99. (Pricing is U.S. suggested retail.)

All Iomega portable hard drives include a 3-year limited warranty (with registration). Iomega-branded portable hard drives are available from online retailers, VARs, resellers and select retailers, as well as at www.iomega.com.
About EMC

EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organizations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com.
About Iomega

Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage solutions for small businesses, home offices, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 425 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega’s product portfolio includes industry leading network attached storage products for the home and small business; one of the industry’s broadest selections of direct-attached portable and desktop external hard drives; and the ScreenPlay™ family of multimedia drives that makes it easy to move video, pictures and other files from the computer room to the livingroom. To learn about all of Iomega’s digital storage products and network storage solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com. Resellers can visit Iomega at www.iomega.com/ipartner.

NOTE: This release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under the Federal Securities Laws. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in information technology spending; (iii) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; (iv) risks associated with managing the growth of our business, including risks associated with acquisitions and investments and the challenges and costs of integration, restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies; (v) fluctuations in VMware, Inc.’s operating results and risks associated with trading of VMware stock; (vi) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product introductions; (vii) the relative and varying rates of product price and component cost declines and the volume and mixture of product and services revenues; (viii) component and product quality and availability; (ix) the transition to new products, the uncertainty of customer acceptance of new product offerings and rapid technological and market change; (x) insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; (xi) war or acts of terrorism; (xii) the ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; (xiii) fluctuating currency exchange rates; and (xiv) other one-time events and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in EMC’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EMC disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

# # #

* 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes.
** 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.
*** Drop Guard™ Xtreme utilizes the rubberized Iomega Power Grip Band, which
cushions the drive for added protection from drops of up to 7 feet on to industrial
carpet; however, Drop Guard™ Xtreme does not guarantee data will not be lost.
**** v.Clone technology is currently not compatible with Mac computers or PCs that
do not allow installation of an application (v.Clone player), such as those at
Internet cafes and other public places. v.Clone does not work with all PC
operating systems.
***** Contents are calculated as follows – Songs (MP3): 128 kbps bit rate using 11:1
Compression ratio, 4 min/song; Digital Photos: 2.5MB per JPG photo using a 6
megapixel camera; DVD Video: 5.5 Mb/s (2.597 GB/hr) data rate. These
examples are for illustrative purposes only.

Copyright© 2010 Iomega Corporation. All rights reserved. Iomega, eGo, Drop Guard, Prestige, ScreenPlay and QuikProtect are trademarks or registered trademarks of Iomega Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. EMC and MozyHome are trademarks or registered trademarks of EMC Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

When it comes to hard drives and wireless adapters for its consoles, Microsoft has always taken a “devour consumer’s money with no alternative” approach, and their new 250GB hard drive for the Xbox 360 S is no exception. Yes, you can now get 246 more gigs than that 4GB 360 S you bought a few weeks ago, and it’ll only set you back $130, or only $70 more than the console itself. Yikes. If you’re willing to take the plunge, it’s available from Gamestop now.

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ioSafe’s new SoloPRO hard drive is really, really tough — built to withstand temperatures up to 1550° F for 30 minutes or submerged underwater to a depth of 10 feet for up to 3 days. Available in 1TB, 1.5TB and 2TB capacities, it’s also the world’s fastest rugged external HDD, due to its USB 3.0 support, as well as a USB.20/eSATA connection for also nice speeds. There’s also a heat-resistant bright paint option which makes it easier to identify in a post-fire wreckage site. Or, you could get one for a college dorm and know that it’ll survive whatever kegger you put it through.

The SoloPro is available now ranging from $249 for 1TB to $419.99 for 2TB.

ioSafe® Announces the SoloPRO: Its Fastest Rugged External Hard Drive

The ioSafe® SoloPRO is available in high-performance USB 3.0 and eSATA versions, providing
users with an unprecedented combination of speed and physical security.

AUBURN, Calif., August 18, 2010 — ioSafe today announced the availability of the SoloPRO.
The SoloPRO is the business-class edition of the award-winning Solo external hard drive and is
available in USB 3.0 and eSATA/USB 2.0 formats, providing full support for Windows, Linux
servers, and desktop operating systems.

SoloPRO features include:

Fast transfer speeds over 100 MB/s – 3 to 4 times faster than typical USB 2.0 speeds. One
TB of data can be backed up to a SoloPRO in a couple of hours versus 10+ hours with
USB 2.0 or several months online at normal speeds.

Available in 1 TB, 1.5 TB and 2 TB capacities.

Rugged disaster proof design. Both the USB 3.0 and eSATA versions of the SoloPRO
protect against data loss in temperatures up to 1550° F for 30 minutes per ASTM E119 or
being submerged to a depth of 10 feet for up to 3 days.

Advanced Replacement Service. Replacement products under warranty will be shipped
out in advance with proper packaging and return shipping pre-paid. The end user simply
uses the packaging to ship the original unit back to the factory.

12 months Data Recovery Service Standard. Up to $2,500.00 towards the cost of third-
party forensic data recovery, one time, for any reason including accidental deletion, hard
drive failure, fires, floods, etc. Upgradeable to 3 or 5 years for $49 or $99 respectively.

Heat-resistant paint option. Bright emergency orange colored coating to help make the
SoloPRO easy to recover in a post-disaster environment.

“Both homes and businesses need to store ever-increasing volumes of data quickly without
worrying about data loss. ioSafe has always been about safely and securely storing data locally
and now with its introduction of USB 3.0 and eSATA, homes and businesses can accomplish
that more quickly than ever before ,” said Jerome Wendt, an expert in data storage who serves as
the Principal and Lead Analyst at DCIG.

Martin A. Regtien, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Reviews Network, tested the SoloPRO and said,
“Based on the ioSafe SoloPRO USB 3.0 strengths – in this case its literal strengths of being
fireproof, waterproof – plus its value for money, we have no option but to award it our highest
commendation: our Editor’s Choice Award.”

ioSafe CEO Robb Moore added, “The new SoloPRO provides industry-leading performance and
physical security as well as plug-and-play simplicity. Additionally, the new interfaces and
upgraded Data Recovery Services make the SoloPRO a logical choice for disaster protection in
home office and business environments.”

The USB 3.0 Solo is compatible with USB 2.0. Users without USB 3.0 who wish to upgrade can
easily do so by adding a USB 3.0 PCI Express card to their system.

Pricing and availability

Priced at $249.99 for the 1 TB model, $319.99 for the 1.5 TB model and $419.99 for the 2 TB
model, the SoloPRO will be available September 1, 2010 via the ioSafe website, resellers and
international distributors.

About ioSafe

Like an aircraft black box for data, ioSafe provides rugged, fireproof, waterproof hardware and
disaster recovery services as a cost-effective way for corporations and consumers alike to protect
their irreplaceable data. ioSafe is a privately held company with headquarters in Auburn, Calif.
For more information, please visit www.iosafe.com .

Portable hard drives are incredibly useful, but they’ve always had to take a slight speed hit for the sake having no power cord — until now. Samsung’s new S2 Portable 3.0 has both USB 3.0 and a 7200rpm drive speed, making it the fastest portable drive you can get, giving you 5 MB/s transfer speeds. The S2 comes in a variety of colors, 320GB & 640GB sizes, and is shipping now in Europe.

Samsung Announces S2 Portable 3.0 External Hard Disk Drive with SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Interface

SEOUL, Korea – August 19, 2010 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, today announced its new 2.5-inch external hard disk drive (HDD), the S2 Portable 3.0. The new high performance external HDD features an on-board SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface and a 7200RPM spindle speed, delivering faster performance over preceding versions.

“As digital content continues to evolve from standard definition to HD and now 3D content, we expect the demand for high performance external HDDs to increase, especially among IT enthusiasts,” Ho-Seong Lee, vice president, storage marketing, Semiconductor Business, Samsung Electronics. “The S2 Portable 3.0 delivers the benefits of top performance and quality, and as a result, lowers the power usage of the external hard drive also.”

The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface offers a maximum transfer rate of 5 gigabits per second (Gbps) compared to the 480 megabits per second (Mbps) of USB 2.0. In addition, the 7200RPM rotation speed delivers high performance, while the low vibration Dynamic Balancing™ technology and the low noise technologies SilentSeek™ and NoiseGuard™ provide added convenience.

In addition, the on-board USB technology reduces the size of the hard disk casing and delivers reduced power consumption. The new external hard drive also features a preloaded software suite including Samsung Auto Backup, SecretZone™ and SafetyKey™ for data encryption and password protection.

The S2 Portable 3.0 is available in 320GB and 640GB capacities with shipments commencing this month to countries in the European Union.

Gadget lovers of a certain age will fondly remember watching grainy analog VHS tapes in those dark days before DVDs, Blu-rays, and glorious high definition. The Freecom CLS external hard drive dock, designed by Belgian designer Sylvain Willenz, brings those memories flooding back. It allows up to three custom 2.5-inchdrives to be used with one USB connection that are easily labelled via white stickers, VHS style. It’s an interesting idea that hasn’t really caught on in the modern age of having all kinds of data in one place — but if you wanted a drive filled to the brim only with music, photos, or videos, this seems like a really cool way to store it.

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Verbatim’s got an interesting new portable storage solution on their hands with the new Wallet Drive. Coming in 320 & 500GB capacities, the drive has a brown or black leather enclosure and is sized to fit in your back pocket, just like a wallet. Just remember two things — don’t sit on it, and don’t try to pay for your coffee with it. Pricing and a release date for the Wallet Drive are currently unavailable.

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Western Digital is spicing up their MyPassport 500GB external hard drive line with five colorful limited edition designs. They come in black and white variants — I’m partial to the boombox design myself. Besides the updated visuals, they’re the same USB 2.0 drives that don’t require power cables — show the drives off in a coffee shop! They’re available now starting for $120.

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