As you may have noticed we haven’t reviewed many hard drive deals lately; and that’s due in part to a situation overseas which has hurt the production of most brands and therefore drove up their price by quite a large margin. But fear not for B&H Photo has your storage needs covered and for a very good price. For around $30 off other vendors they have this large 1TB Hitachi external drive for only $100; being the best price we’ve seen in a while it’s definitely notable. This drive provided you with plenty of storage space while utilizing a space-saving design which is even stackable if you need to use more than one at your desk. It has a speedy USB 3.0 interface as well for transferring files super fast, but worry not it’s also backwards compatible with 2.0 so any computer can use it. It’s also preloaded with some cloud backup software and preformatted for Windows and Mac usage.

Other retailers sell this Hard Drive for over $130, but they’ve got it with free shipping for $99.95

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

4.5 out of 5 stars

While I’ve reviewed a number of large tool combo kits before, this is the first “smaller” one that I’ve had the chance to test out.  While the “official” name for it is a “Two Tool Combo Kit”, it actually has two tools (a drill driver and an impact driver) plus a light, so in my mind that would be three tools.  I’m not here to debate what constitutes being considered a  “tool” though, so let’s get in to how they all work, shall we?

First of all, I really like the case that the case that everything comes in – hard plastic, and really designed to take a fall (I dropped the case out a second story window onto concrete with the tools inside – everything still worked perfect) and protect the tools.  I worked some construction when I was younger and know the pain of dropping something off of scaffolding by accident and watching it shatter below.  I don’t know how high of a drop this will take, or what kind of impact it’s even rated for, but for small drops it really does the trick.  another thing that’s really nice about the case, is that it’s all compartmentalized inside of it, allowing you to store bits and things for easy carrying.

With the tools themselves, it’s almost like Hitachi took the best features from other manufacturers and incorporated them all in to one nice little package.  For starters, the batteries slide into the base of the handles horizontally, instead of vertically.  What that means for you is there’s no post sticking out of the tops of the batteries (like a DeWALT), and the connection is very secure – no risk of being up high and accidentally hitting the button to make it drop to the ground.  I’ve seen plenty of people who have has to use duct tape to hold their batteries in because the plastic clips snapped off – there’s really no danger of that happening here.

The grip on both drivers is extremely comfortable to hold, and the tools are incredibly light – even with the batteries in them.  I spent an entire eight hours with them attached on my belt (they have nice belt clips to facilitate that), and never noticed the extra weight.  Even when using the tools over my head, I didn’t have any fatigue that you would normally associate with using heavy tools.  Along with being light weight, they’re also decently ergonomic to hold, and fit my hands quite well.

Each tool also has a little LED on them under the chucks, and this is where my main gripe comes in to play – the light shuts off as soon as you release the trigger.  I know it’s a small gripe, but I’ve gotten used to using a drill where the LED stays on for a few seconds after you release the trigger – it makes it easier when you’re in a cabinet or other dark places.  The LED’s that are on the Hitachi drivers are a lot brighter than others I’d been using though, so that’s a big plus.

As for the performance of the drivers themselves – I couldn’t ask for them to be any better.  The drill driver has two gear settings, and they both have an adjustable trigger clutch, so they’re good for just about any application.  The clutch on the impact driver is really great, because for the first time I didn’t have any issues with running half inch diameter lag bolts their full eight inches.  On other impact drivers I had tried that test on before, there would inevitably be some issues with it locking up before bottoming out.

As for the included light (or the tool that isn’t considered a tool), it’s very useful.  The head has a nice swivel on it, and it’s bright as hell.  I haven’t had a power outage in a while, but I’m sure there will be one this Winter (there is every year), and I’ll be ready for it when it comes.  I keep one of the two included batteries inside the light just on the off chance something happens.  I shouldn’t need to talk about battery life – it’s an 18 volt lithium ion battery, and lasts as long as the others I had tested.  I do with that there was some sort of button to push on the battery itself to indicate how full the charge is (like a RIDGID or RYOBI) – unfortunately it’s just a guessing game with these.

Overall, I really like this kit.  So much so in fact, that it has replaced the RIDGID drill I had been using as my new drill of choice.  The fact that the belt clips are metal, and adjustable for either the right or the left hand sides makes these drivers extremely versatile.  Couple that with the how light they are in the weight department, and you can easily overlook the few negatives (speaking of which, I forgot to mention there’s absolutely no place to store bits on either of the drivers themselves – an extreme oversight) that there are.

My final score is a rating of four and a half stars (if we could give three quarters of a star I would) out of a possible five.

Pros:

• The drivers are light weight and durable, which makes for less fatigue and strain
• The case is a lot better than the cloth bags that other companies use
• The clutch works perfectly on each of the drivers

Cons:

• The LED light doesn’t stay on after the trigger is released
• No place to hold bits on the drivers
• No indicator on the batteries for how much charge is left

You can get a Hitachi KC18DHL 18-Volt Lithium Ion 2 Tool Combo Kit from Amazon for $249.99

Newegg has a super low price on this HITACHI Deskstar 0S03230 3TB Internal Hard Drive for only $129.99 – $10 Coupon (EMCKDKA23) + Free 2-Day Shipping = $119.99!

If you’re in need for some serious storage capacity in any computer or network then don’t miss out on these awesome savings! This huge Hitachi Hard Drive comes in at a massive 3 Terabytes of storage space which can handle everything from your High Definition movie collection and all of your important data and backups at the same time. It is designed to be quiet and energy efficient with CoolSpin Technology along with Quiet Acoustics and Advanced heat dissipation. It also features a 32MB cache and has a speed of 5400RPMs.

PC Connection Express has a new discount on this Hitachi 320GB Portable Hard Drive!

If you’re looking to take all your important data with you anywhere you go and with style then check out these new savings! This Hitachi Lifestudio Mobile drive gives you a large 320GB capacity to work with which allows you to hold a large amount of media or data for carrying with you anywhere you need it. It utilizes the very common USB 2.0 interface for maximum compatibility and once connected to the cradle you can access your files from any computer or smartphone over the Internet so you always have hold of you data no matter what the situation.

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Take your home or office computing a step further by obtaining huge capacity at a very low price! For a limited time you can get your hands on this super huge 2 Terabyte drive which can hold everything from your entire media collection to backing up all your important files for a steal! It utilizes the brand new SATA III interface which offers transfer speeds at up to 6.0Gb/s for unparalleled computing performance that won’t even slow you down. It’s designed to be energy efficient as well and offers up to 29% power savings compared to similar models.

Newegg has a super low price available on this HITACHI Deskstar 0S03230 3TB Internal Hard Drive which is only $129.99 – $10 Coupon (EMCKEJC22) + Free 2-Day Shipping = $119.99!

Now’s your chance to enhance your storage capabilities like never before at a super discount! This Hitachi Deskstar drive features a massive 3 Terabyte capacity in a single hard disk drive which will allow you to easily backup or consolidate all of your files into one huge location. It connects via the brand new super fast SATA III 6.0Gb/s interface for unmatched file transfer speeds and also has a 5400 RPMS of operating speed with CoolSpin technology designed to keep it quiet and power efficient.

Newegg has an amazing deal going for this HITACHI Deskstar 7K1000.C HDS721010CLA332 (0F10383) 1TB Hard Drive priced at only $54.99 – $5 Coupon (EMCKFHB22) + Free 2-Day Shipping = $49.99!

Take your computing further with the storage capacity and reliability you need for every important task! This Hitachi Deskstar Internal Hard Drive offers you a huge 1 Terabyte capacity at a price you can easily afford! With this much capacity you can easily store all of your favorite High Definition media files while having the reliability behind it to store important data files and quick backups for peace of mind. It is designed for speed and stability to handle all of your computing and runs at an impressive 7200RMPs and supplies you with a large 32MB cache as well. It also utilizes the speed SATA II 3.0Gb/s interface to keep up with all your computing demands and gives you speedy file read/write operations without a hitch.

Amazon is offering a discount on this Hitachi DS12DVF3 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit for just $155.64 – $90.93 Instant Off + Free Shipping = $47.99!

Reliable tools are important to have for any situation, and you can’t go wrong for this price! This 12-Volt Hitachi Drill features a class leading 230in/lbs torque to easily power through the most difficult jobs with ease. It is compact and lightweight as well as having a non-slip grip so it’s very easy to use and it comes with 2 1.4Ah batteries with a quick 30 minute charge (Batteries have 300 charges worth of life) so you can quickly get to work without the wait. As a bonus the included charger works with many other Hitachi tools which use similar batteries and it contains 7 different drill bits and a powerful flash light so you can always see what you’re doing. Since the flashlight also uses the 1.4Ah battery you will never have to worry about replacing batteries like a traditional flashlight.

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Unlock the full potential in your archiving with a massive external drive that can hold it all for a super low price! This Hitachi XL external desktop hard drive features a massive 2 TB capacity which can hold all of your high quality music, video, photo and large data files without a problem. It is built strong and solid and has an attractive design which can easily supplement any desktop system so integrating it will be a cinch. It includes easy back up software so you can keep external backups of all your most important files and connects to your PC with the USB 2.0 interface. It connects to power via the included AC adapter.

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Newegg is offering a coupon deal on this HITACHI XL Desk HXSDNB10001BBB (0S02484) 1TB External Hard Drive!

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Rebate can be found here.