Kuroutoshikou's disk enclosures: the Mac mini's cheap, Japanese friends

If you're just bound and determined to turn your Mac mini into a home media center then be sure to check the matching enclosures from Japan's Kuroutoshikou. The external cases share the dimensions of the mini for easy stackin' action and come in a variety of configurations, all with space for a single 3.5-inch disk. The ¥2,980 (about $25) GW3.5MM-U2 connects over USB 2.0 for PATA disk expansion; the ¥3,480 (about $30) GW3.5MM-U2/HUB adds a 3-port USB 2.0 hub; the ¥3,980 (about $34) GW3.5MM-U2/S adds support for faster, SATA drives; and the ¥5,980 (about $51) GW3.5MM-U2/LAN comes with an Ethernet port for network accessible storage. Got all that? No problem, you've got until the end of the month before they hit Japan.

[Via Impress]

[SleepyBum @ Dec 15th 2006 10:20AM]

Looks like the same thing, made by another company, was reported before:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/18/evergreens-nas-mini-looks-familiar/

But this one has more models. Hope this gets to the US market.

[Stellvia @ Dec 15th 2006 11:03AM]

Already bought something very similar:

http://www.lindy.com/uk/productfolder/04/42919/index.php

Only problem is that the 750GB Maxtor gets a bit too hot for me to feel happy about stacking the Mini on top of it.

[ken @ Dec 15th 2006 1:23PM]

Did the external hard drive you bought from lindy work ok and is it pretty nice, I like the form factor and would want one!

Ken

[Chad @ Dec 15th 2006 3:18PM]

Why has it taken so long for something like this? I've wanted an empty mini-clone shell for my 400 GB hard drive for a long time now. Does anyone have a link to something like this that's already selling in the US?

[Scott @ Dec 15th 2006 11:30AM]

The problem I have with all these kind of things is that they invariably look like crap next to a real mini case. Silver plastic can look ok but it's not actually the same as metal.

[Stellvia @ Dec 15th 2006 1:32PM]

Yeah, works ok so far (only had it a week). Enclosure's a bit lightweight and plasticky, but looks ok. Bright blue power LED doesn't match the Mini's fainter white LED though :)

[Harbinger @ Dec 15th 2006 2:53PM]

Pricier, but solidly built:

http://www.newertech.com/products/ministackv2.php

[Evan @ Dec 15th 2006 10:58PM]

Chad there's tons of things like that, look up the mini stack v2 for instance, a lot of them come with hollow cases for your own drive.

[andrew harrison @ Dec 15th 2006 4:58PM]

I use the NexStar GX 370, which looks sort of like the mini but not quite. It's got 3 extra USB ports in it as well, which is excellent. Built in fans also mean that it cools the drives down when they get too hot. I don't actually use it with my mini, I use it with my MBP.

http://www.vantecusa.com/products/nexstarGX/p_nst-370gx.html

[I, Robot @ Dec 17th 2006 4:14PM]

Just an FYI:

Kuroutoshikou is spelled wrong: It's くろうとしこう Kurootoshikoo. The spelling/sentance rules in hiragana make the 2nd and 3rd U's into O's. Making a long "OO" sound.