LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October

It's taken its sweet time, but folks who weren't exactly keen on the Promise Pegasus finally have a compact option for putting their Thunderbolt port to good use. LaCie has just announced that it's Little Big Disk Thunderbolt external drive -- a first for the outfit -- is available to purchase. For those keeping count, it's only the second overall T-bolt drive to hit the scene, with this 1.4-pounder boasting a pair of 2.5-inch drives, support for JBOD / RAID 1 / RAID 0 and a typically metallic chassis that measures 1.6- x 5.5- x 3.3-inches. We're promised speeds as high as 480MB/sec (for SSD arrangements) and 190MB/sec (for HDD models), and users can daisy chain several of 'em to hit transfer rates of around 800MB/sec. These guys should be available starting today (though Apple's online shop currently has a "one to two week" wait), with the 1TB 7200RPM edition retailing for $399, and the 2TB 5400RPM model listing for $499. We're still awaiting word on the specifics surrounding the October-bound 240GB SSD variant, but those who'd rather press their luck for a free one can enter the ongoing contest in the More Coverage link below. %Gallery-134418%

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LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt™ Series Now Available

PARIS, FRANCE – Today LaCie announced that the Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series is now available for purchase. It is the first portable solution to feature the shocking 10Gb/s speeds of Thunderbolt technology. This next-generation Little Big Disk is the first product in LaCie's series of high-end Thunderbolt solutions.

Designed for the most demanding applications, the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series will bring a new level of performance to creative workflows and professional storage users. It offers ultra-fast data transfers, complete system backup in minutes, and faster content editing than ever before.

"Performance can come in small packages," says Jason Ziller, Intel's director of Thunderbolt Marketing. "LaCie's Little Big Disk with Intel's Thunderbolt™ technology delivers blazingly fast transfer speeds in a truly portable form factor; we think media creators and entertainment enthusiasts alike are going to love it."

A FEATHERWEIGHT POWERHOUSE
The LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series sets the new standard for the storage industry. Featuring a pair of 2.5" drives in a Mac OS RAID configuration, the Little Big Disk delivers stunning read speeds more than 480MB/s in SSDs and up to 190MB/s in HDD.

The more Little Big Disks you chain together, the more impressive the performance. Users can daisy chain several Little Big Disks to maximize the interface's capabilities and reach transfer rates around 800MB/s – truly rackmount storage speeds in a portable solution.

NEXT GENERATION STORAGE
A game changer for content creators and professional users, the Little Big Disk is the ultimate portable solution for fast access to data or on-set editing. It supports multiple RAID levels (0,1 and JBOD) and daisy chaining for storage expansion or connecting other peripherals. Additionally, it features a heat sink casing and quiet fan for dual cooling.

"The great thing about the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series is its versatility," said Erwan Girard, Professional Business Unit Manager, LaCie. "No matter which Little Big Disk model you choose, it will serve your most demanding applications with ease and portability. It's the ultimate in storage technology."

For more than 20 years, LaCie has worked in the Apple™ marketplace, introducing innovative products and launching new cutting-edge technologies. LaCie developed the very first Apple branded storage solution and showcased the first implementations of FireWire technology. Since then, LaCie has collaborated with Intel™ and Apple to develop a range of professional storage solutions featuring Thunderbolt technology.

AVAILABILITY
The LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series HDD models are available through Apple retail stores worldwide and Apple.com. The SSD model will be shipping this October. All models will be available shortly through LaCie's reseller channel and LaCie.com. The Thunderbolt cable can be purchased separately on Apple.com. For full specifications and product information on the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series visit: http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10549.