Solid-state drives are so speedy these days that even a SATA interface might not have the bandwidth to cope. It's a good thing that Samsung has started mass-producing the first PCI Express-based SSDs for Ultrabooks, then. The new XP941 series uses PCIe's wider data path to read at nearly 1.4GB/s -- that's 2.5 times faster than the quickest SATA SSDs, and nimble enough to move 500GB in six minutes. It also ships in a tinier M.2 format that makes past card-based SSDs look gargantuan, even when there's up to 512GB of storage. Samsung hasn't named laptop makers receiving the XP941, although it doesn't take strong deductive skills to spot one of the (probable) first customers. When Apple is shipping a new 13-inch MacBook Air that just happens to use a very similar PCIe SSD from Samsung, there's likely more than coincidence at work.

Filed under: Laptops, Storage, Apple, Samsung

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Source: Samsung

Sure, there are already plenty of cool options when it comes to encrypted flash drives, but what about one that uses NFC on your Android or even Windows 8 device to unlock it? PQI showed us one such implementation at Computex. Essentially, this NFC flash drive requires an NFC-enabled device to toggle its access mode: full access, read-only, one-time access (and remains hidden afterwards) or hidden. All you have to do is choose the desired mode in the app, type in your preset password, and then tap the flash drive (even when unplugged) with your device to change the former's setting -- provided that the password matches, of course.

Since the encryption is done on the storage controller level, the computer's drive utility wouldn't be able to see the dongle at all if it's hidden, so you wouldn't even be able to format it unless you unlock it or, well, physically destroy it. And that could be anywhere from 8GB all the way up to 64GB of storage space, when the drive launches in Q4 this year.

Filed under: Storage

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These days, the danger of a stolen PC resides less in local files and more in cloud access -- presumably, no one wants to share their online storage with a thief. SugarSync's paid subscribers won't have to worry, as the company just rolled out a remote wipe option. Customers now just have to sign in through the web to purge a Mac or Windows system of both its shared files and any active logins. A wipe target doesn't have to be online when the purge starts, either. The new failsafe won't help if an evildoer moves data elsewhere, but we'll gladly take what extra security we can get.

Filed under: Storage, Internet

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Via: Computerworld

Source: SugarSync

Western Digital may have been quick to release a 5mm hard drive, but it doesn't have a lock on the category: Seagate is entering the fray by shipping its own slim disk, the Laptop Ultrathin. Like its rival, the drive stuffs as much as 500GB of conventional, rotating storage into SSD-like dimensions ideal for Ultrabooks and some tablets. It even costs the same $89 as its WD counterpart, although we're more likely to find the disk built into our next PC than pick one up as an upgrade. Both ASUS and Dell have chosen the Laptop Ultrathin for new models, and we suspect they won't be alone.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Storage, ASUS, Dell

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Source: Seagate

It's been an exciting couple days for the folks at Connected Data. After entering into a merger agreement with Drobo yesterday, the company's just announced Transporter v2.0 -- the latest software for its cloud-aware NAS. To jog your memory, Transporter is a device that lets you share data online, Dropbox-style, without a subscription fee. It was launched on Kickstarter last year and priced at $199 for the basic hardware (BYO hard drive), $299 for 1TB and $399 for 2TB. Version 2.0 brings major user experience improvements on Mac and PC thanks to better integration with Finder and Windows Explorer, including right-click and drag-and-drop functionality. Users can now easily share links to their files and choose how their folders are synced (locally or remotely). The update includes new mobile apps which provide remote Transporter access and management from any iOS or Android device. Connected Data also made firewall support more robust for users regardless of their network environment. Transporter v2.0 will launch sometime in June -- hit the break for the full PR.

Filed under: Storage, Internet, Mobile

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Connected Data, maker of Transporter, just announced that it's entered into a merger agreement with Drobo. As a refresher, Transporter is a cloud-synced file sharing appliance that provides Dropbox-like functionality without the recurring subscription costs. Drobo's best known for its Ethernet, Thunderbolt, FireWire and USB-based multi-drive storage devices which offer seamless expandability. Presumably we'll start seeing some of Connected Data's file sharing features in upcoming Drobo products. The two companies have 30 days to finalize the merger process and perhaps even come up with a clever new brand -- we vote for DroboPorter ourselves. PR after the break.

Filed under: Storage, Internet

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There are plenty of cloud storage options out there which offer some initial amount of free space -- including Dropbox (2GB), Google Drive (5GB 15GB), Box (5GB) and Microsoft Skydrive (7GB). While these services usually provide additional free storage via referrals and special deals (bundled with device purchases for example), Microsoft is doing something different with Skydrive by gifting students an extra 3GB of free space for one year. If you have a valid .edu email address you can visit the URL below to receive a free storage code. The offer is limited to one per person and the code must be redeemed before December 31st 2013. It's unclear what happens to your data after the year's over but it presumably remains available in read-only form. Considering the price of tuition, this deal isn't quite as juicy as getting 100GB of free space for two years on Google Drive with the purchase of a Chromebook -- still it's a no brainer.

Update: To be clear, Google's now offering 15GB of free storage shared between GMail, Google+ photos and Google Drive. Also, Google Apps for Education provides 30GB of free space for these services.

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Microsoft

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Via: Via

Source: Microsoft

When Verizon Cloud launched last month, it would only back up a few Android devices -- not quite the cross-platform utopia that the carrier had in mind. Today's launch of the Verizon Cloud iOS app should get the company (and subscribers) closer to the original vision. Like its mobile counterpart, the iPhone-focused release syncs or streams documents and media from every platform that Verizon supports, including PCs. Just don't expect a wide safety net, though, as the iOS app won't back up call logs, contacts or messages. Still prefer Android? You're covered as well -- Verizon has expanded the compatibility list to include more Google-powered hardware, such as the Droid DNA and the Galaxy S 4. As long as you're inclined toward Verizon Cloud in the first place, the source links should get all your devices working in harmony.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Storage, Internet, Apple, Samsung, HTC, Verizon

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Via: 9to5 Mac

Source: App Store, Verizon, Google Play

Box just recently snapped up Crocodoc to improve the web component of its cloud storage, but what about tuning the native apps? It's addressing that side of the equation by acquiring the technology behind Folders, a third-party cloud storage app for iOS. Box loves Folders' code and design enough to want both of them inside the next generation of its iOS client. Folders creator Martin Destagnol (pictured here at center) has already been working on this for weeks, Box says. While there's no word on a similar treatment for Android, we should see the iOS partnership bear fruit in updates spread throughout the year.

Filed under: Cellphones, Storage, Internet, Mobile

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Box

MediaFire says its cloud storage service now has 30 million users, but it seems that only a minority of those are using its Android or iOS interfaces -- so far, the former has seen less than 500,000 downloads. One extra feature that might boost the utility of these is the forthcoming addition of media streaming, to help MediaFire compete with likes of Amazon Cloud Player -- and with the added draw of 50GB free lifetime storage (or a time-limited offer of $24.99 annually for 100GB). There's no sign of the app update on either platform just yet, but it'll get there when it gets there.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Tablets, Storage, Internet, Software, Mobile

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Source: Google Play, iTunes

While single-chip SSDs are clearly known quantities, they usually run at a much more leisurely pace than their larger counterparts. Innodisk doesn't think size and speed have to be contradictory -- it just unveiled an embedded version of its nanoSSD that performs almost as well as its much bigger counterparts. The µSSD-based SATA chip has a tiny footprint (0.63 x 0.79 inches) and draws just 1W of peak power, but can still read at up to 480MB/s and write at 175MB/s. As such, it's one of the few SSDs that can theoretically stuff desktop-class storage into a smartphone or tablet. Whether or not it will is another matter. Innodisk hasn't named customers for the nanoSSD so far, which leaves us guessing just where or when we'll see the drive in a finished product.

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Storage

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Source: Innodisk

While Amazon Cloud Drive has been on quite the world tour as of late, Canadians have had to watch as seemingly everyone else gets the storage service first. Thankfully, Canucks can now do more than just twiddle their thumbs now that Cloud Drive has gone live in their country. Pricing is virtually on par with what Americans know, with a 5GB free tier and multiple paid tiers that start at $10 per year for 20GB. All the Cloud Drive-focused desktop and mobile apps are now available as well. Cloud Player isn't an option when Amazon MP3 is still missing, but the expansion should otherwise give Canadians at least a small taste of what they've been missing in Amazon's online world.

Filed under: Storage, Internet, Amazon

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Via: MobileSyrup

Source: Amazon

Avid iOS shutterbugs already have Dropbox, Flickr and any number of other internet-based safeguards for their photos, but it won't hurt to have another, will it? Amazon certainly doesn't mind, as its new iOS version of Cloud Drive Photos is built expressly for the sake of uploading shots and viewing them online. Like the Android version, there's no editing or other special tricks -- social network sharing is about the only notable extra. Still, it might be worth grabbing the app if your Cloud Drive space isn't living up to its potential.

Filed under: Cellphones, Storage, Internet, Amazon

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Via: PCMag

Source: App Store

We've seen Microsoft's Surface RT face similar accusations, but this time it's the turn of Samsung's Galaxy S 4 and how much space you'll actually get from that advertised 16GB of storage. The BBC's consumer rights show, Watchdog, will be focusing on the smartphone in next week's episode, and the fact that almost half of the phone's memory is already occupied by Samsung's own software and apps. According to UK retailer Clove, there's just 9.5GB of storage left for customers to fill. It's not the only Android phone with storage space less than advertised -- visit our More Coverage link to see how the Droid RAZR Maxx's 16GB of storage magically transforms into 8GB of usable space. While the smartphone maker argues that the phone does offer an expansion option in the form of a microSD card slot (up to 64GB, no less), some apps still seem to prefer to reside on built-in storage over anything removable -- Amazon's Cloud Player comes to mind.

Host Anne Robinson hints at the end of this week's episode: "It [Samsung] claims that its brand new Galaxy phone has an extra-large memory, but what did it forget to mention?" Although we might have spoiled that question for you already, check the teaser after the break. Brits can tune in for the show at 8PM GMT next Wednesday.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: SlashGear

Source: Videolan (YouTube), Gavin's Gadgets

It's time to re-imagine your documents, apparently. Cloud storage service Box just acquired document embedding startup Crocodoc, which specializes in taking Word, PowerPoint and PDF documents and rendering them as HTML5 content inside web browsers and mobile apps. Crocodoc's technology will allow Box to seamlessly integrate document conversion and viewing into its products. The companies also plan on rolling out more features over the next year, including secure viewing, mobile collaboration, form filling and real-time presentation -- sounds like a win-win for all.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: TechCrunch

Times are a-changin' for Salt Lake City-based Fusion-io, as the company's CEO David Flynn has resigned alongside co-founder and CMO Rick White. It seems that both are stepping away in order to "pursue entrepreneurial investing activities," leaving the act of running one of the world's leading flash storage makers for Mr. Shane Robison. Effective immediately, Robison will be knighted chairman, chief executive officer and president, offering up over 30 years of experience in prior roles for AT&T, Cadence Design Systems, HP and Apple.

The outfit's stock price hasn't fared so well in the shuffle, and it seems that it's once again battling murmurs that a sale could be on the horizon. Combating that sentiment, Robison was quoted by Bloomberg as saying that a sale "is not my focus." Rather, he's hoping to "grow the company and build on what [it] has." Here's hoping it all pans out -- the world most certainly doesn't need one less company fighting for the death of the conventional hard drive.

Filed under: Storage

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Source: Fusion-io

Seagate has come a long way in its attitude toward solid-state drives: it went from fighting the future to embracing SSDs with open arms, albeit only in enterprise at first. Now, it's launching its first-ever flash drive for end users, the 600 SSD. The storage will seem familiar to those who've gone shopping for regular SSDs, offering a 480GB max capacity, a laptop-friendly width and a 6Gbps SATA interface. Also, it may be just the perfect fit for those with extra-slim PCs: one 600 SSD variant will have the same 5mm height as Western Digital's Blue UltraSlim. Seagate hasn't disclosed its pricing, but the 600 SSD as well as the server-oriented 600 Pro SSD, 1200 SSD and X8 Accelerator should be available now.

Filed under: Storage

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Source: Seagate

While there's an abundance of cloud storage services, few of them have dedicated conferences to help developers exploit that online space. Dropbox could well be a vanguard on that front, then -- it just announced its inaugural developer conference, DBX. The initial event takes place on July 9th at San Francisco's very familiar-sounding Fort Mason Center. Along with providing help straight from the source for the Sync API and other coding tools, DBX will serve as the launch platform for "new products." There aren't any clues as to what that entails, but we suspect that's enough of a tease to have some Dropbox diehards booking their flights.

Filed under: Storage, Internet, Software

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Via: Dropbox

Source: DBX

After taking a few shadowy pictures for the scientific world's paparazzi, the atom is now ready for its closeup. Today, a team of IBM scientists are bypassing the big screen to unveil what they call the "world's smallest movie." This atomic motion picture was created with the help of a two-ton IBM-made microscope that operates at a bone-chilling negative 268 degrees Celsius. This hardware was used to control a probe that pulled and arranged atoms for stop-motion shots used in the 242-frame film. A playful spin on microcomputing, the short was made by the same team of IBM eggheads who recently developed the world's smallest magnetic bit. Now that the atom's gone Hollywood, what's next, a molecular entourage?

Filed under: Storage, Science, Alt

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While we're used to connected hard drives that share their contents with phones and tablets, the reverse isn't common -- why don't many of these drives safeguard our mobile content from the start? Toshiba is as baffled as we are, so it's launching its Canvio Connect portable drive with handheld access in mind. While the USB 3.0 disk has no built-in networking of its own, a software bundle for Macs and PCs (we've confirmed that it's Pogoplug) lets travelers back up photos and videos from their Android and iOS devices, reach the drive's files through the internet and partake in 10GB of free cloud storage. The new Canvio can also serve as a traditional external drive for computers, although it's still improved in that space when the enclosure is about a third shorter than that of its predecessors. Toshiba expects the mobile-savvy Connect to arrive in mid-May at prices ranging from $99 for a 500GB model through to $190 for a 2TB version.

Filed under: Storage, Internet

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Source: Toshiba

We were intrigued with the prospects of Western Digital's 5mm Blue drive when we saw it last summer: finally, a 2.5-inch spinning disk thin enough to rival slimmer SSDs without the price premium of a hybrid like the WD Black SSHD. If you shared the same curiosity, you'll be glad to hear that the finished product is shipping as the WD Blue UltraSlim. Device builders can now stuff 500GB into spaces that would exclude 7mm disks, yet pay just $89 for the privilege -- a price low enough to let even frugal Ultrabooks shed some bulk. The 5mm disk reaches its miniscule dimensions through the use of a tiny edge connector that mates both power and a SATA interface, leaving more room for the drive machinery. We can't guarantee that you'll find a Blue UltraSlim in your next PC or set-top box when Western Digital hasn't named any of its customers, but we wouldn't be surprised if the wafer-like drive is commonplace in the near future.

Filed under: Laptops, Storage

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Source: Western Digital

We're used to external hard drive makers offering some kind of backup software to add value, although it's usually forgettable for the experienced users among us -- what we erase while we're busy setting up Windows 8 File History, Time Machine or a cloud service. Western Digital thinks some cloud integration of its own will get us looking at its new, standalone WD SmartWare Pro app. While the client can automatically back up file changes to a local drive as they happen, it can also schedule backups to both the drive and a Dropbox account. The extra-cautious can backup that Dropbox account to the external disk, and the whole affair isn't limited to the company's MyBook drives, either; just about any old USB storage will do. It will cost a minimum of $30 ($20 on sale) for a three-computer SmartWare Pro license, but those who want both physical and cloud-based safety nets might consider the money well-spent.

Filed under: Storage, Internet

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Source: Western Digital

If you figured Titan's title of the world's most powerful supercomputer would give the folks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory reason to rest on their laurels, you'd be mistaken. The computer is set to have its fleet of 18,688 NVIDIA K20 GPUs and equal number of AMD Opteron processors paired with what's said to be the planet's speediest storage system, making its file setup six times faster and giving it three times more capacity. Dubbed Spider II, the new hardware will endow the number cruncher with a peak performance of 1.4 terabytes a second and 40 petabytes of storage spread across 20,000 disk drives. Behind the refresh are 36 of Datadirect Networks' SFA12K-40 systems, which each pack 1.12PB of capacity. For more on the herculean rig's upgrade, hit the jump for the press release.

Filed under: Misc, Storage, Science

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As often as Dropbox has been courting serious cloud storage users with Dropbox for Teams, it doesn't feel that the name reflects the company's loftier ambitions -- so it's giving the service a rebranding. Now called Dropbox for Business, it's pitched more directly at the suit-and-tie set. There's more than just talk involved in the new strategy, though. The shift also sees Dropbox build in identity management from five providers so that Dropbox users don't have to sign into the service if they're already logged in elsewhere: they can hop on to the corporate Active Directory service, for example and have Dropbox ready for action soon after. We doubt that the new moves by themselves will sway IT managers, but they may help would-be users who've been on the fence.

Filed under: Storage, Internet

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Dropbox (1), (2)

We have a feeling graphics artists are going to be begging their studios for Fusion-io's latest ioFX super-SSD. After receiving critical acclaim for its 460GB version, the company has today introduced a massively-speced 1.6TB variant at NAB. Despite the space increase, the new unit is not bigger than its older sibling. In related news, HP has also signed on to integrate ioFX into its HP Z 420, 620 and 820 all-in-ones Workstations, and it'll also give current workstation owners the option to simply add the card to their existing machines. Fusion won't be releasing any details about pricing for the 1.6TB ioFX just yet -- that'll remain under wraps until its released this summer. For now, movie makers can net the 460GB one for $2K (about $500 less that its release price). Full press release after the break.

Filed under: Desktops, Misc, Storage

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