Buffalo -- Engadget

Buffalo ships world's first USB 3.0 hard disk drives this month

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 7th 2009 at 4:38AM

It's fine to announce USB 3.0 gear, but it's another thing entirely to actually put it up for retail. Buffalo's making the boast today that its HD-HU3 series of USB 3.0 hard disks will be the "world's first!!" to ship. Since a USB 3.0 device is pointless without a controller to support it, Buffalo will also make NEC's ¥5,300 (about $60) IFC-PCIE2U3 2-port PCI Expressx1 host controller available with its hard drives when they ship late October in Japan, almost a month before Freecom's disks hit the market. The 1TB and 1.5TB drives will cost ¥20,000 (about $225) and ¥25,300 (about $284), respectively, with a ¥46,600 (about $523) 2TB disk coming sometime later. Imagine it, soon you'll be able to take advantage of those USB 3.0 cables you bought back in April. Controller after the break.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Continue reading Buffalo ships world's first USB 3.0 hard disk drives this month

Buffalo stuffs 500GB into ultraslim HD-PVU2 portable hard drive

by Darren Murph posted Sep 7th 2009 at 8:31AM

With a few external hard drive outfits pushing out 640GB models this past week, a simple half-terabyte edition now seems mildly inadequate. That said, Buffalo's latest gets brownie points for being almost impossibly thin. The HD-PVU2 lineup is barely thicker than the 2.5-inch HDD within, with 320GB and 500GB versions available. Both black and white flavors will be shipped out to stores, and as expected, they'll get all the juice they need through USB 2.0. Check 'em out soon (assuming you can locate one) in Japan for ¥10,500 ($112) and ¥15,330 ($164), respectively.

[Via Impress]

Continue reading Buffalo stuffs 500GB into ultraslim HD-PVU2 portable hard drive

Buffalo intros 4TB TeraStation NAS

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Sep 2nd 2009 at 6:31PM

It's been a while since we've seen a TeraStation from Buffalo, and in the meantime the company has been really going wild with the lilliputian memory devices, so it's nice to see something substantial in this space for a change. The latest TeraStation NAS integrates with Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 for up to 4TB storage. Of course, this particular Windows release has been available since late 2006, so we're not too terribly impressed -- but the company seems to think that it's important for you to know all about it. In addition, this bad boy has support for Raid 5/0/1 and VSS, and rocks four hot-swappable drive bays. The WS-Q2.0TL/R5 (2TB) is available for ¥158,000 ($1,658), while the WS-Q4.0TL/R5 (4TB) will set you back ¥198,000 ($2,077). And no, it won't fit in your pocket.

[Via Akihabara News]

Buffalo adds 16GB microSD card / reader to its line of incredibly small USB memory

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Aug 7th 2009 at 1:29PM

We've seen Buffalo shrink USB drives down to preposterous sizes in the recent past, and now the company is throwing a microSD card reader into the mix. Available for ¥15,500.00 (that's $160, give or take) this guy stores 16GB internally, is available in both colors -- black AND white -- and would be right at home in any of your computer's favorite USB 2.0 ports. And just to get you started, this bad boy includes a 16GB card microSD card. How sweet is that?

[Via OhGizmo!]

Buffalo HDS-PH500U2 gives you 500GB of rugged, encrypted storage

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 6th 2009 at 5:29AM

Buffalo's MiniStation DataVault series of drives is focused on data protection, from hackers and clumsy owners alike, with features like automatic full disk encryption and ruggedized shock-resistant design. The latest model, identified in Japan by the dry alphanumeric title you see above, sticks to the security-centric formula but bumps the storage to a sweet 500GB. ¥23,200 ($244) will be enough to snag the USB-powered 5,400RPM device in mid-August, and a prompt US / European release also seems highly likely. Judging by what's already available in the US, you can expect a three year warranty plus preloaded auto-backup software and mobile versions of Firefox and Thunderbird for avoiding the scourge of IE wherever you may roam.

[Via PC Watch]

Buffalo adds Ministation Metro to its external HDD lineup

by Vladislav Savov posted Jun 26th 2009 at 4:04AM

The Ministation Metro, coming in a variety of tastefully named colors, such as Black Crystal, represents a continuation of Buffalo's recent efforts to beautify its portable hard drive offerings. The drive's design is highlighted by a handily integrated USB cable that sits flush with the Metro's externals when not in use. It's also noteworthy that this latest entry in Buffalo's Ministation series looks remarkably similar (i.e. identical) to the recently announced HD-PXU2 in Japan. We can only surmise that the company believes the term Metro carries more positive connotations with Western consumers than the otherwise catchy jumble of letters and digits. Capacity choices range all the way up to 500GB, and the new drives are expected to reach American and British shores in August, with a US price somewhere in the vicinity of $200 for the most capacious models.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Buffalo's 16GB 5mm USB Thumbkey: It's really small

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Jun 24th 2009 at 6:58PM

This isn't the first time Buffalo's blown our minds with its lilliputian tech. The WiFi dongle, you have to admit, was pretty sweet. What can we say about the 5mm Thumbkey drive? For starters, it's really small. And it has a 16GB capacity. And it''ll cost you about $136 when it goes on sale (any day now). Sure, that's a tad pricey for a device that lacks gears and rubies -- but did we mention how small this thing is?

[Via OhGizmo!]

Buffalo BSH4A02 USB hub loves switches, hates vampires

by Tim Stevens posted Jun 17th 2009 at 8:27AM

Vampires don't just inhabit the night and your AC power strips. They come in USB flavors, too, and so far only Buffalo seems to be doing anything about them and their wasteful ways, introducing the charmingly-named BSH4A02 four-port USB hub. It sports one switch per plug, making it easy for you to put a stake in your smartphone's battery maintenance cycle, comes in three colors, hits Japan this October for ¥3,885 (about $40), and includes an AC adapter to power itself -- making us wonder if this thing doesn't have a bit of the undead in it as well. Perhaps Buffalo will call it "Blade" and give it some cool sunglasses before a US release.

[Via GadgetReview]

CSIRO's patent lawsuits conclude with the final 13 companies settling

by Ross Miller posted Apr 22nd 2009 at 12:53AM

Looks like CSIRO's legal days are over -- for the moment, at least. Having already reached an agreement with HP, the Australian government-funded research firm announced this week that it's settled with the remaining 13 companies it sued for patent infringement, claiming it owned the rights to 802.11a/g. For those who haven't been keeping track at home, that includes Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Nintendo, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Netgear, Buffalo, D-Link, Belkin, SMC, Accton, and 3Com. The details of any of the settlements are undisclosed, but as iTnews reports, it's expected CSIRO ended up with some substantial monies now that the dust has settled. Chief Executive Dr. Megan Clark noted that it'll continue to "defend its intellectual property," so if you're a high profile tech company who creates WiFi-equipped gadgets and hasn't been served a lawsuit yet, we don't blame you for being a little nervous right now.

Dice speakers sure to be a fashion gamble

by Laura June posted Mar 23rd 2009 at 6:47PM

Buffalo's just unleashed some portable little iPod speakers that you might want to try to get your hands on. With an output of one hot watt, the Dice speaker series is sure to turn your morning commute into a tiny, slightly louder micro-party in an instant -- or, at the very least, it'll cool up your look a few notches. They'd make a perfect gift for the gambling addict in your life, too, but sadly, they're going to be a Japan-only release when they come out sometime next month for ¥ 2,814 (about $33). Check out another shot after the break.

Continue reading Dice speakers sure to be a fashion gamble

Buffalo's external 32GB and 64GB SSDs can swap insides with your Eee PC's original drive

by Paul Miller posted Mar 13th 2009 at 3:18PM

Sure, you could look at it as crass commercialism, but we choose to see the softer, gentler side of Buffalo in this act of kindness: buy a new SSD upgrade for your ASUS Eee PC 901-16G and Buffalo will toss in a free chassis to hold your existing 16GB drive. The 32GB and 64GB drives will run you $129 and $228, respectively, and actually ship inside the external drive -- you don't have to swap SSDs if you don't want to, but we like the option. We would, anyways, if we lived in Japan.

[Via PortableMonkey]

Gallery: Buffalo's external 32GB and 64GB SSDs for Eee PC

Crapgadget: "Wow... just, wow" edition

by Darren Murph posted Mar 13th 2009 at 7:34AM

A buffalo USB speaker? Really? Someone thought this was a good idea? How's about a completely unlicensed Mickey Multifunction Webcam? You know, for doing lots of random crap, just not very well. Or what about an MP3 pen that helps you learn Mandarin? Yeah, 'cause that's totally beneficial in more than three locations on Planet Earth. Or, if you're still not sold, how's about a USB bamboo fountain that'll be a surefire catalyst for adding mold and mildew to any room? Believe it or not, all of these are real products that you can exchange hard-earned dollars for, though obviously we wouldn't recommend it. Cast your vote below for the most jaw-dropping of all.

Read - Buffalo USB Speaker
Read - MP3 Pen
Read - USB Bamboo Fountain
Read - Mickey Webcam

Buffalo intros SHD-NSUM series SSDs with USB and SATA-II interfaces

by Donald Melanson posted Feb 25th 2009 at 5:24PM

Internal SSD drives generally aren't the most exciting devices out there, apart from the fact they're SSDs, but Buffalo's new SHD-NSUM series of drives look to bit a bit of an exception, with each packing a microUSB port for some data transfers in a pinch in addition to the standard SATA-II interface. Otherwise, the drives are expectedly pretty standard fare, with Buffalo promising that they're 30% faster than a standard hard drive, and offering them in the usual 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities. No word on a 'release round here just yet, but those in Japan should be able to pick 'em up in March for between $120 and $390.

[Via SlashGear]

Buffalo rolls out 7-inch USB external display

by Donald Melanson posted Jan 28th 2009 at 1:12PM

It may not boast quite the same desk-friendly looks as some of its competitors, but Buffalo's new 7-inch FTD-W71USB display should at least get the job done in a pinch, and most likely do so for a bargain price if the company's track record is any indication. As with similar displays, this one boasts a standard 800 x 480 resolution, and it can be oriented vertically or horizontally to suit the task at hand. Otherwise, you can expect a reasonable 300 nits brightness, a 500:1 contrast ratio, and a whopping 25ms response time, which'll no doubt dash the hopes of anyone actually thinking of using it as a primary monitor. No firm word on a price, but it should be available in Japan by the end of the month.

[Via Akihabara News]

Buffalo's 802.11n WiFi dongle: small in size, tiny in price

by Thomas Ricker posted Jan 15th 2009 at 3:59AM

Small, fast, and cheap... what could be better? Buffalo's WLI-UC-GN 802.11b/g/n dongle measures just 16 × 33 × 8-mm and costs a mere ¥2,100 (about $24). It supports both Buffalo's proprietary AOSS and the Wi-Fi Alliance's WPS to simplify the process of connecting to secure WiFi networks. Look for the USB 2.0 adapter to ship in Japan and beyond starting next month. Check the hot male-to-female USB bunging after the break.

[Via Akihabara News]

Continue reading Buffalo's 802.11n WiFi dongle: small in size, tiny in price