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external hard drive posts

Brinell Purestorage external hard drives are all kinds of classy

by Darren Murph posted Nov 5th 2009 at 10:37AM

Much like the great city of San Diego, Brinell's Purestorage line of external HDDs is amongst the classiest that we've ever seen. So classy in fact, that we'd probably be frightened to ever lug one around and risk marring the otherwise gorgeous leather, carbon, wood or stainless steel enclosure. That said, there's hardly a sexier way to carry around 160GB to 500GB in your pocket, and the USB-powered design enables you to leave the AC adapter in the very rear of your memory. Eager to caress one? These are available now across the pond in a variety of flavors starting at €189 ($280), so yeah, pony up.

[Via Unplggd]

LaCie's Network Space 2 will assimilate your data, resistance is futile

by Tim Stevens posted Nov 4th 2009 at 9:04AM

It's not as compellingly styled as the Starck Mobile Hard Drive, nor as ostentatious as the Golden Disk; in fact the Network Space 2 is visually identical to the earlier Network Space, featuring improvements where it counts: on the inside. The Network Space 2 can act as either an external drive over USB or as a NAS, with UPnP, DLNA, and iTunes compliance for media streaming -- but that's old hat. New is integrated torrent support for all of your non-copyrighted download needs and some enhanced eco-friendly tweaks, like the ability to power itself down at certain times of the day then wake-on-LAN when needed. Storage is still capped at 1TB and there's no RAID in here to protect your infos, but we're not expecting this one to stray too far from its predecessor's $160 mark when released before the end of the year.

Gallery: LaCie Network Space 2

Continue reading LaCie's Network Space 2 will assimilate your data, resistance is futile

Dane-Elec comes clean with external USB 3.0 HDDs / SSDs

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2009 at 12:01AM

It's been almost an entire year since we heard a peep from the good lads and ladies at Dane-Elec, but those very individuals have today informed us that a few USB 3.0 drives are on the way from its labs. 'Course, we'd like to point out that it's being a little ambitious with that whole "world's first" thing, but given the youth of the format, we'll take all the competition (and excitement) we can get. The outfit's So SuperSpeed line of external drives will soon be taking on the US market, offering consumers up to 250MBps data transfers starting on December 11th. Sizes will range from 500GB to 2TB (in both 2.5- and 3.5-inch forms), and we're told that the SSD options (80GB and 160GB) will indeed be Intel-branded under the hood. Looking for prices? Sure you are -- they're just past the break.

Continue reading Dane-Elec comes clean with external USB 3.0 HDDs / SSDs

Origin unveils 750GB and 1TB Data Locker encrypted external HDDs

by Darren Murph posted Oct 18th 2009 at 9:41AM

Questionably christened the world's first 1TB portable hardware-encrypted hard drive, Origin Storage's extra-capacious Data Locker Secure Drive is certainly the one to get if you're paranoid about whatever it is you'd keep on such a large platter. Also available in 750GB, 500GB and 320GB models, the drives are secured by AES hardware encryption and a 6 to 18 digit PIN number which must be entered directly onto the device itself before the contents become accessible. Think James Bond, but for real. The USB-powered unit also packs rubber shoulders in case things get a little crazy between you and Mr. Data Thief, though we wouldn't try running this thing through the rain forest if at all possible. The 1TB edition will be available soon for £399 ($652), while the others are priced at £299 ($488), £239 ($390) and £180 ($294) from largest to smallest.

[Via Slashgear]

Clickfree adds hassle-free migration, other features to C2 backup drive (video)

by Darren Murph posted Oct 13th 2009 at 2:51PM

Quite a lot has happened in the world of Clickfree since it went a little crazy at CES, but we're pretty jazzed about its latest effort. The predictably titled C2 is little more than a tweaked and refreshed version of the original backup-inclined external hard drive, but the boost in features makes this one worth considering. Available with a built-in USB cable and an even easier backup interface, the C2 can now handle automatic iPod music / playlist imports, direct-to-DVD burning, improved media sharing and a lovely migration feature that makes the arduous process of moving from Windows XP to Windows 7 a lesson in simplicity. The drive will be available in 250GB (C2 227; $139.00), 500GB (C2 527; $199.99) and 350GB sizes, with the latter to be made available in January 2010. So, are you finally done pushing aside the need to back your digital life up? Has Apple's increasingly lackadaisical software team taught us anything? Bizzare promo video is after the break.

Gallery: Clickfree adds hassle-free migration, other features to C2 backup drive

Continue reading Clickfree adds hassle-free migration, other features to C2 backup drive (video)

Active Media debuts 'seriously fast' Aviator 312 USB 3.0 SSD

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 6th 2009 at 3:48PM

It may not be the first USB 3.0 hard drive, but Active Media's new Aviator 312 external SSD does look to be the fastest one around at the moment-- assuming it actually lives up to the company's claims, that is. The biggest of those are read speeds "up to" a blazing 240MB/s and write speeds up to 160MB/s -- both, of course, made possible through the magic of USB 3.0, which also just so happens to let the drive be an external one, and be powered solely by USB. Of course, there are a few not insignificant trade-offs as well, the most notable being that the drive is limited to just 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, which also unsurprisingly demand more than their capacities would suggest: $89, $119, and $209, respectively.

[Via Electronista]

LG launches XD3 Slim portable HDDs

by Vladislav Savov posted Sep 10th 2009 at 10:33PM

Brushed aluminum exterior filed down to a minimalist 13mm in thickness with rubber-padded sides for impact protection. This is not just a portable hard drive, this is an LG XD3 Slim portable hard drive. It seems like LG has decided to differentiate its products on aesthetics alone, as the XD3 has the same USB and SATA II connectivity that have been on offer since the XD1, and storage is no greater than the max 500GB on the XD2. Even so, if the Korean price of 110,000 Won ($90) for the 320GB model shows up unaltered in Western lands, we know what we'll be buying our imaginary girlfriends come Christmas.

Continue reading LG launches XD3 Slim portable HDDs

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

OWC shoves 750GB hard drive into Mercury On-The-Go Pro

by Darren Murph posted Sep 5th 2009 at 1:02AM

Other World Computing's Mercury On-The-Go lineup has always struck us as somewhat overpriced and completely overstyled, but it's tough to argue with 750GB of space in a bus-powered portable drive. The newest addition to the company's On-The-Go Pro range is a 750GB model that spins at 5200RPMs and packs 8MB of cache; we won't even begin to tell you what all you could fit on three-quarters of a terabyte, but if your imagination already has you tempted, you can snag one now for as low as $229.99 if you're kosher with a USB 2.0-only configuration.

[Via Electronista]

Samsung doles out 640GB S2 portable, 2TB S3 Station HDDs

by Darren Murph posted Sep 4th 2009 at 6:11PM

Whatever Toshiba can do, Samsung can do... um, equally well? Evidently that's the game being played over at IFA, as the latter company has issued a 640GB portable hard drive of its own nary 24 hours after Tosh did likewise. The unspeakably cute S2 portable is getting a much-needed capacity bump, making the largest drive in the line 640GB. In related news, the company's 3.5-inch S3 Station external HDD has seen its maximum storage level creep north to 2TB, though storage freaks will have to wait patiently until "early next year" in order to take one home. Prices for both remain a mystery, but if we had to guess, we'd put the MSRPs about a penny under whatever Toshiba settles on. Call it a hunch.

[Via HotHardware]

Toshiba intros 2.5-inch 5400RPM 640GB hard drive in internal / external flavors

by Darren Murph posted Sep 2nd 2009 at 1:23AM

It's no speed demon, but Toshiba's newest 2.5-inch hard drive sure lets you store an awful lot of ~~illicit images~~ precious memories on a single unit. The 640GB MK6465GSX drive spins at 5400RPMs and is said to be the industry's largest in this form factor. The range also includes 500GB, 320GB, 250GB and 160GB models, with the whole lot shipping out to OEMs and distributors later this month. In related news, Tosh is also slapping these bad boys into a few shiny enclosures (Vivid White, Liquid Blue, Komodo Green and Rocket Red if you must know), giving storage junkies an even more capacious offering to slide into their briefcase. Of note, As of now, there's no pricing information available on the bare 640GB unit, but it should be available as we speak for $179.99 in external form.

[Via HotHardware]

Read - 640GB 2.5-inch hard drive
Read - External editions

Continue reading Toshiba intros 2.5-inch 5400RPM 640GB hard drive in internal / external flavors

ioSafe Solo 500GB rugged external HDD reviewed, tortured and drowned

by Laura June posted Aug 8th 2009 at 6:22AM

Look, ioSafe said when it was announced that the Solo external HDD was rugged enough to withstand both fire and submersion in water, so really, it was only a matter of time before at least one of those things happened, right? The hardy woodsmen over at TestFreaks have taken ioSafe at its word and run a 500GB version through the paces. Running it through the benchmarks, they found that the Solo holds up very well when compared with similar makes with regards to speed and performance -- it gets the job done, if you will. Transfer rates were a bit slower when put up against a Seagate BlackArmor WS110 -- but not enough to be terribly disappointing. The real fun, of course, comes with the drowning of the poor little hard drive. Now, we don't want to give anything away, but we'll say this: watch the video (which is after the break) all the way to the end when the protector of Camp Crystal Lake makes a stunning, shocking performance. Hit the read link for the full review, a ton of photos, and even more video.

Continue reading ioSafe Solo 500GB rugged external HDD reviewed, tortured and drowned

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]

Toshiba's inaugural 3.5-inch external HDD is exactly what you think it is

by Ross Miller posted Jul 28th 2009 at 10:14PM

Good old Tosh is putting a little more heft on its drives, unveiling what the company cites as its first ever 3.5-inch external hard drive. It spins at 5400RPM, features USB 2.0 and eSATA output, and an aesthetic that's easy on the eyes. Not much else to say about this space saver, but you can be sure it's just the first of many that are in the pipeline. The presser says it's available now, but we've been looking and have yet to find it on Toshiba's retail site or other online retailers like Amazon. When it does show its face, expect it to cost $130 for the 640GB model and $160 for a cool 1TB.

[Via Testfreaks; thanks, Nickolas R]

Engadget's recession antidote: win a 500GB ioSafe Solo!

by Darren Murph posted Jul 27th 2009 at 12:00PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got a 500GB ioSafe Solo on offer, ideal for protecting even your most intimate interoffice love letters from hell and high water. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!

Big thanks to ioSafe for providing the gear!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) 500GB ioSafe Solo external hard drive. Approximate retail value is $199.98.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Monday, July 27th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.