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Buffalo launches an HDD into the PogoPlug clouds, outfits external storage lineup with USB 3.0

Buffalo's toyed with that newfangled idea of sharing files over the internet once or twice, but today it's stepping up to the plate, picking up a PogoPlug bat, and sending a hard drive coursing into the upper stratosphere fueled by good intent. Well, perhaps the reality isn't quite as exciting as that analogy, but Buffalo is indeed launching the first PogoPlug with internal storage today, which works just like your run-of-the-mill NAS in everyday use, but can also share files of your choosing with awkward acquaintances around the world through an online web portal. $170 buys you 1TB of storage, $270 doubles that capacity to 2TB, and the end of friends and relatives nagging you to upload Facebook photos is (hopefully) included free with every purchase.

If all you're looking for in an external hard drive is improved transfer speeds, Buffalo's got plenty of options there too, as it's revamped four tried-and-true units with USB 3.0. You can nab the blue SuperSpeed connector in a four-drive, 4TB or 8TB DriveStation Quad with up-to-225MB transfer rates starting at $630, a two-drive, 2TB or 4TB DriveStation Duo starting at $280, a single-drive DriveStation Axis with 1TB or 2TB starting at $100, or a more portable MiniStation Stealth in 500GB and 1TB capacities starting at $90. Speedy rotating magnetic platters, anyone? PR after the break.

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BUFFALO revolutionizes Storage market with cloudstor

CloudStor Enables Users to Seamlessly Access and Share Their Content with Anyone, Anywhere

CONSUMER ELECTRONIC SHOW - Las Vegas, NV – January 6, 2010 - Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking and network and direct attached storage solutions, today announced the revolutionary Buffalo CloudStor™ personal storage solution. Powered by Pogoplug, CloudStor goes beyond simple storage, creating a portal to freely access and share photos, videos, music and much more with anyone, anywhere through the cloud. Unlike online storage services, CloudStor has no capacity or service fees. Just plug it in, turn it on and create your free account at mycloudstor.com. CloudStor comes with everything you need to get started. You just have to be free to share.

"The consumption of digital content is rapidly moving beyond traditional channels along with how that data is stored and accessed," said Ralph Spagnola, vice president of sales at Buffalo Technology. "Buffalo's CloudStor delivers on the promise of data mobility and allows your content to be shared freely with anyone, anywhere."

CloudStor is secure because no content resides in the cloud; users own and store their files and decide what to share. Whether at home, the office or on the road, the CloudStor user experience remains the same. It looks and operates just like a hard drive inside your computer, accessible via a drive letter on PCs and as a device through Finder on Mac® computers. And with Pogoplug apps for mobile devices and easy Facebook and Twitter integration, you'll always be seconds away from your content.

"Sharing and managing digital assets have moved beyond traditional storage and are no longer confined to one computer or network," said Daniel Putterman, CEO of Cloud Engines, Inc. "Buffalo's CloudStor is the first Pogoplug device with integrated storage, and coupled with the easy-to-use interface, consumers now have an out-of-box ready Pogoplug storage solution that is free of service and data fees."

At the center of every CloudStor is Pogoplug's cloud service. The popular service connects users to their storage and allows them to freely access and share their storage anywhere in the world. CloudStor is the first and only Pogoplug device with integrated storage. Files are securely shared between people and there is no need for user setup; just email a link to your family and friends. Consumers' digital content always resides on CloudStor and the online service is only used to connect users and guests to specified files on the device.
In addition, CloudStor offers many traditional consumer network attached storage features including private share support for LAN based network sharing and pairing with the popular µTorrent client, allowing users to offload the task of downloading torrent files from computers to CloudStor. Buffalo CloudStor can also stream to popular media devices, including Sony PlayStation® 3 and Xbox 360®. Plus, CloudStor has an integrated Time Machine backup system that allows Mac users to use Time Machine to backup their systems to CloudStor when at home.

Pricing and Availability

The Buffalo CloudStor is backed by a limited one-year warranty that includes toll-free 24/7 US based technical support. CloudStor will be available February 2011 at an estimated street price of $169.99 for the 1 TB CloudStor (CS-WX1.0TL) and $269.99 for the 2 TB CloudStor Pro (CS-WV2.0TL). Buffalo products can be purchased through distribution, online resellers and Buffalo's ecommerce website. For more information about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit the company's web site at www.buffalotech.com.

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BUFFALO launches comprehensive Usb 3.0 storage family

New USB 3.0 Storage Family Offers Enhanced Features with Unparalleled Performance

CONSUMER ELECTRONIC SHOW - Las Vegas, NV – January 6, 2010 - Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking and network and direct attached storage solutions, today announced the most comprehensive family of USB 3.0 storage devices on the market. In a tradition of innovation and superb engineering, which allowed Buffalo to launch the first ever consumer USB 3.0 external hard drive, Buffalo maintains storage dominance with its new line up of USB 3.0 external hard drives, ideal for creative professionals, computer power users and digital content creators. Delivering unmatched interface speeds up to 5 gigabits per second, the new MiniStation Stealth USB 3.0, DriveStation Axis USB 3.0, DriveStation Duo USB 3.0 and DriveStation Quad USB 3.0 are designed for quick transfer and storage of high-resolution graphics, digital audio/video, large multimedia files, photos and more.

Representing the latest generation of high-performance multi-drive direct attached RAID storage solutions, the DriveStation Duo USB 3.0 and DriveStation Quad USB 3.0 combine SuperSpeed performance with RAID reliability and come equipped with NovaBACKUP® Business Essentials for Windows® PCs and Windows® Server 2003 and 2008, including servers running Microsoft Exchange and SQL. Ideal for small servers, creative professionals, offices and consumers requiring redundant and high performance external storage these new multi-drive external hard drives are a perfect blend of reliability, performance and flexibility at an affordable price. Also announced today are the new MiniStation Stealth USB 3.0 and DriveStation Axis USB 3.0 single drive storage solutions combining sleek styling, unique features and simplicity with the remarkable reliability for which Buffalo in known.

"As demonstrated by the November 2009 launch of the first ever SuperSpeed USB 3.0 storage solution, Buffalo DriveStation HD-HXU3, innovation and engineering excellence have always been at the heart of Buffalo's core values" said Ralph Spagnola, vice president of sales at Buffalo Technology. "Continuing in this tradition, Buffalo has put forth the most comprehensive USB 3.0 storage family on the market, providing a balanced blend of reliability, performance and flexible features at affordable prices."

The DriveStation Quad USB 3.0 is a four drive, high speed RAID enabled storage solution offering transfer speeds up to 235 MB/s, twice as fast as USB 2.0. Equipped with four hard drives configured in RAID 5, DriveStation Quad USB 3.0 also supports RAID 0, 10 and JBOD modes for flexibility between data redundancy and available storage capacity. Additionally, DriveStation Quad USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0 and works with nearly any PC or Mac® computer. A heavy-duty cooling system allows the unit to efficiently run cool and quiet while the snap-off front plate provides for quick and easy drive maintenance with no tools required. Available in capacities up to 8 TB, the DriveStation Quad USB 3.0 delivers unmatched performance at a great value.

The DriveStation Duo USB 3.0 dual-drive storage solution features transfer speeds up to 225 MB/s, providing the necessary horsepower for performance critical applications and offers backward compatibility with USB 2.0 for use with nearly any computer. Equipped with two quick swap hard drives, the DriveStation Duo supports RAID 0 and 1, offering the choice between data redundancy and maximum capacity, along with a removable front plate for simple, tool-free drive maintenance.

Buffalo's new MiniStation Stealth USB 3.0 bus powered portable hard drive and DriveStation Axis USB 3.0 desktop hard drive are easy-to-use storage solutions for the simple addition of external storage to any USB enabled device. Both units feature SuperSpeed USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0, and offer Buffalo Tools, a feature-rich software suite designed to enhance computer performance and the day-to-day digital life of Windows® PC consumers. With transfer speeds nearly twice as fast as USB 2.0 and suite of feature-rich tools, the MiniStation Stealth USB 3.0 and DriveStation Axis USB 3.0 are the perfect solution for expanding storage capacity or backing up any home or home office computer with unparalleled speed.

Pricing and Availability

Buffalo's high speed USB 3.0 hard drive family is backed by a limited one-year warranty and toll-free 24/7 US based technical support.

The DriveStation Quad USB 3.0 is available immediately at an estimated street price of $629.99 for the 4 TB (HD-QL4TU3R5) and $1199.99 for the 8 TB (HD-QL8TU3R5)

The DriveStation Duo USB 3.0 is available immediately at an estimated street price of $279.99 for the 2 TB (HD-WL2TU3R1) and $459.99 for the 4 TB (HD-WL4TU3R1)

The DriveStation Axis USB 3.0 is available immediately at an estimated street price of $99.99 for the 1 TB (HD-LB1.0TU3) and $149.99 for the 2 TB (HD-LB2.0TU3).

The MiniStation Stealth USB 3.0 is available immediately at an estimated street price of
$89.99 for the 500 GB (HD-PCT500U3/B) and $129.99 for the 1 TB (HD-PCT1TU3/BB).

Buffalo products can be purchased through distributors, online resellers and Buffalo's web site. For more information about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit the company's web site at www.buffalotech.com.