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Freecom gets slim with Mobile Drive Mg portable hard drive, supports USB 3.0 and FireWire 800
Been awhile, hasn't it Freecom? The same company responsible for serving up the world's first portable USB 3.0 hard drive is now responsible for cranking out the world's slimmest portable HDD. At just ten millimeters thick, the Mobile Drive Mg is likely thinner than your average ink pen, touting a magnesium enclosure and a USB 3.0 port, enabling it to shoot data back and forth at rates as high as 130MB/sec. Oddly enough, the drive will only be made available through Apple Premium Resellers, despite the fact that no existing Mac ships with native USB 3.0 support. At any rate, it'll be on sale within the week for $69.95 (320GB) or $109.95 (750GB), with a high-end 750GB model offering both USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 for $119.95.
Buffalo SuperSpeed USB 3.0 external hard drive reviewed, fast
Was anybody else surprised to see that Buffalo (fine purveyors of USB hardware, including kitschy dice speakers, and teeny, tiny thumb drives) was able to start pushing USB 3.0 hardware out the door so quickly? The fine citizens of TweakTown definitely were -- and now they've gone and given HD-HXU3 external hard drive a thorough going over. The verdict? They've likened performance to that of an internal drive -- not disappointing in the least. Physically, this guy is constructed "very well, much better than any of the enclosures that are sold without a drive" that the reviewer has tested. The only sticking point? The price seems a little steep -- and since USB 3.0 will soon be ubiquitous anyways, perhaps you want to hold out a minute before investing. But if the latest and greatest is your bag, this ain't a bad place to start. Hit the source link for the full story.
Buffalo now shipping SuperSpeed USB 3.0 external hard drive
Yes, you've heard it right, kids! Buffalo's wild'n'wooly USB 3.0 external hard drive (the HD-HXU3) is now shipping. Available in 1TB($200), 1.5TB ($250), and 2TB ($400) designations, the package includes Memeo AutoBackup and a one year warranty. It's also backwards compatible to USB 2.0, but never mind that -- the company is concurrently releasing its dual-port USB 3.0 PCI Express Interface Card (IFC-PCIE2U3). Welcome to the future, indeed. PR after the break.
Buffalo ships world's first USB 3.0 hard disk drives this month
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]
Freecom announces world's first USB 3.0 hard drive, the XS 3.0
It might not look like much -- in fact, we're not sure what it's trying to look like -- but that there is what Freecom purports to be the world's first SuperSpeed USB 3.0 hard drive. Dubbed the Hard Drive XS 3.0, the drive will be available mid-November in 1TB, 1.5TB and 2TB sizes, with a surprisingly accessible starting price of 119 Euro (about $175 US). Of course, it takes more than just a speedy cable to up hard drive speeds, but we'd say 130MB/s ain't a bad start. The drive can handle AES 256 bit encryption, is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, and the fanless, rubber-clad enclosure weighs in at 1.9 pounds. [Via PCLaunches]
Freecom's MediaPlayer II NAS and media streamer aims high, scores low
Freecom has released enough diverse disk-based products over the past few years to inspire hope that its latest attempt to bridge the network-attached storage and media streamer divide would succeed. Not the case, according to Register Hardware's review. File copies to the device were quick enough over USB, but once tethered on Ethernet got rather slow (10 minutes for a 1GB file, 36 minutes for 1,024 1MB files), and even worse over WiFi (14 and 44 minutes, respectively). So, that whole NAS aspect doesn't exactly work out. Neither does the streaming side, with an inability to open H.264 or WMV9 files, and while it can decode high-definition MPEG2 files, it fails to play them smoothly. It can open DivX and Xvid files, and can even play DVD ISO files, but, sadly, that's where the positives end for this £115 ($190), 500GB multi-tasker.
Freecom's Hard Drive Secure for the businessman paranoid
It might be a butchering of English grammar -- the adjective typically goes before the noun -- but the Hard Drive Secure does have a pretty unique selling point to offer. The USB 2.0 drive's security is handled by AES-encrypted RFID keycards -- swiping the card once unlocks the drive, swiping it again locks it back up. Using similar technology to London's Oyster Card, we trust Freecom has made sure their new device is not susceptible to the Mifare hack that exposed vulnerabilities in previous RFID systems. Though not yet available to purchase, the aluminum-enclosed HDD will retail for between $119 for the 500GB version and $409 for the 2TB behemoth, while in Euroland prices will range between €99 and €349.[Via Bit Tech]
Freecom's ToughDrive Sport external HDD is tough, also a drive
Okay Mr. (or Mrs.) Fumblefingers, you've got your Toughbook for high-impact computing on the go, but when you just need to take that presentation into the office and you don't want to lug your bombproof notebook with you it's time for a rugged external HDD, and Freecom's ToughDrive Sport is the latest. It's a rubberized enclosure sporting drives in 250, 320, and 500GB flavors, protecting them from drops of up to 2 meters while its 256 bit MD5 hardware encryption protects your data from would-be spies -- and from anyone on a Mac, since it's PC-only. The $219 drive (for 500GB) doesn't appear to be waterproof, or even resistant, but hey, check out that USB cable. It looks like a climbing rope!Update: Thomas commented to point out that it's just the "Turbo" USB 2.0 driver that requires a PC. You can indeed throw this bad boy at your local Mac -- so long as you can live without boost. [Via Tom's Hardware]
Freecom rolls out Mobile Drive XXS, new "world's smallest" 2.5-incher
While it seems inevitable that external 2.5-inch hard drives can only get so small, right now manufacturers look to be intent on doing their best to shave off every last excess millimeter to lay claim to the elusive title of world's smallest. That designation now appears to have fallen on Freecom's new Mobile Drive XXS which, according to the company, is not only 27% smaller than its nearest competitor but, at just 155 grams, the lightest drive of its kind around as well. You'll still get the usual choices of 160GB, 250GB, or 320GB sizes though, along with the requisite bus-powered connectivity, and a handy form-fitting rubber sleeve to ensure the thing stays where you want it. Look for this one to hit the UK any day now for £45, £60, or £80 (or $90 to $160), depending on the capacity.
Freecom's MusicPal WiFi radio now on pre-order
Internet radio -- a market which seems to be heating up lately -- is getting another entry to the game in Freecom's latest device. The company has just announced its MusicPal WiFi radio, which can access up to 5,000 pre-programmed internet stations (or you can add your own), stream your MP3s and WAVs from your PC or network, and can be connected to your home stereo when it's time to really party. The petite, stylish device runs on the Linux 2.6 kernel, has 802.11b/g and wired 10/100 RJ45 connectivity, and sports a 128x64 pixel monochrome LCD display. The MusicPal goes on sale in August for €129, although the company is taking pre-orders right now. Too bad royalties are poised to kill the internet radio star this Sunday.[Thanks, Jeroen S]
