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Road Tested: LaCie iamaKey, the USB flash drive you'll actually use
USB flash drives are a dime a dozen. They've gone from being a "wow" item a few years ago to a throwaway handout item. Many are cheap plastic devices that either come with a neck lanyard attached or with a small loop for attaching to a key ring. More often than not, they end up falling to pieces or getting lost. The new LaCie iamaKey (highlighted above) is a USB 2.0 flash drive you'll actually use. Rather than being made out of plastic, it's made of solid metal. Rather than having a useless lanyard attached, there's a hole in the metal so you can put it on a key ring. It's about the size and shape of a key, so it's not out of place on a key ring. iamaKey came with a tiny plastic cap that covered the connector. Of course, after about 15 minutes the cap disappeared. I was concerned about that until finding out that iamaKey uses a gold SIP connector that resists scratches and water. You don't need the cap at all.So, does it still work after almost two months of riding around in a pocket with a bunch of other keys and change? Absolutely! It's been dropped multiple times, it's gotten soaked in the pocket of a pair of jeans I was wearing during a sudden downpour, and it's put up with winter cold while I've been out walking. iamaKey is rugged and fast, with up to 30 MB/s read rates and 10 MB/s write speeds.iamaKey comes in 4 GB (US$19.99) and 8 GB (US$29.99) flavors. LaCie also sells the less rugged and larger itsaKey, which retails for US$3 less than iamaKey.
Just announced: La Cie blue eye pro Monitor Calibrator Proof Edition
A lot of us might not care that the color on our screens doesn't precisely match reality, but for most designers color matching is a crucial part of their work. That's why they use monitor calibration systems like the new La Cie blue eye pro Proof Edition (US$429.99) to make sure that what they see on the screen is exactly what they'll see on a finished product.The blue eye pro Proof Edition is the blue puck that you see on the left side of the photo illustration at right. It supports monitor calibration and profiling and can provide UGRA (Swiss Center of Competence for Media and Printing Technology) soft proof testing and reporting.La Cie has announced immediate availability of the blue eye pro Proof Edition, which is compatible with the Adobe Creative Suite, QuarkXPress, Aperture and other design and photography applications. it requires Mac OS X 10.4.5 or later on Intel Macs, as well as a USB port for connectivity.
LaCie's itsaKey, iamaKey and PassKey USB drives now available
Remember those so-very-key-like USB keys we peeked from LaCie earlier this month? Yeah, those bad boys are now priced and available for shipment. Designed by 5.5 Designers, the itsaKey, iamaKey and PassKey USB drives are now available to order, with the first two sporting up to 8GB of internal capacity and the PassKey boasting a built-in microSD card slot. As for pricing? Try starting points of $14.99, $17.99 and $9.99 in order of mention.
LaCie's new Sally Struthers-approved USB key drives
If you felt that LaCie's CurrenKey ultraportable storage solution was a bit too heavy in the yuks department, the company's back with something that might be a little more up your proverbial alley. With a form factor that reminds one of a late-night ad for a correspondence course in locksmithing, these miniature microSD card readers offer 20MB/s read and 10MB/s write speeds. Additionally, PassKey supports microSDHC cards, and both iamaKey and itsaKey are available with either 4GB or 8GB of built-in storage. Sure, this guy won't open a cold one for you, but the shock-proof, Windows ReadyBoost-compatible device does look good on a keyring. You know, if that's what you're into. Price and availability to be announced.[Thanks, Dwayne]
LaCie intros 8x d2 Blu-ray burner, LaCinema Black MAX media streamer
It was May of last year when LaCie last updated its external d2 Blu-ray burner, so it's about time we saw that 4x burn rate double to an entirely more palatable 8x. Available now for consumers in the US, the latest d2 Blu-ray Drive ($449.99) can toast both single- and dual-layer BD-Rs at 8x, and it can connect to one's machine via FireWire or USB 2.0. In related news, the outfit has also introduced a LaCinema Black MAX over in Europe, which acts to serve up all sorts of digital media (photos, video clips, music, etc.) on one's HDTV. You can order it with 500GB / 1TB of inbuilt storage, and the integrated Ethernet jack / WiFi module enables it to pull media (up to 1080p) from other locations on your network. We've nary a clue on pricing / availability for this one, but we'll leave it to those in Europe to hunt it down and brag to us Yanks.Read - 8x d2 Blu-ray DriveRead - LaCinema Black MAX [PDF; thanks Predator]%Gallery-44203%%Gallery-44202%
LaCie offers up LaCinema Classic multimedia hard drive
It may not be Premiere or anything, but LaCie's LaCinema Classic can still dish media to your HDTV with the best of 'em. Available in capacities as large as 1TB, the multimedia hard drive weighs in at 33 ounces and promises to upscale your digital media to 1080p over HDMI. Of note, the unit is DivX certified and features a S/PDIF audio output, though it might have trouble handling some of the more exotic formats. It's up for grabs as we speak starting at $159 for a 500GB version.
LaCie breaks off quad-interface 2big Quadra RAID drive
LaCie already delivered two new pieces in its collection yesterday, but apparently the 2big Quadra simply demanded its very own day of promotion. The classically styled (thanks, Neil Poulton) drive arrives with twin bays for up to 3TB of storage and support for four RAID modes including the traditional RAID 0 / 1. Transfer speeds can hit up to 165MB/sec through eSATA (3Gbits/sec in RAID 0), and the quadruple interface -- USB 2.0, eSATA, FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 -- means that whatever machine you happen upon will likely be equipped to handle it. Moreover, it's fully compatible with Apple's Time Machine software and comes bundled with Genie Backup Manager Pro / Intego Backup Manager Pro for those in need. It'll be yours for the taking later this month (in 1TB, 2TB and 3TB sizes) starting at $299.99.
LaCie intros 22x d2 external DVD burner, 2TB Hard Disk MAX
Two new ones have arrived today from the labs of LaCie, and neither are destined to ever end up inside of your PC. Up first, we've got the slightly speedier d2 external DVD±RW drive with LightScribe, which toasts discs at up to 22x and connects to PCs via USB 2.0 or FireWire (400, presumably). For those in need of HDD-based storage, the glossy black Hard Disk MAX comes with a pair of 1TB drives that can be set in either a RAID 0 or RAID 1 configuration with the simple flick of a switch on the back panel. There's also a USB port on the front for additional expansion, and the USB 2.0 socket 'round back is what links it up with your computer. Both are available right now for $119.99 / $269.99, respectively.Read - d2 external DVD burnerRead - Hard Disk MAX
LaCie 1U rack-mountable Ethernet Disk works with Time Machine
LaCie's newest Ethernet Disk isn't for the faint of heart... nor for those with just a few files to backup. Oh no -- this one's for the storage professional. Housed in a 1U rack-mountable enclosure, the NAS device can hold up to 6TB of data and can support up to 100 users on Mac, Windows or Linux platforms. Also of note, it functions just fine with Apple's Time Machine, which is more than Cupertino's own AirPort Disk can say (maybe). It's available this very moment in 2TB, 4TB and 6TB capacities starting at $749.99.[Via Slashgear]
LaCie CurrenKey flash drive is like funny money, minus the laughs
We've seen plenty of cute flash drives in our day, but this one that looks like spare change -- you know, cold, hard, days of yore currency -- well, let's just say this USB 2.0 drive is like heaven on earth. You can get it in an 8GB silver "dime" size, or the 4GB copper "penny" variation for a starting price of $19.99. Come to think of it, you might want to stock up just in case our economy utterly fails and we actually start using these as you know, money.[Via Chip Chick]
LaCie's LaCinema Rugged multimedia HDD now available in US
We asked, and we're receiving. LaCie's LaCinema Rugged was initially announced across the pond late last month, yet we rough Americans were left wondering if it would ever see the light of day on US soil. Just in time for the holiday rush, LaCie has indeed announced US pricing and availability for the bulked up multimedia drive, and it's not like you even have to wait around to get your mitts on one. Try right now starting at $199.99, with sizes including 250GB, 320GB and 500GB.
LaCie's Internet Space is sparse, available (in the UK)
We don't blame LaCie for continuing Neil Poulton's 2001-esque drive designs -- they're pretty attractive -- but they're not exactly taking us on a mind-bending trip through space and time, if you know what we mean. "Internet Space," the newest entry to the line, is nearly exactly the same as their previous "Network Space" product -- in both looks and specs. The drives clock in at 500GB, 750GB or 1TB sizes with a single gigabit Ethernet port for looping into your network, but unlike the old version, data stored on this model can be accessed via a portal on LaCie's internet website. They're only available in the UK right now (as far as we can tell), and retail for £114.99 ($183) for the 500GB, £129.99 ($207) for the 750GB, and £159.99 ($254) for the 1TB models, respectively. [Via New Launches]
LaCie to provide one year online storage free with every drive sold
TUAW readers know that to keep their data safe, they need to perform regular backups. Since Time Machine hit the scene last year, most Mac users have used the OS X application and an external hard drive to perform automated backups. For some Mac users, the thought of losing both the Mac's hard drive and the external hard drive to a fire or theft is enough to keep them awake at night.Longtime Mac peripheral maker LaCie has come up with a solution to that nightmare scenario. Beginning in November, 2008, all consumer hard disk drives sold by the company will come with a one-year unlimited online backup account using Carbonite services. Carbonite is currently in the process of beta-testing Mac software for their popular online backup service.The Carbonite software automatically backs up the LaCie drive, finding new and modified files, encrypting them twice, and then uploading them to a secure data center. The information remains encrypted while at the data center to maintain user privacy. Backups are done only during idle cycles on the Mac, so the process should not affect performance.How do you keep your backups backed up? DVDs in the safe-deposit box? Leave us a comment below.[via Macworld UK]
LaCie LaCinema Rugged for the rough-and-tumble media enthusiast
LaCie launched the original LaCinema media drive back in January, and the company is now extending the line of media-playback drives with the LaCinema Rugged. Built in a tasteful black version of the same rubber-coated chassis as LaCie's standard rugged drives, the new unit comes in capacities up to 500GB and features 1080i HDMI output of a variety of codecs, including XviD. The LaCinema remote appears to be redesigned, and the menu system is apparently graphical and pretty, which is always nice. Not a bad way to do playback on the go, we suppose -- now if LaCie would just bring the £219 ($357) drive to the States, we'd be all set.[Via Pocket-lint]
LaCie intros 5big Network drive array to RAID junkies the world over
The LaCie product roof has been raised to 7.5TB with the new 5big Network -- an Active Directory and gigabit Ethernet-friendly array of storage drives that supports several RAID configurations for up to five hot-swappable hard drives. You can try it on in four different sizes -- 2.5TB for $899.99, 5TB for $1,399, or the aforementioned, bar-raising 7.5TB for $1,899. In keeping with his sixteen year relationship with LaCie, the renowned Neil Poulton applied his HAL 9000-inspired design to the product, winning him another Janus de L'industrie award. The only problem with the HAL motif: you really, really don't want your RAID storage device to drone on about how its "mind is going, Dave."[Via Technabob]
LaCie's new LCDs put NTSC to shame
LaCie plays with a lot of different products, like molten external HDDs and goofy USB hubs, but is totally serious when it comes to displays. Its latest offering is a trio of professional pixel-pushers, the 720, 724, and 730, growing from 20- to 30-inches as you go. The $2,500 720 is 4:3, delivering a pathetic resolution of 1600 x 1200, while the other two stretch to 16:10, 1920 x 1200 on the $3,300 724 and 2560 x 1600 in the top-of-the-line $6,500 730. The top two models feature a 1000:1 contrast ratio, 6ms response time, 14-bit gamma correction, and accurate reproduction of 125 percent the NTSC gamut (guaranteed via included blue eye pro hardware calibration). That's a huge leap over the paltry 10-bit correction and 92 percent NTSC supported by the old 324 -- for a mere three times the cost.
LaCie brings Little Big Disk Quadra to 1TB
LaCie introduced the Little Big Disk Quadra back in January, but the diminutive four-interface dual-drive enclosure is getting a new 1TB sibling today. Nothing new here apart from the capacity bump, but if you're into the aluminum RAID 0 scene, $700 is all you need to ride.
LaCie doubles external d2 Blu-ray burn speed to 4x
Not like 4x Blu-ray burners are anything special, but if you've got a special place in your heart for anything designed by Neil Poulton, this one's for you. LaCie has just announced that it's doubling the burn speed of its tried-and-true d2 external writer, enabling owners to toast BD-Rs at 4x. It'll also handle BD-REs (2x), DVD±RW DLs and CD±RWs, and it can interface with your computer via USB 2.0 or FireWire 400. The pain? $649.99 -- and that's before you go shopping for optical media.[Via Engadget Spanish]
LaCie snags Hitachi's 500GB 5K500, stuffs it into Rugged Hard Disk
LaCie's bright orange Rugged Hard Disk hasn't changed much externally since it surfaced over two years ago, but what used to buy you 160GB will now land you a full half-terabyte with dough left over for several In-N-Out runs. The latest Rugged drive packs Hitachi's 500GB Travelstar 5K500 and still maintains the scratch-resistant aluminum shell and shock-resistant rubber bumper. As for ports, you'll find a USB 2.0-only edition or a more versatile iteration that includes USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 sockets. Either flavor comes bundled with the company's Setup Assistant and backup software, and if you're tired of waiting for 1TB in your pocket, you can make do with this one for just $299.99 / $399.99 depending on your choice of interface(s).
LaCie's latest Neil Poulton external HDD does eSATA, too
In typical LaCie fashion, it's latest external hard drive isn't even mentioned on the outfit's own website, but nevertheless, it most definitely exists. The tried and true Neil Poulton HDD has been refreshed with two new ports to coexist alongside the USB 2.0 socket: FireWire 400 and eSATA. Outside of the two new holes flanking the rear, the drive looks essentially the same, and is available on the streets as we speak for $139.99 (500GB), $187.99 (750GB) or $276.99 (1TB).[Via CNET]Update: LaCie mounted these up on its website, after all. Thanks, bjrcboy!
