500GB LaCie Rugged Hard Disk

LaCie have announced that their Rugged Hard Disk will now be available in a 500GB model. This hard disk features a shock resistant metal and rubber bumper and internal anti-shock absorbers.

500GB of storage will be supplied with a Hitachi 5K500, 2.5 inch internal hard disk. Interface options are USB 2.0 (480Mbits/s), FireWire 400 (400Mbits/s) and FireWire 800 (800Mbits/s).

This Hard Disk comes with the LaCie Setup Assistant. This utility formats the drive to the users needs and is available on Windows and Mac. Also included is the LaCie '1-Click' backup software.

The LaCie 500GB Rugged Hard Disk is available now for a recommended retail price of US$299.99 and can be purchased direct from LaCie.

Lacie Triple Interface Hard Disk

Lacie have announced a Triple Interface version of its Hard Disk with USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and eSATA interfaces. Available with storage capacities of 500GB, 750GB and 1TB, the new Lacie Hard Disk also features an exclusive design by the noted designer Neil Poulton.

One of LaCies main marketing points for the new Hard Disk is the Neil Poulton design. It features a black mirrored finish and blue LEDs to create a glow from beneath the unit. The design isn't all about looks though and includes a sturdy casing and bottom plate holes for a natural airflow.
With a choice of USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and eSATA interfaces and PC or Mac compatibility the Lacie Triple Interface Hard Disk is a very universal device. And with storage sizes of 500GB, 750GB and 1TB, users can choose the correct Hard Disk for their requirements.

Data transfer rates are up to 1.5Gbits/s for eSATA, 400Mbits/s for FireWire 400 and up to 480Mbits/s for USB 2.0.

Frequent system backups are made easy with the pre-loaded LaCie '1-Click' Backup Software for PC and Mac. The SilverKeeper backup software is also available for Mac users. The LaCie Setup Assistant is also preloaded and allows the drive to be optimised to the users needs.

Compatible operating systems are Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS X 10.3 or higher and Linux based systems. And of course, a USB 2.0, eSATA or FireWire 400 port is required.

An external power supply is required and comes in the box.

The Lacie Triple Interface Hard Disk is available direct from LaCie for the following prices:
500GB - $169.99
750GB - $219.99
1TB - $319.99

A USB only version of the drive is also available for $109.99.

Macally T-S350SU 3.5" External Storage Enclosure

The Macally T-S350SU External Storage Enclosure for 3.5" SATA hard drives features a new environmentally friendly, power saving technology. This enclosure has been designed for all SATA I and SATA II 3.5" hard disk drives. An eSATA port with transfer rates of up to 3Gbps is available.

The T-S350SU enclosure is compatible with USB2.0 and USB1.1 host connections and USB2.0 transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps are supported. USB plug and play functionality is available for both PC and Mac computers.

The enclosure provides a conveniently located power button on the front with One Touch Backup for PC. An active LED indicates power and data access status.

Compatible operating systems are Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003 or Vista for PC and Mac OS 9.2, Mac OS X 10.1 to 10.5 and above for USB connection. OS X 10.2 and above is required for eSATA connection.

The Macally T-S350SU 3.5" External Storage Enclosure is available to buy now for an MSRP of US$24.99.

Verbatim 2.5" Portable USB Hard Drive

Verbatim have recently launched a new line of portable hard drives featuring a stylish new design and a choice of USB or USB/Firewire interface. This palm sized portable hard drive is available in capacities of 120GB, 160GB, 250GB and 320GB.

The Verbatim 2.5" Portable Hard Drive has been designed to make file storage, backup and file sharing a fast and simple task. Once connected to a computer, the portable HD can be accessed like a standard computer hard drive and files can be conveniently dragged and dropped into the drive.

This drive runs at 5400 rpm and supports data transfer rates of up to 480MB/s for USB2.0 and 400MB/s for Firewire.

Both PC and Mac operating systems are supported by the Verbatim portable hard drive. Additionally, the Time Machine backup feature of the Leopard Mac OS X from Apple is also supported.

Sitecom LN-030 Network USB Adapter

The Sitecom LN-030 Network USB 2.0 Adapter allows you to quickly connect your Notebook or PC to an Ethernet LAN.

This device is hot pluggable which means that you can plug your PC into your LAN to get instant network access. If your PC or Notebook doesn't have a network connection, the Sitecom LN-030 is an ideal solution for providing quick and simple network access.

Data transfer speeds of up to 100Mbps are supported. This means you can access 10/100Mpbs Ethernet networks at full speed.

The Sitecom LN-030 is compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista. Drivers are provided with a supplied CD.

A USB A-B cable and user manual are also supplied in the box.

Iomega REV 120GB Backup Drive

Iomega Corporation have this month announced the REV 120GB Backup Drive, a backup solution that provides the performance of a hard drive with the removability of tape.

Iomega REV drives are designed for zero maintenance with automatic head cleaning, air filtration, and automatic data verification with two stage error correction. The REV disk is also sealed from outside air contamination while in operation and not in the drive.

The Iomaga 120GB Backup Drive supports data rates of up to 35MB/s and offers an estimated one million rewrite lifetime. These features combined with automatic head cleaning and low cost, make the REV drive an ideal replacement for traditional tape products.

The 120GB drive is a third generation REV model with a 35BG backup drive released in 2004 and a 70GB model released in 2006. These award winning drives gained a reputation for reliability and simplicity.

The Iomega REV 120GB Backup Drive is expected to be available worldwide from April 2008 in USB 2.0 and internal SATA models. The price is expected to be announced closer to when the drives become available.

Kingston DataTraveler Micro Reader

The new DataTraveler Micro Reader from Kingston is a USB Flash drive that can read, write and store information from mobile phone memory cards.

This drive is compatible with microSD, microSDHC and Memory Stick Micro (M2) formats. Mobile devices that support any of these card technologies, can take advantage of the DataTravelers features.

Drag and drop functionality can be used to move files between your mobile phone and PC or Mac without the need to plug in a cable. To move files from your PC or Mac to mobile phone, simply plug the DataTraveler Micro Reader into an available USB port, drag your files onto the drive then remove the memory card and insert it into a memory slot on your mobile device.

Windows Vista ReadyBoost is also supported to allow Vista machines to use the Flash drive as additional memory for enhancing system performance.

The Kingston DataTraveler Micro Reader is available with storage capacities of 1GB, 2GB and 4GB. The recommended prices on the Kingston website are as follows:
- DTCRC/1GB - US$19.25
- DTCRC/2GB - US$27.25
- DTCRC/4GB - US$42.00