The P’9223 has a smooth aluminum finish and a thin form factor that LaCie says is meant to match the exteriors of Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air line of laptops, and the drive is specifically “designed with Apple enthusiasts in mind.” The company says that it’s also their fastest external drive yet, combining USB 3.0 with an optional SSD option to “maximize performance.”

LaCie says the USB 3.0 on their new drive can deliver speeds of up to 400MB/s, and thanks to the USB Attached SCSI Protocol, LaCie claims that the drive gets “even better speeds” on the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, as long as you’re either running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion. Whether or not that’s true, we’ll have to wait for benchmark results.

The P’9223 Slim is the thinnest 2.5-inch storage device made by LaCie, and it’s 30% thinner than the previous Porsche edition. The drive comes in two storage capacities. The 500GB model will cost $99, while the 120GB SSD model will be priced at $149. Both models come with a two-year limited warranty.

The external hard drive is stuffed inside a stainless steel case is highly scratch resistant to prevent damage and marring with long-term use. The portable hard drive also has a one touch backup button that makes backing up your digital content very easy. The drive has a blue LED indicator that glows when data is being transferred.

The external storage drive has a capacity of 500 GB, which is enough for roughly 100 DVD movies and a huge quantity of digital photographs. While the external hard drive supports USB 3.0 connectivity, it will also work with USB 2.0 ports making it backwards compatible. The little drive measures 117 x 79 x 8.9 mm and weighs 164 g.

The external storage device is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux machines. ADATA ships the drive with a USB 3.0 cable, making it ready to go right out-of-the-box. The drive is available online right now for $89.99.

The 2big Thunderbolt Series features speeds up to three times faster than FireWire 800, RAID security, disks that can be hot-swapped, and the ability to daisy chain multiple units, which can even increase performance overall. With up to 8TB of storage capacity and a transfer rate of up to 311MB/s, the 2big series is perfect for videographers or other professionals having to backup frequently and stream multiple HD videos.

The eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series allows two existing eSATA drives to connect to a new Mac via the Thunderbolt port. The hub itself also features a Thunderbolt port that allows users to connect other Thunderbolt peripherals even while two eSATA drives are hooked up. Users can also daisy chain up to 6 hubs, meaning up to 12 eSATA drives can be connected to a Mac via a single Thunderbolt port. Both series will be available in the first quarter of 2012.

The eGo Mac Edition features secure 256-bit AES encryption and comes with Iomega’s Protection Suite to ensure your data stays safe. It has two FireWire 800 ports and one USB 2.0 port and even comes with three cables, one for each port, giving you fast and versatile connections. The device also doesn’t require an external power supply.

In addition to the eGo, Iomega will be offering the Helium Portable Hard Drive that will also come in 500GB and 1TB capacities, but features one USB 2.0 port and is housed in an aluminum case. A desktop hard drive alternative would be Iomega’s Mac Companion Hard Drive, which comes in 2TB and 3TB capacities and packs a fast 7200RPM 3.5-inch hard drive.

The Helium Portable Hard Drive and the Mac Companion Hard Drive are already available at Apple stores, but the eGo Mac Edition Portable Hard Drive will not be available until later this month. The 500GB model is priced at $179.99 and the 1TB model is $229.99.

[via Iomega]

The Extreme has a USB 3.0 connection for your computer and uses Buffalo TurboPC EX software to enable data transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps. That gives plenty of speed for transferring and sharing video and other large files and media. Inside the external enclosure, the HDD is placed inside a highly shock resistant body and has rubberized elements for additional protection.

The shock protection features meet MIL-STD-810F Procedure IV and have passed free-fall drop tests from up to 2.3m. The storage device will come in piano black, red, and silver colors and has an integrated USB cable that snaps to the chassis for easy portability. It will be offered in 500GB and 1TB capacities and has 256-bit AES FDE.

Hardware

The ToughTech Duo QR model that we got to test sports dual 750GB hard drives for a total capacity of 1.5TB if configured as RAID 0. The hard drives are speedy at 7200RPM and compact at 2.5-inches in size. They are also easily swappable from the front-loading trays without the need for screws, although the drives can be screwed down to the trays for environments where extra stability is required. To remove a tray, you simply slide the black latch to unlock, which will reveal a red circle, and then you press in on the lid of the tray to pop it out.

The compact aluminum chassis measures only 6.3-inches by 3.5-inches by 1.3-inches and weighs roughly 1.75lbs. It’s built tough to withstand vibration and shock and also uses a passive thermal design for optimal heat dissipation without an internal fan. The large LCD display on the side of the device offers temperature status, monitors drive health, and allows you to configure RAID mode. On one side of the LCD is a black rubberized circular navigation control with four buttons, while the other side has three LED indicators for Power, System, and RAID.

Ports are located on the back side of the ToughTech Duo QR and include two FireWire 800 ports with FireWire 400 backwards compatibility, one eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port, and a power jack just below the power on/off switch. There’s also a small slot designed to work with a Kensington security cable lock.

The device pretty much comes with all the cables and power adapters that you’ll need. Included in the box are two FireWire 800 cables, one USB 2.0 cable, one eSATA cable, and an AC adapter with swappable prongs for outlet compatibility all around the world, accepting 100-240VAC. There’s also an aluminum stand with rubberized grips that you can use to hold the ToughTech Duo in an upright orientation. The device can also just lie flat on its side, if you opt not to use the stand.

Performance

The ToughTech Duo performed well with fast read speeds thanks to the 7200RPM hard drives and a fast Oxford 936 chipset. We first tested the device with a USB 2.0 connection and a RAID 1 configuration, meaning that the device would be writing the same information to both drives in real-time. With this setup we were able to transfer a file that was 2.28GB in 1 minute and 10 seconds, which translates to about 32MBps. Transfetring the same file back to our computer took slightly less time.

Performance results were very similar in a RAID 0 configuration. With the FireWire 800 connection, speeds for the same 2.28GB file transferred in about 43 seconds, which translates to about 53MBps. The nice thing about the FireWire 800 is that the device can be bus-powered by this connection, but not so via USB 2.0 or eSATA connections. Hence, for either of those two setups, you will need to also hook up the AC power adapter.

Wrap-Up

The ToughTech Duo QR is a great high capacity portable external hard drive that’s rugged, compact, and offers a simple to use RAID 1 solution along with easy-to-swap hard drive trays. Its tough chassis and small size makes it very convenient for traveling, while its small footprint and sleek design make it a welcome and unobtrusive addition to the studio as well. It also comes with a slew of connector cables, power adapter heads, and optional small screws for clamping down the drives to the trays when extra stability is needed.

The only complaints might be its lack of a USB 3.0 port and USB bus-power support. The device is also a bit costly with prices starting at $499, although a look around shows that our model with the two 750GB drives lists for about $763. Although costly, the device can be a good choice for a media professional that demands portability, ruggedness, large capacity, and easy-to-use reliable data protection and redundancy.

The compact My Passport for Macs no non-sense portable hard drives are available in 500GB, 750GB, and 1TB capacities and priced from $100 to $130. Each model comes with USB 2.0 connector ports, password protection, hardware encryption and Time Machine backup.

The My Passport Studio drives come in 750GB and 1TB capacities priced at $160 and $180, respectively. These are more advanced, featuring a more durable metal enclosure and two FireWire 800 connector ports in addition to USB 2.0.

[via Cult of Mac]

The Little Big Disk with Thunderbolt will be available in both SSD and HDD versions. The SSD version will feature a 240GB SSD RAID option and has been demonstrated to peak at read speeds of 634MBps, reaching up to 870MBps when daisy chained to a second drive.

The HDD version will feature two 2.5-inch drives with RAID option in either 1TB or 2TB configurations. The 1TB version will feature 7200RPM drives whereas the 2TB version will have 5400RPM drives, which can get up to 190MBps read speeds and can reach up to 782MBps when four drives are connected.

For more images and a video of the LaCie Little Big Disk with Thunderbolt, make sure to check out our hands-on with the device. The HDD version is available now online at the Apple Store, with the 1TB version priced at $400 and the 2TB version at $500. The SSD version will arrive sometime in October, but pricing for it is not confirmed yet.

This lovely device was out for us to take a look at inside Pepcom’s end of summer 2011 Holiday Spectacular, a digital forest of many wonders. What you’ve got here is an external hard drive available in 2TB and 3TB configurations, both of them working with an ultra-fast 7200 RPM 3.5-inch hard drive formatted HFS+ made ready for Mac computers with no additional fixing up right out of the box. The device is also a 2.1 Amp hookup in addition to holding all your media and whatnot, this making it easy for you to plug in all your peripherals and extra mobile devices without a hassle.

As for what you can actually plug in to this mother, you’ll get two FireWire 800 ports, one USB 2.0 port, a two port integrated 2.0 hub that’ll connect you back up to your Mac device or connect to other external storage devices in a daisy-chain sort of situation. This drive also comes with one FireWire800 wire, one conversion FireWire 400-800, and one single USB 2.0 cable.

Check out what this simple and lovely looking drive is all about:

Notice the lovely LED lights up the center front of the device, four in a row. These lights let you know how much storage you’ve got left in general:

4 LEDs lit white: less than 20% capacity in use
3 LEDs white: 20-40% capacity in use
2 LEDs white: 40-60% capacity in use
1 LED white: 60-80% capacity in use
1 LED red: more than 80% capacity in use

Interesting, yes? Next you should note that this device comes with Iomega Protection Suite, Mac Edition, Iomega QuikProtect, MoxyHome Online Backup, and a free 12 month subscription to Trend Smart Surfing for Mac. The smaller of the two drives, the 2TB model, will run you $239.99, while the 3TB model will cost you $369.99. These prices are suggested US retail – you can find them immediately if not soon in your local Apple store or in various online sources.

ALSO have a crack at the rest of our hands-on videos from the event in our Pepcom Holiday Spectacular 2011 portal!

Connectivity for the drive includes a USB 3.0 adapter and Firewire. The drive comes loaded with software for automatic, continuous backups with encryption for all the files. The drive also has an illuminated display that shows how much space is left on the GoFlex at a glance. The new GoFlex has the same modular interface design as the line has always had and new interfaces will be coming for things like Thunderbolt and others.

The GoFlex can also be used with a home interface to make the drive a network drive. Inside the case of the external HDD hides 3.5-inch standard HDDs. The drive is made to be used on either Mac or Windows machines. 4TB of storage is enough space for 2,000 HD movies and gobs of music or photos.

Two models are on offer, with either 500GB or 750GB of storage. Both GoFlex Turbo drives use 9mm 7,200rpm 2.5-inch HDDs, and Seagate bundles a copy of Memeo backup for PC and Mac so as to help you fill it up in the first place. As it’s a GoFlex drive, while it comes with a USB 3.0 adapter you can pop that off and replace it with a FireWire, eSATA or other connector, or indeed dock it into one of Seagate’s media docks.

You only get coverage of one incident under the bundled SafetyNet plan, but to be fair that’s more than most drives offer, and professional data recovery services can be expensive things to buy on their own. The new Seagate GoFlex Turbo HDDs are available now, priced at $119.99 for 500GB and $139.99 for 750GB.

The HDD comes in 2TB or 3TB versions and comes bundled with an Iomega Protection Suite with Mac specific software inside. The charge port on the front has 2.1A of power output so you can charge your iPad from the port. It has a single USB 2.0 port and it has an integrated two-port hub for connecting things like printers or more storage.

The drive is formatted with HFS+ file system so it is ready for your Mac right out of the box. The software suite includes backup software and security software. The 2TB version for the drive sells for $195 with the 3TB version selling for $295. Both of the drives will hit the Apple store and other retailers later this month.

Users of the GoFlex Satellite hard drive have been able to easily access files on the drive via a web interface, but now with an Android app, the process is even easier. But even without the apps, the hard drive itself is really neat as users can access it by being within the WiFi range of the device without needing to connect to the internet or a cellular network.

Now with all the data throttling of “unlimited” data plans and the switch to pricier tiered data plans these days, the GoFlex Satellite could be a great solution. This is especially so for those that get dinged by data limits due to streaming large amounts of movies and other video content while on the go. Instead of streaming, simply download and store everything you need on the portable hard drive before your next trip.

The Seagate GoFlex Satellite WiFi hard drive retails for $200 for a 500GB storage capacity. The new app for the hard drive works with Android 2.2 and above.

[via Pocketnow]

The Rugged Mini is resistant to almost anything you can throw at it. It is shock-resistant, drop-resistant, rain-resistant, and its aluminum casing is scratch-resistant. It can also withstand up to one ton of pressure. Thanks to its toughness, you can be confident in tossing it in your bag for school or taking outdoors as backup storage for a photo shoot.

Besides being strong, the Rugged Mini is also fast. Transferring files and backing up data is super speedy with its 7200RPM HDD and USB 3.0 interface. It is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 but is three times faster. Transferring one HD movie takes less than three minutes while 1000 mp3 files takes less than 42 seconds and 2000 photos in about a minute.

Also included is LaCie’s Private-Public software with AES data encryption and password protection. It is compatible with both Mac and PC, and will be available soon in a 500GB model starting at $99.99 and a 1TB model for $159.99 through the LaCie Online Store.

When it comes to backing up just files, there’s a whole bunch of options out there. But a lot of times, when that fateful crash happens, especially if you’re a small business owner, you just want to get your OS and all pertinent software back up and running ASAP. The C6 Easy Imaging aims to make this process effortless.

Not only can the C6 Easy Imaging back up everything automatically, it also offers very flexible restore options. Unlike competing products, the C6 Easy Imaging does not require you to also restore your files if all you need are the OS and software applications. This cuts down on the reimaging process so that you can be up and running fast. When you do restore files, you can even select which backed up version to restore.

The C6 Easy Imaging offers several user-friendly features includes the following:

• EASY Restore – Your complete personal file backup and photos can be easily transferred to the original computer or a new computer.
• EASY Run – automatically backs up your photos and other personal files, software programs and Windows operating system.
• EASY Music – easily import music from an iPod/iPhone/iPad into the iTunes on any computer
• EASY Viewer – view all backed up photos and other personal files just like on your original computer.
• EASY Organizer – automatically finds and organizes your photos and all other personal files for backup.
• Password Protection – easily protect backed up personal files with 256-bit hardware encryption.

Backups from multiple computers can be stored on one C6 Easy Imaging drive, limited only by the space available on the drive. The drive is available now on Clickfree.com and comes in a portable and desktop version with two capacity options each. The portable 500GB will cost you $140, 1TB is $180. The desktop 1TB is $150, while the 2TB is $180.

The lineup includes the LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Hard Drive (P’9220) and the LaCie Porsche Design Desktop Hard Drive (P’9230). They each feature a sleek aluminum frame design that is modern and purist for a very elegant piece of hardware that packs in all the performance under the hood, optimally regulates heat, and is 100 percent recyclable. The workmanship and aesthetic reflects the Porsche Design signature.

Performance-wise, the USB 3.0 hard drives are touted as the fastest on the market, clocking speeds three times faster than USB 2.0. Software comes with the drive for both PC and Mac that includes backup utilities, eco mode for power savings, password protection, and 10GB of Wuala secure online storage.

The LaCie Porche Design Mobile Hard Drive comes in 500GB and 1TB capacities with a 750GB model available exclusively through the worldwide Porsche Design Stores. However, only the 500GB model has pricing listed, currently at $104.99. The LaCie Porsche Design Desktop Hard Drive comes in 1TB for $119.99 and 2TB for $159.99. Both models will be available through the LaCie Online Store.

WD has unveiled a new case that is made specifically to fit the MyPassport HDD called the WD Nomad. The case has a polycarbonate exterior and a shock absorbing cushioned inner layer. It meets MIL-STD-810G for ruggedness and has a heavy-duty latch and silicone liner to seal out dirt and moisture. WD is aiming the case at anyone that is on the road a lot, but photographers that move photos from a computer to a MyPassport drive on the road will be particularly interested in the offering.

Another cool feature of the case is that it has an opening for the USB cable to go through so the user can leave the HDD inside the case when they want to use it. I always spill on my hardware when it’s plugged into the computer so that is a good feature in my book. The Nomad also has a molded exterior ring that the user can attach a carabiner, cable, or strap to. The case is available right now for $29.95.

[via WD]

There’s also a second Firewire 800 port, so that you can daisy-chain units together off of a single host port, and if you plump for Firewire then the DM2-PT can be bus-powered too. The box is made from aluminum for durability, and is compatible with Apple’s Time Machine backup as well.

No word on pricing or availability at this stage.

[via PhotographyBLOG]

Press Release:

NEW SABIO DRIVE BRINGS EXEPTIONAL PREFORMANCE AND AFFORDABILITY TO DIGITAL IMAGING STORAGE

With up to 2 TB dual-drive capacity, data transfer rates of more than 115 MBps and multiple RAID options (0,1, JBOD and span), the DM2-PT is an all-in-one, professional grade, high capacity storage, editing and protection solution, ideal for any field or office application.

SAN DIEGO – January 20, 2011 – Sabio Products, a leading provider of external storage solutions for digital imaging, creative professionals, offices and ‘prosumers’ who need large capacity, high speed, professional grade content protection, announced the availability of the DM2PT – an extremely small footprint, 2 drive, RAID enabled external storage solution with exceptional data transfer rates of more than a 115MBps. This all-in-one, high capacity, portable content backup and storage solution has been specifically designed for the studio, office, home or field environment and because of its built in RAID controller with RAID 0, 1, JBOD and span configurations is ideal for any data imaging, HD 1080 video editing, DSLR photography, JPEG/RAW imaging or straight forward media protection and back up application.

“Plug and play set-up and ease of configuration make this a natural fit for Photo and Design applications” says Steve King – Business Development for Sabio. “We’ve specifically designed this product to deliver world class performance at an enticingly affordable price in the world’s smallest footprint in its class.”

The DM2-PT is compatible with any Apple, Windows or Linux based computer or workstation and features built in eSATA, Firewire 800 and USB 2.0 connectivity for utility and convenience, and with its small footprint (6” x 6” x 0.8”), rugged aluminum design and protective slip cover, is an ideal travelling companion for the most demanding photography, video or content capture field project or event. The DM2-PT is also capable of receiving bus power via a Firewire 800 port and with two Firewire 800 ports, multiple units may be daisy chained to support even higher storage capacities.

“We are exceptionally pleased to bring this opportunity to our Photo Specialty Dealers”, notes Mark Gustavson – Executive Director, Marketing and Communication for WYNIT (the exclusive US Distributor for Sabio Products). “The high-capacity, high-speed performance in an compact and elegant form-factor makes the DM2-PT a natural fit for this marketplace.”

DM2-PT ships with all cables (USB 2.0, eSATA and FW800) and supports Apple Time Machine and Windows 7 and is compatible with popular editing software including Final Cut Pro, Xpress and Premier.

It means that this machine (though not all the details are worked out, obviously), take some of what otherwise seem to be crucial components out of the picture: all you need now is a monitor or screen of some sort and a way to attach it to the hard drive. From there, the harddrive could (with some modifications turning it into what’d be closer to what’s considered a computer) become a whole new all-in-one sort of machine.

Remember that this is a conceptual design and isn’t meant to be a complete idea yet. This is where great things are born, especially when the idea precedes the technology or the means of creating the project. Love it.

[Via Yanko Design]

Think about all the stuff you could put on there. Every photo you’ve ever taken. At least a small piece of your music collection. Every text file you’ve ever laid digits on! But again, remember there’s a weird DJ robot illustration on it. If that doesn’t bother you, we suggest pulling the trigger.

[Via 9to5Mac]

These accessories are made not just for your already branded Lamborghini wares, but for the rest of your electronics as well. There are reportedly four different models of bags coming out including the handy sleeve (cover), sports bag for 12-inch notebooks, classic bag for notebooks up to 17-inches, and a large backpack with multiple compartments – all of these made in fabulous Sant’Agata Bolognese.

Then there’s the really sharp, super suave looking Lamborghini WX-wireless mouse with laser precision. It’s got a range of 10-meters (why on earth would you be that far away?) and has a scroll wheel that looks and feels like a tire. Cute! Finally, a set of external harddrives (not pictured) that’ll be in one size: 640GB and will be available in black or white, both with a fine gloss scratch-resistant coating. Sassy!

[Via Notebook Italia]

The two are similar with the major difference being that the S35 is for 3.5-inch HDDs and the S25 is for the smaller mobile 2.5-inch HDDs. Both of the enclosures attach directly to the USB 3.0 port of your computer and support a single HDD inside. The S35 can work with HDDs up to 1TB or more in capacity, as can the S25.

Neither of the enclosures ship with a HDD, you have to provide your own. The can use SATA I or II HDDs and the aluminum housing of the enclosures helps to keep the drive cool in operation. The S35 enclosure sells for $79.99 and the S25 sells for $59.99.

Wester Digital throw a remote control into the box as well, and there’s support for DLNA and UPnP streaming so you should be able to squirt content to the TV Live Hub from your PC, Mac or smartphone.  In fact the only thing missing for your $199.99 is integrated WiFi, though the company will happily sell you a WiFi dongle.

The team over at DesktopReview has been putting the WD TV Live Hub through its paces, and they seem more than impressed, particularly given a WD 1TB standalone drive on its own is around $129.99.  They criticize the absence of third-party apps but generally can’t fault it; however, they also say that Western Digital has been making suspicious noises over Google TV, and while the company won’t confirm they have such a box in the works, that’s certainly what it sounds like.

[Thanks Kevin!]

Press Release:

WD’S NEW HD MEDIA CENTER STREAMS POPULAR MOVIES AND THE BROADEST RANGE OF PERSONAL CONTENT

WD TV® Live Hub™ Media Center With 1 TB Storage Allows Users to Centralize Video, Music and Photos and Play Full-HD 1080p Video on HD TVs Throughout the Home

LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Oct. 26., 2010 – Western Digital® (NYSE: WDC), the world’s leader in external storage solutions and maker of the popular WD TV media player family, today introduced the WD TV® Live Hub™ media center (photo), a Full-HD 1080p media player with a 1 terabyte (TB) built-in network hard drive that gives users the freedom to play all their personal media on any screen in the home. The WD TV Live Hub media center brings new experiences to the WD TV family, including instantly renting or purchasing the newest releases through the Blockbuster On Demand® service, the same day as DVD/Blu-ray release, as well as interacting with personal Facebook® communities. In the U.S., the WD TV Live Hub media center is initially available exclusively at Best Buy online and at all 1,093 Best Buy stores nationwide.

The WD TV Live Hub media center plays a wide variety of media file types, including popular Full-HD 1080p video formats such as .mkv, .mp4 and .mov. The integrated, compact and quiet 1 TB hard drive enables users to centralize their digital media from multiple sources for smooth, glitch-free playback of even the highest resolution videos. Digital media can be easily transferred to the internal drive from shared folders on PCs and Mac®s on the network or directly from external hard drives, thumb drives, camcorders or cameras connected via one of the two USB ports. Users also can stream videos from home network drives with a DLNA/UPnP™ server such as the recently announced My Book® Live™ home network drive.

The WD TV Live Hub media center also is a media server: HD video, music and photos can be streamed from the onboard hard drive to any DLNA/UPnP-compatible TV or multimedia device, anywhere in the connected home, including the WD TV Live Plus HD media player, connected TVs, Blu-ray Disc™ players, Xbox 360®, and PlayStation® 3 game consoles. Users also can stream content from their WD TV Live Hub media center to iPads™, iPhones® or Android™ smartphones using third-party applications.

The WD TV Live Hub media center offers unique Facebook integration, which lets users upload photos and videos, share their status, view their wall and get the latest newsfeed from their network of friends – all on the big screen TV. In addition, the WD TV Live Hub media center provides viewing of Netflix® for movie streaming, YouTube™ for user-generated videos and Flickr® for photo sharing, as well as listening to Pandora®, a personalized Internet radio service. Additional content includes local and international weather forecasts from AccuWeather.com®, and MediaFly® daily video podcasts from CNN®, NBC®, MTV® and ESPN®.

The customizable WD TV Live Hub media center’s user interface enables personalization of screen backgrounds and user interface themes, as well as setting of favorites and content ratings. Standard wired or wireless USB keyboards can be used for simpler text input for activities such as searches of local content and YouTube and Facebook interaction.

“The WD TV Live Hub media center lets users create a personalized media jukebox that brings your entire personal content collection and the best of Internet content to the biggest screen in the house,” said Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD’s branded products group. “With the WD TV Live Hub media center, consumers can take their home entertainment experience to the next level, streaming personal content to multiple rooms at the same time, so they can play a Netflix video on their HDTV screen in the family room, while sharing vacation slideshows on the computer in their home office.”

“People are looking for a versatile, easy-to-use media player that gives them a smooth streaming experience regardless of where they are in the home and whether they’re viewing Internet content or personal media content. That’s exactly what the WD TV Live Hub media center delivers,” said Frank Bedo, merchandise director in computing at Best Buy®. “We are excited to collaborate with WD on this innovative entertainment product.”

“Connected media players are an exciting new category that is helping to redefine home entertainment,” said Wendy Fritz, senior vice president, computing, at Best Buy. “The WD TV media player series’ broad ability with personal content has made it a leading seller. Add to that the premium content services, and the new WD TV Live Hub media center is bringing a whole new dimension to home entertainment.”

Other key features of the WD TV Live Hub media center include:

Compatibility with virtually all TV sets thanks to an HDMI 1.4, composite video and component video output;
Automatic sync of shared digital media folders from PCs and Macs on the network with the internal hard drive to provide easy playback of new content;
Customizable user interface and programmable remote;
Ultra-compact design that easily fits into almost any entertainment center;
Two USB ports that allow seamless media playback from USB drives, camcorders and digital cameras;
WiFi-readiness (with adapter); and,
A 1-year limited warranty in PanAm.

The full set of features and list of file compatibility is available on WD’s website.

Capacity and Compatibility
The WD TV Live Hub media center is available in 1 TB storage capacity and supports a large variety of the most popular file formats, including HD camcorder video formats. It is also compatible with Windows® 7, including the Windows 7 Play To feature, and any DLNA/UPnP-enabled device.

Price and Availability
The WD TV Live Hub media center is available worldwide (Netflix, Blockbuster and Pandora services are available only in the U.S.) and can be purchased in the U.S. exclusively at Best Buy and online at wdstore.com. MSRP for the WD TV Live Hub media center is $199.99 USD.

The Canvio Basics line of hard drives come in 320/500/750GB capacities, and offer users USB 2.0 connectivity. Toshiba obviously meant these just to be external hard drives and nothing more, which will probably attract plenty of people who just want to get their hands on some extra storage without all the extra features.

However, they aren’t completely bland. The line-up offers ramp-loading technology, an internal shock sensor, and Toshiba is offering up a three-year warranty. The drives are all 2.5-inches. As far as pricing goes, you can get your hands on the 320GB hard drive for $80; the 500GB one for $100; and the 750GB model for $120. All of them are available now.

[via Electronista]

Of course, it also means owners can snap off that adapter and use Seagate’s FireWire version or, indeed, slot the drive into one of the various desk docks and multimedia players.  Seagate offers a range of these, from the GoFlex Home NAS through to the GoFlex TV HD we reviewed a few months back.

Seagate are asking $229.99 for the new 1.5TB FreeAgent GoFlex – $20 less than MRSP – which is available to order now.

Press Release:

Seagate Introduces Industry’s First 1.5TB Portable External Drive

New FreeAgent® GoFlex™ Ultra-Portable External Drive Packs a Punch with Unprecedented Amount of Storage, Blazingly Fast USB 3.0 Connection and Pre-loaded Films

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. – September 21, 2010 – Designed to address the explosive worldwide demand for digital storage, Seagate (NASDAQ: STX) today launched the world’s first 1.5 terabyte (TB) 2.5-inch portable external drive. Available immediately, the new 1.5TB FreeAgent® GoFlex™ ultra-portable drive delivers an all-in-one, technically advanced solution to help store, share and enjoy libraries of digital content in one’s preferred medium—whether on a Mac or PC, or a television, at home or on the go. With 1.5TB of capacity people can now store and carry up to 60 HD movies, 750 video games, thousands of photos or countless hours of digital music.

Seagate introduces the world’s first 1.5TB portable, external hard drive with a Blazingly Fast USB 3.0 Connection and Pre-loaded Films.

“Today’s announcement is a ‘triple-crown’ of consumer technology—packaging record breaking capacity, blazingly fast USB 3.0 connectivity and the bonus of movie entertainment—making the 1.5TB GoFlex™ ultra-portable drive an unprecedented and innovative solution,” said Darcy Clarkson, vice president of Global Retail Sales and Marketing for Seagate. “Bringing this solution to market on the heels of our 3TB GoFlex™ Desk drive and the Momentus® XT solid state hybrid drive is proof of Seagate’s continuing technology leadership and tradition of setting storage industry milestones.”

Shipping now in the United States and rolling out globally later this year, all 1.5TB GoFlex ultra-portable drives¹ will ship with a USB 3.0 interface cable, accelerating the transfer speed of a drive up to 10x when connected to a USB 3.0 port, when compared to a USB 2.0 port. For example, a drive using a USB 3.0 connection can transfer a 25GB file in under five minutes versus the 14 minutes it would take using a traditional USB 2.0 drive². In addition, all GoFlex ultra portable drives will now also ship with the new Superspeed USB 3.0 cable, which will still continue to work with existing USB 2.0 ports.

“Consumers continue to push the growth of digital music, photos, and video content, and increasingly want access to this content from a variety of CE devices, including a PC,” says John Rydning, IDC’s research director for hard disk drives. “Higher capacity disk drives in combination with higher bandwidth interfaces like USB 3.0 will help to make a greater number of large multimedia files more accessible from multiple devices in the home.”

A key addition to the GoFlex™ family, the new 1.5TB GoFlex ultra-portable drive delivers ultimate flexibility in how people collect, protect, share and enjoy their digital libraries, all in a convenient compact package. In addition to coming bundled with USB 3.0 connectivity, the drive can be used with an array of add-on cables and accessories such as the GoFlex™ Net media sharing device and the GoFlex™ TV HD media player, that provide the flexibility to enjoy your content on a TV, a network, using a mobile device, or via the Internet.

All 1.5TB GoFlex ultra-portable drives are compatible with both the Windows® operating system and Mac® OS X computers. Each drive includes an NTFS driver for Mac, which allows the hard drive to store and access files from both Windows and Mac OS X computers without reformatting. The NTFS driver is simply installed once on the Mac® OS X computer, allowing it to read and write files on a Windows formatted³ drive.

The 1.5TB GoFlex ultra-portable drive with USB 3.0 adapter is available in black and can be purchased on Seagate.com and through select retailers for $249.99.

They’ll also be bundled with Iomega’s QuikProtect and v.Clone apps, together with a 12-month license for Trend Micro’s Internet Security suite.  Since USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0, owners with an eye on future upgrades will still be able to use the drives with their existing machines.

We asked Iomega’s Jonathan Huberman why the company had seemingly bypassed eSATA and gone straight to USB 3.0, and he blamed industry-wide low sales of drives using the eSATA interface for the decision.  Iomega does offer dual-interface USB 2.0/eSATA models, but with the faster port generally not supplying enough power for portable external drives, consumer take-up has been poor.

Our other question regarded Apple, and the company’s apparent reluctance to step up to USB 3.0 even in their most recent desktop model refresh.  All Huberman would say was that the Cupertino company’s delay was “interesting”, and that he wouldn’t be surprised if they moved to USB 3.0 in Q1 2011; however, he also pointed out that Apple tend to keep their roadmap cards close to their chest.  Right now, Iomega offer various Mac-centric USB 2.0/FireWire combo drives, but they plan to update these to USB 3.0/FireWire so that, when Apple starts selling machines with the faster port, owners will be ready.

Currently the Iomega eGo drives have MRSPs of $114 for the 500GB model and $189 for the 1TB model (though street prices are less).

Press Release:

Iomega Sets the Market Standard for Portable Hard Drives – First to Offer New SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Models at USB 2.0 Prices!

Award-Winning Premium eGo Portable Hard Drive Line First to Feature All USB 3.0 Models with Hardware Encryption And Industry-Leading Ruggedness, Too

SAN DIEGO, August 24, 2010 – Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a leading innovator in digital protection solutions for consumers and small and medium businesses, is excited to announce that it is moving to the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface for all Iomega USB 2.0 portable hard drives, beginning with the award-winning line of Iomega® eGo™ Portable Hard Drives. The new all-USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives will feature hardware encryption and super toughness, too, thanks to a drop spec twice the industry average – all at USB 2.0 product prices. This market-leading move continues Iomega’s tradition of technology leadership.

“As a market leader in external hard drive solutions, Iomega is proud to be the first to move towards an all USB 3.0 portable hard drive lineup – and at no extra price premium to our customers,” said Jonathan Huberman, president of Iomega Corporation and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. “With a super fast USB 3.0 interface delivering speeds of up to 10 times that of USB 2.0, super tough with a 7-foot drop spec that’s twice the industry average and super secure with AES 256 hardware encryption, Iomega’s eGo Portable Hard Drives will be the premium must-have portable storage product. Factor in our bundled software Protection Suite with popular titles such as Iomega’s QuikProtect, v.Clone and Trend Micro’s Internet Security, and that makes Iomega’s USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives an exceptional premium solution at the same price as most entry level basic USB 2.0 products.”

USB 3.0 Transition Timeline for Iomega Portable Hard Drives
Iomega plans to move all eGo Portable Hard Drives in 500GB* and 1TB** capacities to the new USB 3.0 interface by early October. Totally compatible will all USB 2.0 computers, the new USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives will include Iomega’s industry-leading Drop Guard™ Xtreme, which provides added protection from drops of nearly seven feet or twice the industry average***.

In the first quarter of 2011, Iomega plans to move the Iomega® Prestige Compact Portable Hard Drive line to USB 3.0 on all models. Shortly thereafter, Iomega will move the rest of its portable external hard drive models to the USB 3.0 interface.

Perfect for slipping into a laptop bag or pocket, all of Iomega’s 2.5-inch portable hard drives are host powered, requiring no external power supply beyond the power provided through the USB bus on a personal computer, laptop or netbook. Iomega’s new USB 3.0 portable hard drives are completely backward compatible with personal computers and other devices that only have USB 2.0 ports. Iomega offers USB 3.0 adapter cards (sold separately) to insert into USB 2.0 laptop and desktop computers so users can experience native USB 3.0 transfer speeds of up to 5 gigabits per second.

More Than Just a Portable Hard Drive – A Total Solution
Iomega prides itself on providing total solutions, which is why all of the new Iomega USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives come complete out of the box with 256-bit hardware encryption built-in (PC only), as well as the cables required to enjoy your drive right away, whether your desktop or laptop has USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ports. The Prestige family of portable hard drives will also feature 256-bit hardware encryption built-in (PC only) with the transition to USB 3.0 models in the first quarter of 2011.

Best Software Package Bundled With Portable Hard Drives Today
Included free of charge with all of Iomega’s eGo and Prestige Portable Hard Drives is the Iomega Protection Suite, a one-stop portfolio of backup and anti-virus software giving users added protection for their photos, videos, music and other files.

The Iomega Protection Suite includes:

v.Clone™ software, an Iomega exclusive, captures a complete virtual image of your PC — including the operating system, all applications, your settings, and all your files to your Iomega hard drive. Access the cloned copy and use it seamlessly on another computer, just as if you’re working from your own PC. When you reconnect, automatically sync your data to your primary PC, so that files are always up to date****.
A complementary 12 month subscription to Trend Micro™ Internet Security for the PC, or Trend Micro™ Smart Surfing software for Mac.
Iomega QuikProtect: backup software for simple scheduled file-level backup of data to hard drives and network-attached storage devices (for Windows and Mac desktops and notebooks).
Roxio® Retrospect® Express software: backup all of your data plus applications and settings (for Windows and Mac desktops and notebooks).
MozyHome™ Online Backup service: Convenient online backup service with 2GB of online capacity for free (unlimited online storage for $4.95/month). MozyHome Online service allows Windows and Mac users to restore their most important data from any computer with internet access, at any location in the world.

All of the software elements in the Iomega Protection Suite are accessible via easy download to owners of Iomega eGo and Prestige Drives.

Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drives – Beauty and the Beast
Not only are Iomega’s award-winning eGo Portable Hard Drives super fast and super rugged, they’re head-turners, too. Sporting a sleek, smaller enclosure than the previous generation of eGo portable hard drives, eGo Portable Hard Drives are among the smallest 2.5-inch HDD portable hard drives in the market today. Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drives are available in a variety of colors that include Ruby Red, Midnight Blue and Silver.

To appreciate how much data can be stored on a high capacity 2.5-inch drive, an Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive with 1TB of capacity can hold up to 400,000 photos, over 250,000 songs or 385 hours of video*****.

Pricing, Availability and Warranty
For more information on Iomega’s complete line of portable hard drives, including current pricing, please go to www.iomega.com. Also be sure to see Iomega’s new USB 3.0 product video at YouTube.

The Iomega USB 3.0 Adapter for USB 2.0 laptops is available for $39.99, and the Iomega USB 3.0 PCI Express Adaptor for PC desktops is $39.99. (Pricing is U.S. suggested retail.)

All Iomega portable hard drives include a 3-year limited warranty (with registration). Iomega-branded portable hard drives are available from online retailers, VARs, resellers and select retailers, as well as at www.iomega.com.

About EMC
EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organizations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com.

About Iomega
Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage solutions for small businesses, home offices, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 425 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega’s product portfolio includes industry leading network attached storage products for the home and small business; one of the industry’s broadest selections of direct-attached portable and desktop external hard drives; and the ScreenPlay™ family of multimedia drives that makes it easy to move video, pictures and other files from the computer room to the livingroom. To learn about all of Iomega’s digital storage products and network storage solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com. Resellers can visit Iomega at www.iomega.com/ipartner.

The USB 3.0 S2 drives use 2.5-inch HDDs inside the portable cases that spin at 7200rpm. The faster USB 3.0 interface allows users to back up larger amounts of data more quickly than USB 2.0 allows. The external storage solution also has Dynamic Balancing to make the drives quieter.

Samsung uses on-board USB technology allowing it to pack the drives into smaller cases for more portability. The new S2 Portable 3.0 drive will be offered in 320GB and 640GB capacities and will ship in Europe this month at an undisclosed price. No word on US availability at this time.

Asus’ Eee line-up of devices was taking a strong surge not too long ago, and it seemed that the manufacturer would be putting the Eee name on everything they could. You know, like the Eee keyboard. But, while it’s slowed down for now, that doesn’t mean that there’s still not a few more devices somewhere in the pipe, ready to be released, that won’t have the same branding. That’s where this little USB hard drive comes in.

Probably the most noteworthy aspect of this little storage device is how small it is. At only 1.8-inches, you’ll probably barely notice it’s sitting on your desk. Of course, you’ll have to really think about that $30, considering you’re only getting 30GB of extra space. Right now, the new USB hard drive is only available in Taiwan, and Asus hasn’t said anything about it getting released anywhere else.

[via Liliputing]

As far as options go, you’ll only get one when it comes to the storage department. Only the 500GB model seems ot be getting the aesthetic treatment. And how is any of this possible? Thanks to the students at the California State University, who are part of the Long Beach Industrial Design program. They’ve created some new designs, and Western Digital was nice enough to put them on their products. Choices wise, you’re looking at either the Boom Box, Cityscape, Fuchsia Leaf, Wave, and Black Hole. All of which you can see pictured above.

Features come in all sorts of ways. The My Passport Essential will work with your PC, thanks to WD’s SmartWare software. There’s 256-bit hardware-based encryption and user-selected password protection. Each of the models will cost you a cool $119.99, and it comes with a two-year warranty.

[via UberGizmo]

Following the official launch of the Canvio line back in March, these new portable HDDs are specifically manufactured for Apple’s computers. As was the case with the PC-based HDDs, these new models are designed to make backing up your information from your Mac all that much easier. You can grab three different sizes: 500GB, 750GB, and 1TB. All three models are pre-loaded with Mac-customized backup software. As for the aesthetics, you can grab one in silver, or white.

With that portable title tucked in there, you can imagine that Toshiba wants to make sure if you do take your external storage unit along for the ride, that it’s protected. There’s a shock sensor on the inside of each of the Canvio models, so it should be good to go from those “gentle” bumps and collisions. It’s equipped with USB 2.0. As for pricing, you’re looking at dropping $99.99 for the 500GB, $119.99 for the 750GB, and $139.99 for the 1TB model. Full press release below for your reading pleasure.

Press Release:

Toshiba’s All-New Canvio™ for Mac Portable Hard Drives Deliver Quick, Simple, and Secure Digital Backup Solutions for Mac Users

Providing Piece of Mind and Expanded Storage in a Stunning Design, the Canvio™ for Mac is Now Available In 1TB, 750GB, and 500GB Capacities

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With consumers across the country constantly amassing more “digital valuables” – from photos, videos, and favorite music to important personal documents – Toshiba is proud to offer Mac users the compact, easy-to-use Canvio™ for Mac Portable Hard Drive lineup. Continuing Toshiba’s commitment to make backing up and recovering data simple and easy, the new Canvio for Mac line provides Mac owners 500 gigabytes (GB1), 750GB, or one terabyte (TB) of storage space, with pre-loaded Mac-customized backup software.

“Toshiba develops personal storage devices that combine the latest, high quality designs with top-notch performance and an intuitive, easy to use interface”

According to a February 2010 survey conducted by Impulse Research2, 70 percent of Americans have lost some type of data on their computers. Unfortunately, the majority of consumers surveyed (89 percent) are aware of the importance of regularly backing up their computers to avoid losses but less than half (43 percent) regularly do so, leaving many computer users vulnerable to data loss that could include digital photos and movies, important financial records, or professional documents.

Recognizing that many users do not back up their data because they believe it’s a complicated process, the Canvio for Mac line makes data backup simple for everyone, from novice users to the most tech-savvy consumers. The included NTI® Shadow 5 for Mac software allows for fully-customized backup and synchronization, including the backup of specific folders, certain file types, or even a complete system backup and recovery of everything that is saved on the Mac3. Selected folders on the Canvio for Mac and the Mac computer can be merged and synchronized, while the frequency of backups can be adjusted to different periods (from weekly to continuously) for greater convenience. Complete password-protection with up to 256-bit data encryption prevents unauthorized access to data and a special Drive Space Alert monitor sends an onscreen update when storage space is running low.

The Canvio for Mac’s plug-and-play usability and full customization are matched by its small size and elegant, simple styling. Available in either Radiant Silver with silver accents or Infinite White with glossy white-gray accents on the top cover, both feature an anti-slip design and anti-slip side, making the Canvio for Mac an excellent companion to the full line of Mac computers. On the inside, an Internal Shock Sensor and Ramp Loading Technology keep data safe during day-to-day movement from a desk, pocket, bag, or beyond. Despite being smaller than a postcard and boasting a featherweight (six ounce) frame, the Canvio for Mac – in 1TB form – can hold up to 285,000 digital photos, 263,000 digital music files, or 820 digital movies4.

“Toshiba develops personal storage devices that combine the latest, high quality designs with top-notch performance and an intuitive, easy to use interface,” said Manuel Camarena, product manager for consumer storage at Toshiba Storage Device Division. “Our Canvio for Mac products give Mac users a safe, convenient, and truly portable solution for backing up their digital entertainment, documents, and other content instantly.”

Continuing its commitment to environmental friendliness, Toshiba developed the product packaging with 100 percent recyclable materials.

The Canvio product line is available now at http://www.toshibadirect.com/canvio_mac or through major retailers and online outlets. For a complete list of retailers offering the Toshiba Canvio, please visit www.wheretobuy.toshibastorage.com.

Suggested retail prices by capacities are:

* $119.99 for the 500GB Canvio for Mac
* $139.99 for the 750GB Canvio for Mac
* $189.99 for the 1TB Canvio for Mac

As for the detachable USB key, on the LifeStudio Plus drives there’s a dockable 4GB memory stick that users can set up with specific files from the main unit that they want to be able to take out and about with them.  The USB key always has the latest versions, and when you return it automatically syncs back any changes you’ve made.

There’s of course the usual backup functionality, with PC and Mac compatibility, and Hitachi are throwing in 3GB of cloud-based storage with every purchase (you can upgrade to 250GB for $49 per year).  The Hitachi LifeStudio Mobile drives kick off at $79.99 for a 250MB model, while the LifeStudio Plus Mobile drives start at $119.99 for 320GB; the desktop versions are obviously cheaper.

Press Release:

Hitachi GST Redefines External Storage with the LifeStudio™ Drive Family

Meet the Hard Drive Evolved: Going Beyond Simple Design Changes, Storage and Backup, Hitachi LifeStudio Drives are the First and Only All-in-One External Drives that Make it Easier to Organize, Protect and Relive Life’s Greatest Moments

Industry Firsts / Product Highlights

Automatic Organization and Easy Sharing: First drive in the industry that automatically pulls together and organizes your photos, videos, music and documents from your computer, any connected USB device or your social media outlets; making them easier to access, view and share. Easily upload, view and interact with photos on Facebook™, Flickr™ and Picasa Web Albums™ without leaving the app.
Stunning 3D Navigation: The only external drive that effortlessly displays all your favorite memories on a 3D wall so you no longer need to dig through folders and files to find them.
Backup Redefined: Hitachi LifeStudio drives take data protection to the next level, offering both local and online cloud backup in one integrated solution, within one interface – no more downloading and installing two separate programs. All online content is stored in its natural format, so files are available from any Internet browser anywhere in the world, and even from an iPhone® and iPad®.
Access to Favorite Premium Content: For the first time within an external drive, users can search, filter, watch or subscribe to millions of titles from online content providers. Catch the latest news, TV shows and music videos, or even play online games all from within the LifeStudio app.
Grab n’ Go Flexibility: Pushing design boundaries beyond a hard drive in a box, LifeStudio Plus external drives are the first in the industry that feature an integrated USB key for ultimate flexibility. The USB key easily syncs content for grab n’ go convenience.

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Meet the hard drive evolved: the Hitachi LifeStudio external hard drive family. During the last decade, external hard drives have offered little beyond design changes and simple storage and backup. With the new LifeStudio family, launched today by Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), the company is breaking through the long-established confines of the category and delivering an external drive that combines highly reliable storage and new levels of data protection with content organization, management, socialization and navigation for both local and online content.

“Personal storage solutions have become an integral part of a consumer’s digital life in terms of providing simple storage and backup”
The LifeStudio family, offered in both portable and desktop models, creates an unprecedented solution that seamlessly pulls in, organizes and protects consumers’ priceless stored digital content – photos, videos, music and documents – and unifies them with online digital content from social networks such as Facebook and photo sites such as Flickr and Picasa Web Albums. These important digital memories are laid out on a stunning 3D visual wall, instead of in random and hard-to-find files and folders, creating a comprehensive and organized catalog of the user’s digital life. Redefining backup, consumers receive the benefits of both local and cloud backup within one single application, making it easy to view, download, and share protected cloud content from any web browser, anywhere.

“Our LifeStudio drive starts where others stop,” said Mike Williams, vice president and general manager, Branded Business for Hitachi GST. “These drives aren’t just about interfaces and capacity, or backup. While these elements are important in an external storage solution, the value comes in creating lifestyle solutions that become part of the way we organize and relive digital memories. Our LifeStudio solution connects consumers to their online and local content in a more intimate way than ever before. For the first time, consumers truly have an integrated experience – one solution to find, view, protect and relive their digital memories. This is a huge milestone for our category.”

“Personal storage solutions have become an integral part of a consumer’s digital life in terms of providing simple storage and backup,” says Liz Conner, senior research analyst at IDC. “Pushing these boundaries, Hitachi’s new LifeStudio drive brings an innovative approach to the market, addressing how consumers organize, navigate and relive digital memories, seamlessly across multiple digital devices and online sites. Coupled with Hitachi’s local and cloud backup strategy, end users truly have an all-in-one solution to help manage their digital life.”

Automatic Organization and Easy Sharing on a Stunning 3D Wall

Today it’s not just early adopters using external drives to store and protect their digital lives — it’s a huge segment of the population that are deeply connected to the content they create, collect and share. Hitachi research has shown that organization is one of the most frustrating components of a consumer’s digital life. Often hectic lifestyles lead to a lack of time spent organizing the growing amount of digital content received daily. What’s left is a random storage process, which multiplies a user’s frustration when trying to backup, share, find and relieve memories. Additionally, much of what consumers’ value from a content perspective is online and socialized on dozens or hundreds of sites. Hitachi is cleaning up the “digital mess” with the LifeStudio family of drives because, in the end, it’s about content – protecting it, reliving it and sharing it.

After a quick install of the software, the drive’s innovative technology instantly kicks in. Your content – photos, videos, music and documents stored on your computer, any connected USB storage device or online sites such as Facebook, Flickr and Picasa Web Albums – automatically begins to appear in chronological order on your stunning 3D wall. Music is organized by artist or album. Now all of your most precious digital content is easily available at your finger tips. No more searching through files and folders.

Breakthrough Backup

Revolutionizing the way consumers protect their content, the Hitachi LifeStudio drive is the first to provide local and online cloud backup integrated into one single solution, within one install process. The LifeStudio application gives users multiple ways to easily protect their digital content on site or in the cloud. Every customer receives 3GB of online storage for free and for more storage there is an option to upgrade to a quarter of a terabyte (250GB) for only $49 per year, which includes multiple computer protection.

Hitachi Backup™ is simple and easy-to-use with default options that cover virtually every Mac™ or PC™ users’ backup needs. When using Hitachi’s cloud service, all content is stored in its natural format (no proprietary formatting), so files are protected and easy to view, download and share from any web browser, anywhere, even from an iPhone® and iPad®. Backup runs every 30 minutes or can be scheduled at one’s convenience.

LifeStudio Plus Drives with Integrated USB Keys

Hitachi understands the need to fit into consumers’ fast-paced, increasingly digital lifestyles. The LifeStudio products move beyond a hard drive in a box, into a category all their own. The patent-pending design of the LifeStudio Plus family provides the ultimate in flexibility with an integrated 4GB USB key, which provides a quick way to sync important files and folders for grab n’ go ease.

With the LifeStudio Plus family, the drive’s content management software conveniently allows you to select specific files or folders to sync to the USB key. As a result, users can simply remove the key and take what they need, while leaving the rest of their content safely stored at home. On return, the key docks on the drive to automatically sync everything back together.

Pricing and Availability

Designed for both Mac and PC users, the LifeStudio USB 2.0 external drive family comes in both mobile and desktop solutions. Each comes preloaded with the Hitachi LifeStudio content management app and Hitachi Backup software. Hitachi LifeStudio external drives will be available at retail and online stores in mid-July.

A chunky silver box with a black rubberised outer “bumper”, the Rugged Safe certainly feels sturdy. It’s also relatively large for a portable drive – 90 x 28 x 145 mm and 298g – and while the upper and lower sections may be aluminium, the edges aren’t; peel off the rubber band and there’s grey plastic there. Ports include USB 2.0, two FireWire 800 and a power input, while slightly recessed on the top is the biometric finger scanner. The two FireWire ports allow for daisy-chaining multiple peripherals. Inside, the 7,200rpm 500GB hard-drive is mounted on rubber bumpers for added shock protection.

Setup is straightforward, with LaCie preloading their Safe Manager security app for Windows and Mac onto the drive itself. On first plugging in – either with a FireWire 800/400 connection or using the USB 2.0 with, if there’s not enough juice coming from a single port, the second USB power cable – you can register up to ten fingerprints. That could be every digit from one user, two digits from five users or a single finger of ten users. These are paired up with a regular alphanumeric password – which LaCie recommend is suitably long and complex – and basically requires swiping a finger three times to give the drive a clear reading. After that, the drive is formatted – FAT32 by default, though you can prematurely quit the setup program and use Windows or OS X to create an NTFS or HFS volume respectively – and then ready to use.

Subsequent computers don’t require LaCie Safe Manager be installed: you simply plug in the drive and swipe your finger. A status LED blinks red to show it’s ready to accept fingerprints; we occasionally had to re-swipe, but mostly the LaCie accepted our print first time. If you’d rather use your password then you’ll have to have Safe Manager installed, however; a pop-up dialog allows you to choose between fingerprint or password authentication. Once either is accepted the drive shows up as a regular removable volume.

Beyond that, using the Rugged Safe is just like using a normal, non-encrypted drive. As you save data to it, it’s automatically secured using 128-bit AES hardware encryption; that means, even if the HDD itself is removed from LaCie’s enclosure, your files are still locked up. There’s a minor performance impact from the added security, though significantly less than software-based encryption systems. We found the Rugged Safe to be only very slightly slower in read and write performance than a standard USB 2.0 or FireWire 800 drive. Unmounting the drive in Windows or OS X automatically locks it up.

As for the ruggedness, while LaCie bill the drive as resilient to scratches, bumps and knocks, it’s a long way off from being a rugged in MIL-SPEC terms. However, it’s probably sufficient for most domestic or business use; after being left in a packed bag we couldn’t see any noticeable marks on the casing, and nor did the regular bumps of daily travel seem to have any impact on our data. An SSD is always going to be your best bet for dealing with significant vibration or knocks, but of course the flip side is the inevitable cost of solid-state storage.

On that front, the LaCie Rugged Safe holds up reasonably well, though it’s certainly not the cheapest route to mobile data. The 500GB version has an MRSP of $189.99/£159.99, while the 1TB model – not yet commercially available – will be$299.99/£259.99. A regular, 500GB non-rugged and non-encrypted USB/FireWire drive is around $110-$120; LaCie’s own 500GB MIL-compliant (though non-biometric) drive is $159.99. There’s free software out there – such as TrueCrypt – which will mimic the security (though without the fingerprint convenience) though with a greater performance impact of course.

Mobile data security is something most of us should consider but few actually put into practice. Given a 500GB external drive can likely hold the majority of our personal documents (and a fair splash of photos, video and other multimedia) with room to spare, that’s even more incentive to make sure the contents are locked up. LaCie’s premium for the Rugged Safe is relatively minor in comparison to some rival biometrically-secured drives, and the simplicity of the fingerprint system takes the sting out of everyday use. Your ripped Britney Spears MP3s might not be worth the extra cash, but if you’re transporting personal information then the LaCie Rugged Safe is an affordable way of making sure it remains for your eyes only.

As well as the huge amount of storage, Seagate bundle a Memeo-powered backup tool that’s preloaded onto the drive itself.  There’s also 192-bit triple DES encryption support.

The 3TB Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk External Drive is available now priced at $249.99; meanwhile 1TB and 2TB versions are priced at $129.99 and $189.99 respectively.  The FireWire adapter is a $49.99 accessory, while the USB 3.0 adapter is $39.99.

Working together with Gigabyte, who’ve managed to get their name on several different USB 3.0 products out there, and Silicon Image (who are providing their SteelVine Series 3 Core storage tech), the hard drives inside the Orbit can be configured to run in either RAID 0 or RAID 1, depending on your preference. You can also choose JBOD, as well. If you’re worried about drive failures, then running the Orbit in a RAID 1 set-up may be the best option, as it’s perfectly set up for handling critical data. However, as with many RAID 1 situations, you’ll be gaining security, but losing speed. The Orbit duplicates data in real-time, which means that it takes about two times the length of time.

But, if you’re all about speed, then you’ll want the RAID 0 configuration, as this is where the USB 3.0 will really come in handy. You’ll have the full ability of dual-write and striping operations, which are permitted by RAID 0. We wish we could tell you when this bad boy of RAID tech was coming out, but there’s not enough information released quite yet, so it could still be a ways away. As soon as we hear something, we’ll be sure to pass it along.

[via Everything USB]

Seagate sent us a basic FreeAgent mobile drive – which comes as standard with a USB 2.0 connector – together with an optional GoFlex eSATA adapter. Both mobile and desktop drives are available (up to 1TB in the former, 2TB in the latter), while GoFlex Upgrade Cables for USB 2.0 ($19.99), USB 3.0 ($29.99), FireWire 800 ($39.99) and eSATA ($19.99) are offered. Unfortunately the Seagate docks – which include various desktop models together with media-centric versions that hook up to HDTVs and, optionally, wireless networks – weren’t available for us to try.

At first glance the FreeAgent looks relatively normal for an external drive. Silver plastic with curved edges, it won’t stand out among HDDs but neither does it offend the eyes. The plug adapter itself slots into an exposed SATA port – with a power connector – on the drive; the standard USB 2.0 adapter is in matching silver and has a removable cable, while the eSATA adapter is black and has a fixed cable. Changing the adapters is a simple case of pulling one out and clicking another into place.

Transfer speeds were as you’d expect from a USB 2.0 or eSATA interface, with no real difference between the FreeAgent GoFlex and a regular external drive. Seagate boast PC and Mac compatibility for their NTFS formatted drives, thanks to a preloaded OS X patch you need to install on first connection.

Of course, the real dilemma when you’re dealing with a non-standard cable solution is how consumers might get locked into a system that’s later discarded by the company responsible for it. The reason USB, eSATA and other connectivity standards are popular is that they’re cross-platform compatible: we can plug a USB drive into our computer today, and know there’s a 99.9-percent chance we won’t have problems also plugging it into whatever computer we’re using tomorrow.

Now, we’re sure Seagate would insist that they’re suitable committed to GoFlex, and indeed if they can encourage enough users to jump onboard then it’s a neat lock-in; the HDD equivalent of printer ink cartridges, perhaps. Should it prove less successful, however, how long are Seagate continue to produce GoFlex-compatible devices and accessories? It’s a problem you don’t generally face with a standard USB or eSATA drive.

Since Seagate will sell you the basic drive section without a bundled GoFlex adapter, it’s possible you could save a little money if you need multiple drives and don’t mind switching a single Upgrade Cable between them. You’ll save $10 on each that way. Nonetheless, on a dollar per GB basis, it’s still cheaper to buy a basic, USB 2.0 drive, and in fact with a little online searching you can find combo USB/eSATA drives for less than the price of the FreeAgent and both GoFlex adapters.

If you’re willing to buy into Seagate’s vision of a GoFlex enabled home media system then perhaps the new FreeAgent line-up makes more sense. We can certainly see the appeal of a simple snap-in HDD setup that takes plug-and-play drives from PC to HD media player and back again. Problem is, thanks to numerous HD-capable set top boxes with USB or eSATA ports you can just as easily do that with a regular drive, albeit losing some of the slick tidiness of Seagate’s setup along the way.

In the end, while the Seagate system works we’re not 100-percent sure it’s necessary. When the day comes that you’re desperate for USB 3.0 connectivity, is your original 1TB HDD really going to be sufficient, or will multi-terabyte drives be the status quo? Backward compatibility in USB 3.0 for 2.0 and earlier means that the new interface is probably as flexible as most consumers will ever demand, while market competition will likely keep prices lower than Seagate’s multi-component drives. The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex drive makes sense, it even works well; it just feels like a solution in search of a problem.

Update: Seagate have clarified that the port used to connect the drive to the Upgrade Cables is, indeed, SATA.  Their hope is that one day various third-party accessories and devices will have a GoFlex-compliant SATA port so that it’s not just their own range of docks and media players will be compatible.  While that removes some of our concerns regarding future compliance, we’re still uncertain that consumers require flexibility beyond what USB, eSATA and other more common external drive connectivity brings.

The TP1023 reminds me a bit of a Ferrari with its bright red paint and is in fact designed to resemble a sports car. The drive has a suspension system for the internal HDD to reduce shock and make the drive more rugged. It also features an automatic suspend mode that shuts the drive down after it idles for a specific length of time to reduce power consumption.

The TP1023 will be offered in 500GB, 640GB, 750GB, and 1TB capacities. The HDD inside the chassis is a 5400 RPM unit and Team will offer the drive in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 varieties. Pricing and availability are unknown at this time.

Both USB and FireWire connectivity is supported, and the drive – and fingerprint scanner – are both bus-powered for ease of use.  There’s also apparently no driver to install; plug in the Rugged Safe, swipe, and you’re good to go.  That should hopefully make usage more straightforward on machines where you don’t have administrator rights.

Up to ten different user profiles are supported, and LaCie bundle both FireWire and USB cables – and a two-port USB power cable – in the box.  It’s available now, priced at $189.99 for the 500GB model and $299.99 for the 1TB.

Press Release:

LaCie’s Rugged Now with Encryption for Maximum Data Security

• 128-bit AES hardware encryption
• Biometric authentication technology
• Mac® and PC compatible
• Bus-powered for full mobility

LaCie today announced the safest mobile hard drive on the market – the LaCie Rugged Safe, offering multiple levels of data protection. The Rugged Safe features unbreakable 128-bit AES hardware encryption, the safest biometric authentication technology, and a shock-proof enclosure.

Designed for people on the go, the LaCie Rugged Safe is bus-powered through USB or FireWire and is compatible with Mac or PC. Where other safe products require software installation on every workstation, the Rugged Safe is plug & play. Once configured, it will grant a user access to his or her data on any computer with a single finger swipe.

More than just a superior solution for portability, the Rugged Safe combines a 128-bit AES encryption engine and biometric fingerprint access – preventing unauthorized access. Professionals can protect and share sensitive files or intellectual property with up to 10 registered users.

“The LaCie Rugged Safe was developed to enable professional or private users to protect their valuable data and intellectual property from theft and unauthorized access,” said Erwan Girard, LaCie Business Unit manager. “We’ve synthesized a range of technologies to ensure this device is the safest and most mobile storage solution – a real vault for your data.”

Like its award-winning cousin, the LaCie Rugged Hard Drive, the Rugged Safe was designed by the world-famous designer, Neil Poulton. With its protective rubber bumper and internal hard drive mounted on four independent suspensions, the Rugged Safe is shock-resistant for maximum reliability and data protection.

The Rugged Safe comes with a superior three-year limited warranty and includes the easy-to-use and customizable LaCie Backup Assistant for Mac and PC users.

Availability
The LaCie Rugged Safe will be available in 500GB through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Corner, LaCie Reseller+ and LaCie Storage Partner starting at the suggested retail price of $189.99 (excluding VAT). For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

About Neil Poulton
Neil Poulton was born in Thurso, Scotland. A graduate in Industrial Design from Edinburgh University and Milan’s Domus Academy, Poulton first came into public view in 1989 as the creator of “the ageing pens,” pens made from a “living,” wearing plastic that changes color and form with use. Today, Neil Poulton designs and develops best-selling, award-winning products for a variety of international clients including LaCie & Artemide. Since 1991, Poulton has lived and worked in Paris, France. www.neilpoulton.com

About LaCie
Located in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie is the leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. LaCie creates external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology. Established in France in 1989, LaCie is listed on Euronext under FR0000054314 (LAC). For more information, visit www.lacie.com

A bit of backstory first. Clickfree’s drives generally consist of what looks like a regular external USB 2.0 hard-drive, loaded with some special software that – when you plug in – automatically scans your computer, spots any important data like documents or multimedia, and copies them over to its safe clutches. Subsequently, only new or modified files are copied, and you can plug the one Clickfree drive into multiple computers and have independent backup profiles for each.

The Clickfree C2N takes that concept and moves it one stage further. As before, it looks like a regular external drive – available in 250GB, 320GB, 500GB or 640GB capacities – but now it can backup not just the local computer it’s physically plugged into, but multiple machines on the same home or small office network.

Now, the obvious way of doing that would be to give the Clickfree an ethernet port and turn it into a NAS, but that’s arguably too complex for its target audience. Instead, Clickfree have come up with BackupLink: plug the drive (using the tethered USB cable that slots neatly into a niche for transport or storage) into whichever computers you want to include in the mass backup and it automatically installs an app that allows the USB drive to easily connect to that machine again over the home network. As long as you leave the C2N hooked up to one of the networked machines, it will be able to remotely back-up any of the computers on that network you’ve previously plugged it into.

So, say you have a laptop and a desktop, and you want to keep backups of both machines. First, you might plug the C2N drive into the laptop and install BackupLink, performing the first backup – which takes the longest, as it’s saving all your data rather than what has just been incrementally changed – while it’s locally connected. Then, you plug the C2N into the desktop and follow the same process, only this time you leave the drive attached. BackupLink installs an icon in the system tray of a Windows machine (it’s also compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 or higher, and you can have a mixture of PCs and Macs backing up to the same Clickfree drive) from which you can not only trigger a backup of the local machine (in this case, the desktop PC) but of the remote laptop too. Thanks to BackupLink running in the background on the laptop, the Clickfree drive spots it over the network and performs an incremental backup as if the C2N was physically connected via USB.

While you can manually trigger a backup of any computer from any machine with BackupLink installed, you can also schedule automatic backups to take place daily, weekly, etc, at a time of your choosing. The app will wake a computer from sleep mode to do so, though it can’t power up a hibernating Windows PC. Similarly, while the C2N supports 256-bit hardware-based data encryption – useful if the drive is stolen – if that’s active you’ll need to type in the password before the scheduled backup can take place.

There are some limitations in comparison to a proper NAS, of course. Only one computer can be backing up to the C2N at any one time, and – while there’s support for browsing the contents of each separate backup volume – it’s not really designed to act as a shared drive for frequently-accessed, communal files. You’ll need Administrator access to each computer initially, too, to install the BackupLink app. You’re also limited by the speed of a) your network, b) USB 2.0 and c) the speed of whatever computer the C2N is plugged into, whereas a decent gigabit NAS and a gigabit router/switch will be faster and more self-sufficient. Currently there’s no RAID option either, so, should the Clickfree drive’s HDD fail, all your backups are lost.

Still, for Clickfree’s target audience the comparison would more likely be using the C2N or nothing at all; they’d not even consider using a NAS, or be put off by the complexity of networking and setting up backup software. In contrast, the C2N makes it all incredibly easy: you can choose specific files or locations to backup, or alternatively you can let Clickfree’s software dig through your drive and identify files automatically. It will even pull out email attachments, and allow you to share photos via its own UI to Flickr, Facebook and MySpace. If you start to reach the limits of the internal storage, Clickfree include an app that streamlines transferring data to a CD or DVD.

You do pay a premium for all that functionality, however, at least in a dollar-per-gigabyte comparison with a regular, “dumb” USB drive. The 250GB C2N comes in at $139.99, the 320GB at $159.99 and the 500GB at $179.99; in contrast, a normal 250GB portable drive can be had for around $55, while 500GB can be had for around $80. We’d be more tempted by Clickfree’s Transformer NE, a $99.99 adapter cable that offers the same BackupLink functionality but rather than coming with internal storage has a USB 2.0 port to plug in a generic external drive. You could even plug in a USB RAID array, if you want to couple Clickfree’s simplicity with the reassurance of multiple-drive data redundancy.

Simplicity comes at a price, then, which is hardly new. A cheap external drive may be easier on your wallet, but it’s a false saving if you then neglect to actually copy your data across to it. In contrast, the C2N streamlines the process to the point where even the most tech-wary of users could get to grips with it. In an ideal world we’d all have redundant local and off-site backup and not even a single byte would go missing; in the real world, Clickfree’s C2N manages to make the company’s own easy products even easier.

The company are also pretty proud of their new design, too, though as far as we could tell it consisted of a blue (750GB) or black (1TB) casing with a few squares sprinkled across the top.  Still, we don’t ask for too much from our external storage, beyond gobs of gigabytes of course, so everything will depend on how Toshiba price the two StorE Art 3 HDDs when they go on sale in May 2010.

Press Release:

Introducing the Toshiba StorE Art 3 Series – modern, stylish and spacious external hard disk drives

London, UK, 16th April 2010 – Toshiba UK today announces a new range of stylish, portable hard disk drives (HDD) – the StorE Art 3 Series. A duo of new models feature brand new designs and hard drive storage of up to one terabyte (1TB) – the equivalent to one thousand gigabytes – allowing users to save even more documents, digital photographs, music or videos. Additional software provided with the StorE Art 3 also allows users to backup their PC system data so files are always safe, even if the PC fails.

The two StorE Art 3 models are available in 1TB or 750GB capacities, offering huge amounts of space for those looking to expand the storage on their PC or laptop. Both also feature an updated design, a contemporary gloss finish and a rubber edge for added durability. The 1TB model is available in black, with the 750GB option available in blue.

Pre-installed NTI® BackupNow EZTM software enables users to easily backup their complete PC system with a single click, so in the event of data loss, users can restore their system even if Windows is unable to start. Additionally, the StorE Art 3 models feature a range of security features, including data encryption, password protection, and an internal shock sensor to prevent potential damage to the hard drive. The StorE Art 3 connects via a USB 2.0 cable, allowing documents, files and saved data can be quickly and easily transferred between computers, without the need for an external power supply.

The StorE Art 3 is available from May 2010.

Of course, if you don’t have a Power eSATA port on your laptop you can still use the LaCie drive.  In the box there’s a Y-cable which connects to a USB and a regular eSATA socket, pulling in power from the former and using the latter for data.

LaCie have a list of compatible machines here so you can check to see if your notebook is suitable.  The LaCie Rugged eSATA hard-drive is available now, priced at $159.99 for 500GB.

Press Release:

LaCie Rugged eSATA: Mobile Storage for Fast Data Transfer

• Power eSATA interface allows you to work faster
• Rugged casing is ideal for protecting valuable data on the go
• Up to 90MB/s through Power eSATA
• Compatible with standard eSATA ports

LaCie today announced the Rugged eSATA, the first mobile external hard drive on the market that features a Power eSATA interface. The Rugged eSATA offers major storage capacity and a cost advantage over eSATA SSD solutions, and is one of the only portable, bus-powered eSATA solutions on the market.

Bus-powered when connected to a USB-eSATA combo port, the LaCie Rugged eSATA combines superior transfer speeds of up to 90MB/s in a truly mobile form. The USB-eSATA combo interface, also known as Power eSATA, features a slightly different connector than eSATA and is frequently found on late-model laptops. The drive is also compatible with standard eSATA ports when the included USB power-sharing cable is connected.

“We are thrilled to integrate power eSATA technology into our best-selling Rugged mobile hard drive,” said Anne-Sophie Marchand, Consumer Product Manager. “This solution brings dazzling transfer speeds to customers on the go, while still ensuring compatibility with standard eSATA and USB 2.0 connectors.”

Housed in the award-winning Rugged casing designed by Neil Poulton, the LaCie Rugged eSATA features a unique scratch-resistant aluminum shell, internal anti-shock absorbers, and a shock-resistant rubber bumper to better protect files against everyday blunders.

Availability
The LaCie Rugged eSATA will be available in 500GB capacity through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+ and LaCie Storage Partner starting at the suggested retail price of $159.99 (VAT included). For more information, visit www.lacie.com.