Corsair is expanding their Flash Voyager USB drive family today, with the introduction of a new unit. The new Flash Voyager stick will boast a 64GB capacity in a compact keychain-sized chassis, like their existing Flash Voyager units, and will of course be built in the same enclosure they pitch as being durable and resistant to damage from things like being dropped and water.
The tiny flash drive won't be cheap, opening up with a $250 price tag. For that price you'll get the standard suite of software they include with the drives, along with a lengthy warranty.
Whether in flash drive or SSD formats, solid-state storage in general has seen an explosion in the past two years. Capacity and performance has skyrocketed, quickly catching up with mechanical disks. If it continues at this rate, we might see flash capacity on par with desktop hard drives in just a few years.
Corsair introduces 64GB USB flash drive
SanDisk bumps tiny memory cards to 16GB
SanDisk today reached yet another milestone in their pursuit to squeeze more and more storage into mobile devices, with their microSDHC and Memory Stick Micro (also referred to as M2) now available in capacities of up to 16GB – quite a feat for a media format that’s about the size of a fingers nail.
The 16GB microSDHC card is listing for $99.99 while the 16GB M2 lists for $129.99. The larger capacity should be welcome news for those who use their phones or PDAs for storage-intensive purposes, including music and video playback, high-definition digital camera functions, and gaming – be sure to check your device’s compatibility before purchasing, though, as the new microSDHC format might not be compatible with all devices that support the microSD cards.
SanDisk's new memory cards come with five year limited warranties and will be available from Best Buy Mobile stores in October and Verizon Wireless stores in November.
Sony reveals limited edition 007 VAIO TT, USB Micro Vault and Reader Digital Book
In a move to pump up the impending theater debut of Quantum of Solace, Sony is simultaneously opening up a new promotional game and introducing a few new pieces of limited edition gear. Obviously, we're a touch more concerned with the kit than the game, so we'll skip over those details and head right to the meat of it. The outfit will be offering up 100 limited run VAIO TT laptops that are emblazoned with a 007 logo on the palm rest and a matching leather protection case. Additionally, a Special Edition Bond bundle for the Reader Digital Book will feature an embossed cover with a 007 logo and coupon codes for free downloads of Ian Fleming's novels Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Lastly, we've got the 007 USB Micro Vault in 8GB and 16GB flavors, both of which come pre-loaded with the Quantum of Solace trailer and other miscellaneous "bonus content." Wild guesses as to price / release dates are being accepted now.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 007, e-book, e-reader, james bond, JamesBond, limited edition, LimitedEdition, micro vault, MicroVault, Quantum of Solace, QuantumOfSolace, sony, Sony Reader, SonyReader, TT, usb flash drive, usb key, UsbFlashDrive, UsbKey, VAIO, VAIO TT, VaioTt ]
SanDisk fesses up to 16GB microSDHC and M2 memory cards
What's been keepin' ya, SanDisk? We knew these little buggers were legit late last week, but for whatever reason, the outfit chose to keep its trap shut until today. Finally, SanDisk has confessed in painful detail that its 16GB microSDHC and M2 cards are for real, marking the largest capacity available in both formats. Of note, even Sony doesn't have a 16GB M2 card on the market, though it's possible the firm is too busy dealing with all those other proprietary formats to mess with this one. At any rate, Best Buy Mobile and Verizon Wireless stores will be your go-to place for either one, though we'd be prepared to shell out $99.99 (16GB microSDHC) or $129.99 (16GB M2) when they land in November.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 16gb, flash card, FlashCard, M2, memory card, MemoryCard, microsdhc, sandisk, sdhc ]
Netgear launches WNR2000 / DGN2000 Wireless-N routers
Netgear, we're here to tell you it's been far, far too long since you threw any new 802.11n gear our way, so we're pretty stoked to see a few new pieces roll out today. The outfit is formally introducing the WNR2000 Wireless-N router and DGN2000 Wireless-N router with built-in DSL modem this morning, both of which boast the company's own Push 'N' Connect with Wi-Fi Protected Setup to eliminate the need to remember those pesky network security passwords. Both units are available in kit form as well, which sees a USB wireless adapter bundled in just in case your rig is operating sans an 802.11n WiFi module. Everything is available now for anywhere between $89 and $129.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 802.11n, DGN2000, draft n, DraftN, dsl, modem, NETGEAR, router, wifi, Wireless-N, WNR2000, WPS ]
Super Kid 4-port USB hub makes peripheral swapping fun again
Come on, the picture tells the whole story, does it not? The $14 Super Kid 4-port USB hub gives you four of the funnest USB 2.0 ports you'll ever have, and the arms / legs are totally pliable, too. Just don't overload him with USB-powered lamps and cooling devices -- a boy can only handle so much.
[Via: Coolest-Gadgets ] [Tag: gumby, stick figure, StickFigure, super kid, SuperKid, usb, usb hub, UsbHub ]
New research aims to speed up MRAM in a future you'll never live to see (probably)
A month after German researchers announced their latest breakthrough in MRAM design, physicists at Japan's Tohoku University now say that it is possible to use an electric field to manipulate the magnetic domains in a semiconductor -- eliminating moving magnets from MRAM completely. MRAM designed using the electric field method would be faster -- and would use less energy -- than earlier variations on the technology, thus making our lives easier and generally more awesome. Of course, none of this stuff actually exists yet, and it's still got fierce competition from competing ideas (like IBM's racetrack memory), so for now we'll just have to stay content with the four 128k chips we scraped out of our old XT.
[Via: MRAM Info ] [Tag: magnetoresistiveram, mram, racetrack memory, RacetrackMemory, ram, tohoku university, TohokuUniversity ]
Toshiba rolls out 256GB laptop SSD, 32GB flash modules for netbooks
Get your flash here, red hot flash memory. Toshiba is now sampling its new 256GB SSD with a 120MB max read and 70MBps write via 3.0Gbps SATA interface -- not the fastest consumer SSD but not not bad. This 2.5-inch slab measures just 3.0-mm thick and targets laptops looking to shed the 9.5-mm constraint presented by standard hard disks. Like Samsung, Tosh also announced new 8GB, 16GB and 32GB SATA flash modules aimed directly at the booming netbook market with speeds topping-out at 80MBps for reads and 50MBps for writes. All the drives feature MLC-based NAND which accounts for the less-than blazing SSD speeds. On the other hand, that should help keep the costs low when these things ship in quantity later this year.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 2.5-inch, 256gb, 3-mm, 3.0-mm, flash, mlc, nand, netbook, ssd, toshiba ]
SimpleTech trots out 3TB Duo Pro / 1.5TB Pro external HDDs
Fabrik's SimpleTech brand initially pushed out its Pro external drives and online backup service around this time last year, but thankfully it finally figured out what we consumers want: that it keep up with the capacity curve. The firm's Duo Pro drive, which boasts four interfaces (eSATA, FireWire 400 / 800 and USB 2.0), will be available in Q4 with 3TB of room. As for its smaller sibling, you can expect the single-drive 1.5TB Pro model to land around the same time for a definitively different unknown price. [Via: Engadget ] [Tag: Duo Pro, DuoPro, external hard drive, external hdd, ExternalHardDrive, ExternalHdd, Fabrik, hard drive, HardDrive, SimpleTech, ultimate backup, UltimateBackup ]
Imation's wireless USB Apollo Pro WX external HDD does backups sans wires
We knew wireless USB would eventually rise up and become more than a pitiful excuse for not plugging in your digicam to transfer photos, and lo and behold, it has done just that. Imation's latest Apollo drive packs a lot of promise, thanks in huge part to the integrated WiQuest WUSB solution tucked within. Put simply, the Apollo Pro WX can begin to backup user data as soon as the machine in question comes "into range." Without any wires (save for that pesky AC adapter), this
[Via: EverythingUSB ] [Tag: Apollo Expert UX, Apollo Pro, Apollo Pro UX, ApolloExpertUx, ApolloPro, ApolloProUx, external hard drive, external hdd, ExternalHardDrive, ExternalHdd, hdd, imation, ultra-wideband, usb, uwb, WiQuest, wireless usb, WirelessUsb, WUSB ]
Toshiba's record breaking 1.8-inch 250GB SATA disk for your next ultra-slim laptop
Ok, it's not by much, but world's biggest is world's biggest especially notable when it comes in a package this small. Toshiba just busted up its own record for 1.8-inch drive capacity with this new 250GB MKxx29GSG series disk spinning at 5,400rpm -- the previous 240GB 1.8-incher announced a few weeks ago is stuck with a slower PATA interface more suitable to portable audio players. That makes this 8.0-mm thick, 3Gbps SATA hard drive ideal for ultra-slim, ultra-portable laptops requiring snappy (and cheap compared to an equivalent capacity SSD) data access by your applications. At least it will be when it begins mass production in November.
[Via: Impress ] [Tag: 1.8-inch, 250gb, disk, hard disk, HardDisk, hdd, MKxx29GSG, toshiba ]
SanDisk's 16GB microSDHC card slips into retail, T-Mobile's G1
Shhh, keep this on the down low: SanDisk's 16GB microSDHC card is now available for purchase -- the first to reach that capacity. At the moment, it's only been spotted at a few on-line shops in the UK for round-about ?45 with VAT (about $70 pre-tax in the US). Exactly what you need for your new T-Mobile G1. Hey Sandisk, you want to chime in and make this official or what?
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 16gb, microsd, microsdhc, sandisk ]
Motorola announces USBw 100 WiMAX adapter
Hold onto your hats, Motorola fans! As the launch of the nation's first mobile WiMAX network (hopefully) draws near, the company's announcing its first ever USB WiMAX device, the USBw 100. This thumb-drive-sized slice of heaven will be available in three flavors, providing high-speed mobile broadband on your 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz or 3.5 GHz network. No pics, pricing or definite release date yet, just the vague promise that we'll be seeing her in the fourth quarter of this year. We're all giddy in anticipation.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: motorola, usbw 100, Usbw100, wimax, wimax world, WimaxWorld ]
Eye-Fi making wares twice as fast, expanding internationally
Frustrated by somewhat sluggish transfers from your otherwise spectacular Eye-Fi card? Fret not, as the company has just announced a forthcoming update at Photokina that will reportedly enable new and existing Eye-Fi owners to make "the upload of digital photos from camera to computer twice as fast." Also of note, as of October 5th, users can even add features that aren't already included on their card and renew annual services by tapping into the updated Eye-Fi Manager Web application. In related news, the outfit will be pushing its wares to Japan and Canada by the year's end, and in even more related news, Eye-Fi now supports direct photo uploads to Apple's MobileMe and the AdoramaPix service.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: canada, eye-fi, flash, flash memory, flash storage, FlashMemory, FlashStorage, international, japan, lexar, mobileme, PHOTOKINA, PHOTOKINA 2008, Photokina2008, SD, wifi ]
Maxell's Leather Label DVDs are Fonzerelli approved
Oh man, just look at that. Soft, rich, leather-wrapped 16x DVD-Rs and 2x DRD-RWs -- guaranteed to make your data more creamy and you more socially awkward. Available October 25th in Japan for an undisclosed price.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: dvd, leather, maxell ]
Toshiba pushes out stylish 400GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive
Nothing too special about Tosh's latest USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive -- just a good lookin' 400GB unit that should slide into most average sized cargo pockets on the market today. The 6-ounce drive is available in "Electric Blue and Black" (pictured) as well as Carbon Grey, Hot Rod Red and Gecko Green, and while pricing has yet to be revealed, those looking to size it up can chew on these dimensions: 0.65- x 3.19- x 5.0-inches. Not too shabby, huh?
[Via: Electronista ] [Tag: 400gb, external hard drive, external hdd, ExternalHardDrive, ExternalHdd, hard drive, HardDrive, hdd, portable hard drive, PortableHardDrive, toshiba ]
SanDisk ships 16GB 300x Extreme IV CompactFlash card
If you're jonesing for the quickest, most nimble CF card this planet has to offer, you'll be hard pressed to find one quicker and more nimble than this. Following up on Pretec's launch, SanDisk has started shipping its 16GB 300x (45MB/sec) Extreme IV CompactFlash card, which marks a 12.5% increase in speed and 50% boost in capacity compared to its predecessor. Oh, but then there's the $399.99 price tag. We know, right?
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: CF, CompactFlash, Extreme IV CompactFlash, ExtremeIvCompactflash, flash, flash memory, FlashMemory, SanDisk ]
Pretec breaks records, banks with 100GB, 64GB, and ultra-fast 32GB CF cards
Remember the days when 64GB sounded huge for a CompactFlash card? Well, now you can pick up the world's largest CF: a 100GB Pretec 233x operating at a zippy 35MB/sec. And if that's not big enough for you, through some kind of crazy voodoo magic (aka Pretec Q-SATA) four 64GB cards can be transformed into a 256GB SATA drive -- assuming you have $1,596 burning a hole in your pocket. And if speed is your game, Pretec can outfit you with a 333x 32GB CF card running at a record-breaking 50MB/sec for merely $630 -- chump change, right?
[Via: Business Wire ] [Tag: 100gb, 233x, 32gb, 35MBsec, 50MBsec, 64gb, CF, compact flash, compactflash, pretec, Pretec Q-SATA, PretecQ-sata, Q-SATA, sata ]
Lexar kicks out Eye-Fi powered Shoot-n-Sync WiFi SD card, other less interesting flash cards
We'd heard Lexar and Eye-Fi were getting snuggly back in January, and look at that -- nine months later the Lexar Shoot-n-Sync WiFi SD card has arrived on our doorstep. The 2GB card is basically just a Lexar-branded Eye-Fi Share, so you pretty much already know how it works -- you shoot, it uploads -- and it's even the same $99 price, so yeah, yawn. Hopefully these two will do something a little more interesting now that they've gotten used to working together. Lexar also kicked out a number of other cards, including a new 4GB Memory Stick Micro M2 card, a 16GB Platinum II 60x SDHC card, and a 16GB Platinum II 80x CompactFlash card -- no pricing or availability on any of those yet, but we'd expect them soon.
[Via: Gearlog ] [Tag: eye-fi, lexar, m2, memory stick, memory stick micro, memory stick micro m2, MemoryStick, MemoryStickMicro, MemoryStickMicroM2, Platinum II, Platinum II 60x, Platinum II 80x, PlatinumIi, PlatinumIi60x, PlatinumIi80x, sd, sd card, SdCard, sdhc, shoot n sync, shoot-n-sync, ShootNSync, wifi, wifi sd card, WifiSdCard ]
SanDisk, major labels announce slotMusic preloaded microSD cards
We're not sure why the music industry thinks consumers want to buy even more physical media, but it can't seem to stop pumping out plastic in a futile attempt to stay relevant -- this time it's an initiative called slotMusic, announced today in partnership with SanDisk and several major retailers. The 1GB slotMusic microSD cards are preloaded with DRM-free 320kbps MP3s, and are aimed primarily at mobile phones -- the idea is that you'll be able to buy music and listen to it without having to sideload it onto your device using your computer at home. Sure, we can see the appeal of that, but when we half-facetiously asked SanDisk's reps if they expected us to carry around a stack of individual microSD albums, they didn't laugh when they said yes, and even told us that slotMusic media binders would be available at launch -- no, they weren't kidding. We're not sure anyone's going to be sold on going back to lugging around physical media with the iTunes and Zune WiFi stores out there, but it sounds like we'll be seeing quite a push for this from retailers and the labels -- and artists are apparently enthusiastic about using the full 1GB of space to include content beyond basic liner notes and cover art. We'll see when these launch around the holidays -- if we had to guess, we'd say this is just Ringles and CDVU+ part III.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: emi, microsd, sandisk, slotmusic, sony, sony bmg, SonyBmg, universal ]
Dealzmodo: 500GB Vox V1 External HD for $55 [Dealzmodo]
Over at Ecost you can grab a 500GB external Vox V1 USB/eSATA drive for $55 ($95 - $40 rebate). Yeah I know, rebates are the easiest thing to forget, but here's the PDF printout to help you remember. Not a bad deal at all. [Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ] [Tag: ]
Dealzmodo: 500GB Seagate Hard Drive for $50 [Dealzmodo]
Today's woot! is a factory-refurbished 500GB Seagate Barracuda hard drive, running at 7200 rpm with a 16MB buffer, for only $50. I know, I know, refurbs are risky, but for a backup drive you only use every once in awhile, this is a great price and should do you just fine. [woot!]
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ] [Tag: ]
SentrySafe Hard Drive Endures Trial by Fire (and Water) [Hard Drives]
Whenever our journalistic brethren get to set something on fire and douse it with water, we like to commemorate the moment. Wired's Gadget Lab just performed such a battery of tests on the SentrySafe fire-and-flood proof hard drives, ones we first saw almost a year ago. On one hand, the test went as predicted, but on the other hand, data doesn't seem as protected as you might think. The tester got a hold of SentrySafe's QA0005, essentially an armor-plated 250GB Maxtor drive. Once it was loaded with a ton of movies, the fun part involved popping the damn thing in the oven to bake away. Not enough heat? It was tossed into the fireplace too, surviving both with ease. (It's supposed to withstand 30 min. at up to 1550ВєF.) The dunk test was far more impressive than the faucet shot above suggests: The thing went underwater, and stayed there for 12 full hours. Apparently it could have gone another 12. Fire and water were no big whup, but the tester did have a problem with another potential act of God: The casing definitely wasn't built to be shake-, make that quake-proof. Might want to save the $400 and buy a backup drive instead, to keep somewhere far far away. [Wired]
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ] [Tag: ]
Ruby Cipher HDD kit provides AES 256-bit hardware encryption
Addonics is good for providing uber-secure storage options, and this one does a fine job of keeping that legacy alive. The Ruby Cipher hard drive kit shows lots of love to any 2.5-inch SATA drive that you've got laying around, and once you slip it in there, you can rest assured that only you (and maybe your ghost) will see what files are within. The enclosure itself comes with inbuilt eSATA / SATA connectors, and there's also a SATA direct bridge to "isolate the SATA hard drive power and data connectors from the wears and tears incurred in some other removable SATA hard drive systems." Of course, you'll also find 256-bit AES hardware encryption, with a bundled flash key included to unlock the doors to your deepest, darkest secrets. Shame there's no price listed, but you know this level of security won't run you cheap.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 256-bit, Addonics, AES, cipher, hard drive, hard drive kit, HardDrive, HardDriveKit, hdd, ruby, Ruby Cipher, RubyCipher ]
Samsung makes a hostile bid for SanDisk
We'd heard rumors Samsung was wooing SanDisk, but it looks like the four-month courtship is over -- Samsung just announced that in response to SanDisk's "unrealistic expectations" during negotiations, it's going hostile and will offer $26/share for the company. That's bound to cause some waves in the storage industry, especially since Toshiba and Seagate were also rumored to be interested in SanDisk. We'll see what happens -- things always get a little crazy when there's nearly six billion dollars in cash on the table.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: breaking news, BreakingNews, hostile takeover, HostileTakeover, merger, samsung, sandisk, takeover ]
1.5TB FreeAgent XTreme Anchors Onslaught of Stylish Seagate Hard Drives [Storage]
That there is the grandpappy of those leaked Seagate hard drives, the 3.5-inch, 7200RPM, 1.5TB FreeAgent XTreme. It connects via USB 2.0, FireWire 400 or eSATA, the latter of which transfers files at a blazing 3GB/second. Available in October, the $300 LED-filled drive comes in three more sizes starting at $160 for 500GB. Seagate launched a whole slew of other HDDs too, including 5400RPMers, 2.5" slim drives in four colors and two Mac-ready drives that'll save you the inconvenience of running Disk Utility for $40-$70 more than their PC-counterparts. Catch 'em in pics and press release down below.
SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. — September 15, 2008 — Seagate (NYSE: STX), the world leader in storage solutions, today announced the Fall 2008 lineup of the company’s award-winning FreeAgentв„Ñž external hard drives. This new generation of the SeagateÐ’® FreeAgentв„Ñž family includes attractive desktop and mobile options, for both MacÐ’® and WindowsÐ’® operated PCs that make it a breeze to back up, share and protect valuable digital content like photos, videos and music. Seagate’s flagship offering, the FreeAgent Go portable storage solution, is the slimmest external drive available today. At a height of only 12.5mm, the new FreeAgent Go easily fits in a pocket while still including all the advanced shock and vibration protection people have come to expect from Seagate. Another industry first, the new FreeAgent Go is the first external hard drive to offer a docking option, providing a practical way to move from the desk to the road, while leaving the hassle of fumbling with cables and locating USB ports to the history books. With up to 500GB of capacity, the FreeAgent Go bridges the gap between standard portable solutions and desktop solutions with enough storage to carry entire libraries of movies, pictures and music. No longer does one need to sacrifice capacity for portability, Seagate FreeAgent Go provides the benefits and convenience of both in a truly seamless on-the-go package. “With the amount of content being created and consumed today, the average broadband household will soon need close to a terabyte of storage to account for their personal media collections on PCs, portable devices, and DVRs,” said Jane Shields, research analyst, Parks Associates. “With Seagate’s coupling of high-capacity, reliable and easy-to-use solutions with attractive designs, the company is helping more people enjoy the benefits that come with backup and sharing of their digital media collections.” “The growth of the 2.5-inch form factor external hard disk drive market has been very strong – almost doubling in 2Q08 compared with 2Q07,” said Wolfgang Schlichting, research director, Removable Storage at IDC. “This growth is much higher than the overall market and driven by the products’ convenient size and connectivity, as well as their large storage capacity and affordability.” The FreeAgent Go desktop docking station is sold separately and comes paired with a black leatherette carrying case to add style while protecting the drive from the bumps and scratches encountered while traveling in hand bags and during other on-the-road adventures. The FreeAgent Go is now available in a variety of popular colors, including silver, black, red, and blue. The drive also ships with a flexible, thin USB 2.0 travel cable. The FreeAgent Desk drive and FreeAgent XTremeв„Ñž drive are the family’s two 3.5-inch high-capacity desktop offerings, and provide up to 1.5 Terabytes of storage. The sleek and modern design of these drives provides the flexibility to sit horizontally or stand vertically to maximize your workspace. The FreeAgent Desk drive is a brushed aluminum high-capacity solution with a USB 2.0 interface. The FreeAgent XTreme drive is a black, brushed aluminum high-capacity storage solution with a triple interface of eSATA, USB 2.0 and FireWire 400. “The first FreeAgent storage solution offering introduced in 2007 unquestionably made a mark for Seagate in the consumer space, demonstrating that hard drives can be designed to provide a stylish complement to a computing environment,” said Pat King, senior vice president of Seagate’s Consumer Solutions Division. This second-generation of FreeAgent storage solutions takes the extra step of providing easy-to-use technology in a consumer-friendly package.” Seagate FreeAgent drives are compatible with WindowsÐ’® VistaÐ’® and WindowsÐ’® XPÐ’® Operating Systems and come equipped with Seagate Managerв„Ñž software, an enhanced application that provides scheduled automated back-ups and multi-computer synchronization. The FreeAgent drives for Windows also offer security in the form of software-based AES-256bit encryption and Seagate DrivePassв„Ñž password protection for drive access to help keep your information safe and private. The environmentally smart utilities help save energy by putting the drive in sleep mode once it has been idle for 15 minutes. Seagate FreeAgent hard drives include Energy Star 5 rated AC adapters and are now packaged in 100% recyclable materials. And with Seagate’s industry-leading five-year limited warranty, the FreeAgent storage solutions provide the confidence that your digitally-captured memories and life’s work is on a hard drive you can trust. As part of this product introduction, Seagate will also unveil external storage solutions designed specifically for the Mac community. The Mac community has spoken and Seagate is listening. The FreeAgent Go for Mac and FreeAgent Desk for Mac are both formatted for use with Mac OS X out of the box and are Time Machine ready with FireWire800/400 or USB 2.0 connectivity. Seagate understands that Mac customers have specific needs and performance requirements and these demands are being met with the FreeAgent external hard drive for Mac offering. FreeAgentв„Ñž | Go Drive for Mac[Seagate]
With a FireWire 800/400 interface, docking station and carrying case the Seagate FreeAgent Go drive for Mac is equipped to move seamlessly between the desktop and road. Formatted for use with Mac OS X and Time Machine ready, the FreeAgent Go for Mac is the perfect back up companion for any AppleÐ’® computer. Seagate FreeAgent Go for Mac is available this month for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $159.99 USD for 250GB and $189.99 USD for 320GB. FreeAgentв„Ñž | Desk Drive for Mac
The high-capacity FreeAgent Desk drive for Mac features a brushed aluminum arctic silver finish that is a perfect match for the current iMac Desktop. With a FireWire 800/400 connection and tuned to be Time Machine ready, the FreeAgent Desk for Mac is available this month for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $169.99 USD for 500GB, $269.99 USD for 1TB and $349.99 USD for 1.5TB (available in October). FreeAgentв„Ñž | Go Drive
A pocket-sized storage drive that packs a punch, the Seagate FreeAgent Go drive is slim, compact and shipping in four color options available as of this month in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $119.99 USD for 250GB, $149.99 USD for 320GB and $239.99 for 500GB. FreeAgentв„Ñž | Dock and Case
Protection for those on the go and a docking station for convenient and quick access to your files, these accessories for the FreeAgent Go drive are sold separately. The dock and case will be available in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $29.99 USD. FreeAgentв„Ñž | Desk Drive
This convenient desktop storage solution, Seagate FreeAgent Desk drive, is the perfect desktop companion for basic back up and security for all your digital files. This high-capacity USB 2.0 interfaced drive provides enough room to hold libraries of images, music and video. The FreeAgent Desk drive is available as of this month in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific, for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $129.99 USD for 500GB, $149.99 USD for 640GB, $229.99 USD for 1TB and $279.99 USD for 1.5TB (available in October). FreeAgentв„Ñž | XTremeв„Ñž Drive
Designed for performance, especially for those who work with high-definition video and graphic files, the Seagate FreeAgent XTreme drive is the perfect fit. The FreeAgent XTreme delivers a 3GB per second transfer rate with the eSATA connection. This drive also includes FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 connection options. The FreeAgent XTreme is available worldwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $159.99 USD for 500GB, $179.99 USD for 640GB, $259.99 USD for 1TB and $299.99 USD for 1.5TB (available in October).
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ] [Tag: ]
SSD shootout, round II: OCZ, Super Talent and Mtron do battle
If you'll recall, a slew of prohibitively expensive SSDs were pit against one another last summer in a battle royale of pricey HDD replacements. Fast forward a year and change, and the barrier to entry for one of these heralded devices has dropped significantly. That being the case, we've a feeling HotHardware's latest shootout will be a whole lot more relevant for the average joe / jane. The aforementioned test simultaneously reviews the OCZ Core Series 64GB MLC, OCZ 64GB Standard SLC, Super Talent MasterDrive MX 64GB MLC and the Mtron MSP 7500 32GB SLC. Interestingly, the writeup didn't conclude with a medal ceremony, but rather, it elaborated on the merits of each and where it would likely fit best. You know what that means -- time to bust out the spectacles and get to readin'. Chop chop!
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: hard drive, HardDrive, Mtron, OCZ, roundup, shootout, solid state disc, SolidStateDisc, SSD, storage, Super Talent ]
Western Digital now shipping 500GB laptop drive: $220
If you're still having trouble tracking down Samsung's SpinPoint M6 we've got good news for you: Western Digital just started volume shipments of its own 9.5-mm high, 2.5-inch laptop drive with that still amazing 500GB capacity. The $220 WD Scorpio Blue with 8MB cache churns through a SATA 3Gbps transfer rate with 12-ms access and is said to be one of the quietest (24dBA average idle / 26dBA average seek) of any 2.5-incher spinning at 5,400rpm. A 400GB version is available for $190.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 2.5-inch,500gb,9.5-mm,breaking news,BreakingNews,scorpio blue,ScorpioBlue,wd,western digital,WesternDigital ]
SanDisk introduces 32GB Extreme III CompactFlash card
SanDisk's 30MB/s Extreme III line of flash cards keeps growing -- the company just announced the 32GB Extreme III CompactFlash card for $299. Pretty steep, but if you're shooting high-speed RAW images or filming an HD masterpiece, we bet your ears just perked up. Out in October, we're told.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 32GB,compact flash,CompactFlash,extreme III,ExtremeIii,sandisk ]
Toshiba announces 240GB 1.8-inch HDD
Funny that Toshiba is announcing a 240GB 1.8-inch drive just a day after Microsoft took the Zune to 120GB and the same day Apple dropped the iPod classic's 160GB SKU -- doesn't seem like very many people need this much storage. Still, that's a lot of bits in a tiny drive -- and we'd bet that shoving one of these things in either an iPod or Zune wouldn't be too hard, modders. Hint, hint.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: 1.8 inch,1.8-inch,1.8Inch,240gb,MK2431GAH,toshiba ]
32GB laptop SSD for less than $100: caveat emptor
It's finally happened, a 32GB SATA II SSD for laptops has just dipped below $100 ($159 list, minus $60 rebate)... with a catch. The SSD in question is the 32GB OCZ Core Series SATA II -- an SSD which could actually be slower and consume more power than your current, aged spinner depending upon your usage habits. But man, 99 bucks -- that's tempting.
[Via: DailyTech ] [Tag: ocz,sale,ssd ]
iTunes 8 kills AirTunes, iPod touch causing BSOD
We were all excited to stream Genius-generated playlists from iTunes 8 to our Airport Express last night when -- poof -- "-3256 Unknown Error Occurred." This cryptic error, along with another under the equally descriptive name "-15000," has been keeping iTunes 8 upgraders from using their Airtunes on remote speakers. Turns out the issue is one of Firewalls and Firmware. The solutions come from users at Apple's discussion boards. Basically, you need to either turn off your Firewall and / or allow iTunes to accept incoming requests or update your Airport Express to the latest (7.3.2 as of this post) firmware version via AirPort Utility 6.3. Meanwhile, Windows-based iPod touch users are seeing Blue Screens of Death when plugging in their players due to some other undocumented problem. The solution there looks to be a reboot with the touch plugged in to force the system to recognize the device, run a sync, and turn off photo syncing (not the most elegant solution, clearly). Let's hope Apple at least updates this with something more descriptive than "-3256" in the future. Customer service reps at Apple say they're aware of the problems and are working on a fix.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: airport express,AirportExpress,airtunes,itunes8 ]
Intel 80GB Solid-State Drives Get Official (and High) Price Tag, Are Blazing Fast [Ssds]
Intel's slightly delayed leap into the SSD game is now official, with the company announcing a $595 pricetag for an 80GB SSD, which comes in 1.8-inch (X18-M) or 2.5-inch (X25-M) sizes for the same price, with 160GB versions coming later this year. While that's a considerably higher price-per-gigabyte ratio than what can be found on more generic SSDs, Intel will hopefully bring the performance standards so badly needed in the SSD world, where actual real-world performance can vary greatly from what's stated (take everyone upset about the MacBook Air's SSD, for instance). Intel's SATA drive is rated for 250MB/s reads and 70MB/s writes, with 85-microsecond latency. Full details follow. UPDATE: ">Hot Hardware has gotten their hands on one and given it a full top-to-bottom run-through for more specs and shots. Thanks, YasinKhawam
Intel Introduces Solid-State Drives for Notebook and Desktop Computers New Intel(R) High-Performance SATA Solid-State Drive Offers Users Responsive, Rugged, Reliable and Low-Power Storage Solution to Replace Hard Disk Drive
SANTA CLARA, Calif. —(Business Wire)— Sep. 8, 2008 Intel Corporation announced today it has begun shipping Intel(R) X18-M and X25-M Mainstream SATA Solid-State Drives (SSDs) based on multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash technology for laptop and desktop computers. The new high-performing data storage devices give computer buyers a new level of system responsiveness in a lightweight, rugged, low-power package that can replace traditional hard disk drives. Validated for Intel-based computers, the X18-M is a 1.8-inch drive and the X25-M a 2.5-inch drive, offering several advantages over hard drives including faster overall system response, boot and resume times. With no moving parts, SSDs run cooler and quieter and are a more reliable option than hard drives. In addition, SSDs remove input/output (I/O) performance bottlenecks associated with hard disk drives that help maximize the efficiency of Intel processors, such as the company's Core(TM) family of products. For example, lab tests show that the Intel X18-M and X25M increase storage system performance nine times over traditional hard disk drive performance. "Validated by our rigorous testing and OEM customer feedback, we believe that we have developed an SSD that delivers on the promises of SSD computing," said Randy Wilhelm, Intel vice president and general manager of the NAND Products Group. "By combining our experience in flash memory design with our processor and computing expertise, we have added advances such as our parallel 10-channel architecture, proprietary controller, firmware and memory management algorithms that address write amplification and wear leveling issues to redefine SSD performance and reliability for computing platforms." The Intel X18-M and X25-M Mainstream SATA SSDs are available in 80 gigabyte (GB) capacities, with 160GB versions sampling in the fourth quarter of this year. The 80GB drive achieves up to 250MB per second read speeds, up to 70MB per second write speeds and 85-microsecond read latency for fast performance. The 80GB version is priced at $595 for quantities up to 1,000. These SSDs are available now and end-customer products containing the Intel(R) High-Performance SATA SSDs are expected to begin shipping in the next few weeks. The company is also expected to introduce a line of single-level cell (SLC) SSDs for the server, storage and enterprise environments within the next 90 days. Called the Intel(R) X25-E Extreme SATA Solid-State Drive, these products are designed to maximize the Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS), which equates to higher performance and lower enterprise costs. Since SSDs lower energy consumption, maintenance, cooling and space costs, an SSD-based data center will reduce overall infrastructure costs while increasing performance-per-square-foot by as much as 50x.
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ] [Tag: ]
Sony VAIO VGP-UPR1 notebook dock boasts DisplayLink technology
Lookin' a USB docking station for your VAIO (or other machine)? Look no further than the VAIO-branded VGP-UPR1, which is compatible with a whole alphabet worth of Sony's laptops. The unit boasts a VGA / DVI port, four USB sockets, an Ethernet jack and headphone / microphone connectors; furthermore, it supports resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,200, and of course, DisplayLink's USB graphics technology. Not too terribly painful at $199.99, and it's out now for folks in the US, EU and Japan.
[Via: CNET ] [Tag: displaylink, sony, usb, USB Docking Station, usb graphics, UsbDockingStation, UsbGraphics, VAIO, VGP-UPR1, vista, Vista Aero, VistaAero ]
Intel's X25-M 80GB SSD ships this week for $595
If you'll notice, HP isn't using just any SSD drive to hit 24 hours of insanity with the EliteBook 6930p -- it's all about that Intel 80GB SSD, which has new optimizations to boost speed and apparently energy usage over current flash drives. Well, Intel also picked today to get all official about the drive itself, and it's clear those improvements and Intel's brand name come at a price: the 2.5-inch 80GB "X25-M" drive will retail for $595 when it hits this week. There's also a 3.5-inch version, the X18-M, but we're less clear on infos there. PC Per put the 2.5-incher through its paces, albeit with a slightly dated firmware version, and came away impressed, calling it the "top performing storage solution" period. We want.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: -x18-m,80gb,flash drive,FlashDrive,intel,ssd,x25-m ]
Next version of Windows Home Server promises Time Machine-like UI
As we've seen, Microsoft's job postings can often be one of the best places to get early word of potential new products, and it looks like the company's recruiters have done it again, with a new ad offering a glimpse of what might be in store for the next version of Windows Home Server. Most interestingly, the posting includes the little tidbit that Microsoft is looking for someone to help it create a "Time Machine compete UI for backup and restore," as well as a Windows Media Center integration UI, and a Live Mesh integration UI. According to Microsoft, that will help it position Home Server as "THE backup and Media Server within the home" by the time this next release rolls around which, considering that they're still looking for people to help build it, likely won't be anytime soon.
[Via: istartedsomething ] [Tag: home server,HomeServer,job posting,JobPosting,microsoft,windows,windows home server,WindowsHomeServer ]
Intel set to launch six-core processor for servers
Intel is set to release a six-core processor within less than two weeks, according to Cnet sources at server vendors. The new 45nm chip is Intel’s first foray beyond four cores and also the first multi-core design from the company to have a monolithic design – meaning all six cores will be on a single die.
Previously codenamed Dunnington, the new server chip should start shipping on September 15 as the Xeon 7400 series, featuring 16MB of shared L3 cache and is expected to be socket compatible with the Xeon 7300. The design is the last of the Penryn-class before the company moves to its Nehalem architecture later this year, which will adopt the company’s new Core i7 branding.
Luxul's Pro-WAV 100 booster promises to whip your home WiFi into shape
Maybe we suck at WiFi, maybe the internet hates us, but for whatever reason we've always found our wireless home internet connection to be one of the most consistently unreliable aspects of our digital life. Luxul hopes to help with that with its new Pro-WAV 100, a ceiling-mounted signal booster that works with your existing router to extend coverage by a promised 400% or more. The device can apparently cover an area up to 10,000 square feet, using "patented WiFi signal boosting technology" and some "advanced circular polarity signal capability" called Clear-WAV. We're pretty sure they made that second one up in the press release just to sound fancy, and there's no word on price or availability, but we're intrigued.
[Via: eHomeUpgrade ] [Tag: ]
5 Free Apps to Clone Your Hard Drive
Here are four great apps to get the job done - without spending a dime!
DriveImage XML. Runtime Software has never placed too much importance on looks, and it's for a very good reason. Their software works really, really well. DriveImage was the first software I used to create images within Windows. Scheduled backups can be created with the Windows Task Scheduler and command line switches. DriveImage is free for private, home use only. Yes, Macrium Reflect does the same thing and looks nicer, but it's $39.99.
For a straight-up, drive-to-drive clone, you can use Runtime's Shadow Copy. Shadow copy is free for everyone, not just home users.
Like DriveImage, XXClone runs in Windows. It has an extremely simple interface, and gives you the option to copy volume ID to your destination and make it bootable. The interface also provides quick access to the Windows disk manager, in case you need to perform some quick drive tasks prior to cloning. XXClone is free for personal, private use.
Those who, like me, prefer imaging from the command prompt should try EaseUs Disk Copy. It's interface looks a bit like a Ghost/Partition Magic mashup. It's very easy to use, handles all types of internal and external drives, and will even work with dynamic disks. DiskCopy is free for everyone.
Linux buffs will urge you to try PING, which I mention in 5 Apps for a Painless Reformat. Ping can clone drives, create bootable recovery media, back up BIOS data, reset passwords, and clean your cat's litter box. Ok, not really, but it's got more tricks up its sleeve than any other free cloning solution.
Did I miss your imaging app of choice? Comment it!
[Via: Download Squad ] [Tag: ]
Sony reveals MS PRO-HG Duo HX, pushes the limit on flash card naming schemes
Hey Sony, since you're so in love with tacking on random letters and such to your flash memory line, how's about we toss three capital consonants in your direction capped off with a lovely question mark? In a move that is depressingly not at all surprising, Sony has introduced the Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX, that latest in a long, long line of proprietary Memory Stick products that it insists on producing. These are supposedly "ideal for high performance digital cameras and HD camcorders," and they rely on an 8-bit parallel interface to achieve whatever level of performance they're capable of. Weirdly, Sony only quotes transfer speeds (a maximum of 20MB/sec read and 15MB/sec write) when the card is used in conjunction with the bundled MSAC-UAH1 USB adapter, but anywho, they'll be available in 4GB / 8GB flavors this October for those who care.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: europe,flash,flash memory,FlashMemory,memory card,Memory Stick,Memory Stick Pro,MemoryCard,MemoryStick,MemoryStickPro,MS Pro,MS Pro-HG DUO,MS PRO-HG Duo HX,MsPro,MsPro-hgDuo,MsPro-hgDuoHx,sony,Sony format,SonyFormat ]
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