HGST unites nanoimprints, self-assembling molecules to double hard drive space

HGST melds nanoimprints, selfassembling molecules to double hard drive space

Hard drive makers are in a race to boost capacities and keep spinning disks at least a beat ahead of flash drives on the value curve. We’ve seen some exotic developments as a result, but HGST wants to go the extra mile by relying on two breakthroughs at once. Its future storage primarily takes advantage of self-assembling polymer molecules that align themselves into rows. By first splitting the molecules into very small lines and then using an equally rare nanoimprinting technology to put them into circular tracks, HGST can create platters with a 10 nanometer-wide bit pattern that’s twice as dense as current hard drives. The technique should hold up in the real world despite ditching typical photolithography, the company says: the nanoimprinting remains useful in the error-prone world of storage, and it should scale as the patterns get smaller. If only the drive designer had a roadmap — while the company has a tendency to bring its research to market, the lack of a timetable hints that we won’t see these nanoimprinted drives very soon.

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Source: HGST

Toshiba unveils 2TB Canvio Basics and Special Edition portable drives

Toshiba unveils 2TB Canvio Basics and Special Edition portable drives

It’s still not all that easy to track down a 2TB portable drive. Thankfully, Toshiba is making that extra-large capacity more ubiquitous by shipping an upgrade to its Canvio line of USB 3.0 disks. Both the no-frills Canvio Basics 3.0 and a Canvio Special Edition with a backup software bundle now carry 2TB inside, up from 1.5TB half a year ago. Not satisfied with just the storage boost? You might be with the price: the 2TB Canvio Basics’ $190 starting point is lower than what its WD competition reached when new, and the $220 official price for a Special Edition (we’re already seeing $190 at Best Buy) isn’t that much of a stretch.

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Toshiba Expands Canvio Basics 3.0 Line And Introduces Canvio Special Edition Portable Hard Drive

Canvio Basics 3.0 Portable Hard Drives Now Offer Up to 2TB of Storage; Canvio Special Edition Portable Hard Drive Now Available

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the addition of new two terabyte offerings to its Canvio storage lineup, including a 2TB Canvio(R) Basics 3.0 portable hard drive and a 2TB Canvio Special Edition portable hard drive.

“We understand that consumers have varying capacity needs and we strive to provide solutions that match differing requirements,” said Maciek Brzeski , vice president of product marketing and development of branded storage products, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. “Our new 2TB solutions now provide our customers that are looking for basic functionality with an increased storage capacity, as the most basic users are continuing to grow an expansive digital library.”

Canvio Basics 3.0: Storage in a Box

Toshiba’s simplest storage solution, the Canvio Basics 3.0, is now available in a 2TB capacity, which can store up to 571,000 digital photos, 526,000 digital music files or 1,640 downloaded digital movies. As with the rest of the offerings within the Canvio Basics 3.0 line, software setup is not necessary.

Consumers are able to use this solution right out of the box and begin saving their digital files by simply connecting it to their PC. The Canvio Basics 3.0 supports USB 3.0 for rapid transfer speeds, is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and is also equipped with a special internal shock sensor and ramp loading technology to keep consumers’ digital files safe against accidental drops.

Canvio Special Edition Portable Hard Drive

Toshiba’s Canvio Special Edition Portable Hard Drive provides users with spacious storage capacity and a complete, yet simple-to-use backup solution. The included NTI(R) Backup Now EZ[TM] software makes backing up systems fast and simple, and provides users with the option of backing up their digital files to the cloud, backing up their files and folders to their Canvio portable hard drive, backing up everything saved on their PC, or doing all three for the most comprehensive coverage.
Pricing and Availability

The 2TB Toshiba Canvio Basics 3.0 portable hard drive is available for purchase for $189.99 MSRP[4] in select retail locations and on ToshibaDirect.com.

The 2TB Toshiba Canvio Special Edition portable hard drive is available for $219.99 MSRP exclusively at Best Buy and BestBuy.com.

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Source: Toshiba, Best Buy

LaCie Blade Runner drive now available, offers stand-out storage for $300

LaCie Blade Runner drive now available, offers standout storage for $299

LaCie teased us at CES with the prospect of a rare high-concept hard drive design in the Blade Runner, but it left out the rather important matter of when we could buy the Philippe Starck-designed storage. As we’ve discovered, we didn’t have to wait long — the Blade Runner has just become available. Plunk down $300 and you’ll get a 4TB, USB 3.0-based external drive that melds a blob-like disk shell with aluminum blades that both cool the main body and create a (minor) conversation piece. Just be sure to hurry if you’re looking for a dash of art with your extra drive space, as it’s doubtful that the Blade Runner’s 9,999-unit production run will last.

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Source: LaCie

Rocstor unveils three ruggedized pocket drives at CES: Amphibious X5, Hawker HX and Lancer LX

Rocstor unveils three ruggedized pocket drives at CES Amphibous X5, Hawker HX and Lancer LX to arrive later this month

We’ve seen quite a few external enclosures trotted out at CES already and now Rocstor’s looking to reveal its cards. The company has announced three ruggedized pocket drives: the Amphibious X5, Hawker HX and Lancer LX. Following up last year’s X7, this year’s Amphibious model casts off the Smart Card while keeping the AES-256 encryption and both FIPS and NIST Cryptographic Engine validation with single-factor authentication. USB and FireWire connections return for the key-code unlocking unit in 64GB to 512GB SSD options and HDD varieties ranging from 250GB to 1TB. The Hawker HX keeps all of the above listed specs except for the FireWire connections and the pass code access. Finally, the Lancer LX scraps the super secure internals, but brings back FireWire — adding a second port to boot — and touts 64GB to 256GB SDD and 500GB to 1TB HDD models. All three offerings sport aluminum-clad, shock-absorbing ruggedized frames and will arrive this month. No word on pricing for any of the trio yet, though.

Continue reading Rocstor unveils three ruggedized pocket drives at CES: Amphibious X5, Hawker HX and Lancer LX

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Source: Rocstor (1), (2), (3)

Corsair outs Voyager Air with WiFi storage, NAS, USB 3.0 and repeater all in one

Corsair launches Voyager Air with wireless storage, NAS, USB 30 and WiFi repeater in one

Corsair is very much associated with devices that need a physical connection to work, whether they’re thumb drives or memory sticks. It’s looking to cut the cord in style through its new Voyager Air. You’ll have seen some of what it does with a predecessor like Kingston’s Wi-Drive, with media streaming to Android and iOS devices, a WiFi repeater mode and USB 3.0 support, but Corsair’s drive goes the extra mile by serving as network attached storage through a gigabit Ethernet link. The 7-hour battery life when completely wireless certainly helps its prospects, at least among its immediate rivals. Corsair plans to ship the Voyager Air by early February in a 500GB version for $199 and 1TB for $229 versions; either price sounds reasonable for a home media server that ultimately doesn’t have to stay at home.

Continue reading Corsair outs Voyager Air with WiFi storage, NAS, USB 3.0 and repeater all in one

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Source: Corsair

G-Technology updates G-Drive mini and G-Raid mini with 1TB HGST Travelstar hard drives

GTechnology updates GDrive mini and GRaid mini with 1TB Hitachi Travelstar hard drives

G-Technology’s G-Drive mini and G-Raid mini have been around for a bit, but the storage brand is taking the opportunity at CES to update the duo with Hitachi’s (HGST) Travelstar hard drives. Both external storage repositories are set to get the 1TB 7,200 RPM 2.5-inch components that notch the measuring tape 9.5mm. The G-Drive mini is now available for $200 sporting one of the drives, USB 3.0 and Firewire 800 connections. Dual-wielding the Travelstar, the G-Raid mini touts 2TB capacity while remaining Firewire bus powered during USB 3.0 transfers, RAID configurability and is scheduled to arrive in Q1 for $450. A few more details about each model awaits in the full PR below.

Continue reading G-Technology updates G-Drive mini and G-Raid mini with 1TB HGST Travelstar hard drives

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Source: G-Technology

HGST outs Touro Mobile Pro external hard drive and Travelstar 2.5-inch HDD

Hitachi Storage HGST outs Touro Mobile Pro external hard drive and Travelstar 25inch HDD

Here at CES, HGST (Hitachi Storage) has announced two storage options that look to immediately get cozy in your workflow. First, the “industry’s first” 1TB 7,200 RPM 2.5-inch Travelstar HDD measures 9.5mm and looks to boost performance over 5,400 RPM models for $100. If an external storage solution is more your style, the Touro Mobile Pro houses one of the aforementioned 1TB hard drives with USB 3.0 connectivity, two-level protection and 3GB of could storage. The Touro will set you back $109 and like the Travelstar, is available now. Need to check the fine print before committing? Consult the full announcement that follows after the break.

(We’re waiting on official images from HGST and will update this post as soon as they arrive.)

Continue reading HGST outs Touro Mobile Pro external hard drive and Travelstar 2.5-inch HDD

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Source: HGST

Seagate’s Central debuts at CES, accesses your digital wares inside your home and out (video)

Seagate's Central debuts at CES, accesses your digital wares inside your home and out

Seagate’s Wireless Plus portable streaming hard drive isn’t the only device the company is pulling the wraps off of at CES. The outfit has also announced Central: a robust shared storage / consumer NAS solution for your home that allows streaming to DLNA compatible devices and Samsung Smart TVs as well as computers and mobile devices. The same Seagate Media app that sorts your files on-the-go is at work here on iOS, Android and Kindle Fire to push content to your living display or view while you’re on the road — and to multiple users, too. Central also allows for automatic and continuous backup of connected computers with 2TB, 3TB and 4TB options that range in price from $189 to $259. If you’re looking snag one for your casa, you’ll have to wait until March. But don’t fret, a closer look and a quick demo reside on the other side of the break.

Continue reading Seagate’s Central debuts at CES, accesses your digital wares inside your home and out (video)

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Mushkin shipping ‘world’s first’ 480GB mSATA SSD in January for $500

DNP Mushkin shipping 'worlds first' 480GB mSATA SSD for $500

Today, component maker Mushkin announced plans to ship the “world’s first” 480GB mSATA solid-state drive. Priced at a respectable $500, the made-in-the-USA Atlas SSD is expected to ship beginning in early January, and features a SandForce SF-2281 controller with an unthrottled IOPS, a SATA III (6Gb/s) interface and a three-year warranty. At a little over $1 per gigabyte, ultrabook power users looking to push their storage capacity beyond its current 256GB boundary may want to keep an eye out for this burly option in the coming weeks. For more details, check out the press release after the break.

Continue reading Mushkin shipping ‘world’s first’ 480GB mSATA SSD in January for $500

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Via: AnandTech

Source: Mushkin

Western Digital ships 4TB WD Black hard drive, melds speed with space for $339

Western Digital ships 4TB WD Black hard drive, melds speed with space for $339

The 4TB hard drives that we’ve seen gradually filter into the marketplace have come with a few snags for desktop users; they’re usually either external drives we’d never boot from or pokey internal models not meant for anything speed-intensive. Western Digital doesn’t want us settling. It’s shipping a 4TB version of its WD Black desktop drive that holds nothing back for the sake of the extra storage, spinning at a healthy 7,200RPM while packing 64MB of cache, dual processing and a two-stage actuator that together keep the drive working at full burn. At $339, the SATA 6Gbps drive undoubtedly carries a premium in trying to be the best of all worlds; it may be worth the expense for performance-minded types who’ve been out of options (and capacity) for awhile.

Continue reading Western Digital ships 4TB WD Black hard drive, melds speed with space for $339

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Source: Western Digital