External and network accessed storage - Part 1

A look at the new storage devices on the market.

Despite the ongoing turmoil caused by the floods in Thailand, the storage market remains vital as more and more people choose to store their information in digital format and access it remotely. Matt Grainger takes a look at some of the items on the market…

DIGITTRADE RS 128

SRP: £129.99 to £199.99 Distributor: VIP Computers

They say: Digittrade RS128 RFID Security HDD protects your data against unwanted access by using 128 bit AES hardware encryption in advanced ECB mode and RFID access control – security at home, at the office or on the move. Specs: 128-bit encryption, RFID authentication, USB and FireWire connectivity, available in 160GB, 320GB, 500GB and 640GB capacities.

SAMSUNG S2 320GB

SRP: £84.99 Distributor: Target Components

They say: Smaller and lighter than almost any other external hard drive on the market, the S2 Portable is the ideal storage solution for those who need to carry massive amounts of digital content when they’re on the go. Specs: 3.5-inch drive, 320GB capacity, USB 2.0 connectivity.

STARTECH SAT2510BU3

SRP: £29.99 Distributor: Entatech

They say: The SAT2510BU3 USB 3.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure lets you connect a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive through USB 3.0 – a cutting edge external storage solution that lets you harness the speed and performance supported by the SuperSpeed USB interface. Specs: 5Gbps transfer rates, USBpowered,USB3.0 compliant, USB 2.0 and 1.1 compatible, supports all SATA revisions, supports ATA and ATAPI.

ADATA SH14 500GB

SRP: £59.99 Distributor: VIP Computers

They say: The new SH14 offers a new approach to shock-resistant designs, combining a modern style and a high speed USB 3.0 interface with military grade shockproof and water resistant construction. The result is a fashionable break from the cold and monotonous outer form often seen in drives of this class. Specs: Water resistant, modern style, USB 3.0 interface.

THECUS N2200 2 BAY NAS ENCLOSURE

SRP: £119.99 Distributor: CCI Distribution

They say: The N2200 is ideal for storing your entire collection of digital media. With capacity for two 3.5-inch SATA hard disks, the N2200 can easily accommodate up to 4TB of storage. For added flexibility, the N2200 is equipped with combo disk bays, which means it can also accommodate 2.5-inch SATA hard disks. Specs: Easy to set up and easy to use, enterprise class data protection for the home market, RAID 0/1/JBOD support, DLNA/UPnP compatible.

TOSHIBA STORE ART 3

SRP: £45.99 Distributor: Target Components

They say: With complete system backup, password-protection and data encryption, it alerts you when it is getting full, and gives you the possibility to customize your backup routine. You just have to choose the storage capacity that better fits your needs. Specs: 2.5-inch SATA drive, 5400 rpm, USB 2.0 connectivity, 8MB buffer.

PATRIOT FLEX USB DRIVE

SRP: £19.99 Distributor: VIP Computers

They say: The Patriot Xporter Flex USB drive is the ideal solution to transport important data wherever you go. At just under 1.5 inches in length, Flex is unbelievably small and lightweight, yet offers fast transfer speeds to move images, movies and other documents. Specs: USB 2.0 interface, available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB sizes.

STARTECH SAT3510U3V

SRP: £34.99 Distributor: Entatech

They say: The SAT3510U3V USB 3.0 to SATA external hard drive enclosure allows almost any standard 3.5-inch internal SATA hard disk drive to be made into a cost-effective external SuperSpeed USB 3.0 hard drive. Specs: Up to 5Gbps transfer rates, USB 3.0 compliant, USB 2.0 compatible, fan- less design.