Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Buffalo is set to introduce what they are claiming to be the world’s thinnest external hard drive.  The official name of the product is the MiniStation Shinobi and it is just 5mm thick.  While the device looks like a run-of-the mill flash drive, it actually houses a 1.8-inch hard drive.  I got to handle one of these tiny drives and it is very light at 2-ounces. 

Encased in a very cool-looking metallic black enclosure, Buffalo placed a tiny retractable USB connector in the side of the unit.  The connector nests within the case when not in use; the drive does not have a mini-USB port.  It will ship with an USB extension cable in case the built-in connector cannot reach your computer’s port.  Buffalo will release two versions in October.  There is a 30GB model for around $120 and a 60GB model for about $170.  Both come with back up software by Memeo.  More pictures after the break.

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Verizon is bringing its FiOS TV service to a new part of New York.  What part?  They are coming to that hotbed of television watching, the Buffalo area.  It seems like the strangest places get to experience new technologies first.  After New York City, Buffalo is the largest city in New York State with over a million people in its greater metropolitan area. 

Of course, Verizon is throwing together some deals so they can hook people into their FiOS service for the long haul.  Their deals include some premium channels for free for a limited time as well as potential savings on DVRs.  Even more interesting is that Verizon is offering more HD channels than Time Warner Cable, the dominant cable provider in New York.  This should provide a bit of competition in the television market of the Buffalo area.

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Buffalo has recently introduced their latest portable storage solution, the MicroStation. The new drives come in a variety of storage options to include 32, 64 and 100GB and the exciting part is they are solid state drives. As of now pricing and an availability date have not yet been announced, but we can tell you that these portable SSD’s will be USB-powered and feature the USB cable in a wrap around style, which means it will not get lost in your gear bag, or even worse forgotten at home. Other features of the new SSD based MicroStation drives include a shock resistant chassis and a data transfer rate of up to 35 MB/s as well as as included Secure Lock Ware encryption software and Memeo backup software.

Product [Buffalo] Via [iTechNews]

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Buffalo has just announced the latest addition to their LinkStation NAS line-up, the LinkStation Mini which offers 1TB of storage in a device that fits in the palm of your hand. The LinkStation Mini, for a small device is packed with features and offers web access so users can access their data from any web browser and the Navigator Software which includes a remote power feature to power up the hard drive remotely. In addition the LinkStation Mini includes an extra USB port to add extra storage, Ethernet port, support for active directory as well as RAID 0 and RAID 1, and includes two 5,400 RPM 2.5-inch hard drives.

The 1TB LinkStation Mini will retail for $699 and is expected to be available beginning in May. Buffalo also has a smaller 500GB LinkStation Mini in the works, but as of now no mention of pricing or availability for that model.

Read [BuffaloTech]

• Buffalo intro’s the portable USB-powered external SSD
• Verizon expands FiOS TV coverage in New York
• World’s thinnest external hard drive: Buffalo’s Shinobi

Buffalo has announced a new digital media player that links users digital content into their home entertainment center – the LinkTheater HD DMP (LT-H90LAN). The LinkTheater allows users to view videos, pictures and music stored in users computer, network-attached-storage (NAS), USB hard drive or DNLA media servers. Compatible with both Mac and Windows computers, the Buffalo LinkTheater HD has an auto-backup feature which automatically performs back ups of any content stored in either a flash memory based video camera or USB drive.

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Buffalo’s latest, the MiniStation TurboUSB is now sporting 500GB of storage space. The 500GB MiniStation TurboUSB drive, also know as the less exciting HD-PS500U2 offers quite a bit of storage in a very small size. The MiniStation measures in at just 5 x 0.8 x 3.3-inches which basically means it can fit just about anywhere.

The 500GB MiniStation is a 5400RPM USB drive that offers automatic setup with no drivers required, is USB powered and has a “shock resistant chassis” to protect against drops and those bound to happen mishaps. The drive will retail for $329 and is compatible with Windows and Mac. And just in case 500GB is a little more storage (or money) for you, the MiniStation TurboUSB drive also comes in 120, 160, 250 and 320GB storage options.

Product [MiniStation TurboUSB] Read [Buffalo Technology]

• World’s thinnest external hard drive: Buffalo’s Shinobi
• Buffalo intro’s the portable USB-powered external SSD
• Verizon expands FiOS TV coverage in New York

Buffalo has just added the BKBU-SKJ109/SV, a new keyboard with an attached Skype handset. The USB keyboard is a full 109 key model and includes a Skype certified handset to the right of the numeric keypad. Strangely it seems that this keyboard was either photographed with that wonderful iPhone hand-model or possibly the handset is just very small.

The Buffalo BKBU-SKJ109/SV is going to be available beginning in early October and is expected to retail for $65.

Via [DVICE]

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If you are surfing the net using a WiFi connection, the chances are that you are connecting the internet at a speed that is less than what you are supposed to get from your service provider due to loss of signal strength of a wireless setup. With Buffalo wireless booster, you can now enjoy a better connection to the world wide web and surf the net faster.

By upping the ante so much in terms of size, Buffalo has also significantly increased its performance. In fact, they’re claiming that you’ll see a “boost” in your wireless connection of up to 210% and an expansion of your range to up to 170 meters. Security comes by way of WEP 64/128, WPA-PSK, and IPv6.

The Buffalo AirStation WLI-U2-SG54HP plugs into the USB port of your laptop or desktop. At about USD39 per unit, I have no problem getting one for myself as long as it does what it says.

Read [Mobile Magazine]

• Buffalo intro’s the portable USB-powered external SSD
• Verizon expands FiOS TV coverage in New York
• World’s thinnest external hard drive: Buffalo’s Shinobi