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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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Iomega’s eGo external drive line has now hit 1 Terabyte of storage.  Entitled the “Super” eGo drive, the portable storage device contains one single 1 terabyte drive.  The drive’s physical size is also increased, as it is a 3.5 inch drive, as opposed to the normal 2.5 inch size portable hard drives have.  As a reference point, this thing can hold 1.5 thousand hours of video.  It comes in three colors: ruby red, midnight blue, or jet black.  However, the Super eGo only interfaces through USB 2.0, and with a drive of that size I would’ve liked to see a FireWire interface. You can pick one up now for $270.

Via [Gizmodo]

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Western Digital has just unleashed their My DVR Expander external hard drive.  This WD drive is certified to work as an external storage device for Dish Network DVRs.

The hard drive line sports 500GB of storage, which in TV terms, is 300 hours of standard definition content and 60 hours of high definition content.  The drive will definitely work with the Dish set top boxes.  However, on top of the device’s $149.99 price, you will have to pay a fee to activate the USB port on your set top box.

Western Digital is hoping to expand the compatibility of such external drivers to other TV providers.

Via [CrunchGear]

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For those looking to give their external hard drive a little camouflage within their home office, the Hardbox may be just what you need. We do mean it though when we say little, because while the drive itself has the appearance of a book, it still has two external LED lights. Though we cannot say for sure, it seems those LED’s would most likely draw some attention in the midst of those regular books on your shelf.

The drive is being offered up from Sarotech and has support for 3.5-inch SATA I or II hard drives with support for up to 1GB. The Hardbox comes with a built-in power supply and ships with “powerful backup software.“ It offers up a USB connection, but seems to be missing one important item, a fan. However according to Sarotech the drive has an “advanced aluminum” case that keeps the drive operating at a cool temperature. Sadly the Hardbox is currently just available in the Korean market and is also a little on the expensive side at 315,000 KRW, around $300 US.

Product [Sarotech] Via [Oh Gizmo!]

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LaCie has upgraded its most popular product - the all-terrain Rugged Hard Disk with some 500GB of storage goodness. If you will recall, this external hard drive was recently upgraded to 320GB, but it seems LaCie will not stop upgrading its capacity until they hopefully pack in one terabyte or more.

But for now, you will have to be satisfied with 500GB of storage. If you’re not so much into photography and music, 500GB is already a lot, and possibly more than you would need. With 500GB you can store around 710 movies, 135,000 songs or 550,000 photos. And with the hard disk’s scratch-resistant aluminum shell as well as its shock resistant rubber bumper, you are assured that your data files are secured from everyday bumps, bruises and hard knocks. This ruggedized data storage package is available with USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and Firewire 800 versions and was designed to interface smoothly with any computer.

The 500GB LaCie Rugged Hard Disk is now available and retails for $299.

Read [LaCie]

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Philips and Lite-On have unveiled their latest Blu-ray drive, which also marks their first external drive. The DX-401S is a USB 2.0 external Blu-ray drive that offers 4x read speeds for Blu-ray media, 12x for single layer DVD’s, 8x for double layer DVD’s and 32x for regular CD’s. The DX-401S is expected to be available in Q2 2008, no word yet on pricing.

Via [Daily Tech]

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