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1.8" USB Portable Hard Drive

Jin-Wei Tioh writes "The folks at BlueSmoke take a look at Transcend's recently announced 1.8" USB 2.0 portable hard drive, the only one of its kind on the market. Roughly the size of a small stack of business cards, it is quite a bit smaller than existing 2.5" drives. It holds either 20GB or 40GB of data and is styled like an iPod."

16 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. Like the VST FireFly by SiMac · · Score: 5, Informative

    The VST FireFly was based on the 1.8" 5GB drive (the one that was in the original iPod). It was also extremely tiny; however, it was limited in capacity, and eventually discontinued.

  2. Nice by MacFury · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was waiting for something like this. I wonder how reliable something like this would be if left on/used as a main drive for extended periods of time.

  3. Where the hell is my stuff? by thewldisntenuff · · Score: 5, Funny

    As hard drive/memory chip/etc devices get smaller and smaller, I wonder how people will be able to keep track of where the hell their (physical, not logical) memory is....

    I can see a new market now, not for data recovery, but for recover-the-data-device recovery....I'll make millions!

    -thewldisntenuff

  4. Obligatory by sw155kn1f3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well...

    You don't want to name your site bluesmoke.net and post a link to slashdot, don't you ;-)?

    --
    - Arwen, I'm your father, Agent Smith.
    - Well, you're just Smith, but my father is Aerosmith!
  5. Not exactly first to market... by lemonylimey · · Score: 5, Informative

    Freecom have had an external hard drive based on a 1.8" unit for a couple of months now.

    Link

  6. really? by IamLarryboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    "it is quite a bit smaller than existing 2.5" drives."

    Say about .7"?

  7. "Styled like an iPod? by InternationalCow · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Excuse me? It is flat, rectangular and whitish by the look of the ./-ed site. Apart from that it doesn't look like an iPod at all. Since when is everything that is rectangular and flat styled like an iPod? Is a paperweight styled like an iPod? Or an iced cake? Please, think before you post.

    --
    ----- One learns to itch where one can scratch.
    1. Re:"Styled like an iPod? by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 5, Funny

      Slashdot Think Post

      Choose any two.

  8. Its very simple.. by t_allardyce · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1) Take a PDA with a reasonable CPU (one that could handle say low-res divx playing at a decent framerate)

    2) Include built in hard-drive

    3) Profit

    --
    This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
    1. Re:Its very simple.. by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      2a) Devise new battery technology

  9. from tonytalkstech.net by loomis · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend) releases its 1.8 USB 2.0 portable hard drive this month, April 2004. Although roughly the size of a standard business card, it has more than enough capacity (20GB/40GB) for your data storage needs. No need to carry around another troublesome power brick either; it is powered directly from the USB port. This pocket drive is perfect for the person always on the go."

    "Data transfer rate is up to 480 Mbps (USB2.0). This device is fully compatible with USB2.0 and backwards compatible with USB1.1 specifications. Unlike CD-RWs, which require special software, pocket drives will appear as just another hard drive. There isnt any extra driver software to worry about (except for Win98SE). Using the included ExBoot software, your entire computer can be backed-up and restored at a moments notice. Weighing only 4.2oz (118g) for the 20GB HDD and 4.6oz (130g) for the 40GB HDD. Transcends portable hard drive is as rugged as it is lightweight. Smaller and more convenient than a 1.44MB floppy diskette, this hard drive is ready to go wherever and whenever you need it."

    --
    "The television is the retina of the mind's eye" - Videodrome
  10. Re:Good for DigVid cameras? by josh3736 · · Score: 4, Informative
    You're saying that DV on tapes is somehow not "true" digital. It's still stored as 1s and 0s, just on a tape instead of on a disk.

    I work with (large amounts of) DV daily. Recording directly to disk would be much more convenient than tape, but it would not somehow increase the quality. In the end, it's the same set of digits regardless of what medi[a/ums] its been on.

  11. obvious question... by selderrr · · Score: 4, Informative

    why not use an iPod ?? It's Firewire+USB2, also has upto 40GB capacity and features a handy display for built-in calendar/notes/game/...


    The article is slashdotted, so I don't know te price difference.

  12. since blue smoke seems to be smoked by atarione · · Score: 4, Informative
    --
    actually I am happy to see you, however that is in fact a banana in my pocket.
  13. Re:External HDs for Linux? by gotr00t · · Score: 4, Informative
    Almost any external hard disk that is either USB or firewire works perfectly under linux. This is because for the most part, these drives follow open standards. I have never had a problem using external storage with my Linux box, and that includes FW drives like the iPod.

    I don't know where you're reading that "all the common ones seem to require a slew of hacks to get working properly", but I, for one, have never had to use any hack to get an external drive to work. Just plug it in and mount it.

  14. Re:quality? by Fweeky · · Score: 4, Informative

    Most magnetic fields aren't much of a danger to hard disks; they're so dense the magnetic material has to be quite resistant to all but the largest fields, because the heads can't focus the entire field on the exact area bits are stored on. Unless you're planning on being near an MRI machine or particle accelerator I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just don't store it near your rare earth magnet collection, ok? ;)

    Shock's more a factor of aerodynamics than shielding; will just have to see what the specs are like :)