Portable Storage?

An anonymous reader asks: "I need a portable storage solution, as I strongly desire to keep my personal stuff separate from my work stuff. In the past I have used some types of portable external hard drive (via USB connection), but I wasn't too pleased with the quality of the barebones models I found at Fry's. With so many new types of portable storage out (USB keys, 2.5" drives, full drives with enclosures, etc) I would appreciate some feedback from others using this type of device regarding what their favorite brand or model is. Remember: bigger storage is better, as is smaller size."

Comments

1GB USB drives

[VTEC01EX]

Super small, good capacity. Done.

No one can answer that question

[Uhlek]

Why? It's too vague.

How portable do you need it? How much space do you need? What kind of interfaces do you have available? How fast does it need to be?

There is no one best storage solution, there are many different bests depending on what's needed at the time.

Throw out some more specifics, and maybe someone can help you out.

Re:No one can answer that question

[FooAtWFU]

So we give him a variety of answers, and he chooses between them. What's wrong with that?

Re:Get an iPod

[eingram]

But then you're stuck carrying around the Firewire or USB cable that comes with the iPod. And as you mentioned, with the right drivers. It's best to have somethning that will plug in and work, even on a new computer.

I would think the USB key devices would be best for what you're wanting to do, but I've never used one.

Horrid Requirements

[gnugie]

Look at that mess.

No budget requirement, except small.
No physical size requirement, except small.
No capacity requirement, except big.

So basically, you don't know what you want, probably don't know why you want it, what it has to do, or what you're willing to spend on it, but you want the answer?

Good luck.

Re:Horrid Requirements

[Gubbe]

Look, Ask Slashdot is meant as a forum where one person can raise an interesting question that gets a variety of answers in the form of different opinions from different people who have expertise in different areas. This benefits the entire slashdot community by offering a good range of solutions for everybody's needs.

Had the original asker asked a very specific question about portable storage just for his needs, he probably would have gotten a bunch of answers suggesting one and the same thing and no-one else would have got anything out of the entire discussion. Now we have the opportunity to discuss different portable storage solutions where each and every slashdotter can find a solution that fits his/her needs instead of just the needs of the person who asked the original question.

That's what Ask Slashdot is about.

Re:iPod?

[EvanED]

'cause you can get a 200 gig external drive for $125 on Pricewatch?

Not saying that the iPod is a bad option, but really, if you're just looking for a storage device and not an MP3 player, it is probably not the way to go.

Re:ximeta

[Klowner]

From the reviews I've read, they suck with Linux support. Also ethernet _sounds_ very sweet, but it uses some odd proprietary protocol (not windows shares, not ftp).

Otherwise, those things look neat.

Re:iPod?

[sarahbau]

Those aren't very portable. They're large, and you have to carry around a power supply as well (and most of those enclosures have a power brick, which takes even more space). An 80GB bus-powered 2.5" drive from someone like LaCie will probably run about $350, and will be about 360g. They also make their F. A. Porsche Data Bank, which is $330 for 40GB, and actually weighs less than the 40GB iPod (137g vs 176g). One thing the iPod has that other non-mp3 player drives don't have, is a battery. If you are using it on a non-powered bus, such as 4-pin FW, or connected through a USB hub, it can still work without a power cable. The iPod might not have the best $:GB:g ratio, but I think some of the other features are good for a lot of people (calendar, notes, address book, etc.).