Mobile Computing Tips: Portable Hard Drives

Feature: Hard Drives to Go

One of the worst things about traveling is deciding which shoes to pack. The sleek brown Italian dress shoes? The casual but still business-like black loafers? The all-purpose black suede slip-ons? Too frequently I end up packing them all, just in case, and hating myself for it when my suitcase feels as if it contains Martha Stewart's financial records in their entirety.

I'm the same way with computer files, sad to say. When heading out of town, I loathe the idea of leaving behind all my Excel spreadsheets, Word documents, MP3 music files, digital photos, and video clips. But packing a bunch of Zip discs, CDs, and other storage media for all that stuff is tedious and unwieldy.

To my rescue and yours comes a new class of portable hard drives. Sleekly but ruggedly built, pocket-size, fairly affordable, versatile, and convenient (hot swappable and plug and play), these handy pocket drives store just about anything--except, alas, my shoes.

I tested two such drives: a 30GB FireWire version of Iomega's HDD Portable Hard Drive and a 30GB USB 2.0 version of SmartDisk's FireLite. I recommend them both, for different reasons.

Iomega HDD Portable Hard Drive

Redefining versatility, Iomega's HDD Portable Hard Drives can be used with a PC or a Mac via either USB 2.0 or FireWire connections. Should you buy a USB drive and decide later you want to connect via FireWire (or vice versa), no problem: You can buy an easily swappable adapter for about $50. When installed, though, the adapter makes a Portable Hard Drive nearly 8 inches long; compare this to SmartDisk's FireLite drives, which are about 5 inches.

Iomega's drives are attractively styled in titanium and black, and are less than an inch thick. They come with an easy-to-use program called QuikSync for automated backup. They also offer fast data transfer: I was able to copy 100MB in about 35 seconds using the 30GB FireWire model. I found Iomega's drive easy to install, too. My Windows XP computer recognized it right away, and I didn't need to install a driver.

Current capacities are 20GB ($199 for USB 2.0, $229 for FireWire) and 30GB ($259 for USB 2.0, $279 for FireWire). The higher price for FireWire models is worth it if, like me, you have a computer with a FireWire port and a USB 1.1 port. FireWire connections theoretically provide data transfer rates of up to 400 megabits per second, compared to the 12-mbps transfer rate of the current-generation USB 1.1 bus found on most notebooks and desktops.

Though USB 2.0 devices are capable of faster speeds, when connected to a computer via USB 1.1 that bus's 12-mbps transfer rate limits performance. Also, unlike Iomega's USB models, its FireWire drives can be powered by your notebook's six-pin FireWire port, a big convenience when you can't get to a wall outlet. For an explanation of the pros and cons of USB vs. FireWire, including FireWire's power advantage, see last week's newsletter.

It's worth noting that Iomega also sells a line of external drives for USB 2.0 and FireWire ports called, appropriately enough, the HDD External Hard Drive. These drives are also portable, but they offer larger capacities (up to 120GB) and are heavier (1.8 pounds) and bulkier (1.25 inches thick) than the HDD Portable line.

For current prices on Iomega HDD Portable Hard Drives, go to the PCWorld.com Product Finder.

SmartDisk FireLite

The FireLite is a sleek bundle of storage in a tiny silver case. Less than an inch thick, proportioned at 3.5 inches wide by 5 inches long, the FireLite is roughly the same size as a Pocket PC PDA.

My Windows XP computer recognized the 30GB FireLite USB 2.0 drive I tested right away, without needing a driver. This drive took about twice as long as the Iomega FireWire drive to transfer 100MB of data from my computer; but that's understandable, given my PC has a USB 1.1 port. SmartDisk's FireLite is available in FireWire models as well, though you can't use an adapter to switch interfaces as you can with Iomega's portable drives.

The FireLite ships with Retrospect Express Backup software for Windows, a venerable and useful backup utility, and three utilities for Mac computers. Drive capacities for both USB and FireWire models are 20GB ($200), 30GB ($250), and 40GB ($300), with no price differences between USB and FireWire drives.

SmartDisk has also begun shipping the FireFly, an even smaller series of portable drives. FireFly drives are 0.5 inch thick, 2.5 inches wide, and 4 inches long; they weigh less than 4 ounces. The drives are available for Windows and Mac computers in USB 2.0 and FireWire models, but in capacities of only 5GB and 20GB. Also, you pay a premium for the petite size. The FireFly 20GB USB drive, for instance, retails for $330, compared to $200 for the same capacity FireLite USB drive.

The bottom line: If flexibility is important, the ability to use a single Iomega HDD Portable Hard Drive with FireWire or USB ports is a key differentiator. If you want a smaller and lighter drive, though, the SmartDisk FireLite models are your best and most affordable option.

For more information about the FireLite and FireFly drives, go to SmartDisk's Web site. For prices on the FireLite line, search on our Product Finder.