SAN FRANCISCO -- The unfettered rise of flash storage hasn't prevented the hard drive from remaining a mainstay in many devices. Providing ultimate portability is Edge Tech's DiskGo 1" Mini Portable Hard Drive, a 1.9-by-1.9-by-0.6-inch portable hard drive that fits in the palm of your hand. Meanwhile, Archos's new 104, an entry-level MP3 player, ships with a 4GB hard drive; it's the company's smallest portable media player yet.
Hard drives are a commonly upgraded, and this task is made easier--at least for laptops--by Apricorn's EZ Upgrade Serial ATA, a kit that lets you effortlessly transfer data from one Serial ATA notebook hard drive to another. And look for D&M Holdings' ReplayTV PC Edition software, which transforms a PC into a DVR (digital video recorder).
Archos's Smallest MP3 Player
Archos recently canned its popular Gmini XS 100 portable music player, replacing it with the smaller, sleeker Archos 104 MP3 player. It has a 4GB hard drive, matching the maximum storage capacity of Apple Computer's popular iPod Nano. The Archos 104 weighs 2.8 ounces and measures 3.6 by 1.7 by 0.5 inches, making it the company's smallest MP3 player yet. It plays MP3, WMA (Windows Media Audio), and WAV files.
The Archos 104 sports a 1.5-inch OLED (organic light-emitting diode) color screen that also displays JPEG2 image files. A lithium-ion battery runs the device for 14 hours, after which you can recharge it from a PC via a USB 2.0 port. A wall charger is available separately, in silver, black, or pink.
The $159 music player targets entry-level users who don't want to invest in an expensive MP3 player, according to Archos spokesperson Jen Roberts. It began shipping July 1 and is available through Archos's distributors.
Honey, I Shrunk the Disk
Edge Tech's DiskGo 1" Mini Portable Hard Drive is so small that you could turn it on its side and hide it under a Post-it Note. A USB port pops out of the box to connect it to a PC, and minimal wires make it convenient to carry. Launched in June, DiskGo comes in capacities of 4GB to 8GB, at prices between $100 and $150. Even the 8GB model seems a bit cramped for today's storage needs, but you can't expect such a tiny device to offer Mammoth Cave capacity.
The Magical Drive Upgrade
Upgrading and transferring data from a notebook's internal hard drive to a second drive is child's play with Apricorn's EZ Upgrade SATA, a Serial ATA hard-drive upgrade kit. The kit ships with all the tools you need to successfully install a notebook hard drive: a USB 2.0 enclosure, a USB cable, a PS/2 auxiliary power cable for backup power, and proprietary upgrade and recovery software.
The kit lets you upgrade a notebook hard drive in three steps, according to Apricorn spokesperson Jennifer Olson. First, slide the new hard drive into an EZ Upgrade enclosure, and connect the cable to the notebook's USB port (which accommodates the old hard drive). Then boot the machine with Apricorn's EZ Gig II Upgrade and Disaster Recovery Software, which begins the drive-cloning process. Finally, remove the old drive from the notebook and replace it with the new, cloned drive. Voila--the fresh drive is installed and ready to work.
Afterward you can use the old drive as a backup device.
The kit shipped in June and is available for the reasonable price of $49. It works only with Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems.
ReplayTV's Redefinition
After going underground for a while, ReplayTV is back, this time as a digital video recorder for PCs. D&M Holdings, maker of ReplayTV, now offers ReplayTV PC Edition--DVR PC software that seemingly offers better channel navigation and program search capabilities than its set-top box. With certain Hauppauge Digital WinTV PVR TV tuner cards, the software turns a PC into a DVR.
The PC Edition's biggest draw seems to be its program search tools. Features like "Surprise Me" and "Find More" automatically record or discover programs based on a specific actor, director, or genre. The software displays programs in groups, making it easier to find and select programs for recording. Another cool feature is "Useful Searches," which digs out series premieres or finales to record. Channels can be listed in the order you prefer.
Multiple PCs on a network with the software can share programs, the company says.
ReplayTV PC Edition works in conjunction with only two models of Hauppauge tuner cards: WinTV-PVR-150 (model 1045) and WinTV-PVR USB2 (model 941). Some future Hauppauge cards will bundle the software, the company says. In addition, ReplayTV will be available as a download for $100 starting in September, which includes the cost of the electronic program guide. Thereafter, users will pay $20 a year, according to the company.
Logitech's Saving the Power
Logitech has added the power-saving V450 Laser Cordless Mouse for Notebooks to its line of portable mice. Users won't have to worry about changing batteries often, as the company estimates that two AA batteries will operate the mouse for a year. A USB receiver fits into the mouse's storage slot and powers it down. The V450's rubber grip makes it easy to hold, says Kate Brinks, a Logitech spokeswoman. The $50 mouse is available in the United States and Europe.
Agam Shah is an editor with the IDG News Service, based in San Francisco. Questions or comments? Write to Agam Shah.
Ad Choices