14 DAY TRIAL // While the USB 3.0 four-port hub is definitely a noteworthy product in itself, it is not all that Buffalo has to offer. This time approaching the mainstream market for portable storage solutions, the company has revealed the MicroStation (SHD-PEU2) line of portable solid state drives (SSDs). As the name implies, the storage units are compact, bringing solid storage straight to the palm of the user's hand.
The Buffalo technology drives come in storage capabilities of 32GB and 64GB. They are designed to operate on the USB 2.0 interface, but are backwards compatible with USB 1.1 ports, although speeds will naturally drop in such cases. The SSDs measure 57 x 13 x 98 mm, weigh only 62 grams and are designed with glossy, black casings. In addition, the drives use a low amount of power, making them quite suitable as on-the-go storage solutions, as they will allow a battery life longer than that of competing devices. Still, for those in need of higher transfer speeds, the SSDs also support TurboUSB.
"The SSD technology incorporated into Buffalo's latest drive is truly innovative and has allowed us to combine style and portability with efficiency and reliability, making it a pleasure to use," Paul Hudson, Northern European sales director, Buffalo Technology, said. "Still not a mainstream consumer product, the MicroStation SSD portable drive is ideal for early adopters."
The drives are USB-powered and, thus, do not require additional power plugs. They support Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows 7 32-bit, Windows 7 64-bit and even the Mac OS X 10.4 or later operating system. Finally, the drives' construction with no moving parts enable a totally quiet operation.
The Buffalo MicroStation solid state drives are expected to become available around the end of the ongoing month and will come with a two-year warranty, as well as the Memeo Autosync and Secure Lock software. Prices will start at 115 Euro.