One of the most important shortcomings of the digital world is that people don't take time to read printed books anymore. While digital libraries are growing larger and larger, the living-room book-shelves accommodate less and less hardback books.

Peripheral manufacturer Sarotech found an ingenious way of blending technology with classic looks in its latest hard-disk drive enclosure. The stylish device can host any 3.5-inch desktop disk drive that features a SATA / SATA-II connector.

Called the Wizplat W-31, Sarotech's enclosure perfectly imitates a hardback cover book. However, don't expect to find a fully-fledged book between the covers: the enclosure comes equipped with everything it needs to work, but you'll have to supply the desktop hard-drive.

The external device connects to the computer via a USB 2.0 port. Unfortunately for the unit, there are no additional connectivity options, such as FireWire or eSATA. Another worth-mentioning aspect is that the Wizplat W-31 cannot be exclusively powered via the USB 2.0 bus, even if using a 5,400 RPM hard-disk drive. The manufacturer integrated an internal power-adapter that can be directly connected to the 220-volt power grid.

The internal power supply is the main reason for the unit's increased size: it measures 200 x 160 x 40 millimeters, but it is still portable thanks to its nifty, book-like design. However, it weighs in at about 775 grams without the hard-disk drive, so unless you're traveling by car, you had better leave it on the shelf.

The fake page detailing hides the ventilation holes as well as the USB and power connectors. The drive also features a power button, a write protection switch and a one click backup button. According to the manufacturer, the enclosure is compatible with all the major operating systems, including Windows 98 / Millennium / 2000 / XP / Vista, Linux (kernel version 2.6 or newer) and Mac OS X (9.2 or higher).

The external 3.5-inch enclosure is already available and retails for an estimative price of $300.