14 DAY TRIAL // I-O data is preparing to once again jump on the external-storage bandwagon with its upcoming high-capacity hard disk drives. The company is gearing up to launch the HDJ-U series of external storage units. All models are designed with a stylish, black casing and can sit either vertically or horizontally, depending on the user's preference. They will be released in Japan next month and will have storage capacities between 1TB and 2TB.
External storage has been growing in popularity over the past year and USB or eSATA-connected hard disks have reached a stage where they can even rival internal units in certain areas, even while maintaining a level of portability. This is especially convenient considering their very high capacity. USB flash drives are indisputably leaders as far as portability is concerned, but they cannot rival the storage capability of HDDs. While the drives prepared by I-O Data will definitely not be among the most portable, because of their size, they will still complement any system.
The upcoming drives from I-O data measure 46 (W) x 223 (D) ×x155 (H) mm. They will feature storage capacities of 1TB, 1.5TB and 2TB and all of them will connect to the PC via USB 2.0. Of course, the drives are also backwards compatible with USB 1.1 in order to ensure a maximum compatibility, although the read and write speeds will not be as high in 1.1 mode as in 2.0.
All models have a weight of 1.6kg and have support for multiple operating systems, including Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS. The HDJ-U external hard drives will become available for purchase around the middle of February. The 1TB model will be priced at 16,485 yen (125 Euro), whereas the 1.5TB will carry a price tag of 22,050 yen (169 Euro). Finally, the more capacious 2TB HDJ-U external hard drive will be priced at roughly 45,570 yen (350 Euro).