"We have seen significant growth in the SSD market in recent months. Verbatim is seizing this opportunity and has expanded its SSD ExpressCard range to include a hardware encrypted version: The SSD Secure ExpressCard. Our aim is to address the rapidly growing demand for secure portable storage solutions head-on with innovative products that come with the security aspect already integrated," Hans-Christoph Kaiser, business development manager, Verbatim EUMEA, explained.

It is not all that surprising that the renowned storage-solution developer would expand its product range. The popularity and demand of safe portable storage units has been on a steady rise, with consumers wishing for not only faster but safer such products. Verbatim's new SSD SecureExpress Card offers those consumers who carry their work with them, wherever they go, a high-storage capacity, while automatically protecting the stored data.

This is done through the built-in AES 256-bit hardware encryption. This hardware-based encryption not only has mandatory complex password input, but it also enables the setup of custom guest passwords, each being able to allow or restrict access to certain stored data, according to settings. The drive is automatically formatted if an incorrect password is introduced ten times.

As would be expected from a travel-aimed SSD, the drive is sturdy, shock resistant and consumes a low amount of power, allowing a longer battery life when used with laptops and netbooks. Not only that, but the possibility to completely insert the SSD SecureExpress card into the internal ExpressCard slot of such systems can even turn it into a permanent memory extension of said products.

The SecureExpress Card from Verbatim is compatible with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 and comes with capacities of 16GB and 32GB, priced at £90 and £160, respectively. The company has also revealed plans for launching a 64GB version as well.