Western Digital has announced a new series of portable drives, designed specifically for the Mac. The My Passport Studio portable drives come equipped with both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces and are HFS+ formatted for use with Apple's Time Machine backup software.

Expanding on its popular portable storage offerings, WD (NYSE: WDC) today introduced its new Mac-formatted My Passport Studio Portable Drives. The newest members of the My Passport family are designed for Mac users on-the-go and are equipped with both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces, a clever capacity gauge, and include a soft drawstring carrying bag for protection from scratches and dirt. Available now at select retailers and at WD's online store (www.shopwd.com), the My Passport Studio portable drives are offered in capacities of 320 GB and 250 GB.

Weighing in at less than 5 ounces, the My Passport Studio portable drives make it easy to securely carry office files, thousands of songs, videos or photos and back up a Macintosh laptop using Apple Time Machine backup software utility. With an elegant silver metallic finish that perfectly complements other Mac products, these portable drives feature a shock-resistant enclosure to provide protection from the bumps and jars of everyday life on-the-go. Ultra portable, these drives are USB-bus powered which eliminates the need for an external power adapter.
WD's My Passport Studio portable drives are available now in 250GB and 320GB capacities and are priced at $159.99 and $219.99, respectively. Full details can be found here. Add a comment
SanDisk recently announced the launch of its Mobile Ultra line of premium mobile phone storage cards. The Mobile Ultra microSD, microSDHC and Memory Stick Micro (M2) cards come bundled with a MobileMate Micro Reader and are available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities.

A must-have product for consumers who embody the digital lifestyle, the SanDisk Mobile Ultra high-performance cards are “best of breed” premium cards that provide fast side-loading speeds. This means that users will experience accelerated transfer rates of digital files to and from their mobile memory card and their computer. In addition to speed, SanDisk Mobile Ultra cards allow consumers to “wake up” the multimedia features of mobile phones by increasing the phone's storage capacity for maps, music, videos, photos, games and other essential applications. For avid mobile phone videographers, events and experiences captured by the phone's video camera can be quickly and efficiently transferred to social media or video-sharing websites. For added value and convenience, the card is bundled with a MobileMate Micro Reader that plugs directly into a USB 2.0 port to assist in this quick transport and easy management of digital content.
SanDisk Mobile Ultra memory cards will be available at various retail outlets in early June. More information, including pricing, can be found here. Add a comment
Traxdata sent out a press release this morning, announcing the availability of its new multimedia hard disk drive. The MultiMediaDrive gives users the ability to take the photos, music and video stored on their PC and play them back on their TV at resolutions up to 1080i.

With a huge 500GB storage capacity, users can create their own media library using Traxdata's MultiMediaDrive to watch movies, view holiday snaps, and play their favourite songs on their television instead of on a computer. Since the drive is equipped with a multitude of audio and video connections it is compatible with most TV sets.

The MultiMediaDrive is easy to use and works by transferring files stored on a computer to the drive, through the USB 2.0. It can then be plugged into any audio and video interface, including high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), allowing users to make full use of their HDTV (up to 1080i) without losing image and sound quality. To further enhance user experience Traxdata has included a remote control with the drive, allowing customers to control their entertainment from the comfort of their armchair.
If you'd like to read more, Traxdata's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

ABS Tagan BZ900 900 Watt Power Supply @TweakTown
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Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 @TweakTown
Targus Fandango Tote Women's Laptop Bag @ThinkComputers.org
XFX 9800 GTX Black Edition Video Card @I4U
VIZO Mini Ninja Notebook Cooling Stand @Futurelooks
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CyberLink announced today that ASUS has chosen to bundle CyberLink DVD Suite with its notebook PCs. The all-in-one suite includes applications such as PowerDVD, PowerDirector, Power2Go, PowerProducer, Medi@Show and LabelPrint.
CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW), innovative solutions provider for the connected digital lifestyle, announced today the expansion of its cooperation with Asustek, to include CyberLink DVD Suite with ASUS notebook PCs.

CyberLink DVD Suite integrates powerful yet easy-to-use applications for working with all types of media content. Leading playback software PowerDVD gives advanced multimedia playback functions; PowerDirector allows users to create stylish home videos with magic video tools; PowerProducer provides disc production and personalized menus with ease; Power2Go allows quick burning of data and media files to DVDs. Medi@show enables the professional creation of multimedia slideshow, while LabelPrint creates personalized disc labels with LightScribe technology. With one intuitive interface, users can easily access to each of the applications in this creativity and burning suite.
If you'd like to read more, CyberLink's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
IOGEAR sent out a press release today, announcing the availability of the USB Net ShareStation. This new device allows users to access any flash drive, hard drive, printer, speaker or Webcam on their network as if they were connected directly to their computer.

Workers can use the product to access external hard drives to save files that are readily accessible to other employees on the network. They can print, scan or fax from any connected computer, as the USB Net ShareStation supports Mutli-Function Printer sharing. Connecting the product to a wireless router also allows users to wirelessly share USB devices, while reducing cable clutter.

IOGEAR's USB Net ShareStation lets audio enthusiasts access USB speakers connected to the network and stream audio throughout the home or office. The product provides high throughput rates, ensuring that the sound transfers in optimal quality. Individuals can also use the device to access a connected Webcam as a low-cost surveillance solution if they want to monitor activity in an alternative room.
IOGEAR's USB Net ShareStation is available now for a suggested retail price of $79.95. Full details can be found here. Add a comment

Aeneon DDR3-1600 4GB XMP RAM AXH860UD20-16H @Benchmark Reviews
Alienware Hangar18 HD Entertainment Center @ThinkComputers.org
Corsair Dominator PC2-9136 4GB Memory Kit @HardwareLogic
Evercool NP-901 Royal Notebook Cooler @Virtual-Hideout
Gelid GC1 High Performance Thermal Compound @Futurelooks
Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500 Revolution @InsideHW
Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote @TweakTown
Patriot Viper Fin PC3-15000 (DDR3-1866) 2GB Kit @Hardware Zone
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Good news for Plextor fans. Shinano Kenshi announced today that it will begin shipping two new Plextor brand 20x DVD writers by the end of May. The PX-820A (PATA) and PX-820SA (SATA) are capable of 20x DVD±R, 12x DVD-R DL, 8x DVD+R DL, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW and 12x DVD-RAM writing speeds and a maximum DVD read speed of 16x. The two drives also feature 48x CD reading and writing speeds, 32x rewriting speeds, a 2MB buffer and support for CPRM.


At this point, it is not clear whether or not the PX-820A and PX-820SA are original Plextor designs. However, going by the lack of advanced features, I'd have to say that they are most likely based on designs from another company such as Pioneer, NEC or LG.

Shinano Kenshi has not announced a price. However, AV Watch expects the PX-820A and PX-820SA to be priced at about 7,000 Yen ($67US) and about 7,500 Yen ($72US) respectively. Add a comment

abit I-N73HD GeForce 7100 Motherboard @TweakTown
Alienware Area-51 ALX System @HardwareLogic.com
LaCie Mini Hub 500GB USB 2.0 FireWire External Hard Drive @ThinkComputers.org
Lian Li PC-A09B Classical Series Mid-Tower Case @Benchmark Reviews
Lite-On DX-401S USB 2.0 Blu-ray Drive -TweakTown
NesteQ ECS5001 500w Modular PSU @Virtual-Hideout
NZXT Tempest Mid-Tower ATX Case @Bigbruin.com
Seagate Barracuda ES.2 1TB SAS Hard Drive @HotHardware.com
Vantec NexStar eSata/USB Hard Drive Dock @Futurelooks
XFX 9800 GX2 Black Edition Video Card @I4U
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Western Digital recently introduced the My DVR Expander USB Edition. This new 500GB external drive increase the recording capacity of DISH Network's ViP Series HD DVRs by storing up to 300 hours of standard-definition or up to 60 hours of high-definition television programming.

Just in time to make a perfect Father's Day gift, WD (NYSE: WDC) today introduced its new My DVR Expander USB Edition external hard drives that are verified compatible with DISH Network Corporation's (NASDAQ: DISH) ViP Series HD DVRs (digital video recorders). The new 500 GB external drive increases the recording capacity of the DISH HD DVRs by storing up to 300 hours of digital standard-definition (SD) or up to 60 hours of high-definition (HD) television programming1. Users can instantly increase2 their recording storage capacity by simply attaching the My DVR Expander USB Edition drive to their DISH Network ViP Series HD DVRs.

"WD's My DVR Expander provides an ideal complement to the innovative archiving feature of DISH Network's award-winning line of ViP HD DVRs," said Jessica Insalaco, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for DISH Network. "Combined with the already industry-leading storage capacity of our DVRs, DISH Network customers can create and control their own on-demand programming - reinforcing DISH Network's leadership in digital entertainment."
WD's My DVR Expander USB Edition external hard drive is available now for a suggested retail price of $149.99. Full details can be found here. Add a comment