Toshiba announced today that it has expanded its line of portable external hard drives to include a 500GB model. Like previous versions, this postcard sized hard drive is protected by an internal shock sensor and ramp-loading technology and can be powered off a computer's USB bus.

Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD), the industry pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), today introduced a half-terabyte model to its personal storage line, providing consumers with a high-capacity warehouse and easy-to-use data backup solution for personal digital files, music libraries, home videos and other digital memories.

The new 500GB Toshiba USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive comes with a glossy black finish and frost white contemporary graphics that will appeal to consumers looking for the latest must-haves in personal electronics for their home office or study -- or to throw in their backpacks and travel cases, thanks to easy portability. An added bonus for home use is the new 500GB model's ultra-quiet operation, with improved acoustics in the hard drive.

SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced an innovative new family of SanDisk® USB flash drives, including the world’s first backup USB flash drive with simple backup software activation at the touch of a button. The SanDisk Ultra® Backup USB portable flash drive is the first offering of the company’s new SanDisk Ultra USB product line. With capacities up to 64 gigabytes (GB), the SanDisk Ultra Backup USB flash drive is designed to protect computer users’ photos, music, videos, personal and business documents, and other types of digital files, with the simple touch of a button. No software installation is needed. The drive protects onboard digital content with a dual layer of security, including password-protected access control and ultra-secure AES hardware-based encryption.

With no cables required, or any complicated software to install, the new SanDisk Ultra Backup USB flash drive is a complete backup solution that provides an incredibly easy way to protect digital files. It uses patent-pending backup technology with capacities up to 64GB, large enough to back up average consumer requirements, as well as critical small business files and documents. In addition to one’s digital personal life, these products protect critical work files with a dual layer of both password protection and AES hardware encryption. This ensures content stays private and secure (via data scrambling at the flash controller level) when the drives are either physically removed for portability, or stored away for safe keeping.

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LaCie recently announced its new LightScribe equipped external DVD writer, the LaCie d2 DVD±RW 22x with LightScribe. Along with support for FireWire and USB 2.0, LaCie's new drive features 22x DVD±R, 16x DVD+R DL, 12x DVD-R DLand 12x DVD-RAM writing speeds.

Today LaCie announced its new LaCie d2 DVD±RW 22x with LightScribe and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and/or FireWire disc burners. The new products let customers backup large multimedia files on strikingly original-looking DVDs or CDs. With the LightScribe labeling tools available from LaCie on the 22x rewritable DVD drive, users can customize their content easily and quickly for professional and personal use. And it works with the three major personal computer operating systems.

The LaCie d2 DVD±RW 22x with LightScribe achieves the fastest DVD recording speed available on the market today. And users have a choice of connecting it to their computers via two blazingly fast interfaces: FireWire or USB 2.0. With LaCie’s new disc burner, users can store up to 8.5 GB of business presentations, files, music, photos or movies on individual discs, or the equivalent of more than two hours of theater-quality video on a large-capacity DVD.

Amazon announced today that its Video On Demand service will soon be available via the Roku Digital Video Player. Using the $99 Roku Player, consumers will be able to purchase or rent and then instantly watch more than 40,000 titles, including new release movies the same day that they are released on DVD.

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced that it will offer customers the ability to instantly purchase, rent and watch digital movies and TV episodes from its popular video service, Amazon Video On Demand, via the Roku Digital Video Player. Beginning in early 2009, the Roku Player, which currently supports only the Netflix service, will offer access to Amazon Video On Demand’s more than 40,000 commercial-free movies and television shows, enabling Roku customers for the first time to watch new release movie titles instantly.

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