Recommend me a portable storage device (1 Viewer)

[hugh]

I need some sort of portable hard drive/storage device to carry files and data around on. Specifically it has to be:

1. Portable - i.e. i can pretty easily stick it in a bag or my pocket (e.g. iRiver or iPod size ideally)

2. 40GB should be enough

3. Compatible with Macs or PCs with no need to install some software on the host machine to read it.

4. USB 2.0

I have been using an iRiver for this, but the one I have has recently gotten a bit flaky and I don't really need something that is a music player as well.

A flash drive would be great as they are powered through USB but (a) they are not big enough and (b) they seem flaky to me also (at least the one I have doesn't really work when accessing files directly through an application - I tend to have to copy the files onto the hard drive, work on them, and copy them back).

As I understand it, if you use an iPod for data storage you have to format it for working with a Mac or a PC, can't do both, and there are other annoying issues as well. Though I could be wrong about this ..

Anyone got any recommedations? Maybe I should just buy a new iRiver ..

 

[Squiggle]

Something like this?

 

[Jerry Twig]

Got me one of these.
http://www.lacie.com/ie/products/product.htm?pid=10990
Fits all of your requirements. It's about the size of an iPod and very nice indeed.

 

[hugh]

Thank you both! Exactly what I want ..

Some of these LaCie ones look particularly sexy ..

http://www.lacie.com/ie/products/range.htm?id=10036

 

[therealjohnny]

Careful though- Lacie don't have a great reputation:

http://flagrantharbour.com/?p=349

 

[Squiggle]

Yeah, I've heard that too. They do look nice buh.

Western Digital are usually very reliable. Different sizes and colours available too. Maybe you're more of a metallic pink kinda guy

 

[Goodbye]

I've a wee LaCie one 160gs USB2.0
Grand yoke so it is.

You can get them cheaper and with a higher capacity now, got mine in Right Click on Camden St. Seem to be the best price retail wise.

 

[hugh]

Just ordered the Western Digital one that Squiggle linked to. Mostly because there was a link on the page I could click on immediately that said "buy".

Cheers all!

 

[Goodbye]

Please tell me you got the metallic pink

 

[HMD]

I use LaCie drives in work for backing up and for server space. Never had any problems with them until last week when a 2tb drive died. 1 drive in 10 isn't too bad and that drive has been couriered to england and back so it's taking more of a beating than the rest.

also if you look hard enough you'll find someone on the internet who's had a bad experience with every drive.

 

[The Schnapper]

Through the years I've witnessed seagate, quantum, western digital, maxtor and many others die. I personally couldn't say one stuck out more than the other so really wouldn't worry about LaCie drives

 

[hugh]

Just ordered the Western Digital one that Squiggle linked to. Mostly because there was a link on the page I could click on immediately that said "buy".

Cheers all!

Got it today. It's grand.