Buffalo Technology introduced its newest portable solid state drive, the MicroStation SHD-PEU2 series. These portable SSDs come in 32 GB and 64 GB capacities, measure 57 x 13 x 98 mm, and connect to the host using USB 2.0 interface. The enclosure itself has a piano-black surface. The drive's software bundle includes Memeo Autosync and Secure Lock Ware data synchronization and protection software.

"The SSD technology incorporated into Buffalo's latest drive is truly innovative and has allowed us to combine style and portability with efficiency and reliability, making it a pleasure to use," said Paul Hudson, Northern European Sales Director, Buffalo Technology. "Still not a mainstream consumer product, the MicroStation SSD portable drive is ideal for early adopters," he added. Backed with a two-year warranty, the MicroStation SSDs will reach stores later this month, with prices starting at 115 EUR.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, today announced the Samsung S2 Portable, a fully transportable external hard drive, pre-loaded with the movie 'Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT'.

Timed with the DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of 'Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT', the pre-loaded external HDD will be available at major European retailers from February 22, 2010.

"We are excited to present this movie starring Michael Jackson, the greatest entertainer of all time, pre-loaded on the Samsung S2 Portable," said H.S. Lee, Vice President, Storage Marketing, Samsung Electronics.

Active Media Products, manufacturer of SSDs and innovative USB drives, today announced the new MotKey key-shaped USB 2.0 drive. This key drive is available today in 4GB and 8GB capacities.

Styled after a car key, this key drive will blend in on any keyring while accommodating up to 8GB of data. "The MotKey is shock- and scratch-resistant, and will look cool on any keychain", commented Active Media Products' VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson. This product is compatible with Windows, Linux and OS X. It measures just 2.9 x 1.2 x 0.5 inches (73 x 30 x 13 mm). AMP includes a keyring and cord with the MotKey.

In light of consumers' needs for high speed data transfer, renowned memory manufacturer Walton Chaintech is launching its latest Astro Drive 266X, which delivers an incredible reading speed of 40.9 MB/s and a maximum writing speed of 25.2 MB/s. The specifications of Astro Drive 266X far exceed the performance of all existing USB2.0 flash drives currently available in the market. Featuring innovative technologies to lower the costs of production, Walton Chaintech has successfully enhanced the economic benefit for the product by a large margin. The Astro Drive 266X provide a variety of memory capacities: From the mainstream specification of 16GB to the ultra-large 64GB to cater to the needs of different user demographics while offering exceptional C/P value for the product.

With the Astro Drive 266X, consumers will notice significantly reduced waiting time for data transfer between PCs and the USB disk, especially for large audio/video/multimedia files, demonstrating the product's blazing fast performance.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the release of the DataTraveler 5000 USB Flash drive. The DataTraveler 5000 is FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certified with Level 3 pending, and features 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption. It uses XTS cipher mode and also uses elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) algorithms to meet Suite B standards approved by the U.S. government.

"The DataTraveler 5000 delivers unsurpassed levels of security and encryption to government and enterprise customers," said Mark Akoubian, business manager, Secure USB Products, Kingston. "This portable data solution represents state-of-the-art data protection while providing end users with the simplicity of plug and play."

Kingston quietly made an addition to the SSDNow V+ series solid state drives (SSDs), the SSDNow V+ 512 GB (SNVP325-S2B/512GB). The new drive offers 512 GB of storage in its existing 2.5" form-factor. It uses multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash chips, a controller that supports SATA 3 Gb/s and USB 2.0, and offers read/write speeds of 230/180 MB/s. It is available both as packages with just the drive, and in a bundle which includes SATA power and data cables, 3.5" to 2.5" spacers, USB cable, and a 2.5" enclosure which makes it portable. The bare drive is priced at roughly $1598 (US), and the bundle at roughly $1698.

Verbatim is unveiling its second generation of Micro USB drives in a range of vibrant colours and capacities. The tiny drives, which are only 3 cm long and no thicker than a Euro coin, can store up to 32 GB of data, and are available in stores now.

The Micro USB drives are manufactured using System-in-Package (SiP) technology which integrates the electronic components into a robust, sealed casing, ensuring that the drives are resistant to dust, water and static discharges, making them one of the smallest and most reliable USB drives available on the market today.

A-DATA Technology Co., Ltd., the worldwide leader in DRAM memory and Flash application products, introduced its latest Portable HDD, the CH94. Resembling the shape of a notebook, the ergonomic streamlined enclosure of CH94 gives a smooth touch as if an actual diary is held in hand. With the thickness just less than 20mm and the built-in wrap-around USB cable, CH94 is neatly designed to fit right in your pocket. Providing both convenience and easy portability, CH94 is the perfect companion for users who need be constantly on the go.

VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of PC and prosumer audio silicon, today unveiled the VIA Vinyl Envy VT1730 USB 2.0 Audio Controller, the industry's first highly-integrated single chip solution that leverages the broad USB 2.0 bandwidth (480 Mb/s) to deliver uncompromised audio quality.

The VIA Envy VT1730 is an 8-channel, 24-bit/192kHz audio controller specifically designed to achieve cinema-quality audio recording and playback in high fidelity USB and MIDI system applications. Whether it's using the bandwidth capacity of USB 2.0 to simultaneously support audio streams from a guitar, bass, keyboard and microphone, or delivering true-to-life sound to multiple speakers in a home theatre set-up, the VIA Envy VT1730 offers outstanding audio performance and impressive application flexibility.

We posted their press release here, but have now managed to get a few more infos for you. The unit will only ship in silver, comes with a 3.5" SATA hard drive and sports multiple USB connectors in the back along with a network jack. It has the same foot print as an AppleTV, but is slightly taller, while the casing seems to be made of aluminum. Besides that, we snapped an image of an external hard drive with an LCD screen. While this may not be anything out of the ordinary, the technology used in the display allows it to function just like eInk. It does not require any power to change the state of the screen, so that you will always know how much free space is available, even when it is not connected.

CoolIT System has a bunch of new CPU and GPU coolers. They are showing a full range of new coolers for the CPU, starting with the ECO A.L.C. which now places the pump right into the cooling base, increasing compatibility with cases. The unit has an MSRP of $74.99 and should be available now. The next step up is the Vantage A.L.C, which incorporates a display and all the electronics on the CPU bracket. The LCD is a programmable 84x48 pixel screen with a dynamic, custom color backlight and 2.4 GHz wireless communication module. Two buttons on the Vantage module provides a user interface for optimizing all chassis fan speeds, RGB case lighting, LCD Backlight color along with monitoring and alarm triggers. The Vantage also features the so called ESP (Extra Sensory Peripherals) wireless technology which enables the cooler to be controlled and monitored through CoolIT's Maestro software and USB wireless controller.On the GPU cooling front, we got a good look at the OMNI A.L.C. This unit has the same wireless system and features interchangable plates between the water block and GPU. This means that you can simply exchange the this plate when upgrading your graphics card.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, today announced the G Series, its new line-up of external hard drives, designed under an eco-friendly green concept. The new G series strengthen Samsung's external drive portfolio of 1.8", 2.5" and 3.5" drives, targeting the young adult market, which are looking for a fashionably styled mobile drive but that is also reliable with high density.

Samsung's new G-Series, introduced at the International Consumer Electronics Show, consists of the 2.5-inch G2 Portable with 250/320/500/640GB densities and the 3.5-inch G3 Station available in 1/1.5/2TB versions.

Verbatim the information storage pioneer now celebrating its 40th anniversary, is "backing up" its already impressive assortment of portable hard drives with an all-new range of exceptionally reliable and fashionably thin models to help consumers effortlessly preserve their most vital files - verbatim! The exciting new additions, part of Verbatim's complete 2010 product line, will be on display at Booth #36523 in South Hall 4 of the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 7-10, 2010.

"We are thrilled to celebrate our 40th anniversary with a spectacular line-up of data storage products that perfectly provide everyone - from time-pressed parents to busy business executives - with extremely dependable and easy-to-use units that give consumers exactly what they want in a hard drive - reliability, functionality and style," said Charles Klinker, Verbatim's Director of Marketing, HDD Products. "Whether it's increasing the storage capacity of a laptop or desktop system, backing up and protecting data, music, photos and videos, or transferring large files between computers, Verbatim's new portable storage devices efficiently and affordably do it all - while looking great, too!"

LaCie today unveiled LaCinema Mini HD, the all-in-one WiFi High Definition media center. Its amazingly small and stylish design packs a big punch, bringing your HD movies, photos and music collections to your widescreen TV in full 1080p resolution.

LaCinema Mini HD bridges the gap between the computer and entertainment worlds in full HD quality. Featuring built-in high-speed 802.11n WiFi, LaCinema Mini HD brings a DLNA media player and server to your home without wires.

Transferring content to the LaCinema Mini HD is easy through the bus-powered USB connection for maximum transfer speeds, or by connecting the drive to a home network. Users can conveniently load files wirelessly from their computer or via the Ethernet connection.

OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high-reliability memory and flash-based storage as an alternative to hard disk drives, plans to unveil an array of next-generation solid state drives (SSDs) along with other premium hardware at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show to be held January 7-10, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada. With its finger on the pulse of emerging and booming markets, OCZ's impending line of SSDs is designed to optimize entire businesses as well as the computing experiences of everyday consumers.

"For this year's Consumer Electronics Show, OCZ continues to build on its lineup of SSD solutions designed for enterprise-class applications," commented Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ Technology Group. "We are uniquely positioned as the leading developer of SSDs, which we believe will ultimately replace traditional hard drives. In addition to our robust lineup of 2.5-inch solid state drives, we will be launching new drives at CES with interfaces that include SAS and PCI-E. These interfaces make it easier than ever for enterprise clients to replace expensive-to-maintain, traditional storage media with a higher-performing and more reliable solution."

Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, announced today the launch of its flash-based, backup drives, Lexar Echo SE and Lexar Echo ZE. Designed to protect valuable data on netbook and notebook computers, Echo SE and ZE backup drives provide users with portable, easy-to-use file backup solutions for their mobile lifestyles. For additional information about the Lexar Echo SE and ZE backup drives, visit this page.

High-performance Echo SE is an ultra-portable drive that easily plugs into a computer's USB port to perform automatic backup and transfer of files, at read speeds up to 28MB/s and write speeds up to 10MB/s. Echo ZE, with its low-profile 20.1 by 15.1 millimeter size and plug-and-stay design, is an always-ready drive providing a convenient means to automatically back up essential files -- anytime, anywhere. Both drives are interoperable between Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, as well as Mac OS X operating systems, allowing data to be seamlessly accessible whether using a PC or Mac computers.

You're already using your laptop to listen to music, play games, and watch movies, TV and videos. You're already using it on the couch and on the bed. But you're looking for a way to be comfortable, and you know what a difference high-quality audio can make when you're enjoying good entertainment. For a theater-like experience on your laptop, Logitech today introduced the Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 - the company's first all-in-one laptop accessory with integrated stereo speakers, a built-in fan and a wide padded base.

"More and more people around the world are enjoying fantastic entertainment on their laptops - but with mediocre sound and comfort," said Denis Pavillard, Logitech vice president of product marketing for laptop accessories. "In fact, according to our research nearly 50 percent of laptop users report being dissatisfied with the sound quality of the built-in speakers. The Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 helps transform your laptop into a private theater in the cozy confines of your lap."

Today LaCie announced the LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey, design by 5.5 Designers. The new USB flash keys are modeled after the award-winning LaCie iamaKey, which was recently issued a 2010 award by the internationally recognized Observeur du Design.

LaCie, the originator of the flat key-shaped design for USB flash keys, now presents two new unique designs. The LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey are built with sturdy metal, making the surfaces tough and dependable. Additionally, the Gold SIP connector on the USB keys are both water- and scratch- resistant, making them some of the thinnest and most durable flash drive choices on the market.

Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced improvements to the Professional line of CompactFlash (CF) and Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards for an enhanced imaging experience. Lexar has increased the capacity of Professional 300x CF cards to 32GB, and Professional 233x CF cards are now available in 16GB and 32GB capacities. In addition, the Lexar Professional 133x SDHC card has achieved a Class 10 speed rating. The improvements to the Lexar Professional line allow professional photographers and advanced enthusiasts to capture more high-resolution images and high-definition (HD) video with their digital SLRs. For additional information about the Lexar Professional CF and SDHC cards, visit Lexar.

The Lexar Professional 133x SDHC memory card now offers the maximum Class 10 speed rating, providing a blazing-fast minimum sustained write speed capability of 133x (20MB per second) for shooting higher-resolution images and large-sized, high-definition video files with SDHC-enabled devices. Additionally, the Lexar Professional 133x SDHC card significantly improves camera performance and image transfer speeds from card to computer, reducing post-production time and enabling shooters to focus on the business of photography.

ioSafe today announced the availability of the new ioSafe Solo SSD - a solid state, highly ruggedized model of the award-winning ioSafe Solo desktop external hard drive. Combining ioSafe's new proprietary ArmorPlate, a military grade steel outer casing with SSD technology, the new ioSafe Solo SSD adds unprecedented shock, drop and crush protection to the existing fire and water protection.

The ioSafe Solo SSD combined with ArmorPlate helps to protect data in a two story building collapse, 5000 lb. crush forces, 20' drop into rubble and up to a 1000g shock. In addition the original HydroSafe, FloSafe and DataCast work to keep the drive cool during normal operation and protect the data from fires up to 1550 °F for 1/2 hour and complete water submersion of 30' for 30 days in fresh or salt water. Like all ioSafe products, the ioSafe Solo SSD comes with ioSafe's Data Recovery Service, a "no questions asked" policy to help customers recover from any data disaster including accidental deletion, virus or physical disaster.

Technology advances constantly. When the speed of USB 2.0 can no longer fulfill the expanding demand of modern people, storage technology with faster speed, lower power consumption and greater convenience emerges out of consumer demands. Eyeing at the developmental potential of e-SATA, Team Group Inc launches the X092 USB disk Fire Shadow as its masterpiece for the year. A shining red and black appearance, this dual-color design inoculates the idea of fire and shadow. Equipped with the e-SATA and USB interfaces, Fire Shadow allows users to enjoy the ultrafast speed of e-SATA and the no-external-power-required convenience of USB devices all in one disk.

The X092 from Team is designed with the quadruple channel technology to evenly distribute data reading and writing task to four storage devices in order to effectively enhance the read-write speed. As the read-write speed of e-SATA is 110MB/s and 40MB/s respectively, i.e. triply faster than USB2.0, it takes only 42 seconds to copy a 4.5GB movie file, making it the dream option among all PnP storage devices. In addition to the 16GB and 32GB models, the X092 has the 64GB model tailored for power users, allowing them to download and store valuable data anywhere anytime. Therefore, the X092 is tailored for consumers demanding super capacity and super speed mobile storage in great convenience.

Buffalo is ready with a new SSD lineup which it plans to release a few models of before 2010. The Buffalo SHD-NSUH series 2.5" SATA/USB SSDs come equipped with multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory, 64 MB of cache memory, and support for Windows 7 TRIM feature. The drives will support SATA 3 Gb/s and USB 2.0 interfaces. In SATA mode, the drives will offer transfer speeds of up to 186.6 MB/s. These drives will be available in four models based on the capacities: 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB, which will be priced at US $253, $369, $637, and $1,161, respectively. The 64 GB and 128 GB models will be released within this month, the 32 GB model in January 2010, while the 256 GB one later in May 2010.

Elitegroup Computer Systems, the world's leading motherboard, barebone system, and notebook manufacturer, is pleased to introduce a brand new small and powerful motherboard, ECS TIGT-I, embedded the latest Intel dual core Atom processor D510 integrated memory controller and Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150(GMA3150) to deliver up to 20% higher performance than ever for home users.

The ECS TIGT-I motherboard features fast Ethernet, high definition audio for various internet applications and leverages integrated GMA3150 graphics core supporting DirectX 9 for popular graphics requirements. In addition, the ultra low voltage and Mini-ITX(170x170mm) form factor, make the ECS TIGT-I motherboard become an ideal solution for fan-less systems, small form factor PCs or portable devices.

WD, the world's leader in external storage solutions, and NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a leading provider of semiconductor solutions, today announced that the companies have collaborated to promote the new SuperSpeed Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0 standard, a next-generation interface to be used in a wide range of electronic devices including PCs, PC peripherals, and digital appliances.

USB 3.0 is capable of supporting data transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits per second (Gbps), which is 10 times faster than the previous high-speed USB 2.0 transfer speeds. With its higher speeds and enhanced power efficiency, external hard disk drives are the first SuperSpeed USB 3.0 devices to appear on the market.

A feature of the latest SAPPHIRE HD 5000 series of graphics cards is the new ATI Eyefinity mode, which enables games and other applications to be run on three screens treated as one continuous display area. Now with the SAPPHIRE Eyefinity adapter, standard DVI monitors can be used for all three screens.

In addition to spectacular image clarity, speed and visual effects, the SAPPHIRE HD 5000 series supports the new multi-monitor mode known as ATI Eyefinity. This allows a single GPU to display a choice of images over an array of several monitors. The cards in this series support up to three monitors, with a resolution of up to 7680 x 1600. This opens up exciting possibilities not just for multi-screen gaming, but also for information systems, multimedia systems and promotional displays.