Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac

<P align=center><img alt="" border="0" hspace="4" src="/applepatent-battpack-1301680985.jpg" vspace="4"></P><br /><P>Way back in September of last year, Apple filed a patent-infringement suit against HyperMac, the folks behind these external batteries. At the time, it looked like Apple was protecting its patented MagSafe power connector, but a newly released USPTO application for a "Power Adapter with Internal Battery" might reveal a more accurate view of the company's litigious motivations. From the look of things, the outfit intends to make its mark on juicing solutions with what is basically a wall charger packing an internal battery. According to the patent filing, the contraption would include a processor for parceling energy to the host device as well as the adapter, and could also incorporate a supplemental energy source like a solar cell. Among other things, it would also communicate with the device being charged to allow users to monitor the juice stored in the extra battery. If the thing does end up making it to market, it looks like HyperMac could have a whole lot more trouble on its hands than a little patent-infringement suit.Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac </P><br /><P><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/apple-patent-application-reveals-plans-for-external-battery-pack/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via</A></P>

Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac

Way back in September of last year, Apple filed a patent-infringement suit against HyperMac, the folks behind these external batteries. At t...

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Tutorial: How to make an external laptop graphics adaptor

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.megamake_1-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Laptop graphics have always been something of a joke performance wise. Nvidia and AMD do try, but cramming all those millions of transistors into a low-power, compact package just leads to massive expense and an inability to upgrade. </P><br /><P><br /><P>Wouldn't it be perfect if you could simply use a standard external graphics card to power your laptop's 3D graphics? </P><br /><P>The good news is that you can. The suitably technical-sounding PE4H is just that; a passive PCI-e x16 to x1 adaptor, which enables you to plug an external graphics card into a laptop's ExpressCard slot. Currently we're only aware of it being available from the Taiwanese firm <a href="http://www.hwtools.net/">www.hwtools.net</A> for around $100 including shipping. </P><br /><P>We'd like to say it's as simple as that, but this project does have a few sticking points. The first we've already mentioned: a laptop with an ExpressCard slot. </P><br /><P>The second is Windows 7, as it handles multiple display drivers far more adeptly than anything else. We're told Windows XP is next best with Vista being least desirable. </P><br /><P>Also if your laptop has more than 2GB of memory a 64-bit installation is also required, as otherwise you'll hit the 4GB address space limit hard. The big issue here is that it'll cause the allocation of memory for the graphics card to fail. </P><br /><P>Even though the card has its own memory the processor still needs to be able to address it, this address space is added on top of any existing system memory plus any other hardware resources, including the integrated graphics memory space. </P><br /><P>The final sticking point is that there are certain laptop models that this simply won't work with or have some serious documented issues. Some of these can be worked around and others cannot, but before you run off and spend your money it's best to check if people have reported issues with your model. </P><br /><P>The best two sources for compatibility can be found on the <a href="http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-software-graphics-cards/418851-diy-vidock-experiences.html#post5324240">Notebook Review forum</A> and <a href="http://www.villagetronic.com/vidock/compatibility.html">Village Tronic</A>. The former is the best, offering detailed system configuration and how many issues are solved. </P><br /><P>The PE4H comes with the adaptor itself, an ExpressCard, data cable, Molex power cable and ATX power switch. Alongside this you'll need a suitable power supply, the adaptor can take a 12 to 15v supply but for higher-end cards you'll need a desktop PSU anyway. Plus for neatness we're going to house it all inside a mini-barebones case. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="PE4H" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.expresscard_1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>The walkthrough below details putting together a system. The main thing to be aware of is before plugging the ExpressCard into the laptop, you will need to have Windows fully booted and to have the graphics card powered up. It's important to do this so Windows can recognise and install the correct drivers. If everything goes smoothly you'll have multi-card, multi-monitor system, where there was none before. </P><br /><P>This might not be evident but it has happened, check the Display Properties Control Panel to see if the new display is detected and active. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Troubleshooting</STRONG></P><br /><P>In our case we encountered a couple of issues on our Lenovo X200 at this stage, which we can see other people encountering. If the card isn't detected reboot and see how the BIOS handles the new device. </P><br /><P>For us booting produced a stream of POST errors complaining about PCI resource allocation problems. A BIOS update later and we had a booting system but one that was running incredibly slowly. </P><br /><P>Our next step was to try inserting the card immediately after pressing the power button and that seemed to sort this out. Similarly another trick is to put the laptop to sleep insert the card and power back up. Whatever voodoo cured the problem, once it was up and running we didn't have any further problems and the device could be happily hot swapped. All of these issues are connected to allocation of the PCI address space for the card. </P><br /><P>Once it's up and running it just works, albeit within the limitations of a x1 PCI-e system. You may have spotted that the adaptor card offers four PCI-e connections, the obvious question is how do you connect those additional PCI-e lanes? </P><br /><P>Most laptops use a mini-PCI-e add-in card for its wireless adaptor, other laptops actually have spare mini-PCI-e ports for 3G modems and the like. If you can locate one of these and add-in one of the HWTool PM3N mini-PCI-e adaptors, then it's possible to upgrade to an x2 system where the performance hit narrows to around 75 percent of the graphic card's full performance. </P><br /><P>This, of course, requires a second cable to be trailed from the laptop to the adaptor, as it turns out these are mini HDMI (Type-C) cables, so can be picked up from various sources such as www.lindy.com. </P><br /><P>Use something like SiSoft Sandra to see what chipset your laptop has and what devices are attached to them, the Hardware Buses report tool is best. The older ICH6/7M Southbridge can provide up to four PCI-e ports. The newer ICH8/9M and HM55 chipsets can go to six, with the latest HM/QM/QS57 range providing up to eight. You need to use the ports in matched pairs for it to work, so ports one and two or three and four.</P><br /><P><STRONG>DIY desktop graphics for your notebook </STRONG></P><br /><P>We remember getting excited about an Asus prototype called the XG Station a few years back at Computex in Taipei. That device promised to do something similar to this project. It never made it to the UK though, but did pop up in Australia in 2008 before promptly disappearing within a year. </P><br /><P>No matter, we'll show you how to hook up your own spare PCI-e graphics card to your laptop. It just takes the right bits of hardware and an ExpressCard equipped laptop. We're even going to look at an easy way to package the whole lot into an external case. </P><br /><P><STRONG>1. The kit you will need to make your adaptor </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 1" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_01-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>The catchy named PE4H from <a href="http://www.hwtools.net/">www.hwtools.net</A> comes with a x16 PCI-e adaptor, the ExpressCard interface, an ATX power switch, plus the necessary Molex power cable and PCI Express data cable. </P><br /><P><STRONG>2. Grab a passive PCI Express adaptor </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 2" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_02-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>The adaptor that takes the PCI Express graphics card is called a passive adaptor, which is actually not doing any processing or routing, it's simply connecting two buses together. </P><br /><P><STRONG>3. Connect the GPU to the ExpressCard </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 3" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_03-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Getting started is easy enough, plug the graphics card into the adaptor and connect the data cable to the first PCI-e port and to the ExpressCard, not forgetting the power cable. </P><br /><P><STRONG>4. Get a PSU powering your graphics card </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 4" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_04-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>So you can use a standard PC system power supply for your graphics card an ATX power adaptor is supplied, which will attach to the 20/24-pin power cable of the PSU. </P><br /><P><STRONG>5. Everything hooked up and ready to go </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 5" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_05-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>With a basic PCI Express graphics card the set-up looks a little like this (with or without a loop in the cable). At this point you don't want to connect the ExpressCard but you can boot your laptop. </P><br /><P><STRONG>6. Now, power up the pixel pusher </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 6" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_06-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Before you go ahead and connect the ExpressCard to your laptop, you must make sure that the graphics card is powered up, so turn on the ATX switch and power up the PSU. </P><br /><P><STRONG>7. Get in on some ExpressCard action </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 7" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_07-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>With your Windows OS laptop up and running along with external graphics card, you can now safely push the ExpressCard into its slot, being careful not to knock over the graphics card in the process! </P><br /><P><STRONG>8. Displays ahoy, as far as the eye can see</STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_08-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>If you have a compatible laptop, then after a flicker or two and perhaps a reboot, the laptop should detect the new graphics card and automatically start installing the driver.</P><br /><P><STRONG>9. Control, multimonitor is a go </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 9" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_09-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>If everything has worked correctly then you will now have a multimonitor system that you can configure from the Windows Display Control Panel. </P><br /><P><STRONG>10. Put her safe 'n' sound in the mini </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 10" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_10-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>To create a neat external box, we're going to cheat a little and just shanghai this rather nice mini barebones box. We won't need the original mobo though we might be able to use the PSU. </P><br /><P><STRONG>11. Compact and decidely bijou </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 11" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_11-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>This box has space for two PCI cards, so even a double-width graphics card should easily fit inside the chassis and the PCI-e adaptor sits nicely, where the mobo used to be. </P><br /><P><STRONG>12. Get the power that you really need</STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 12" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_12-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>It's important to make sure the power supply unit's 12v rail will meet the power supply needs of the card. Check the Wikipedia entry to look up the TDP of your chipset if you're unsure. </P><br /><P><STRONG>13. Get a cable, that is Type C </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 13" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_13-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>We're going to route the connecting cable out of the side of the case. To make life easier it'd be best to pick up a longer mini HDMI (Type-C) cable, which is actually what the cable is. </P><br /><P><STRONG>14. Connect up the power button </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 14" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_14-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>The ATX PSU is activated by connecting pins 14 and 15 (20-pin) or 16 and 17 (24-pin) together. It's the green wire and any black wire, so you could connect up the case's power switch instead. </P><br /><P><STRONG>15. And this is one I made earlier…</STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="step 15" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.make.step_15-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>And here she is, our neatly finished solution for getting desktop graphics on your weedy laptop. The mini-case, as it turns out, makes quite a handy monitor stand. Or you can just hide it away.</P>

Tutorial: How to make an external laptop graphics adaptor

Laptop graphics have always been something of a joke performance wise. Nvidia and AMD do try, but cramming all those millions of transistors...

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Buying Guide: Best 1TB external hard drive: 10 drives tested

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.Img392-main-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>These days, you can never have too much storage space. However much you have, you're bound to fill it sooner than you think. But what do you do if you want more?</P><br /><P>Internal drives are all very well, but your PC doesn't have an infinite number of drive bays, and what if you want to transport your digital data as well as access it from your own PC? </P><br /><P>For this test then, we're comparing external desktop hard drives that have a 1TB capacity. </P><br /><P>A desktop drive is based on the 3.5-inch hard drive and is plugged into the mains, as opposed to portable external drives, which use smaller 2.5-inch HDDs and draw their power from their data connection cable, normally powered USB. </P><br /><P>The main advantage offered by desktop drives over their portable counterparts is price. They can, of course, be unplugged and carried away should you wish to (for example) take data between work and home, but if your drive is likely to spend as much time in your bag as it does on your desk, a portable unit may prove a better option. </P><br /><P>So you can compare like with like, we've benchmarked the drives by average random read/write speeds in MB/s under the ubiquitous USB 2.0 connectivity, though most drives offer faster methods, such as eSATA. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Hard drives on test</STRONG></P><br /><P>LaCie Starck 1TB - £89 <BR>Iomega Minimax 1TB - £116 <BR>Freecom Hard Drive XS 3.0 1TB - £91<BR>G-Technology G-Raid 1TB - £156 <BR>Iomega Ego Desktop Hard Drive 1TB - £115 <BR>G-Technology G-Drive 1TB - £155 <BR>Hitachi LifeStudio 1TB Desk Plus - £95 <BR>Buffalo DriveStation 1TB - £74 <BR>Freecom Hard Drive Quattro 1TB - £116 <BR>LaCie D2 Quadra - £131 </P><br /><P><STRONG>Iomega Minimax 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://go.iomega.com/en/?partner=4735">www.iomega.com </A></P><br /><P><img alt="Iomega minimax 1tb" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.roundup3_1-minimax-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>This almost-square hard drive is clearly designed to sit under small-form factor machines. Of course, that also means it's fairly convenient to slip into your bag and carry from computer to computer. </P><br /><P>Not as convenient as a portable drive, of course. It's bigger, and you need to carry the MiniMax's power supply as well as the drive. But if your need an external hard drive that will spend most of its life on your desk, but take the occasional trip to the office or your friend's house, this drive is well worth considering. </P><br /><P>The MiniMax is very sturdy, and its large rubber base stops it sliding about on your desk. Its brushed aluminium sides and white top look great next to most PCs (small-form factor or otherwise), and its transfer speeds are very respectable.</P><br /><P>Perhaps most interestingly of all, as well as a USB 2.0 and twin FireWire 800 ports (a cable for FW400 connections is supplied), there's also a three-port USB hub for connecting further peripherals. Just the thing if you want a USB hard drive, but are running out of ports. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 89%</STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>LaCie Starck 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://www.lacie.com/uk/">www.lacie.com/uk </A></P><br /><P><img alt="Lacie starck 1tb" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.roundup3_1-starck-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>If you're looking for an external hard drive that looks great next to almost any PC, you could do a lot worse than check out this one. </P><br /><P>Designed by top industrial designer Philippe Starck, its sturdy aluminium casing and shiny, molten metal front look absolutely gorgeous. Starck's signature cross sign is projected onto the desktop as a drive status LED too, which is a nice touch. </P><br /><P>The molten front panel is touch-sensitive, functioning as a shortcut button that can be set up to launch an application, open a file or mount and unmount the drive. Unfortunately, the configuration software that controls this function is a little flaky. </P><br /><P>The Starck isn't LaCie's most versatile external desktop hard drive. It's USB 2.0-only, though it gave us reasonable speeds in our benchmarking tests. For even faster speeds, you can download a turbo driver, to boost USB speeds by up to 33 per cent. </P><br /><P>Also bundled is 10GB of Wuala online storage, which is free for a year, and LaCie Genie Backup Assistant for an easy way to back up your files. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 83%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>G-Technology G-Raid 1TB </STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://www.g-technology.com/">www.g-technology.com </A></P><br /><P><img alt="G-raid" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.Img39240_1-gtech.gdrive-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>This attractive, sturdy device holds two 500GB drives arranged in a hardware RAID 0 array for additional speed. </P><br /><P>It offers USB 2.0 connectivity, twin FireWire 800 ports with a FireWire 800-to-400 cable for connection to a FireWire 400 port.For the fastest possible connection, there's also eSATA. </P><br /><P>An Oxford 936 chipset is used for its out-of-the box hardware RAID 0 array. You can switch to a RAID 1 mirrored array, which copies your data to both of the drive's two discs, halving the unit's overall storage capacity but protecting your data against drive failure.</P><br /><P>G-Technology doesn't exactly go out of its way to show you how to do this, though. You have to download an application called 'G-Tech Configurator' from the support section of its website, or search the bundled CD where it's only found under G-RAID Mini, a different product.</P><br /><P>Unlike its stable mate, the similarly-styled G-DRIVE, the G-RAID uses a fan-based cooling system. Thankfully, it's based on a thermo-regulated smart fan that only kicks in when the temperature rises, and is pretty quiet in operation even when it's running.</P><br /><P>It's also worth mentioning that the 4TB version of this external hard drive isn't compatible with Windows XP. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 86%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>Freecom Hard Drive XS 3.0 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web <a href="http://www.freecom.com/default2.asp">www.freecom.com</A> </P><br /><P><img alt="Freecom hard drive xs 1tb" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.Img39240_1-freecom-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>Freecom's Hard Drive XS 3.0 is USB-only. As you'd expect from the name, it's compatible with the new USB 3.0 standard, which is up to ten times faster than USB 2.0 and fully backwards-compatible. </P><br /><P>Although a desktop design (it's based on a 3.5-inch SATA drive format and plugs into the mains), it's clearly built with portability in mind. </P><br /><P>Described as 'the world's smallest 3.5-inch external drive', the unit as a whole is barely larger than the drive it holds. It's also wrapped in a rubber sleeve to reduce vibrations and protect against minor knocks. This rubberised finish and its fanless construction make the Hard Drive XS 3.0 almost silent in operation. </P><br /><P>Even when using a slower USB 2.0 connection, the XS 3.0 is pretty speedy. It's reasonably light at 862g too, and its power supply is a modest, pocket-sized affair. There's no enormous brick-like transformer to lug around. </P><br /><P>Given its clear advantages as a semi-portable drive, we can't think why Freecom didn't bundle a carry case. It would've rounded off a very useful and keenly-priced package. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 85%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>G-Technology G-Drive 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://www.g-technology.com/">www.g-technology.com</A></P><br /><P><img alt="Gtech g-drive" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.Img392-gtech.graid-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>This beautifully realised aluminium design from Hitachi subsidiary G-Technology is clearly conceived with the Mac user in mind, but it looks just as at home next to a brushed metal PC tower. </P><br /><P>As well as USB 2.0, G-DRIVE offers eSATA for ultra-fast connection with compatible machines, and twin FireWire 800 ports. A FireWire 800-to-400 cable is bundled, so you can connect using the slower FireWire 400 standard if you've no spare FW800 port. </P><br /><P>Like many of the drives on test here, the G-DRIVE offers a fanless cooling system. Instead, there's an aluminium heatsink between its supports that silently dissipates heat. At just under five centimetres tall it's got a very low profile, but it's certainly not designed to be vertically mounted. </P><br /><P>It performed admirably in our speed tests, being one of the faster drives in our base-line USB 2.0 test, and at the front of the pack using FireWire. </P><br /><P>The G-DRIVE isn't exactly awash with bundled software, though we wonder how many people actually use applications they get bundled with storage solutions. Despite its triple-interface connectivity options we feel it's a little expensive too, though the quality is very high. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 88%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>Iomega Ego Desktop Hard Drive 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://go.iomega.com/en/?partner=4735">www.iomega.com </A></P><br /><P><img alt="Iomega ego" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.Img39240_1-iomega.ego-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>Iomega's popular eGo Desktop Hard Drive range comes in various fl avours. The silver model we're looking at here offers FireWire 400/800 and USB 2.0 connectivity and is Mac-formatted out of the box, but can easily be reconfigured for Windows.</P><br /><P>Other variations of the drive include a jet black or midnight blue USB 2.0-only drive, or a charcoal enclosure offering USB 3.0 connectivity. </P><br /><P>The eGo Desktop range boasts plastic enclosures, but they look as smart and attractive as any metal casing. They can be mounted vertically using the supplied stand, or horizontally. </P><br /><P>You get two free software applications with the drive, though you have to download them – they're not on the hard drive itself or on a bundled CD. </P><br /><P>Iomega QuikProtect lets you back up your data to an external or networked drive, according to a schedule or whenever a fi le changes. MozyHome Online backup service lets you back up your data to a cloud server. You get 2GB free with the drive, or you can sign up for MozyPro and buy more storage space for a monthly fee. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 85%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>Buffalo DriveStation 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://www.buffalo-technology.com/">www.buffalo-technology.com </A></P><br /><P><img alt="Buffalo" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.roundup2_1-buffalo-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>This cost-effective drive from Buffalo is USB 2.0-only, but its transfer speeds can be enhanced using the bundled TurboUSB driver. </P><br /><P>Windows users can enjoy full disk AES256-bit hardware encryption to keep your data safe and secure, encrypting all data as soon as it's written to the drive, and protecting it with a password. </P><br /><P>SecureLockManager Easy remembers your credentials and makes logging-on a simple task when using Full Automatic Encryption, and there's a power saving mode that automatically switches off the drive when you shut down your PC. </P><br /><P>Also included is Memeo AutoSync backup software and Google's Picasa software for photo and movie organising. </P><br /><P>The DriveStation's shiny black plastic casing is fairly attractive, especially next to a glossy black tower system, but it picks up fingerprints faster than the CSI team. Thankfully, being a desktop drive, you won't have to pick it up often. </P><br /><P>It's not the fastest of the drives on test here, but it's not the slowest either and its TurboUSB driver makes it a wise choice if you only plan to use USB 2.0 connectivity. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 80%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>Hitachi LifeStudio 1TB Desk Plus</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://www.lifestudio.com/">www.lifestudio.com </A></P><br /><P><img alt="Hitachi" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.roundup2_1-hitachi-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>If you're looking for a big, dumb hard drive for data storage, look elsewhere. Hitachi's LifeStudio range, available in mobile and desktop form factors, is aptly described as 'the hard drive redefined'. It's far more than a bare storage device. </P><br /><P>Its bundled management suite lets you find, organise and share digital content located on both your PC and your LifeStudio drive, view photos you've uploaded to social networking sites, access online content such as games, news, music and videos and auto-sync with the removable USB key mounted on the front of the drive. </P><br /><P>This removable storage device uses a MicroSD card, which can easily be removed and replaced if you want to upgrade. It's all accessed through a gorgeous 3D browser too.</P><br /><P>The LifeStudio Desk Plus isn't the fastest of drives, and it's USB 2.0 only, with no support for faster connectivity methods. </P><br /><P>With its blue and black plastic finish it looks pretty good on your desktop, but the removable USB flash drive means you can't tuck it away out of sight and out of reach. </P><br /><P>If you're only looking for a storage device, this isn't the drive for you, but if its lifestyle and management features appeal, it's excellent value for money. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 90%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>LaCie D2 Quadra 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://www.lacie.com/uk/">www.lacie.com/uk </A></P><br /><P><img alt="Lacie d2" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.roundup2_1-lacie.d2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>This Neil Poulton-designed external hard drive is extremely versatile. It has four connectivity options (as suggested in the name); USB 2.0, twin FireWire 800 ports, a single FireWire 400 port and eSATA. </P><br /><P>It can be vertically mounted using the supplied aluminium stand or used in a horizontal position, and up to four d2 Quadras can be installed together in a convenient desk rack (sold separately). </P><br /><P>The D2 Quadra's casing is made from sturdy aluminium, and its ribbed surface provides a handy heat sink, which LaCie claims offers up to 60 per cent more surface area for heat dissipation compared to a more conventional, flat-sided external drive. </P><br /><P>The drive light on the front of the unit also functions as a shortcut button. Using the supplied software (which is a little buggy – we hope a revision is in the pipeline), you can configure it to back up your data or launch a file or application of your choice.</P><br /><P>Its speeds are very agreeable, it can be set to power down when you switch off your computer and there's bundled software too. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 91%</STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>Freecom Hard Drive Quattro 1TB</STRONG><BR>Web: <a href="http://www.freecom.com/default2.asp">www.freecom.com </A></P><br /><P><img alt="Freecom quattro" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20247/PCF247.w_roundup.roundup2_1-freecom.quad-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>This sturdy quadruple-interface drive is clearly built for function rather than aesthetics. While far from ugly, its uncompromising box-like form factor and no-frills design make no attempt to be decorative. </P><br /><P>Build quality is superb, with a robust brushed aluminium casing and a rugged plastic facing. If you need a drive that can take the knocks, the Freecom Quattro is well worth considering. The Quattro's fanless design means it runs almost silently, making it ideal for desktop use, and it can be mounted horizontally, or vertically using the bundled rubber stands. </P><br /><P>As well as the ubiquitous USB 2.0 port, the Quattro also boasts eSATA, twin FireWire 800 ports and even a FireWire 400 port, which is unusual. Most drives that offer FireWire 400/800 connectivity usually omit the FireWire 400 port, but instead bundle a cable that lets you connect a FW800 outlet to your system's FW400 port. </P><br /><P>Although far from poor, the Freecom Quattro's transfer speeds were nothing special, putting in a mediocre performance under USB 2.0 and lagging behind some of the other FireWire-compatible drives when using FW800. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Verdict: 78&</STRONG></P>

Buying Guide: Best 1TB external hard drive: 10 drives tested

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LaCie Float concept combines external HDD with trackpad, ingenuity with fantasy

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPeNnRCCw9ixEVe_EF3Vserk3vQXkk1cD26aOGLrca3DLZBapq0-Mtwk5DmMASQCZKFjmOwSWCg2pbZyicy_loV_S0XSRceKSvdO1jD0fRoInENvvuj-3cG-5pqDLdJNZTfOxb6LX5CQ/s1600/10x1216bu3208l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPeNnRCCw9ixEVe_EF3Vserk3vQXkk1cD26aOGLrca3DLZBapq0-Mtwk5DmMASQCZKFjmOwSWCg2pbZyicy_loV_S0XSRceKSvdO1jD0fRoInENvvuj-3cG-5pqDLdJNZTfOxb6LX5CQ/s320/10x1216bu3208l.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br> How do you freshen up the typically unexciting external storage unit? You slap a multitouch trackpad on the top of it, of course. And since you're dreaming up wild concepts, make that top out of carbon fiber, provide a base made out of glass and insert some LEDs next to it to provide ambient illumination -- with an integrated light sensor adjusting their brightness on the fly, obviously.<br> <br>

LaCie Float concept combines external HDD with trackpad, ingenuity with fantasy

How do you freshen up the typically unexciting external storage unit? You slap a multitouch trackpad on the top of it, of course. And since...

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Hitachi ships Deskstar 7K3000 and 5K3000 HDDs, 3TB XL external drive

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTkLA_2dtkxtGdVAyZTDmMLCYNp8fjixRMHieZBJZNPbCv827ba2GM5P5Xkz5mgrtfOaIUxeSPcRIKbcr2L7DmdwnFsrL37v4kb7GcmicRsQCUx4QfhkWWB5aostMmhAUBWveIQvq9cA/s1600/hitachi-gst-xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTkLA_2dtkxtGdVAyZTDmMLCYNp8fjixRMHieZBJZNPbCv827ba2GM5P5Xkz5mgrtfOaIUxeSPcRIKbcr2L7DmdwnFsrL37v4kb7GcmicRsQCUx4QfhkWWB5aostMmhAUBWveIQvq9cA/s1600/hitachi-gst-xl.jpg"></a></div><br> <iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=latesttecompu-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003S6ID20&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Three. It's a magical number, you know? Hitachi GST sure feels that way, and the company is today introducing a trio of three terabyte storage solutions. First up is the 3TB Deskstar internal HDD kit, which apparently shatters the 2.2TB capacity limit on 32-bit Windows XP systems without any extra hardware required.<br> <br>

Hitachi ships Deskstar 7K3000 and 5K3000 HDDs, 3TB XL external drive

Three. It's a magical number, you know? Hitachi GST sure feels that way, and the company is today introducing a trio of three terabyte ...

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Does the Seagate FreeAgent Pro External Hard Drive Support a 64-Bit Operating System?

<P>FreeAgent Pro drives work with 64-bit operating systems.The Seagate FreeAgent Pro range of external hard disk drives all function on 64-bit operating systems. However, the Microsoft Windows software utilities supplied with the drive are not 64-bit compatible.</P><br /><P></P>The Seagate FreeAgent Pro range includes external hard disk drives with capacities of up to 1 terabyte (TB). The drives are usually used for system backup or to store libraries of data or media files. A 64-bit operating system, such as Windows 7 64-bit, is able to recognize the drive when you connect it to your PC, and allows you to move files between the device and the hard drive on your <a href="">computer</A>. The bundled software will only work with 32-bit versions of Windows. If you plan to use a FreeAgent Pro hard drive with your 64-bit system and have no intention of utilizing the bundled software, you should experience no functionality problems. If you wish to use the software utilities, it would be better to buy a more recent drive from the FreeAgent range, which includes 64-bit compatible software.

Does the Seagate FreeAgent Pro External Hard Drive Support a 64-Bit Operating System?

FreeAgent Pro drives work with 64-bit operating systems.The Seagate FreeAgent Pro range of external hard disk drives all function on 64-bit ...

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Buying Guide: 6 of the best 1TB external hard drives for your Mac

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/MAC227.group.opener1_1-200-200.jpg" /> <br /> Upgrading your Mac's internal hard drive can be a tricky task. It's simple enough if you own a Mac Pro, and the drives in the current MacBook range are designed to be user-accessible. <br /> But if you're running an iMac or a Mac mini, replacing the HDD is a task for the professionals. <br /> Plugging in an external drive is far more convenient and gives you an extra drive rather than a replacement one. But with so many on offer, which do you choose? <br /> For this group test, we're looking at mains-powered desktop devices, based on 3.5-inch form factor hard drives. To make sure we're comparing like with like, they're all 1TB, though most models are available in more than one capacity. <br /> The advantage of these drives is that their price-per-GB ratio is better than that offered by portable drives, which are smaller, use 2.5-inch HDDs and are powered through their USB or FireWire data connection. <br /> Of course, desktop drives are also less convenient to take from A to B. If your external drive seldom, if ever, leaves your computer, a desktop drive is for you. <br /> Macs recognise Windows formatted drives, and reformatting is a simple task anyway, so we've not taken out-of-the-box formatting into account when awarding marks. All drives were formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for testing. <br /> <img alt="Freecom" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/MAC227.group.cut2-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br /> <b>External hard drives on test</b><br /> Buffalo DriveStation - £74 <br /> Freecom Hard Drive Quattro - £114 <br /> G-Technology G-Drive - £161 <br /> Hitachi LifeStudio Desk Plus - £88<br /> Iomega Ego Desktop Hard Drive Mac Edition - £115 <br /> Lacie Starck - £99 <br /> <b>Test one: Design quality</b><br /> <img alt="Lacie starck" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/MAC227.group.cut3-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br /> Full marks for the LaCie here. Designed by top industrial designer Philippe Starck, its sturdy aluminium casing and shiny, molten metal front look absolutely gorgeous. Starck's signature cross sign is projected onto the desktop as a drive status LED too, which is a nice touch. <br /> The G-DRIVE is designed to match the Mac Pro, but looks good next to any modern Mac. Build quality is excellent too, being sturdily crafted from brushed aluminium. <br /> The Quattro is equally sturdy, but is clearly built for function rather than aesthetics. It's not ugly, but it's just not all that eye-catching either. <br /> The Hitachi LifeStudio Desk Plus's plastic build is solid enough, but its form factor and detachable USB key means it demands accessible desk space, and cannot be tucked away out of sight. <br /> Buffalo's DriveStation also features a plastic casing. Its shiny surface is reasonably attractive, but it picks up fingerprints faster than the CSI team. <br /> <b>Test results </b><br /> <b><img alt="test 1" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/test1-hdd-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></b><br /> <b>Test Two: Performance</b><br /> <img alt="Buffalo drivestation" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/MAC227.group.cut5-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br /> Of the six drives on offer, the Starck, LifeStudio and DriveStation are USB-only, but the DriveStation includes turbo drivers for increased speed. The others all offer FireWire 800 connectivity. <br /> Only the Quattro has a FireWire 400 port, but the eGo and G-DRIVE units bundle a FW400-800 cable so you can connect the drive to your Mac's FireWire 400 port. <br /> We tested each drive twice, using its fastest connection and bare-bones USB. As most modern Macs have FireWire and desktop drives are rarely carried around and shared with USB-only computers, the fastest test is the most important. <br /> And not surprisingly, quickest off the blocks is the Iomega eGo, closely followed by G-Tech's G-DRIVE, both under FireWire 800. Freecom's Quattro also has FireWire 800, but is a little slow compared to the fastest two. Buffalo's USB 2.0 connectivity is significantly boosted by a bundled turbo driver – a great touch for the cheapest drive on offer. <br /> <b>Test results </b><br /> <b><img alt="test 2" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/test2-hdd-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></b><br /> <b>Test Three: Features </b><br /> <img alt="Hitachi" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/MAC227.group.cut6_1-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br /> Hitachi describes its LifeStudio as 'the hard drive redefined'. It's far more than a bare storage device. <br /> Its bundled management suite lets you find, organise and share digital content, view your photos on social networking sites, access online content such as games, news, music and videos, and autosync with the removable USB key mounted on the front of the drive. It's probably not the best choice if you only want data storage, though. Check out everything it can do at <a href="http://www.lifestudio.com/">www.lifestudio.com</a>. <br /> LaCie's Starck has a touch-sensitive section used to launch applications, open files, mount and unmount the drive and more. But the software used to configure it is very flaky when running Snow Leopard. <br /> The Starck also gives 10GB of Wuala online storage for a year and a backup package. Iomega's eGo offers a good range of software, including a year's subscription to Trend Micro's Trend Smart Surfing and 2GB storage with MozyHome Online Backup. <br /> <b>Test results </b><br /> <b><img alt="test 3" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/test3-hdd-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></b><br /> <b>Test Four: Value for money </b><br /> <img alt="G-Drive" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/MAC227.group.cut4-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br /> Most of the drives put in a solid rather than spectacular performance when assessed for value for money. The Hitachi LifeStudio Desk Plus is an exception. Given its feature set, its online price of under £90 is a bargain, though once again, not every Mac user wants its unique abilities. <br /> The eGo and Quattro drives are very good value for money given the range of connectivity options they offer, but the also-versatile G-DRIVE is a little expensive for a hard drive of 1TB capacity, despite its good looks and quality.<br /> Considering its pedigree, you'd expect the LaCie Starck to cost more, but it's actually pretty reasonable for such a uniquely fashioned device. It would certainly have scored higher had its support software not proved so unreliable under Snow Leopard.<br /> Buffalo's DriveStation is the cheapest drive on test here, but too many of its bundled features, such as encryption, are Windows-only. Its turbo driver is welcome, though. <br /> <b>Test results </b><br /> <b><img alt="Test 4" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/Test4-hdd-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></b><br /> <b>The Winner: Iomega eGo Desktop Mac Edition </b><br /> <img alt="Iomega" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20227/MAC227.group.cut1-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br /> When adding an external HDD, most of us just want a big, dumb drive for data storage. Iomega's speedy eGo Desktop Hard Drive Mac Edition is ideal. It boasts FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 connectivity, with a bundled cable that lets you connect it to a FireWire 400 port if necessary. <br /> The bundled stand lets you position it on its side, and with its grey plastic finish and front grille, it looks right at home next to any aluminium-bodied Mac. <br /> Two drives make worthy runners-up. Hitachi's LifeStudio Desk Plus offers a great range of features, accessed via a neat 3D browser, but if all you want is storage, it isn't for you. <br /> The G-Technology G-DRIVE is ideal for Mac Pro owners who like matching peripherals, but it isn't cheap.

Buying Guide: 6 of the best 1TB external hard drives for your Mac

Upgrading your Mac's internal hard drive can be a tricky task. It's simple enough if you own a Mac Pro, and the drives in the curr...

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