Shockproof portable USB 2.0 hard drives are not a new idea. In the past year led the Iomega eGo Blackbelt, which we reviewed. But SimpleTech, a Hitachi company has a new wrinkle with the Hitachi SimpleTough added product.SimpleTough, about the size and weight of the Blackbelt, and other portable devices that are available in three capacities: 250 GB, 320 GB and 500 GB (a 640 GB version comes in). U.S. prices range between $ 100 and $ 150, but the 500 GB model is available online for less than $ 125. We have the 500 GB version.
Based on Hitachi Travelstar 2.5-inch hard disk technology that is widely used in laptops, the SimpleTough "run to provide a three-meter (9.8 ft. drop) to." This limit is falling more than seven of the Blackbelt foot. SimpleTough is "waterproof" even though the company did not say what exactly that means.
Another nice innovation: an integrated USB cable. It's a tough rubberized strips about five inches long, which neatly wraps around one end of the moldings drive enclosure, and lies out of the way when not in use. You will never lose more.
Through the rubber shock absorbers on the rigid but lightweight carbon-fiber casing, SimpleTough is a little thicker than a few portable drives with 4.8-x 3.26-x 0.87-inches. This is slightly larger than Blackbelt and not quite small enough to fit into a shirt pocket. But the device is small enough to fit neatly in a jacket pocket or handbag, and it weighs only 5.9 ounces.
Let the ratings release
Our out-of-the-box experience with SimpleTough was good but not perfect. The opening of the packaging can be a little confusing for experienced technology dogs. Did they leave something by mistake? Where are all the accessories and instructions?
The package includes: 1) a SimpleTough a drive, and 2) a small Read Me First "brochure. Period. One result of the simplicity.
USB Power Only
SimpleTough pulls out all the necessary power - in theory - through the integrated USB cable. Some portable drives are equipped with a two-headed cable, so you drag them into the two USB ports connector for additional power when needed. With SimpleTough if she can not draw enough power from one port, you have a problem.
There is a connector for an external power supply - a 1.0-volt-amp 5 (5VDC) adapter, which finds little help in the brochure is "given." SimpleTech is no indication where to get, one. Radio Shack does not seem to sell such a product.
But we had no problems running the Smart Tough by a USB port, either on our main test computer, a one-year ZTPC tower model with Windows 7, nor a Dell XPS M1330 laptop, an updated model that runs Vista .
Sometimes, the five-inch cable is not long enough. If we SimpleTough properly with the tower PC, it would not be wide enough to sit up and would have hung over the ground. But it works well with a laptop on the table.
If the drive is connected, the driver software installs itself automatically and SimpleTough appears as a drive in My Computer. Was the product splash screen will automatically pop up at this time? It did not take in our facility. And the "Read Me First" brochure is strangely silent on the question to do what next.
In fact, you have the drive in My Computer folder and double-click the file Get_started_for_windows.exe open. The main menu appears and shows the top five ways: Register, formatting, backup now Joggle (a SimpleTech-hosted social media site that helps you organize and search for media and provide an option available to others online), tips & Help.
Can you ignore the option "formatting. The drive is preformatted as FAT32, which means it is ready to be used on almost any PC, Mac or Linux computer.