Whether you use a desktop or laptop computer, there is one thing that will certainly happen, one day you will run out of hard disk space. For those who need to easily add more hard disk space to their computer or simply want to be able to transport large amounts of data from one machine to another, there is now an easy way to solve your problem. External hard drives have been available for a long time. Based on SCSI, Parallel, USB, or FireWire, they provide an external case for a standard hard drive with connectors for the interface and power. One of the latest offerings from Targus is the X-MeM External HDD.

Based on a 2.5” laptop hard drive inside a fully enclosed plastic case, the X-MeM HDD (20GB) is inserted into the X-MeM Reader Base to connect to the computer. Supporting USB 1.0 (up to 12Mbps) and FireWire (up to 400Mbps), the Base is connected to the computer and an AC Adapter supplies power. The data cable is stored within the Base, wound around the center core. A 2-port FireWire repeater is built-into the Base. An LED indicates power and drive activity. FireWire and USB adapters for the data cable are included. The Reader Base is 4.8”x2.0”x3.3” and 9 oz. The HDD Pack is 4.9”x3.4”x.70” and 6.9 oz.

The 20GB hard drive is contained within a light-weight, shock-resistant plastic case. This is a high-speed product with unlimited growth capacity. The optimal method of using this product would be to have a Reader Base at each computer and then use the HDD Pack to expand your storage and move large amounts of data between computers.

While this product would work well with desktop computers, I personally feel that other forms of USB/FireWire portable hard drives would work better with laptops since many of them are self-powered from the USB port and do not require a Reader Base. The X-MeM will give the standard desktop computer an easy way to add additional storage space while allowing a convenient way to move large amounts of data between computers.

Pros
Easy to use
Light-weight

Cons
Expensive
Cannot be used without Reader Base

Rating: 6 out of 10 Stars.

Harvey Lee
-Technology Editor

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Product: Targus X-MeM External HDD
Manufacturer: Targus Inc.
Web Site: www.targus.com
Category: PC / Hardware
Price: $349.99