I had a chance on Friday to chat with reps from Hitachi, who told me about some new products in conjunction with the SimpleTech acquisition earlier this year. We've reviewed SimpleTech hard drives in the past, with positive results, so we're anxious to see how these two new drives compare to their predecessors.
Up to bat first is the SimpleTOUGH portable hard drive, a tough guy that claims to be one of the most rugged drives for an excessively abusive environment. The Hitachi reps claimed the drive can withstand a 10-foot drop, more than 5 feet more than the
They also told me someone at Hitachi actually ran over one of the drives with a 1-ton commercial-class truck that belonged to one of their neighbors, and it lived to write another day! I'm sure Hitachi doesn't recommend running over the SimpleTOUGH yourself, but it sure as heck should be able to withstand the daily rigors of the average consumer.
It also has a built-in USB cord in its all-in-one design. Pricing for the SimpleTOUGH starts at $99 for the 250GB version, $120 for the 320GB, and $150 for to the 500GB. All drives are shipping now.
If you don't want to pay the slight premium for the SimpleTOUGH, Hitachi's got your back with the SimpleDRIVE Mini Portable, a more stylish and stripped down version of the SimpleTOUGH. It comes in multiple colors and offers local as well as online backup (2GB free for life on Mozy).
The SimpleDRIVE is available now in 250GB (red) for $90, 320GB (blue) for $110, and 500GB (textured carbon fiber) for $140. Click through the slideshow below for more images of both offerings.
