Hard drives for your pocket

Portable hard drives, in all their pocket-size splendor, now pack in plenty of storage space. Capacities up to 500GB (plus a 1TB network-attached option) and a veritable candy store of colors make choosing a portable hard drive fun.

By Melissa J. Perenson

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Seagate FreeAgent Go

Seagate differentiates itself from the pack by providing a unique docking-station option. And now the FreeAgent Go finally gets colour: The drive comes in four hues, available across three capacities: 250GB (in black or silver), 320GB (in black, silver, blue, or red), and 500GB (in black or silver). The drive measures just a half-inch thick and weighs 5.6 ounces. Software comes preloaded: The Seagate Manager suite offers scheduled backups and file synchronization, while Seagate DrivePass provides password protection for the drive (the software has 256-bit AES software encryption, too).

The docking station is a $30 option that also includes a black leatherette travel case for the FreeAgent Go. The drive sits upright in the dock, which connects via USB.

Weighing 7.8 ounces and measuring 0.7 inch, the Mac version of the FreeAgent Go is a little heavier and thicker than its PC sibling. It comes in 250GB, 320GB, and 500GB capacities; features FireWire 800/400 interfaces; and is preformatted in the Apple Time Machine-compatible HFS+ format. The Mac version costs more than the PC version, but it also includes the docking station and travel case. Unfortunately, the docking station requires FireWire 800; and, as on a PC, if you run the drive off of USB, you'll need two USB cables.

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Hard drives for your pocket

Seagate FreeAgent Go

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