Store on the go
Small on the outside and big on the inside, USB pocket drives have become a common choice for toting hefty files. The latest version of Verbatim’s Store ‘n’ Go USB Drive holds 12 gigabytes of file storage on a device less than 3 inches high by 1.4 inches wide.
The Store ‘n’ Go keeps data on a 1-inch hard drive and connects to the computer with a flip-out USB plug. The drive is priced at $179 and is expected to arrive in stores in the next few weeks. It works with most Windows, Macintosh and Linux systems.
Windows users also get Mobile Launchpad software, which can store and run programs right from the portable drive itself without requiring them to be installed on the host computer; details are at verbatim.com/hddrive. Some of the programs that you can take with you include Skype, AOL Instant Messenger and the Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail program, so you can communicate from just about anyplace you can find a PC with an Internet connection. – J.D. Biersdorfer, The New York Times
Hear, hear!
Denon, the maker of high-end audio equipment, is lending its expertise to a new line of headphones for the consumer market. The AH line, which ranges from the $700 AH-D5000 to the iPod-friendly $50 AH-C350 earbuds, has some interesting design advances.
The most expensive model, the D5000, is clearly intended for those who can appreciate its neodymium magnets and response range of 5 to 45,000 hertz. These headphones have a housing made of mahogany, and Denon says this provides better acoustics than their plastic brethren.
Two other models in the line, the D2000 ($350) and D1000 ($150), include audio-improvement circuitry and gold-plated plugs. The D5000 and D2000 have magnesium frames, making them considerably lighter than many over-the-ear headphones.
On the smaller end of the spectrum are the AH-C700 ($200) and AH-C350 ($50) earbuds. The C700 is made of aluminum while the C350 is plastic. Both include foam in-ear buds and an antitangle cable.
The headphones are available for ordering at Amazon.com and ship later this month. Just one question: Is the D5000 termite-proof? – John Biggs, The New York Times
