A new storage device guards against the day when your PC drive takes a dive. The ReadyNAS Duo, announced at the Consumer Electronics Show, is made by Netgear and will go on sale in March.
Unlike simple single-drive storage connected to one computer with a cable, it is part of the home or office network, so it can be reached by all of the network’s PCs or media players. What is most important, the ReadyNAS Duo can hold two drives that automatically mirror each other. If one drive becomes cranky or overheated, this box tells you by e-mail.
As with pro-level gear, you can add an inexpensive uninterruptible power supply to shield your data from lightning and power failures. (Even imperceptibly brief cutoffs can damage unprotected drives.) And if you run out of room, you can upgrade to bigger drives painlessly. The starting price is $499 with one 500- gigabyte drive. A redundant twin drive will cost about $110.
