Sanho Did It: External HDD for iPad (750GB at $599)
Connected to Apple Camera Connection Kit
This is a Press Release edited by StorageNewsletter.com on September 8, 2010 at 3:15 pmSanho Corporation unveil the HyperDrive, the only hard drive in the market that can connect directly to the iPad without using a computer. Using the HyperDrive, users can store up to 750GB of high definition video and photos, easily sending them to the iPad for viewing anytime. HyperDrive is also a memory card backup device with 2 card slots to directly backup from 12 different types of cards and a 3.2" color LCD screen for photo viewing and file management.
Using the Apple Camera Connection Kit, the iPad is able to connect to SD cards and self-powered USB devices. However there is a size limitation of 32GB, making it impossible for larger USB hard drives to connect to the iPad. HyperDrive iPad Hard Drive overcomes this limit with its unique patent pending ability to turn individual file folders into virtual 32GB drives on the fly that is readable by the iPad.
Users can first transfer their entire movie and photo library, organized into folders on the HyperDrive. They can do so by connecting the HyperDrive to their computer via USB or copy directly from memory cards via HyperDrive’s built-in card slots. Once that is done, users will have up to 750GB of media accessible to the iPad anytime.
To transfer media from the HyperDrive to the iPad, users just need to connect the HyperDrive to the iPad via a USB cable and the Apple Camera Connection Kit. Using the HyperDrive’s built-in 3.2" LCD screen, users can select a folder on the HyperDrive, and the folder contents will appear on the iPad screen, giving users the option to chose which media to download to their iPad.
"HyperDrive iPad Hard Drive lets you carry your entire HD movie and photo library with your iPad," says Daniel Chin, President of Sanho Corporation. "HyperDrive is as compact as your portable USB hard drive and yet at capacities up to 750GB, can hold more data than your laptop," he added. "The iPad is the perfect media player but its capacities are limited and it requires a computer and iTunes to transfer media to the iPad," he continued. "HyperDrive releases the iPad from this restriction and truly turns it into a media consuming device," he concludes.
Like its predecessors, HyperDrive iPad Hard Drive is also a memory card backup device capable of downloading data from 12 different types of memory cards in 2 of its built-in card slots at speeds up to 40MB/s (or 2GB/minute). The HyperDrive will be useful for photographers and videographers who want to perform backups in the field or simply capture more photos and videos beyond what their memory cards allow.
HyperDrive iPad Hard Drive also functions as a USB external hard drive when connected to the computer. Its 3.2" QVGA color LCD screen displays JPEG and RAW images. Other advanced features include memory card data recovery, memory card and hard drive speed tests and diagnostics checks.
Features
Connects to the iPad to transfer photos, movies and other media
Connect HyperDrive as a USB hard drive to the computer
Import any data from memory card directly, without a computer
Browse through RAW or JPEG photos on built-in 3.2" color LCD screen
Image slideshow, R/G/B/L histogram and EXIF display
Advanced photo browser and file manager
Manage all files that are stored on the HyperDrive
Recover deleted, corrupted photos on the memory card
Perform hard drive and memory card diagnostic checks
Support multiple partitioned hard drive formats
Hard drive and memory card benchmark tools
Price and Availability
The HyperDrive COLORSPACE UDMA is available now at the following manufacturer’s suggested retail price (120GB:$299, 160GB:$349, 250GB:$399, 320GB:$449, 500GB:$499, 640GB:$549, 750GB:$599).
Comments
When iPad was announced last January, we
noted
that its main weakness was a lack of storage, 64GB only and no
possibility to add capacity because there was no USB connector but a
proprietary 30-pin to USB cable to connect iPad to a PC for
synchronization with a computer using iTunes, but not to connect an
external storage device. At this time we also remarked that Apple was
offering an optional Camera Connection Kit that can be used to import
photos and videos with a direct connection to cameras, and, more than
that, to attach a SD card reader to transmit data to the iPad, but not
for storage expansion. We also wrote:" But technically, it seems
possible to imagine to replace the SD reader by another peripherals."
Sanho did it with HyperDrive and is probably not the last company to enter in this field. It is an (expansive) external 2.5-inch HDD powered by a battery,
with a 3.2-inch color TFT LCD, two slots supporting 14 memory card
formats and connected to the iPad via an USB cable and the Apple Camera
Connection Kit. It requires no computer or iTunes to transfer the data.
Normally, 32GB is the maximum capacity handled by Apple Camera
Connection Kit but Sanho patented a technology to turn folders into virtual 32GB drives.
There are also several companies offering cloud storage for iPod, including Box.net, CoSoSys, Dane-Elec (myDitto), DropBox, Glide, JungleDisk, Live Mesh, SkyDrive and SugarSync.