Digital Home Thoughts: Portable Storage: IOGEAR's 20 GB COMBO 1.8" ION Drive

Product Category: Storage
Manufacturer: IOGEAR
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
Price: $169.99 USD
System Requirements: For Mac Users, Mac OS 9 or greater; for PC Users, 200MHz or greater, Windows® 98SE or greater, minimum 64MB RAM; and both OS's, an available USB/Firewire port. Full requirements can be found here.
Specifications: USB Specification: Firewire 400/ USB 1.1 and 2.0 compliant. Ports: (1) Firewire 4-pin port / (1) USB mini-B port. Transfer Rate: 400Mbsp Firewire / 480 Mbps USB 2.0. Power Consumption: 5.0V 2.1A. Cable Length: Free Firewire & Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Cable (6 Feet Each). Rotational Speed: 4200 RPM. Dimensions: Length 4.8 in. (12.2 cm.); Height 0.6 in. (1.7 cm.); Width 3.1 in. (8.1 cm.). Weight: .45 lbs. (.20. Kg.). A more complete list of specifications can be found here.

Pros:

• Lightweight storage;
  
• Small form factor;
  
• Fast data transfer capabilities.

Cons:

• Needs two cables attached at all times (power and data);
  
• Hardware ports seem to shift after constant use;
  
• No expandability without voiding warranty.

Summary:
As we become a more and more mobile world, data storage and backup becomes a vital aspect of our daily lives. The problem is, how to get enough storage without having to become pack mules at the same time. Floppies and USB thumbdrives don't store enough, CDs and DVDs can be easily damaged, and most "portable" drives are too cumbersome to always have on the ready. IOGEAR, sensing our plight, has introduced the ION Combo - an "ultra-portable" external drive with storage capabilites from 20-250GB and both Firewire and USB 2.0 connections. But how does this device stand up to the day-to-day rigors of mobile computing?

Read on for the full review!