Buffalo touts 'first' external SSD

Buffalo has released what it claims is the country's first external solid-state drive. Buffalo MicroStation Buffalo's MicroStation: compact The MicroStation line has a maximum 100GB raw storage capacity - 32GB and 64GB versions are also available - that connects using a USB 2.0 which wraps round the drive. Buffalo …

[Bronek Kozicki]

two points

1. it's just a flash drive (pen/thumb/jump/etc.-drive) that finally followed advances in flash memory.

2. I thought that MicroStation is CAD software and a registered trademark of Bentley Systems, Inc.

[Anonymous Coward]

Stuff that!

You can pickup a freecom 320GB portable pocket HD, USB powered, for about 65 quid from Amazon!

[Anonymous Coward]

@ Trademarks

Trademarks are held on a type of product, since no-one can confuse a piece of hardware - the SSD with CAD software there is no conflict unless Bentley have registered multiple trademarks in different categories including computer hardware.

[Pete]

Pah!

RIP OFF!! The only benefit of this is the ability to run without A/C power. And 100GB is peanuts these days. I'll be impressed when they bring out the 1TB version instead.

Mine's the one with the Ironkey in the pocket

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Stuff that!

"You can pickup a freecom 320GB portable pocket HD, USB powered, for about 65 quid from Amazon!"

Think you can get the 500Gb versions for under a ton if you shop around, and if you're not fussed about bus-power and enclosure size then the 1Tb externals are getting cheaper too (got an Iomega drive for £99 inc.VAT)

Other than that, it's just a glorified flash-drive.

[Bronek Kozicki]

@AC 11:06 GMT

I stand corrected.

[Matt Davey]

@Trademarks (AC 11:06 GMT)

IANAL, but I do remember that 'Pilot' pens managed to force Palm to drop its use of 'Palm Pilot' as a product name. Now, maybe Palm needed a better legal team, but I guess the courts have a fair degree of latitude in deciding how easily consumers are misled!

[Iain]

Savings

100GB/8GB=12.5

12.5*£14.99=£187.87

Saving in buying 12 8GB flash drives from mymemory = £156.13

Prices accurate as of 3/9/08

[alistair millington]

It's still just a big

Pen drive....

When it is under £100 and has over 500MB I would consider it, The upgrade in speeds, reliability and performance are easily blown away by the fact you can get pen drives dirt cheap these days.

[Jim]

I agree, a big pen drive

USB 2.0? If they seriously wanted to market this as an external SSD then it should have an eSATA (or at a push Firewire) interface. Something that would give better performance than your average pen/thumb/flash drive anyway.

[Doug Lynn]

Its not a SSD its USB flash drive - they can't sell flash drives in USA

Buffalo Technology will no longer be selling USB Flash Drives, MMC memory cards or CompactFlash ®, or any products containing those components in the United States. This decision is based upon SanDisk Corporation's multiple patent infringement proceedings against, among others, Buffalo's component suppliers of these products. Although Buffalo is confident its suppliers will ultimately be successful in rebutting SanDisk Corporation's assertions of infringement, until this issue is resolved Buffalo has decided to avoid any further litigation and refrain from supplying these products in the United States. Click here for additional information.

Hmm sounds like a mislabel, an SSD replaces a HD and has to be SATA not USB interface.

[sambob223]

Been there, done that

As said earlier, pen,thumb Its already been done.

What I want to know Is can you remove It from the external case and use It In your desktop via a sata connection when you upgrade to a larger capacity one, so you don't end up with a bunch of these shoved In your closet doing nothing.