Tag Archives: external hard drive

Ugreen’s NASync at CES 2024: Redefining Smart Storage with AI and User-Centric Design

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At CES 2024, Ugreen has made a significant statement in the world of data storage by introducing its new NASync series. This foray marks Ugreen’s expansion beyond its traditional scope of charging and accessories into the realm of Network Attached Storage (NAS), doing so with a flair for innovation and user engagement. The NASync device also targets regular consumers (rather than the enterprise-specific tech users that usually rely on network-attached storage) – this shift comes with its distinct benefits, as Ugreen highlighted in their keynote, talking about how the NASync could now become the iCloud or Google Drive alternative that you don’t have to pay monthly subscriptions for… or the Netflix or Disney Plus streaming service that lets you play movies/media you own on any connected device anywhere.

Designer: Ugreen

The collaboration with Intel is a cornerstone of the NASync series, empowering these devices with Intel® processors. This partnership brings together Ugreen’s expertise in HDD and SSD solutions and Intel’s robust capabilities in cloud computing and PC components, creating a product that stands out for its technical excellence and user-friendly approach.

The integration of AI is a key highlight of the NASync series. This is a core component that transforms the NASync into an intelligent hub for digital activities. The AI in these devices is designed to adapt to user behaviors, streamlining tasks and offering personalized experiences. The NASync device can automatically read text within an image or a document, allowing you to then search for text WITHIN a file (like finding all invoices with a certain client’s name). Ugreen’s Hernan Lopez also demonstrated the ability to create visual tags, with the AI autonomously learning what different objects (or even faces) look like. For instance, you could create a tag for “Drone” and then visually search through your entire database for drone images, with the AI automatically understanding the visual archetype of a drone’s design. It all happens locally, allowing you to build your own Google Image Search right within the comforts of your own home.

Ugreen has also placed a significant emphasis on the design of the NASync, ensuring it is approachable for a wide range of users. The focus on a user-friendly interface, both in the hardware’s physical design and the software interaction, makes NASync an accessible yet powerful tool for anyone, regardless of their technical expertise. Easy hot-swappable drives allow users to add new HDDs or SSDs on demand, and if a drive fails, they can simply swap the old one out for a new one while still maintaining all their data on the NAS.

The NASync series stands as a powerful example of Ugreen’s commitment to blending high-tech features with ease of use. It’s a product that respects the user’s need for simplicity without compromising on performance – ideal for managing large data sets, running AI algorithms, or effortlessly streaming 8K video.

Ugreen’s entrance into the NAS market with the NASync series is reflective of the brand’s evolution and its commitment to being at the forefront of technology. This series is a bold demonstration of Ugreen’s ability to infuse cutting-edge technology into consumer-friendly products.

As we look at Ugreen’s new venture at CES 2024, it’s evident that the NASync series is more than a set of NAS devices; it’s a harbinger of how integrated and intelligent technology can become a seamless part of our daily lives. The NASync isn’t just about data storage; it represents a smarter, more intuitive way of interacting with our digital world.

The post Ugreen’s NASync at CES 2024: Redefining Smart Storage with AI and User-Centric Design first appeared on Yanko Design.

This portable hard drive concept hides under the table to save desk space

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Many people in the workforce and even schools create and use a lot of data every day. Sometimes, storing these files in USB sticks and the cloud might be enough, but knowledge workers, content creators, developers, and more need a lot of space. Portable hard drives and SSDs were made for this, especially for situations that require users to switch computers or desks every so often. While their portability might be convenient, these accessories also take up unnecessary space on what might already be a crowded desk. This design concept tries to imagine a different home for these transient devices that hide them from sight while still letting you access their content easily.

Designer: CLAIRE + LÉA

By their very name, portable storage devices are meant to be carried around, letting you access important data anywhere as long as you have a computer. That said, while they are made to be compact and durable to aid in that purpose, they aren’t always designed to look good, especially when placed on a table. In fact, they can take up precious desk space, whether they’re in use or especially when they’re not. You can always keep them in a drawer, of course, but then you also lose time when you have to take it out and connect it to your computer to actually use it.

This hard drive concept tries to bring the best of those two ideas together in a rather interesting way. The minimalist portable hard drive utilizes a spring-loaded slider mechanism so that you can clamp the hard drive to the edge of the desk. This has the effect of hiding the device from sight, even while it’s in use. Ironically, the simple yet distinctive design of the hard drive might make you want to show it off on your desk anyway.

Even when hidden under the desk, the hard drive is still easily accessible thanks to the USB port on the top of the clamp. There is also an LED status light that lets you see when the drive is hard at work, similar to many external storage drives. The power button, on the other hand, is a bit puzzling, suggesting that the drive might have an internal battery which could mean it could also work with a wireless connection.

As efficient and innovative as this concept design might be, it also has a few critical flaws. For one, the pressure exerted by the spring mechanism could risk putting structural strain on the hard drive’s enclosure, especially if it is put on a very thick edge. Having the drive hanging from the edge also opens the door to accidents when your knee or leg hits the device, causing more stress than a messy tabletop. Despite these, the concept does bring up excellent points in designing a product that hasn’t exactly evolved in the past decade even as aesthetic tastes, needs, and circumstances have shifted significantly.

The post This portable hard drive concept hides under the table to save desk space first appeared on Yanko Design.

This external hard disk design concept puts a literal spin on the way we move data around

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We live in a data-centric civilization, where our lives, both personal and work, depend heavily on the availability of these digital artifacts. It has even come to a point that we almost always need or want to have that data with us at all times, which has given birth to cloud storage services. Even so, there remains a need for physical storage we can carry around and quickly access without being at the mercy of an Internet connection. External or portable storage is quite common, of course, but their common designs leave plenty to be desired as far as aesthetics go. While this concept does seem to sacrifice a bit of practicality for looks, it does give an interesting interpretation of our need to move data around.

Designers: Seongmin Ha, Hanyoung Lee

Portable hard drives come in low box shapes, their designs constrained by the technology they use. With the advent of solid-state technology, however, most of those restrictions have been lifted, but portable storage devices still come in almost the same form as their ancestors, only smaller. Granted, there are still some important considerations that drive the design of these gadgets, particularly compactness, portability, and durability. That doesn’t mean you can’t go wild with an idea from time to time and shake off the shackles of those limitations to create something visually interesting and still somewhat practical.

CARGO is one such design that tries to give a different interpretation to the idea of portable data storage. It uses the image of shipping containers as distinct yet interdependent units of data storage. Just like how these gigantic metal boxes are moved around constantly with their contents, so too are these cube-shaped hard drives. At the same time, however, cargo containers also have an aspect of being parts of a whole, where they would come together on a single ship, regardless of their contents or destination.

For this design concept, these elements are translated into a data server in the form of, well, a cargo ship. The different storage blocks can be moved around separately and even used on different platforms, but come together as a single data “center” when placed on that ship. The design is extremely light on technical details, non-existent, in fact, but it’s not that hard to imagine how the ship can serve as the dock for all the external drives, pun totally intended. The drives themselves connect via a USB cable, while the ship could provide a unified access point for drives that are currently connected to it.

Admittedly, CARGO doesn’t have the most convenient shape or size for a portable hard drive, more cumbersome than even the thickest external storage available in the market today. It definitely wins in terms of aesthetics, though, giving a common, mundane gadget a makeover that not only makes it look interesting but also makes a metaphor more tangible and understandable to common folk.

The post This external hard disk design concept puts a literal spin on the way we move data around first appeared on Yanko Design.

This snowy cabin set is actually a USB storage solution in disguise

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Many of us have computer accessories as well as toys on our desks, so why not just combine the two to save space.

Given how much we rely on digital files and artifacts today, it wouldn’t be surprising if we all had a USB thumb drive or external hard drive in our possession. Some might even have memory cards that travel to and from digital cameras to our computers. These devices either take up space on our desk or get lost in our drawers, mostly because they don’t seem to have a good home in our workspaces. This concept, however, tries to solve that by designing USB drives and hubs to be just as decorative as they are functional.

Designers: Yeseul Kim, Edo Kim, Yu Shan Huang

A winter cabin in the mountains is probably the last thing you’ll think of when trying to look for a metaphor for USB drives. That said, the designers of this cabin desktop set found connections in the way both are thought of as transient locations for people or for data. They’re also places where some people make and store memories, another allusion to data stored in these data storage solutions.

Whether you agree with that almost contrived explanation, it’s hard to argue that cabin is a rather creative way to blend utility and decoration in a fun way that doesn’t draw too much attention to itself. At first glance, the set looks like a white house with a red chimney set on top of a white plain. In truth, those three are also the three main parts of this deceptive computer accessory bundle.

The white box that serves as the base of the house is meant to be an external hard drive, with its ridges calling to mind white mountain tops in winter. The house is a USB hub with slots on the roof for data cards. That red chimney is actually the butt of a USB flash drive, though its size suggests it might have very little space for files inside.

The idea isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it does raise the question of why very few manufacturers have dabbled in turning computer accessories into desk toys. The predominant minimalism trend in product design has flooded the market with nondescript and almost impersonal hubs and boxes. Perhaps it’s time for a change that will let people express their personality even through something as banal as a USB hub.

The post This snowy cabin set is actually a USB storage solution in disguise first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Apple device merges AirDrop with an external flash drive for seamless file transferring!

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Drop is like your typical flash drive device, except it integrates AirDrop into its operation to be more Apple-friendly.

AirDrop is possibly the most overlooked feature on Apple devices. Everything from entire media libraries to scanned PDFs can be sent from one Apple device to another with the click of a button, cutting out the tedious middle part of file transferring that typically requires multiple emails or extra hardware. Zarruck Taiseer, 3D visualizer and product designer, takes the innovation of AirDrop one step further to create an Apple-inspired file transfer and storage flash drive that can receive file transfers via AirDrop and also hold onto them until they’re ready to be transferred to another device.

Apple devices have their own technical language, so working between two Apple devices is always a walk in the park compared to working between one Apple and another non-Apple device. Incorporating Apple’s design and technical language into his product, Taiseer created Drop to make file transferring and storage between Apple devices even easier. Drop operates as a wireless USB Type C and offline external flash drive and an AirDrop file transfer and Thunderbolt 3 data transfer device. Drop is a standalone Apple-inspired device that operates as a flash drive, storage device, and file transfer cable.

Users can AirDrop files from their iPhones or MacBooks to Drop where the files can be stored or transferred to another, Apple or non-Apple, device. When users have a file they’d like to transfer to and store with Drop, they can AirDrop the file the same way they’d AirDrop media from one iPhone to another. With the file stored on Drop, the user can either keep it for safe storage or plug it into their MacBook’s USB Type C port to open the file on their laptops. Alternatively, users can store files offline using DropDrive, a feature that creates a folder on the user’s iPhone to store media files, where the files remain until Drop is brought back online.

Designer: Zarruck Taiseer

Once the files are received from an Apple device by Drop, users can transfer the files to another device.

Since Drop is an Apple concept, Apple features like FindMy can be used to locate Drop.

The offline external drive feature allows users to send files to a folder on their Apple devices and then send the complete folder to Drop.

Lenovo’s cloud-based hard-drive gives you unlimited, expandable storage in your palm

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So Google really screwed me over the other day. I’ve owned my Pixel 2 for over two years and by far its most compelling feature has been the fact that Google promised unlimited storage for my photos, but of late, Google’s been reneging on that promise. My Google Photos account is tied to my Google Drive account, and here lies my problem. I was promised unlimited storage for my photos, but my Google Drive has limited storage, which it distributes to my photos, as well as to my Gmail… and Google isn’t distinguishing between the two services anymore. It’s like saying you get unlimited sugar with your coffee, but your coffee already has sugar in it, and there’s no sugar available separately. I’d normally consider shelling out money for expanding my Google Drive’s storage, but the fact that it’s a monthly subscription and not a one-time fee is a bit of a dealbreaker.

If anyone is, like me, against the idea of paying monthly for cloud-storage, Lenovo may have stumbled across an interesting idea. The Lenovo Awan is a conceptual hard-drive that basically lets you carry your dedicated cloud server along with you. Rather than being an external hard-disk or SSD, the Lenovo Awan is basically a plug-and-use device that connects you to a cloud-drive. Buy the Awan and you get access to cloud storage with a one-time payment. When you connect the Awan to a machine like a laptop or computer, you’re actually connecting it to the cloud. Lenovo’s Awan, in theory, brings cloud storage into something that’s a piece of hardware that you can carry around with you and plug into devices. The advantage? Not having to pay pesky subscription fees that can often end up costing you thousands of dollars over the years. Besides, in theory, since the Awan provides cloud storage, and isn’t a storage drive itself, you can easily upgrade the amount of storage by paying a top-up fee. The Awan’s screen tells you how much storage you have, and an in-display fingerprint sensor lets you secure your data. Pretty convenient, eh? Rather than buying a drive, you buy access to cloud storage! And yes, there’s probably an app for it, but hear me out. Do you really want to install an app on every device you use to access your files? The Lenovo Awan gives you the convenience of plug-and-use storage… and no annoying app-update notifications!

The Lenovo Awan Storage is a winner of the iF Design Award for the year 2020.

Designer: Lenovo

The best external hard drives

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By Justin Krajeski This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to external hard drives....

Nyko PS4 Data Bank Adds Room for 3.5″ Hard Drives: Bigger Brain, Bigger Noggin

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One thing the Xbox One has over the PS4 is that Microsoft’s console can use external USB drives to store game data. You can upgrade the PS4’s internal drive, but it only has room for 2.5″ drives. Thankfully PS4 users will soon be able to use 3.5″ drives with Sony’s console, via the Nyko PS4 Data Bank.

nyko_ps_4_playstation_data_bank_1zoom in

The PS4 Data Bank takes over the space of the PS4’s faceplate and drive bay. It comes with an adapter that connects to the PS4’s power input, so you don’t need to plug it into an outlet. Here’s a brief demo of the add on courtesy of IGN:

In case you didn’t watch the video, Nyko told IGN that the PS4 Data Bank will be released on the 2nd quarter of this year for around $30 to $40 (USD). If only Nyko can increase my Internet connection’s speed as well so I can go beyond dreaming of downloading a full game.

[via Pocket-lint]

Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light

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brain hard drive Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
This is definitely the oddest yet most fascinating external hard drive we’ve ever come across. Since the hard drive is sort of like the brain of your computer (part of it anyway), why not encase one inside a brain shape? Then maybe add a giant spine for it to sit upon. That’s just what The Brain does. And it lights up. But not just light up like a lamp. This thing is a full on Chris Kuroda psychedelic jam session. Check the video:

Woo, so many pretty colors. The Brain actually has a method to it’s madness. When it’s idle, it flashes red. But as soon as the hard drive is accessed, it’s straight up dance party USA. Provide your own music. The whole thing was actually made completely from scratch. Basically everything is DIY except the hard drive itself. He started by sculpting a brain out of clay:
brain forming Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
Then a vacuum formed transparent mold of it was created. He built the controlling components onto a circuit board, even laser cut the case and the acrylic “spine” with all the discs inside.
brain base Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
The base is home made as well. The hard drive is actually in the base. It took quite a bit of programming to get the LEDs to light up in the proper sequence and at the proper times. I probably never thought I’d be saying this about an unwieldy 5 foot tall hard drive but it’s pretty cool (I actually never imagined I’d be writing about a 5 foot tall hard drive, period). I’d love to see this baby all lit up in the dark.

Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
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Sonnet Echo 15 Thunderbolt Dock: Poetry in Practicality

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So you bought a new Mac or Ultrabook in the last couple of years, but you’ve yet to plug anything into its Thunderbolt port. A company called Sonnet shows you what that little hole can do for you. Its Echo 15 Thunderbolt Dock is essentially half of a computer, adding a plethora of ports and hardware through just a single cable.

sonnet echo 15 thunderbolt dock

The Echo 15 has four USB 3.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, an Ethernet port, two sets of audio in and out ports, two eSata ports and two more Thunderbolt ports. Additionally, it comes with either a DVD drive or – wait for it Mac owners – a Blu-ray drive. Finally, it also has a drive bay that can fit a 2.5″ or 3.5″ HDD or SSD. You can supply your own or pay a premium to have Sonnet include a 2TB HDD with the Echo 15.

sonnet echo 15 thunderbolt dock 2

As you can see, it’s a good way of expanding your computer and with many Mac owners, even adding functionality in the form of the Blu-ray optical drive. Sonnet is already taking pre-orders for the Echo 15, with prices ranging from $400 to $550 (USD).

[via 9 to 5 Mac]