Figuring out which external hard drive reviews are telling the truth really isn’t such a hard process, that is, after you know what to look for. Think of it like reading the news: though there are stories that claim to be telling the truth about a particular event, there are very subtle things that you can pick up that express a sense of opinion, rather than the entire, unbiased truth. So, after you are done reading this article, feel free to continue your research through the lens provided by these simple tactics.
Of course, the first thing that must be done is finding the open forums that already have a slew of external hard drive reviews being posted. This task is actually a lot easier than one might believe! All you have to do is type whatever brand / model of external hard drive you are thinking about purchasing, tag at the end of it the word “reviews,” and the first few pages of your search will contain all of the information you will require.
Once you have a few forums picked out, the next issue is to determine which external hard drive reviews are actually telling you about their personal experiences, as well as the external hard drive reviews that are offering nothing more than a sales pitch. For example, when you read a review and the entire text is only sharing with you how amazing this particular brand / model is, without stating any personal experience, of feature comparisons with other brands and/or models, then a little red flag should immediately be raised in your mind. And, if these reviews list a website that, when you click on it, leads you to an online store, then you know for sure that this review is nothing more than just a sales pitch, designed to motivate potential buyers to purchase their external hard drives from a site that will give the author’s commissions per purchase.
The external hard drive reviews that are truly reliable contain the following information: a list of features made available within the brand / model in question, a comparison to other brands / models, as well as personal experience, whether it be good, bad or ugly. When all of the aforementioned pieces of information have been included, then you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the external hard drive reviews you are witnessing have been posted for the shear purpose of either encouraging you purchase, or warning you not to purchase.
There you go! This process of elimination is far from difficult, but you would be surprised on how many people actually get taken advantage of when they do not consider the aforementioned possibilities. Happy hunting!
Filed under External Hard Drives Articles by on Feb 17th, 2010. Comment. 
Let’s just face it… when it comes to finding the best external hard drive possible, it must have a certain list of features that meet your expectations. For example, if you are a photographer and someone gives you a 2 GB hard drive, you are most likely going to fill that up within two hours of receiving it. However, if a friend were to give you a 1 TB external hard drive, that particular model might last you a few years, if not more! Believe it or not, the size of the external drive is actually secondary to all of the other features that make owning the best external hard drive, well, the best!
One of the main features that nearly every hard drive has these days is a USB port. This is how you connect the device to your home computer, however, not every external drive has a USB 2.0 connection interface! This interface enables the user instant access to their stored files, and a power source of the system itself, making it far more accessible and easy to transport than most other brands currently circulating. Remember that drive you owned that required to be plugged into the wall in order to be accessed? Because of the aforementioned interface, that is no longer an issue!
Beyond the USB connection interface, the best external hard drive systems also have a system called Energy Star, capable of reducing your energy output. This system offers users an energy conservation capability that actually limits the amount of electricity that is sucked by your external drive, causing your monthly electric bill to go down a slight fraction. The savings you gain over the years is actually very noticeable, plus our carbon footprint will be lessened, as well.
Along with Energy Star technology, the best external hard drive would also come with EMC / HD software (EMC for Microsoft OS, HD for Macintosh OS). EMC / HD software allows for maximum portability and universality. Imagine being able to relocate your hard drive to another home office, no matter what operating system their computer is based on! This is the freedom that the best external hard drive can offer you.
So you see, purchasing just any hard drive might not be the best idea, for not all of the aforementioned features are offered by every single brand / model on the market. These technologies are truly state of the art, though the external hard drive field has yet to cease in research and development. It is safe to image that the definition of what a best external hard drive is will change in the near future, so remember that, even though the best external hard drive will feature all of the above technologies, you would also be wise to keep a close eye on the market for further advances.
Filed under External Hard Drives Articles by on Feb 17th, 2010. Comment.
Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive is specifically designed to offer Macintosh users the highest quality external hard drive on the market! With its sleek / slim exterior design, this new Western Digital hard drive can be easily transported from one location to another, providing direct access to your computer’s Time Machine application, as it has also been Mac HFS+ formatted.
With its USB 2.0 connection interface, the Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive directly connects to your system’s hardware, receiving both updated files, as well as all the units needed power, making it extremely effective in saving energy.
Actual Customer Comments:
A portion of an actual customer review found on amazon.com
“Fast, simple and convenient.”
A portion of an actual customer review found on reviews.cnet.com
“Very nice item !!!”
A portion of an actual customer review found on reviews.pricegrabber.com
Based on customer reviews, the new Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive delivers everything that the customers were looking for. The only negative mention among the customers has been the hard drive’s incompatibility with older Macintosh systems. One customer stated that his external drive was unable to connection as a result of his computer operating off of an older Mac OS. The main positive mention among the customers has been dealing with writing speed of the new Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive. Another customer stated that, in his opinion, the new Western Digital hard drive actually writes new files in a greater speed than his previous Western Digital hard drive model.
The verdict:
Excellent! The customer reviews have been sharing an overwhelming sense of satisfaction towards the new Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive. The main praise: the writing speed. Many of the posted customer reviews have been suggesting that this newer model actually writes / saves files much quicker than previous Western Digital models. The main complaint: incompatibility with older Mac OS software. One customer attempted to use on a five year old system to find that it was incompatible with the older operating systems.
Order your Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive Here!
Product Details:
Name: Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive
Company Name: Western Digital
Product Information: Mac HFS+ formatted, USB 2.0 connection interface, powered through USB 2.0 connection, Apple Time Machine compatible, sleek / slim design specifically for home to office transportation.
Filed under Western Digital by on Feb 23rd, 2010. Comment.
The SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive delivers a wide range of advanced features, including an online digital file back up, up to 2 GB of storage space, as well as a USB 2.0 connection interface, making the new SimpleTech external model one of the more energy efficient external hard drives on the market. With its travel save, easy to grip exterior, the SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive can also be transported from one home office to another with relative ease!
On top of everything else that the SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive offers users, it also comes complete with a staggering 3 year warranty, as well as free technical support from SimpleTech!
Actual Customer Comments:
A portion of an actual customer review found on amazon.com
“The SimpleTech 250GB Signature Mini Drive is a great product for the price”
A portion of an actual customer review found on reviews.bizrate.com
“Horrible experience, died after 2 months, bad support 2″”
A portion of an actual customer review found on reviews.cnet.com
Based on customer reaction, the SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive has been cause for generating mixed emotions. Though the majority of the customer reviews regarding the product have been overwhelmingly positive, there have been reports of systems failing, crashing, even freezing. One customer stated that his SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive actually broke down after only a few months of consistent use. Though this customer was able to receive a replacement after using his 3 year warranty, the cost for the shipping of the newer / refurbished unit hard drive still landed on the customer’s bill. The majority of the customer reviews, however, sing a different tune. One customer stated that the SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive is actually one of the more quality driven designs, not to mention the reasonable price of the unit.
The verdict:
Excellent! Even though there were a few customers that stated their frustrations over the new SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive breaking down after a few months of use, the majority of the customers have been stating their praises over the long lasting, excellent file storage service that the new SimpleTech external hard drive has been offering them.
Order your SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive Here!
Product Details:
Name: SimpleTech Signature 500GB Portable Hard Drive
Company Name: SimpleTech
Product Information: Fabric digital online backup up to 2 GB, 2.0 USB connection interface, sleek pocket design for easy grip / travel, durable casing for long last structural integrity, free technical support, 3 year warranty.
Filed under SimpleTech by on Feb 23rd, 2010. Comment.
The new Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive is completely powered through its USB 2.0 connection interface, making it one of the more energy efficient external hard drives on the market. Offering both data protection through a 128 bit encryption application, as well as a preinstalled Google photo manager, the new Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive is the answer artists and office managers have been looking for.
With its sleek / durable exterior design, the Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive can also be transported from one office to another with relative ease, capable of holding up to 320 GB of digital file storage.
Actual Customer Comments:
A portion of an actual customer review found on amazon.com
“Good price; reliable; small; nice styling”
A portion of an actual customer review found on bestbuy.com
“Broken in 90-days”
A portion of an actual customer review found on reviews.cnet.com
Based on the customer reviews more recently posted over the new Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive, it is easy to conclude that mixed emotions are the only things that this Western Digital model has initiated. One customer stated that his hard drive lasted him well over a year, making the Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive one of the few external hard drives that he has owned that stood the test of time and consistent use. On the other hand, a large minority have stated their continual frustration of their unit breaking down or freezing while being accessed, suggesting that their units began to show signs of this unfortunate flaw only after three or so months after the initial purchase.
The verdict:
Average. Though the majority of the customer reviews being posted have shown that the new Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive provides a “reliable” file storage service, there is a rather large minority have been suggesting to prospective consumers that purchasing another Western Digital model, even another brand all together, might not be a bad idea.
Order your Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive Here!
Product Details:
Name: Western Digital Passport Essential 320GB Portable Hard Drive
Company Name: Western Digital
Product Information: Powered through USB 2.0 bus connection interface with no external power sources required, data protection through a 128 bit encryption application, Google photo manager software included within external hard drive, small / sleek exterior design for maximum portability.
Filed under Western Digital by on Feb 24th, 2010. Comment.