Data storage devices continue to increase in capacity and evolve in design. One such example is EDGE Tech's new DiskGO 1" Mini Portable Hard Drive. This device is little larger than a box of matches, yet its storage capacity starts at a whopping 4GB.

We took the $75 4GB model out for a test run and were duly impressed at how tiny yet massive this data storage device is. The USB 2.0 dongle flips out when you need to connect it to your PC and then folds securely within the square body of the Mini Portable when you're carrying it around.

The dongle locks at 90 degrees, 135 degrees or a full 180 degrees, so you can find the right angle to fit your computer's USB port. If the dongle isn't long enough to reach a recessed USB port, EDGE Tech includes a extension cable. The cable is also handy for leaving in one of your computer's rear ports so it's easier to connect the Mini Portable the next time.

The brushed aluminum case gives the Mini Portable a handsome appearance and also keeps it cool. EDGE Tech includes a carrying case that fits snugly around the Mini Portable when you're on the move.

The Mini Portable is backward-compatible with USB 1.1 systems, although you'll need to download a software driver for Windows 98SE. With more recent operating systems, you can just plug-and-play.

Although you can use the Mini Portable to transfer files from an older system with USB 1.1, it's painfully slow and not something you'll want to do every day. Data transfers move at a good clip both on and off the Mini Portable with USB 2.0.

Our only major complaint about the Mini Portable is that it doesn't offer any software for partitioning the storage space or encrypting data. With such a large storage capacity, it would have been nice to protect our data as well.

Nevertheless, the Mini Portable offers an excellent price-per-gigabyte ratio in a very compact frame. If you need to take large files from one place to another, EDGE Tech's DiskGO 1" Mini Portable Hard Drive is a great data storage device for the job.

The Mini Portable is also available in 6GB ($89.95), 8GB ($139.95) and 12GB ($169.95) capacities.


Pros:  Good size, extension cable included
Cons:  No additional software

Warranty
1 year