Buffalo unveils Blu-Ray, HD DVD combo drive, more

Buffalo Technology today unveiled three new external drive solutions, as well as a new combination HD DVD and Blu-Ray reader-writer, at CES 2008 in Las Vegas. The company says its MediaStation Blu-Ray HD DVD drive is the first device of its kind to allow users to both read and write Blu-Ray content. While the drive can write to Blu-Ray optical media, it is only able to read HD DVD formatted discs. Using a USB cable, users can connect the drive up to a laptop or other mobile device to watch movies. The drive includes a full version of Nero, and will ship during the first quarter of 2008 for $650.

The 500GB LinkStation EZ ($200) is a currently-shipping NAS storage solution for entry-level consumers. The drive uses an auto-sensing gigabit Ethernet connection, and uses a standard 3.5-inch SATA drive for storage. Buffalo’s 1TB LinkStation Pro Duo ($450) uses two 500GB drives in either RAID level 0 or level 1 configurations, and also includes an auto-sensing gigabit Ethernet connection. Users can expand on the LinkStation Pro Duo’s capacity by connecting an external USB hard drive. Buffalo will ship the new drive at some point during January.

Buffalo’s 320GB MiniStation TurboUSB ($230) is a secure, portable drive that includes the company’s Shock Resistant technology to keep it safe from drops or bumps. With its wrap-around USB cable, Buffalo says the drive is capable of transferring data 60-percent faster than most USB drives. The MiniStation TurboUSB comes with Buffalo’s SecureLockWare, preventing access to unauthorized users should the drive be lost.