eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Storage specialist LaCie took the wraps off three storage models: Fuel, a wireless portable storage drive, the Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 and the silver-plated Sphère, designed by Christofle, a manufacturer of fine silver flatware and home accessories based in France since 1830.
The Fuel, designed for Apple mobile devices, offers up to a 10–hour battery life and the product creates its own WiFi network, much like a router, so other devices can connect directly to it without the need for Internet access.
AirPlay compatibility means users can also stream movies onto the big screen through Apple TV or music to compatible speakers.
In addition, the LaCie Fuel acts as a hotspot when connected to the Internet through WiFi. This feature lets the LaCie Fuel share Internet access with other connected devices.
With Dropbox integration, users can sync files between a computer and the Fuel automatically, so every time files are added to the Dropbox folder on their Mac, the change is reflected on the Fuel–or vice versa. The Fuel also offers a universally compatible USB 3.0 port for faster transfers.
The 1TB Fuel will be available soon through the company’s online store and LaCie resellers for $199.99, and the Seagate Media app is available for iOS, Android and Amazon Kindle.
The Media app automatically organizes files by type, making them easier to browse, and users can stream videos or music, open office documents and select full-screen navigation.
In addition, the app makes browsing a media library a visual experience with support for photo and video thumbnails, plus cover art for music.
LaCie worked with designer Neil Poulton to bring a modern, all aluminum look to the Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2, which offers speeds up to 1,375M bps.
The drive is powered by a set of 500GB PCIe Gen 2 solid state drives (SSDs) in RAID 0 to allow for streaming and editing of 4K or 3D video while in the field, while a thermoregulated fan only turns on when necessary and produces virtually no noise.
The Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2014 through LaCie’s resellers and the company’s Website, with a Thunderbolt cable included, and is protected by a three–year limited warranty.
Finally, building on LaCie’s initial partnership with Christofle that produced the Galet USB key, the Sphère integrates Christofle’s luxurious heritage with LaCie’s 1TB hard drive technology, and will retail for a whopping $490.
For that, users get a handcrafted hard drive enclosed in a spherical case of silver–plated steel. Due to its round shape, the Sphère requires a careful manual plating process. It is stamped, silver–plated and finally polished for brightness in Christofle’s silversmith workshop in Yainville, in Normandy, France.
“The shape of the globe inspired the design concept for the LaCie Sphère. The sensual and strong silhouette naturally led us to the product name,” Thierry Oriez, president and CEO of Christofle, said in a statement. “We combined our obsession with the reflection of silver with LaCie’s technical expertise to create a hard drive that exudes elegance and sophistication like no other.”