Silicon Power, a Taiwanese manufacturer of memory and storage products, has announced the launch of its Diamond D05 and Diamond D10 external hard drives in capacities of 500 GB, 750 GB, and 1 TB. These new models boast of a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface that claims to be three times faster in real-world data transfers than USB 2.0. Design-wise, the D10 flaunts a chequered pattern with a stereoscopic effect, while the D05 has a scratch-resistant surface with a metallic brushed finish. Since they use 2.5" laptop internal hard drives, both devices do not require an external power supply, instead drawing power from the USB interface. An LED indicator lets you know the drive's readiness and data transfer status.

Both models have similar dimensions, with 4.9" (l) x 3" (w) x 0.5" (13.6 mm) (h) for the 500 GB and 750 GB capacities, while the thickness increases to 0.6" (16.6 mm) for the 1 TB model. Similarly, the lower capacities weigh 155 grammes, while the 1 TB model raises the weight to 205 grammes. On the software front, the drives are loaded with an SP Widget toolkit that allows functions such as password protection for certain folders or the entire drive, PC lock (turns this device into a key to unlock the PC once inserted into the USB port), and email and data backup. The software is also available as a free download.

The company had briefly launched the series last year in India but quickly withdrew within a month as it didn't have a permanent distributor then. It has now been launched again with the well-established Tech-Com as the country-wide distributor, so let's hope that there won't be such problems this time. The D05 is available only in metallic grey, while the D10 offers a choice of pink and blue patterns. With a three-year warranty, the 500 GB, 750 GB, and 1 TB drives are available for Rs 4000, Rs 5300, and Rs 6500 respectively, making them a decent buy.

TAGS: Storage, Jayesh