Toshiba Introduces High-Capacity 640GB Portable Hard Drive for Backing Up Digital Memories and Valuable Personal Data

According to leading research firm IDC, consumer-generated digital content is growing 55 percent annually with 70 percent of all digital content being created by individuals versus businesses. IDC predicts that by 2010, 36.5 terabytes of data will be created per second - that's a stack of books that could extend from the sun to Pluto - and back(2).

To address this explosion in personal digital content and help consumers protect their precious data for years to come, Toshiba's new portable hard drive offers high capacity, an easy-to-use interface and special features to enhance the backup experience, making it a flexible and dependable storage solution for any user. This digital safety net can store up to 182,000 digital photos, 168,000 digital music files or 520 downloaded digital movies(3).

"From cherished family photos and home videos to entertainment collections and personal data files, consumers are creating huge libraries of digital content on their home computers," said Manuel Camarena, product manager for consumer storage at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "But, most people are not taking steps to ensure this valuable content is protected against computer failure. Without a backup solution, consumers have the potential for that crushing moment when they realize all of their memories, entertainment and personal data files are gone. An easy-to-use, high-capacity product such as the Toshiba Portable Hard Drive acts like an insurance policy against the loss of cherished and valuable digital memories."

Toshiba's personal storage solutions are ideal for a variety of digital consumers, from novices to tech-savvy users, and offer something for every level of digital capability. These storage products are built around ease-of use, taking the complexity out of computer backup with a simple setup process and set-it-and-forget-it operation. For advanced users, the portable external hard drive can be personalized by modifying drive space alerts, creating password-protected security for sensitive files and updating other backup preferences such as timing, frequency and type of files saved.

Toshiba's 640GB portable hard drive joins current 500GB and 320GB capacities, offering users the same flexibility as Toshiba's previous personal storage products with customizable software for both Mac and PC computers - NTI Shadow(TM) 4 for Macs and NTI(R) BackupNow EZ(TM) for Windows users. The Windows-based NTI(R) BackupNow EZ(TM) software also provides complete system backup, enabling users to restore the entire computer, even if Windows is unable to start.

Toshiba's new 640GB model's larger capacity does not decrease its portability. Powered via USB 2.0, the drive weighs a mere six ounces, features a slim design and is approximately the size of a postcard, making it easy to throw in a purse, laptop bag or travel case to take along for storage on the go. To protect against daily wear and tear, Toshiba has incorporated special features into the product to mitigate shock and anchor the drive in place.

Priced at $179.99, the new 640GB portable hard drive comes in Liquid Blue, Vivid White, Rocket Red and Komodo Green and is available now at www.toshibadirect.com or through major retailers and online outlets. For a complete list of Toshiba's personal storage retailers, please visit www.wheretobuy.toshibastorage.com.

Product Specifications

    Product Name      Toshiba Portable Hard Drives
    ------------      ----------------------------

    Capacities        640GB, 500GB, 320GB(1)
    ----------        ----------------------

    Colors            Vivid White, Liquid Blue, Komodo Green and Rocket Red
    ------            -----------------------------------------------------

    Weight            6 ounces
    ------            --------

    Dimensions        0.65" (H) x 3.2" (W) x 5.0" (D)
    ----------        16.6mm (H) x 81.3mm (W) x 127.0mm (L)
                      ------------------------------------

    Interface         USB 2.0
    ---------         -------
    Compatibility &   Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP or Windows Vista(R)
     System           Macintosh(R) OS X 10.4 or later
     Requirements     Available USB 2.0 Port
    ---------------   ----------------------

    Inside the Box    Toshiba Portable Hard Drive
    --------------    USB 2.0 cable
                      NTI(R) Backup Now EZ(TM) software (pre-loaded)
                      and NTI Shadow(TM) 4 for Mac software (pre-loaded)
                      Quick install guide
                      3-year limited warranty
                      -----------------------
    Certifications    FCC/CE/UL approved
    --------------    RoHS compatible
                      Designed for Windows(R) XP and works with Windows
                       Vista(R)
                      Mac(R) OS X 10.4 or later (Universal Application)
                      -------------------------------------------------

About Toshiba Storage Device Division

Toshiba SDD, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., leads the market in the development, design and manufacturing of small form factor 2.5-inch and 1.8-inch hard disk drives for original equipment manufacturers, value-added resellers, value-added dealers, systems integrators, distributors and retailers in the United States. The company also offers a line of high-quality personal storage devices that enable consumers to quickly and easily back up personal digital content and entertainment libraries. Inherent in the Toshiba storage family are the high-quality engineering and manufacturing capabilities that have established Toshiba products as worldwide leaders. For more information, visit www.toshibastorage.com.

About Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. (TAIS)

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry-leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.

TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation. Toshiba Corporation is a world leader and innovator in high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products. These products span from information & communications systems; digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; as well as power systems including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 730 companies, with 199,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US $67 billion (FY2008). For more information on Toshiba's leading innovations, visit www.toshiba.com.

(C) 2009 Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. All product, service and company names are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. Information including without limitation product prices, specifications, availability, content of services, and contact information is subject to change without notice.

1. One Gigabyte (1 GB) means 109 = 1,000,000,000 bytes using powers of 10. A computer operating system, however, reports storage capacity using powers of 2 for the definition of 1 GB = 230 = 1,073,741,824 bytes, and therefore shows less storage capacity. Available storage capacity will also be less if the computer includes one or more pre-installed operating systems, such as Microsoft Operating System and/or pre-installed software applications, or media content. Actual formatted capacity may vary.
2. Source: IDC Multimedia White Paper sponsored by EMC Corporation, "As the Economy Contracts, the Digital Universe Expands," May 2009.
3. Examples of the number of photos, songs, movies, and any other files that can be stored on a hard drive are provided for illustrative purposes only. Your results will vary based on file size and format, settings, features, operating system, software and other factors.