Buffalo is into all kinds of external storage, from Blu-ray burner to $900 100GB USB solid-state drive. It isn't a surprise the company is interested in externalizing 1.8" hard drives. Buffalo's MiniStation Shinobi measures at a mere 5mm or 0.2" and weighs at just 2 oz. We aren't sure how the name of a ninja relates to the miniature USB drive, but the Buffalo's Shinobi is arguably the smallest and thinnest of its kind. (But if you live in China, Samsung's glossy drive looks almost identical.)

The MiniStation Shinobi features a unique, self-contained USB cable which is great except if you break it, you lose access to the data until you can get the 1.8" drive to another enclosure. Also bundled are SecureLockWare software encryption, Memeo AutoBackup, portable FireFox and Thunderbird email client. You'll find Turbo USB integrated, just like its 2.5" HDD sibling. Both 30GB and 60GB model are due in October for $119 and $169 respectively.
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