LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has announced the Rugged eSATA, a mobile external hard drive that features a Power eSATA interface. Bus-powered when connected to a USB-eSATA combo port, it purportedly offers transfer speeds of up to 90MB/second.
The USB-eSATA combo interface, also known as Power eSATA, features a slightly different connector than eSATA and is frequently found on late-model laptops. The drive is also compatible with standard eSATA ports when the included USB power-sharing cable is additionally connected.
Housed in the Rugged casing designed by Neil Poulton, the LaCie Rugged eSATA features a scratch-resistant aluminum shell, internal anti-shock absorbers, and a shock-resistant rubber bumper. It will be available in 500GB capacity through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+ and LaCie Storage Partner starting at the suggested retail price of US$159.99.
