Sanho Corp. announced the second iteration of their HyperDrive Hard Drive for iPad at this week’s Macworld Conference & Expo. It’s the only hard drive in the market that can connect directly to the iPad via the Apple Camera Connection Kit.
This new version allows users to directly use their iPads to browse and transfer up to 1TB of video and photo content without the need for computers, additional apps or a jailbroken iPad. Finished in a slim enclosure, the HyperDrive looks exactly like any portable USB hard drive except that it has two mini USB ports, one for connecting to the computer to function as a normal USB hard drive, and the other to connect to the iPad via the Apple Camera Connection Kit.
Using the Apple Camera Connection Kit, the iPad is able to connect to SD cards and self-powered USB devices. However there is a size limitation of 32GB, making it impossible for larger USB hard drives to connect to the iPad. HyperDrive iPad Hard Drive overcomes this limit with its patent pending ability to turn individual file folders into virtual 32GB drives on the fly that’s readable by the iPad. While the HyperDrive is bus powered when connected to the computer, it has an internal 1600mAh battery to power its connection to the iPad.
Users can first transfer their entire movie and photo library from their computer to the HyperDrive via USB. Once that’s done, users will have up to 1TB of media accessible to the iPad anytime, says Daniel Chin, President of Sanho.
“HyperDrive iPad Hard Drive lets you carry your entire HD movie and photo library with your iPad,” he adds. “HyperDrive is as compact as your portable USB hard drive and yet at capacities up to 1TB, can hold more data than your laptop. The iPad is the perfect media player but its capacities are limited and it requires a computer and iTunes to transfer media to the iPad. HyperDrive releases the iPad from this restriction and truly turns it into a media consuming device.”
Te new HyperDrive Hard Drive for iPad ships in March and is available for pre-order now at the following manufacturer’s suggested retail price (casing only: $99, 320GB:$199, 500GB:$249, 640GB:$299, 750GB:$349, 1TB: $399). It is available at http://www.hypershop.com/HyperDrive-iPad-Hard-Drive-s/183.htm .