DuoGB FireWire Drive Enclosure
Company: WiebeTech
Price: $179.95 case only; $999.95 case and 500GB using two 250GB 7200RPM drives
http://www.wiebetech.com

James Wiebe’s WiebeTech keeps adding storage products; they’re up to 21 innovative drive products, and climbing. One of the latest additions is the DuoGB drive enclosure, an external FireWire case that holds -two- ATA drives, connected via an Oxford 911 FireWire bridge chip (the best FireWire bridge chip there is). Each drive is physically; sharing only the power supply and FireWire bridge chip. A single bridge chip means that there is only one FireWire cable to connect to the Mac.

MyMac labs got a DuoGB 180 GB loaner for evaluation; let’s review the pros and cons of the unit, and see how it performs. The DuoGB arrived in good shape, surrounded by an almost-excessive number of Styrofoam peanuts. (Note to all shippers; can’t you use bubble wrap?) While the DuoGB is sturdy, you won’t confuse it with the high-style LaCie drive enclosures; the DuoGB is a somewhat thin plain-Jane box. The power button is located on the brushed-aluminum front panel, and the rest of the enclosure is powder-coated steel. You get a FireWire cable, power cord, and a CD with installation instructions that are not really needed by the average Macintosh user. Plug in, tap the power button, and you’re ready to be the digital packrat you always wanted to be!

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