WiebeTech
David Weeks reviewed WiebeTech’s TOUGH TECH powered external hard drive not long ago. David’s review is here and his rating was 5 out of 5. How could such a product possibly be improved?
Make it FireWire bus powered! Meaning you no longer need an external power supply (electricity from a wall outlet) to send or receive data between the hard drive and your computer (FireWire mode only).
Wiebe’s new name for this splendid unit is UltraGB+, and its URL and specs are here. Our review drive is the $400/ 160GB model, and I absolutely love it.
FireWire 800, 400, USB 2, or 1 — UltraGB+ does it all, with cables included for every interface. Older or slower laptops and desktops may require the electrical power accessory cable, but newer Macs will scream with joy when transferring data via the Ultra.
I installed OS X 10.4.1 Tiger onto this WiebeTech drive, and Tiger appears to run as efficiently in FireWire 800 mode as from an internal drive boot, if such is possible. I can’t tell the difference for most operations. Not being a gearhead, I’ll defer to Weeks’ and Wiebe’s specs and benchmarks for UltraGB+.
If you have the cash and need speed and durability for your stash, make a splash and order this external drive today. You’ll be glad you did. HIGHEST recommendation at 5 out of 5.
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Early last year I reviewed WiebeTech’s ComboDock. My comments are here.
This product is also now FireWire bus-powered, which is a great enhancement to an already versatile product. I use my original ComboDock on a weekly basis to archive my backups onto a bare IDE drive.
Super DriveDock+ is the name of the upgrade, and Wiebe’s URL for it is here. My hands are trembling with excitement for the potential uses of SDD+, now that a power cable no longer is required for FW800/400. A power supply ships in the package for when it is necessary, such as in USB mode.
My original suggestion stands: please provide a sturdy clamp or band to secure the loose hard drive to the dock. It is too easy for the fragile connectors to become dislodged in an active desktop environment.
Aside from that, our MyMac.com rating is 4.5 out of 5, which is a darn good recommendation for this $250 product. If that price makes your eyes water, Super DriveDock+ probably isn’t high on your wish list. But in a you-know-it-when-you-see-it situation, techies worldwide will prize this unique product.
FYI, the MyMac.com rating system is here.