Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.'s Storage Device Division (SDD), the industry pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), today introduced a 640GB model to its personal storage line, responding to consumer needs for robust storage space in an intuitive, easy-to-use backup solution for the exponential amounts of digital content they are amassing.

According to leading research firm IDC, consumer-generated digital content is growing 55 percent annually with 70 percent of all digital content being created by individuals versus businesses. IDC predicts that by 2010, 36.5 terabytes of data will be created per second - that's a stack of books that could extend from the sun to Pluto - and back.To address this explosion in personal digital content and help consumers protect their precious data for years to come, Toshiba's new portable hard drive offers high capacity, an easy-to-use interface and special features to enhance the backup experience, making it a flexible and dependable storage solution for any user. This digital safety net can store up to 182,000 digital photos, 168,000 digital music files or 520 downloaded digital movies.

"From cherished family photos and home videos to entertainment collections and personal data files, consumers are creating huge libraries of digital content on their home computers," said Manuel Camarena, product manager for consumer storage at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "But, most people are not taking steps to ensure this valuable content is protected against computer failure. Without a backup solution, consumers have the potential for that crushing moment when they realize all of their memories, entertainment and personal data files are gone. An easy-to-use, high-capacity product such as the Toshiba Portable Hard Drive acts like an insurance policy against the loss of cherished and valuable digital memories."

Toshiba's personal storage solutions are ideal for a variety of digital consumers, from novices to tech-savvy users, and offer something for every level of digital capability. These storage products are built around ease-of use, taking the complexity out of computer backup with a simple setup process and set-it-and-forget-it operation. For advanced users, the portable external hard drive can be personalized by modifying drive space alerts, creating password-protected security for sensitive files and updating other backup preferences such as timing, frequency and type of files saved.

Toshiba's 640GB portable hard drive joins current 500GB and 320GB capacities, offering users the same flexibility as Toshiba's previous personal storage products with customizable software for both Mac and PC computers - NTI Shadow 4 for Macs and NTI BackupNow EZ for Windows users. The Windows-based NTI BackupNow EZ software also provides complete system backup, enabling users to restore the entire computer, even if Windows is unable to start.

Toshiba's new 640GB model's larger capacity does not decrease its portability. Powered via USB 2.0, the drive weighs a mere six ounces, features a slim design and is approximately the size of a postcard, making it easy to throw in a purse, laptop bag or travel case to take along for storage on the go. To protect against daily wear and tear, Toshiba has incorporated special features into the product to mitigate shock and anchor the drive in place.

Specifications:

• Capacities: 640GB, 500GB, 320GB
• Colors: Vivid White, Liquid Blue, Komodo Green and Rocket Red
• 6 oz (170 g)
• Dimensions: 0.65" (H) x 3.2" (W) x 5.0" (D) or 16.6mm (H) x 81.3mm (W) x 127.0mm (L)
• Interface: USB 2.0

Priced at $179.99, the new 640GB portable hard drive comes in Liquid Blue, Vivid White, Rocket Red and Komodo Green and is available now at Toshiba Direct or through major retailers and online outlets.