Transcend StoreJet 18M 120 GB

Like Samsung, Transcend is trying its hand at 1.8'' hard drive, the StoreJet 18M.  Because of the choice of form factor, this drive is no bigger than a pack of cards but still packs in a respectable capacity of 120 GB.

The case, which is finished in rubber and therefore not glossy means that the 18M wouldn't finish covered in greasy fingerprints like so many other gadgets.  It only has a single USB 2.0 port, and now that eSATA is becoming increasingly common, it's more and more of a shame to see so many external hard drives going without.

Shock-resistant

One of the StoreJet 18M's strong points is that it's shock-resistant.  According to Transcend, it passes the tests to meet the 'MIL-STD-810F 516.5 Transit Trop' standard.  That means it can withstand being dropped 26 times on each one of its sides from a height of 48''--or, to put it another way, you won't need to worry about it never waking up again if you knock it off your desk or if it falls out of your pocket.

Speeds

Iomega eGo FW400/USB 250 GB Transcend StoreJet 18M

The speeds are a step down from what we'd find on a 2.5'' drive.  On average, you'll need 55 seconds to copy 1 GB onto this hard drive, and just under 40 seconds to read them back.  For comparison, the Samsung Mini S1, another 1.8'' hard drive does just a little better, but is still not as powerful as a 2.5'' or 3.5'' drive.