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Pretec 24GB CompactFlash 333X

Rivaling SanDisk's premium 8GB Extreme Ducati Edition CF in speed and ruggedness, Pretec's new CompactFlash entry triples that card's capacity -- making it the biggest and baddest in its class. Built to the new CF 4.0 Ultra DMA spec, it reads at more than 50MB/sec (333X) and writes at more than 40MB/sec (266X), equaling, on average, the SanDisk's 45MB/sec read/write speed. Protected by an impact-resistant metal housing, the Pretec card is said to operate reliably between minus 4 and 185 degrees Fahrenheit. These assets come at a steep price, and you'll get more than twice as many megabytes for your money with Pretec's own enormous 48GB standard CF card, which is 30 percent slower but $200 cheaper! About $800.

Delkin ImageRouter

Although CompactFlash memory card capacities have grown by leaps and bounds, many of us still use a few smaller cards rather than one big one, either because they're what we own or to avoid the risk of losing a whole shoot if a single large card fails or gets lost. That's the raison d'etre for Delkin's ImageRouter USB 2.0 card reader, which has slots for four cards and, thanks to its Ultra DMA data transfer standard, can download from all four simultaneously at speeds up to a combined 19 megabytes per second. The bus-powered ImageRouter needs no separate power supply and can be daisy-chained in a pair, for up to eight concurrent downloads. Delkin's optional Windows-only Backupandburn software automates the routing process and allows for direct backup to DVD, but Mac users need to manually select each card for backup. About $150 (software adds $100.)

Lite-On DX-8A1H Portable DVD Writer

The product of a joint venture between Philips and Lite-On, this super slim portable USB 2.0 DVD writer is the perfect companion for ultra-light notebook computers that lack internal optical drives -- the MacBook Air for one. (See Computers.) Measuring about five inches square by less than an inch thick, and weighing under 12 pounds, the diminutive DX-8A1H is full-sized in its disk-writing versatility, accepting 8X DVD+/-R and DVD+RW, 6X DVD-RW, 5X DVD-RAM, 4X DVD+/-R dual-layer, and 24X CD-R/RW in both standard and mini sizes. And somehow the makers have managed to incorporate LightScribe disk labeling (lacking on the more expensive MacBook Air SuperDrive), allowing you to copy artwork, text, or images directly onto the disc itself, eliminating the need for additional printing, markers, or adhesive labels. Under $80.

JOBO Giga one ultra

This portable hard-drive storage device is an ideal solution if you need reliable memory-card backup in the field but don't want to carry a laptop computer. Smaller than an index card, thinner than an inch, and available in a wide range of capacities, the aluminum-bodied Giga one ultra features a mini USB 2.0 port and three dust-protected memory card slots. These accept CompactFlash, Secure Digital and SDHC, Memory Stick (four flavors), xD-Picture Card, and mini SD formats. Once a card is inserted, one-touch backup takes about three minutes per gigabyte. Status info, including percent of data copied, free disk space, and the charge level of the unit's Li-ion battery, is shown on its two-inch monochrome LCD panel. When connected to a computer, the Giga one ultra doubles as a memory card reader and bus-powered external hard drive (it also comes with an AC adapter). From $150 (40GB) to $330 (200GB).

Buffalo Technology LinkStation Mini 1TB

Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices with multiple disk drives are often bulky, heavy, and noisy. So Buffalo Technology's LinkStation Mini is a big surprise -- the smallest and lightest terabyte-capacity NAS you can buy. This palm-sized wonder measures only 5.3x3.2x1.6 inches and is just over a pound, a size and weight achieved by its stacking of two 2.5-inch, 5400rpm notebook hard drives within the same enclosure. And there's no fan, so it's nearly silent.

As a Redundant Array of Independent Disks, the LinkStation Mini can be configured either as a single 1TB RAID volume (faster) or as two 500GB volumes with mirrored data (safer). Either way it's accessible from any computer on your network via Gigabit Ethernet, and its USB 2.0 port allows you to network another hard drive with it, or share a printer using its integral print server. You also get multimedia streaming to DNLA players and computers; driver-free setup; browser-based easy configuration with permissions for multiple users and groups; scheduled backups with Memeo software; and safe power-down with Uninterruptible Power Supplies. Coolest of all is the ability to access the LinkStation Mini over the Web from any location. About $700.

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