MaximumPC 2003 12

MAXIMUMPC DECEMBER 2003

External hard drives traditionally come in two

flavors—oversized or underpowered. But not this

season. With the arrival of the Mercury On-The-Go,

we no longer have to give up speed for size (or vice

versa), as the “Merc” delivers a blazing 7200rpm

spindle speed and a whopping 60GB of storage in

a sexy, transparent package that fits in a pocket. It’s

even got an 8MB cache, which helps the Mercury

roast all other portable drives like a pack of unlucky

seagulls flying through its afterburners. It’s bus-

powered. It supports four-pin and six-pin FireWire

as well as USB 2.0 and 1.1. It’s got a cool blue L.E.D.

We could go on and on, but you get the idea.

$400, http://www.macsales.com, reviewed

November 2003

Sometimes smaller is better: M-Systems’ high-

capacity USB 2.0 DiskOnKey offers 1GB in a dongle

the size of a big fat pinky.

EXTERNAL

STORAGE

Mercury On-The-Go

60GB

We’ve seen oodles of MP3 players strut through the Lab wearing

the skimpiest of bathing suits, but once again Apple’s iPod ends up

with the tiara and roses while other contestants have no choice but

to smile graciously. With a slimmer design, touch-sensitive controls,

and a cool docking station, Apple managed to make this third-

generation model even sexier and easier to use than last year’s

contestant. But it’s not just about the hardware. Unlike many other

MP3 players, the iPod appears as a removable disk in Windows

Explorer, so you don’t need special software to load data files onto

its humungous 40GB drive. You can even create playlists on the fly

with the scroll wheel and the touch of a single button. Borrow a

friend’s iPod for a week and you’ll agree: No one can take a bite out

of this Apple. $500, http://www.apple.com, 30GB model reviewed

September 2003

Upgrade your audio: Before buying any MP3 player, factor in the

price of buying separately the best headphones or earbuds you can

afford. No other single thing will improve your listening experience

more.

MP3 PLAYER

Apple iPod

We’ve seen oodles of MP3 players strut through the Lab wearing

the skimpiest of bathing suits, but once again Apple’s iPod ends up

with the tiara and roses while other contestants have no choice but

to smile graciously. With a slimmer design, touch-sensitive controls,

and a cool docking station, Apple managed to make this third-

generation model even sexier and easier to use than last year’s

contestant. But it’s not just about the hardware. Unlike many other

MP3 players, the iPod appears as a removable disk in Windows

Explorer, so you don’t need special software to load data files onto

its humungous 40GB drive. You can even create playlists on the fly

with the scroll wheel and the touch of a single button. Borrow a

friend’s iPod for a week and you’ll agree: No one can take a bite out

of this Apple.

September 2003

Upgrade your audio

price of buying

afford.

more.

MP3 PLAY

Apple iPod