If you’ve checked out the price of external hard drives recently, you already know that you pay quite a premium for the “external” label. And just how does that external drive differ from a significantly more affordable internal drive? Actually, both drives are identical. When buying an external drive, you’re paying extra for the pretty case and the connectors, and the convenience associated with the “external” label.

If you’d prefer a more direct approach, like just buying an internal hard drive and plugging it into your computer, or if you have an old internal drive that you’re removing from your computer, but still may need access to its contents, Newer Technologies has introduced at Macworld what may be the ideal solution: The new version of its USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter.

The adapter connects via USB 2.0 (with backwards compatibility for USB 1.1) to any 2.5 inch, 3.5 inch, or 5.25 inch hard drive or optical drive, whether it uses a traditional IDE/PATA connection or high speed SATA connection. The adapter is compatible with Mac OS 9.2 and higher, including Mac OS X, and Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. The new version of the adapter includes LEDs that indicate the status of its power, USB, IDE/(P)ATA, and SATA connections.

The adapter comes complete with the drive connector, adaptor cables for various drive types and sizes, power connector, and adaptor cables for various drive power sockets. The selling price is $29.95. The USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter is available from http://www.newertech.com/products/usb2_adapt.php.