4. IOGear's Combo 1.8" Ion Drive Makes Dual Connection's Possible

If you believe IOGear's marketing, the Combo 1.8" Ion Drive is perfect for the mobile professional. It is also small enough to be clipped onto a belt or on an airplane or car seat pocket.

The clip on the back of the unit ranks high in slickness

As far as the size of the hard drive and the clip are concerned, IOGear's claim is fully justified. The clip is indeed practical when you're on the go. While the size (0.67" x 3.15" x 4.72"/1.7cm x 8cm x 12cm) and weight (0.4lbs/0.18kg) are within acceptable limits, comparable 1.8" drives like Archos' Arcdisc and ES Mini USB from Apricorn are a lot smaller and lighter.

The Combo 1.8" Ion Drive is a lot more cumbersome and heavier than products from the competition

IOGear includes very long interface cables, two power adapters and a protective carrying case

We were impressed with the generous standard package. Besides the drive, there are separate USB 2.0 and Firewire cables for connecting the drive to both ports, an AC adapter and a power adapter to power the drive either via the keyboard connection or another USB port. Another plus is the length of the two interface cables at nearly six feet (two meters) each, making it easy to hook up the drive even to a PC out of arm's length under the desk.

The long interface cables make it super-easy to connect the drive to a desktop PC; however, they also double the device's weight.