Short of technological breakthroughs, there's usually not much to differentiate external hard drives, but Hitachi's LifeStudio HDD is trying hard with loads of extra features.
First, the basics: The LifeStudio hard drives come in desktop (1TB and 2TB) and mobile (250GB, 320GB and 520GB) varieties. They're all USB 2.0.
The fun stuff begins with bundled Cooliris software. It's basically a 3D interface that automatically organizes files by type and date, displaying them as a long, scrolling wall of music, photos, video and documents. The software also allows users to share and comment on photos in Facebook, Picasa or Flickr. Support for Hulu, CBS and more than one hundred other content channels is also included, so you can be entertained without leaving the 3D wall.
Hitachi also plans to include iPhone and iPad support through apps "for an additional cost." There aren't many details available on that, but I'm assuming you'd be able to access media from anywhere as long as the hard drive is connected to the Internet.
As for connectivity, the LifeStudio includes 3 GB of cloud storage, with an extra 250 GB available for $50 per year. An automatic backup application integrates both cloud and local storage.
Then there's my favorite feature, the integrated 4GB USB drive. I know, it's kind of gimmicky, especially if you've already got a jar full of thumb drives lying around. But I like the idea that this one can automatically sync with the external hard drive, which could come in handy if you're constantly shuttling office documents around. Besides, who doesn't like getting another USB drive?
I think Hitachi did an admirable job of piling on the features (though an option for wireless networking would've been nice). Hopefully the drive's basic performance can match its bells and whistles. The LifeStudio HDD will launch in mid-July, starting at $80 for mobile models and $100 for desktop versions.
