Portable Solid State Storage ???

Thanks, everyone, for all the response, links, information, and input.

A supply of various sized laptops is not a problem with us as I have several that I have saved from dumpsters and resurrected after relatives have had some minor issue with them.
I fixed up a couple that were no bigger than an iPad and gave them to some of the kids to play with; maybe I will hang on to the next one I get.

There are times, however, when a laptop is just inconvenient for one reason or another and it would be nice to have something small to back-up the memory cards onto.

Until I saw the post that prompted me asking about them, I was not even aware that such a thing existed.

Wilt wrote in post #19020141
I interpret 'self powered' as 'able to operate with no power from external source'

1. Battery powered storage unit with a memory card slot so you can transfer files with no laptop
   

That is the way I interpret it as well; your's is a good explanation of both situations.

A very long time ago (early 2000s), the self-powered storage unit with built-in ability to handle Folders and files (not be dependent on plugging into a PC) existed and there was a lot of discussion about them! One thing that was very popular was the Sanho HyperDrive. I bought a Digital Foci Media Buddy 80GB unit back around 2006, to permit offloading photos and permit immediate re-use of the memory card while out in the field. Memory cards were expensive back then, and you did not necessarily walk around with a pocket full of spare memory cards.

For whatever reason, such discussions are now virtually nonexistent. The products from Sanho do exist (in updated form) and the disk drive manufacturers have entered the market as a means to sell more memory units. Perhaps the gigantic memory cards, and cameras with dual memory cards has decreased the rationale for such units, since you can simply download them all in your hotel room each night, rather than running out of memory card capacity like the 'old days'.

I just pulled mine out...can't even take a charge any more! time to take it apart and see if it is possible to get a replacement battery to install into it...maybe change it to SSD!

Wilt wrote in post #19020148
One thing that was very popular was the Sanho HyperDrive.

Interesting in that the 2nd link I had provided is for a HYPER HyperDrive ColorSpace UDMA 3 Wireless Storage Device (500GB) at $349 from B&H (https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …gb_colorspace_u​dma_3.html). Note that in the link is the word "Sanho" so likely made by the same firm. Sanho products, very similar in appearance are shown on the B&H website, but are marked "discontinued."

Wilt wrote in post #19020148
Memory cards were expensive back then, and you did not necessarily walk around with a pocket full of spare memory cards.

Probably Christmas 2004, we got the wife our first digital camera.
That summer before, we had went on a big Grand Canyon out West tour and the only camera we had was an old $29 point-n-shoot 35mm film camera and we barely knew how to get it pointed in the right direction.
Knowing absolutely nothing about what I was buying, I paid a small fortune for a simple (it seemed awfully complicated at the time) HP M415 and it came with no memory card.
It had a maximum 1GB card capability.
Still not knowing a thing about what I was doing, I paid over forty bucks at K-Mart for a 1GB SD card and most likely went the poor man's route with that purchase.
We had no computer, no cell phones, and nobody else we knew had such things either.
Things sure are different now.

John from PA wrote in post #19020094
And something similar... https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …gb_colorspace_u​dma_3.html

Thanks; you have just solved my "what on earth am I going to get the wife next Christmas" dilemma.

John from PA wrote in post #19020161
Interesting in that the 2nd link I had provided is for a HYPER HyperDrive ColorSpace UDMA 3 Wireless Storage Device (500GB) at $349 from B&H (https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …gb_colorspace_u​dma_3.html). Note that in the link is the word "Sanho" so likely made by the same firm. Sanho products, very similar in appearance are shown on the B&H website, but are marked "discontinued."

Perhaps Sanho decided to exit the business (they are still in business, but with other product areas) and sold the rights to the design in order to generate needed cash.