Portable data storage device?

[ReF]

Hi, i know there was a thread with the same question somewhere on these forums, but I can't find it, so here goes:

I'm looking for a portable storage device(the hard drive type, not the CD based ones) that I can use on the go to unload my memory cards onto. any suggestions? I'm looking for both one with a decent sized LCD display that I can review photos on and one that doesn't have a display. I heard there were some (maybe just one) devices that have a large enough LCD that you could get a good idea of how your images really look like. most of the time those tiny LCD just show enough to let you know if your photo is a real dud. the JPEGs embedded with the RAW files will display on these kind of devices, right?

I know some people will ask: why not just buy another memory card? well, i will be shooting quite a few RAW files over several days at a time so it would really be cheaper to get a storage device.

thanks for your help!

[ktixx]

There are many portable data storage devices out there, it all just depends on how much space you need and exactly what you are looking for. Go to http://peddlerstore.com/productcart/pc/viewCat_h.asp?idCategory=2 to view a variety of devices. I have recently been in the same situation and I was looking at a couple of devices. These 2 choices were my first choices mainly because of the costs.

Wolverine Portable Storage: no screen
http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&keyword=wolverine
This device has a 7-in-1 card reader built in and comes in 3 sizes
20GB = $199.99 40GB = $249.99 80GB = $299.99

RCA RD2780 (RCA LYRA)
http://www.rca.com/product/viewdetail/0,2588,PI700667-CI700007,00.html
The RD2780 is an MP4 player with a 3.5" Screen and 20GB of storage space. It has the ability to play Mp3's and Video's (MPEG 4 and Divx), record live TV and most importantly store pictures. It has a compact flash card reader built in (Only type I cards), but if you have another type of memory card (SD, XD etc) you can purchase an adapter. I recently decided to purchase this MP4 player from www.digital1234.com. I bought it for $291.99 (plus $10 for shipping) and recieved a $50 mail in rebate (downloaded from the RCA website) because I purchased it before January 31st.

Just remember that you may still want to purchase an additional memory card for your camera, with a 1GB Compact Flash Ultra card it will take approximatly 10 minutes to fully download. If you think you will have the time to take a break and Download your pictures, then the extra card won't be necessary.

Hope this helps
Ken