November 26, 2007 3:09 PM PST
Hard drives join touch-screen bandwagon too
(Credit:
Iotek)
As if Apple and others aren't already turning everything into touch screens, now we have one popping up on one of the most unlikely of places: an external hard drive.
Perhaps indicated by a name that appears to be encrypted itself, Iotek's "ezSECU ez850" has a touch screen that serves as a digital combination lock with a secret code, according to OhGizmo. The Korean-made system, which supports only 2.5-inch SATA drives, is an alternative to fingerprint recognition and other security technologies used increasingly to protect external storage devices, even in the smallest forms. It's also yet another indication of the hard drive's attempt to get a little respect as something more than just a storage bin.
