Get a 320GB USB hard drive for $69

(Credit: Seagate)

Got storage? You can always use more, whether for backing up your hard drive, housing your multimedia library, migrating from old PC to new, or whatever. Here's your chance to score a big drive on the cheap: eCost has the Seagate-recertified 320GB FreeAgent on sale for $69.

This is an external USB drive, and a rather stylish-looking one at that: The espresso-brown finish is complimented by an amber light strip. The drive comes formatted for Windows but can be reformatted for use with Macs. There's no bundled backup software, however, and the warranty expires after 90 days.

My NAS tanked over the weekend (the horror!), so I'm in the market for some temporary backup storage while I decide on a replacement. It's rare to find an external drive with this much capacity for this little cabbage. Score!

[tcottom]

BEWARE! The billing from this company seems to be some sort of scam! I ordered this item at 4:30pm on 04/01/2008 using a Visa card, the order even went through the "verified by Visa" authorization service. At 4:45pm on the same date I got a on my cell phone from a woman with a strong Indiana accent. She said she was calling to verify the address on my order. She said she had my bank on the line. The other woman on the line told me she required either my checking account number or my social security number to verify my address. I told her I was uncomfortable giving this information while the order agent was on the line plus I had no way to know she was really from my bank. At that point the order agent informed me that without this information they couldn't "verify" my address and they needed this to complete my order. I explained this was a Visa transaction and had been verified through "verfied by Visa". The agent insisted they still had to verify the address through the bank and the "bank person" insisted on my checking account or ss# over the open phone line. I told her to cancel the order! I was too uncomfortable with this transaction!

[rickbroida]

You were absolutely right to be suspicious, and I'm glad you didn't provide your checking account number -- something that has absolutely nothing to do with your credit card! eCost is a pretty reputable company, but this definitely sounds like you were the target of a telemarketing scam. I would call eCost directly, inform them of what happened, and ask if calling for address verification is something they routinely do (and if it is, in fact, needed for your order).

[tcottom]

I had the same idea and emailed the same info as my post above to eCost Customer Service right after this happened. Below is the canned response I got in reply.<br /><br />Dear Valued Customer,<br /><br />Thank you for your recent inquiry. According to our records you have not<br />been charged for your cancelled order. If you have any further questions please give us a call at 1-877-888-2678.<br /> <br />Thank you for visiting eCOST.com,<br />Customer Service Specialist

[Scott Gardener]

Another 320 Gig bargain; Best Buy is clearing out their Western Digital external "Passport" 2.5 inch portable drives, to make way for the new, colorful ones. The older-styled plain black ones have been reduced to $119. Not bad, given that it's portable and one-cord, USB-powered. I bought mine three days ago at the new Best Buy in Rockwall, Texas. I don't know if they have any more, or if others may have some more in stock.<br /><br />A glance at their web site does not show any available, but their newer replacement models are priced on sale at $149, or $119 for the 250 Gig models.