Fantom Drives Announces DataShield Portable USB 3.0 External Hard Drives with 256-Bit AES Military Grade Encryption

PRESS RELEASE

TORRANCE, Calif. – October 27, 2015 – Fantom Drives, a consumer, prosumer and SMB data storage innovator, today announced the DataShield™ portable data drive. The new DataShield drive provides the option of traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state disk drives (SSDs) and features software-free setup that takes minutes to install. The easy to use storage device is lightweight for portability and features military grade 256-Bit AES encryption to provide defense of data against unwarranted third-party access. Featuring keypad entry, DataShield portable USB 3.0 external hard drives connect to any laptop or desktop computer and provide secure storage for sensitive data.

According to research by Markets and Markets, the global hardware encryption market revenue is expected to grow to $166.67 billion in 2018 at a CAGR of 62.17%. Similarly, volumes are estimated to grow from roughly 59.76 million units to 691.79 million units in 2018 at a CAGR of 63.20%. This growth is heralded by the growing consumer electronics applications market for hardware encryption products.

DataShield portable USB 3.0 external hard drives are available in several capacities, ranging from 500GB to 2TB and offer mobile storage that is simple to install and use. Features include:

•  AES-256 military-grade hardware encryption, that protects data even if the drive is removed from its case;

•  Choice of drive models: SSD or 2.5” traditional HDD;

•  Designed for maximum portability featuring a durable lightweight case and compact dimensions;

•  Popular range of capacities: 500GB, 1TB and 2TB;

•  Transfer speeds up to 5Gbps with USB 3.0, featuring removable cable;

•  Software-free installation that eliminates the need for drivers, and

•  Bus-powered, no external power supply required.

The compact design and unique external keypad of DataShield portable USB 3.0 external hard drives make them highly mobile and easy for the owner with the proper credentials to access. Users have the option of selecting traditional hard disk drive media (HDD) or higher performance solid state disk (SSD) drives. SSD capacities available with DataShield drives include 250GB, 500GB or 1TB and feature I/O throughput performance up to 5Gbps. DataShield drives are compatible with all USB-capable Apple Macintosh computers running Apple® Mac® OS 10.4 or newer and PC-compatible computers running Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 operating systems or newer, and Windows Server® 2003, 2008, 2012 platforms or newer.

Models include:

Portable External Solid State Disk Drives:

• Fantom Drives DataShield DSS250, 250GB, 256-Bit AES, Hardware Encrypted, Portable USB 3.0 External Solid State Disk Drive

•  Fantom Drives DataShield DSS500, 500GB, 256-Bit AES, Hardware Encrypted, Portable USB 3.0 External Solid State Disk Drive

•  Fantom Drives DataShield DSS1000, 1TB, 256-Bit AES, Hardware Encrypted, Portable USB 3.0 External Solid State Disk Drive

Portable External Hard Disk Drives:

•  Fantom Drives DataShield DSH500, 500GB, 256-Bit AES, Hardware Encrypted, Portable USB 3.0 External Hard Disk Drive

•  Fantom Drives DataShield DSH1000, 1TB, 256-Bit AES, Hardware Encrypted, Portable USB 3.0 External Hard Disk Drive

•  Fantom Drives DataShield DSH2000, 2TB, 256-Bit AES, Hardware Encrypted, Portable USB 3.0 External Hard Disk Drive

•  Fantom Drives DataShield DSH1000P, 1TB, 7200 RPM, 256-Bit AES, Hardware Encrypted, Portable USB 3.0, External Hard Disk Drive for Professionals

The Advanced Encryption Standard or AES is a symmetric block cipher used by the U.S. government to protect classified information and is implemented in software and hardware throughout the world to secure sensitive data. In June 2003, the U.S. government announced that AES could be used to protect classified information, and it soon became the default encryption algorithm for protecting military data as well. It was also the first publicly accessible and open cipher approved by the National Security Agency (NSA) for top-secret information.

“With a long history of providing reliable storage products for the consumer, prosumer and small and medium business (SMB) markets, our mission has continued to drive us toward greater innovations and designs that bring cutting-edge technologies to the consumer,” said Hamid Khorsandi, Executive Chairman, MicroNet and Fantom Drives. “DataShield portable USB 3.0 external hard drives are no exception to the company’s focus on excellence and its entry is timely as the risk to sensitive data remains present. As buyers move toward more secure computing platforms both at home and the office, these products offer an excellent choice for secure mobile storage.”

Pricing and Availability

DataShield portable USB 3.0 external hard drives are available immediately through online retailers, including Ingram Micro, Amazon.com, CDW.com, Newegg.com, Rakuten.com, TigerDirect.com, and others. MSRP starts at $99.95.

About MicroNet Technology and Fantom Drives For over 25 years, Torrance, California-based MicroNet and Fantom Drives have manufactured a full range of storage solutions that customers can rely on. From the affordable G-Force line of desktop products to high-performance RAID and NAS solutions. MicroNet and Fantom Drives continue to lead the industry in reliability, quality, performance and value. Their award-winning storage solutions include G-Force External Hard Drives, RAIDBank4 and Platinum RAID desktop Disk Arrays, Genesis V rackmount RAID, PlatinumNAS and MaxNAS Network Attached Storage (NAS), Optical Drives and a complete range of accessories. For product and reseller information, contact MicroNet and Fantom Drives, at phone: 310-320-7272, fax: 310-328-0202, or on the World Wide Web at www.micronet.com or www.fantomdrives.com.

*A trademark or trade name belonging to an entity other than MicroNet/Fantom Drives.