Good price - check. Large capacity - check. Economical, quiet, and environmentally sound - yep. It sounds like SimpleTech's [re]drive is a great little storage gadget that has a lot going for it.

The SimpleTech [re]drive is a eco-friendly USB external hard drive that is made, very nicely, out of renewable bamboo and recyclable aluminum. It also does not have a cooling fan, so it runs cheaply and quietly. The heat dissipation is done through the wooden sides. It also features an auto on/off feature that helps it shut down when not in use.

The drive, which is quite good looking, comes with a 500GB storage capacity and runs off of Turbo USB 2.0, which is about 25% faster than standard USB 2.0. It will be available soon and will run about $150.

This push toward eco-friendly gadgets like the SimpleTech's [re]drive is a great trend. The more and more plugged in we become, it will be necessary to conserve where and when we can. Yes, there is the "save the world" eco-centered argument. But, if the shear reality of the world can't convince you, think of it this way - if you want to keep all of your gadgets running, we will have to conserve energy - rolling blackouts to conserve energy like we are seeing in the West do nothing for gadget lovers.

Source.