Conclusion:
The Ximeta NetDisk offers reliable mass storage in a compact device that may challenge the necessity of a full file server for smaller business and home environments. The NetDisk occupies a minimal footprint, draws very little electricity, produces almost no noise, and requires none of the maintenance that your typical server might. In addition to its “business” side benefits, it also provides impressive speed (especially using USB 2.0), required for streaming movies or music.
I have no concrete issues with the NetDisk, but three minor observations may be worth considering. First, the device has no power switch, requiring it to be unplugged for shut downs. The receptacle on the back of the device isn’t the most convenient design for doing this regularly, but if you don’t intend to shut it down, it may not be a big deal.
The second observation I made is that the housing is always warm to the touch, more so during intensive disk activity. With the housing being completely sealed and no cooling fans present, it isn’t unreasonable to think that thermal considerations may limit the devices life. At the same time, the housing is aluminum which may be serving as heatsink drawing the heat away from the drive, and not actually trapping it.
The third minor observation is that unlike many USB 2.0 external storage products, the NetDisk can not be powered by the USB bus. You must bring the power adaptor with you if you intend for this to be a portable device. Not a major issue, but the 10 GB drive that was used in testing is very appealing because it only requires a USB cable for operation, no external power required.
PriceGrabber shows the 80 GB Ximeta NetDisk available from a number of sources for as little as $172 (US, as of review posting), including; Newegg, theNerds.net, Page Computers, and eCost. The 120 GB version carries a price tag of about $200 and the 160 GB version will set you back about $230, making none of them particularly cheap when compared to a device that may support just USB 2.0 or Firewire. But, the added flexibility and adaptability to a networked business environment provided by the ethernet connection is definitely worth considerably more than one of these other devices.
External hard drives are available in all shapes and sizes, generally supporting USB 2.0 or Firewire, but the innovative availability of ethernet sets the Ximeta NetDisk apart from all of the other choices in external storage. This innovation, as well as the solid performance, earns the Ximeta NetDisk four out of five stars... "Recommended!"
Final Rating (4 out of 5 stars): 
Pros:
• Innovative combination of USB 2.0 and ethernet
• Convenient, hot-swappable mass storage
• Low cost when approached as a substitute for a network file server
• Simple software setup
• Sleek and stylish
Cons:
• No power switch, and power plug isn’t the best design for regular unplugging.
• Housing is always warm to the touch, raising some concern of heat affecting usable life
• High cost when approached as a substitute for a portable storage device
Special thanks to Ximeta for providing the 80 GB NetDisk to BigBruin.Com for review!
Please drop by the BigBruin.Com Forum and feel free to discuss this review.
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