Toshiba's self-encrypting HDDs could be successful on Macs

The functions of disk encryption and remote data destruction will certainly come in handy on Mac OS X Lion, especially for users who handle a lot of sensitive data and need to handle it with the utmost security. However, unlike iOS gadgets that rely on hardware encryption, Ma computers will not have a satisfactory level of performance when working with these functions until anyone using FileVault on the current Mac OS X knows that the system startup is a little slower.

Toshiba's self-encrypting HDD

The good news is that Apple is facing a great opportunity to address this disadvantage with respect to iGadgets in the future, thanks to the emergence of self-encrypting HDDs. Toshiba introduced a complete line of them last week, with storage capacities ranging from 160GB to 640GB.

The models have intelligent controllers that take good care of data encryption, much faster than any 100% software-based solution can do today. In addition, they have functions that can speed up the destruction of a computer's files by means of remote commands and are even able to execute them themselves, if they are removed from the original machine by a thief and implanted in any other.

According to the Electronist, Toshiba's new series of self-encrypting HDDs will be in production by the end of this quarter. O timing perfect for launching on computers starting in June.