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Buffalo Technologies says its Ministation Shinobi not only offers stunning performance, but it's also the world's thinnest external hard drive.

Buffalo Technologies has unveiled its MiniStation Shinobi portable hard drive, which the company says not only packs the performance of a pro-level hard drive, but will also make on-the-go computing users rejoice because, at just 5mm thick, it's also the world's thinnest external hard drive. The MiniStation Shinobi features Buffalo's TurboUSB technology to make transfer rates up to 20 percent faster than standard drives, and the unit includes backup and synchronization software to mobile users can easy keep track of their data.

"Innovative, easy-to-use products with quality features is what Buffalo is known for," said Buffalo's VP of sales Ken Higgins, in a statement. "With the new MiniStation Shinobi, we are continuing to push the envelope with more compact, design conscious storage solutions that will not only meet, but exceed the ever evolving needs of our customers."

The MiniStation Shinobi is Mac and PC compatible and features a self-contained cable management system, and is available in either 30 or 60 GB capacities. Under the (tiny) hood, the unit uses a 4200 rpm 1.8-inch hard drive (not unlike portable media players), and the whole unit weighs just two ounces. Even better the MiniStation Shinobi can run off USB bus power so there's no extra power adapter to carry around. The drives ship with Buffalo's SecureLockMobile software to protect data in the even the drive is lost or stolen.

Expect the MiniStation Shinobi to be available in October for $119.99 for the 30 GB version, and $169.99 for the 60 GB edition.