If you prefer to travel without a laptop when out shooting, but still want to be able to back up, preview and rate images you've shot, as well as review video footage, then the Gnarbox 2.0 SSD could be the answer.
The Gnarbox 2.0 SSD promises to be more than just another rugged external hard drive. It's waterproof down to a depth of 1m for up to 30 minutes, and features a 2.4Ghz Intel Quad Core processor, 4GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage depending on which capacity drive you opt for.
There's an SD card slot and two USB-C ports for transferring images and video from your camera, while you shouldn't be fumbling for a plug to charge it regularly, as it packs a replaceable battery that has enough power to back up 36,000 photos.
Dedicated apps
While the built-in display offers control over the image back-up process, to take full advantage of the Gnarbox 2.0 SSD you'll want to download the dedicated apps that are being launched alongside the drive.
For file management there's Safekeep, which offers tailored file/folder organization and tools to manage file movement across your devices. Then there's Selects, which enables fast previewing of raw photos, and promises to make it easy to mark your selections with EXIF metadata and prepare them for editing in Lightroom Classic/CC.
Sequence is an accelerated rough-cut assembly app that acts as a bridge to editing tools like Premiere Pro and FinalCut Pro. You can review videos, prepare bins, and send sequences to your favorite timeline editor using the XML format. Finally there's Showcase, which enables you to project your photos and videos onto large displays without a laptop.
Integration with Lightroom
As well as enabling you to review and rate raw images, the Gnarbox 2.0 SSD also supports Lightroom integration, creating a direct connection to Lightroom CC to enable you to edit raw files on the move, before sharing on your social channels.
Gnarbox 2.0 SSD was launched on KickStarter on April 3, and the campaign smashed though its $70,000 target in under 40 minutes, so if everything goes to plan, devices should be available by December. If you're interested in getting you hands on one, pledges start at $300 for a 128GB version, with a 1TB model setting you back $700.
