LaCie's external hard disk-designing ingenuity never ceases to impress us.
This time, rather than teaming up with existing designer buddies such as Neil Poulton or Philippe Starck, it's cut a deal with luxury French brand Christofle.
The result? A perfectly spherical hard disk, silver plated, monogrammed and aptly named the Sphère.
A nightmare for photographers
The Sphère's finish is the result of a manual plating process, and it's polished by Christofle's silversmiths, who more frequently buff up jewellery, cutlery and tableware in their Normandy headquarters. The sheen is as reflective as a mirror, which makes it a fine object of intrigue for any oligarch's desk, but is likely to scuff unpleasantly if you take it lawn bowling.
As for specs, it's based around a 1TB 2.5in hard disk drive (although it's far from clear where they've managed to squeeze it into this fist-sized ball), has USB 3.0 connectivity which also provides power, and there's a blue LED status light at its base (OK, so it's not completely spherical).
It's PC and Mac-compatible, and a suite of software provides backup, public/private areas and password protection.
The Sphère will be available in Spring. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but given how much Christofle's spoons sell for, you'll have to save up a bit.
