If you want to take advantage of the blistering transfer speeds of

USB 3.0

, you'll need to jump through a few hoops. First, until we start seeing USB 3.0 ports come as standard equipment on laptop and desktop computers, you can't just buy a USB 3.0 external hard drive. You'll need to buy a kit like Seagate's BlackArmor PS110 that includes an ExpressCard interface and a couple of proprietary cables. You'll also need to be sure your notebook has an ExpressCard slot. Netbooks, and indeed, most desktop computers, need not apply.