Useful tools for travel photography: buying an external HDD

Today I decided to look for an external HDD for my photos. I started with Google-ing general expressions what I did not know so much about, then checked price comparisons and read technical reviews (in these case reviews of computing web sites in English, German and Hungarian).

All of us have different preferences, mine were the following after reading a couple of articles:

• HDD should survive mechanical damages ( since I am pretty sure that I will drop/kick it by accident for sure)
• 500 GB would be enough for now
• works quite fast and quiet
• proper heat dissiption
• USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 compatible
• size: 2.5 " or  3.5"
• medium price category

I almost chose a Western Digital Elements Edition 500 GB, but then I read at a German site that it went totally broke after the "Falltest". Knowing myself no matter how good this HDD is this is, if it can not stand small mechanical damage then it is not the one for me for sure.

My final choice is the Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB (pictures above). 

Here is a review from Computer Bild.de: http://www.computerbild.de/fotos/Test-Die-besten-externen-2-5-Zoll-USB-2.0-Festplatten-3084180.html#3

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500GB

Videodatei von/auf PC kopieren: 1,44 (sehr gut)
MP3-Dateien von/auf PC kopieren: 1,74 (gut)
Videodatei in anderen Ordner kopieren: 2,20 (gut)
Dauertransferrate (lesen/schreiben): 2,96 (befriedigend)
Mittlere Zugriffszeit: 2,42 (gut)
Betriebsgeräusch: 1,14 (sehr gut)
Temperaturentwicklung: 1,94 (gut)
Ergebnis Falltest: 1,10 (sehr gut)

I browsed these sites to read about the general and product-specific information in the topic:

1, Buying Guide: External Hard Drives,  http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/11/buyingguide-hard-drives/

2, Mire figyeljünk külső hdd vásárlásakor?, http://www.geeks.hu/tippektrukkok/090706_mire_figyeljunk_kulso_hdd_vasarlasakor

3, How many pictures you can store on a 500 GB hard drive?, http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2245427

4, What is the difference between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0?, http://indiawebsearch.com/content/what-is-the-difference-between-usb-20-and-usb-30

5, Test: die besten externen 2,5-Zoll Festplatten,  http://www.computerbild.de/fotos/Test-Die-besten-externen-2-5-Zoll-USB-2.0-Festplatten-3084180.html#3