Seagate FreeAgent Go 250 GB 2.5" USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

Product Description
With the FreeAgent Go, you can turn any PC into your PC. The instructions make it easy to transfer a copy of your web browser, favorites, passwords, IM client and contacts, e-mail client, cookies, settings and files to the drive. With that done, simply plug the FreeAgent Go into any PC with a USB 2.0 port. The FreeAgent Go will transform that PC into a copy of your home PC. While in use, all of your actions are stored on the FreeAgent Go, so when you disconnect there is no trace of your personal data on the borrowed machine. The FreeAgent Go will even synchronize its data with your most frequented PCs, so its always up to date. The FreeAgent Go is a great way to not only take your data, but your entire desktop environment with you wherever you go. 5400 RPM USB 2.0 Connectivity PC Compatibility - Windows 2000, Windows XP Home, XP Pro, and Vista Mac Compatibility - Power PC G3, G4, or G5 processor running OS X 10.3.9 (or higher) or Intel Core Duo or Core Solo processor running OS X 10.4.6 (or higher) (FreeAgent Go software and drive formatting works only with Windows, but can be reformatted for Mac using Disk Utility) 5-Year Limited Manufacturer Warranty Unit Dimensions - 0.7 (h) x 4.8 (w) x 3.9 (d) Unit Weight - 6.4 oz.

If you find yourself working from multiple computers but needing constant access to your own software, e-mail and digital files, the Seagate Free Agent Go Portable Hard Drive is for you. More than a simple portable back-up and storage solution, the Seagate Free Agent Go lets you take your favorite software, Web browser, IM client and contacts, email, cookies, and personalization settings wherever you go--safely and securely. Not only does this portable hard drive synchronize your data with just about any computer you want to work from, more importantly it features the latest encryption software to protect your content, leaving no trace of your last session on the borrowed computer. With the Seagate Free Agent Go, you have the best of all worlds--a convenient portable back-up solution and a virtual desktop in a pocket-size package.

Product Features

• 250 GB portable hard drive connects to your computer via USB cable
• 5400 RPM spindle speed for speedy performance
• Protect against unauthorized use with encryption for sensitive files; Leave no trace of your last session on a borrowed computer
• Keep your most current data with you - synchronize data from your most frequented PCs
• Includes portable drive, Free Agent software (preloaded) and electronic documentation, USB 2.0 cable, and a quick start guide; 5-year limited warranty

Technical Details

• Capacity (GB): 250
• Interface: USB 2.0
• Spindle Speed (RPM): 5400

Powerful storage device with a sleek new design. Compact size makes it great for on-the-go travel.

Take your favorite music, photos, or programs with you anywhere you go.
It’s all about having your desktop environment and latest files with you - when and where you need them. Designed for mobility, the sleek compact design easily fits into your shirt pocket, briefcase or backpack. We provide the USB cable that’s not only the interface connection, but the power source – no additional power cords are needed. And the unique espresso brown finish with molten amber illumination is just icing on the cake.

High-Speed Synchronization and Security
Whether you have vital company data or personal files and programs that you need to access, the Seagate Free Agent Go protects your most valuable information via drive-level encryption that provides a more robust solution than most software encryption on the market today. Delivering high-end protection against unauthorized use with encryption for sensitive files, this device keeps your data safe while you're on the go.

And not to worry, your Free Agent Go portable hard drive saves all of your private information on itself, not on the computer you’re using. That means there’s no trace of your last session to tempt the next person on a borrowed computer. It also provides strong file encryption to protect your content, and lets you sync your files from several PCs.

With the Seagate Free Agent Go, virtually any computer can temporarily become yours. The software/drive combination allows you to move files or other content quickly via USB 2.0, allowing transfer rate of up to 480 MB/sec for USB. The drive's high-performance spindle speed of 5400 RPM gives you the high-speed performance you need to back your data up quickly and safely. The sleek and slim design of this hard drive--only 0.7 x 3.9 x 4.8-inches (H x D x W)--and a weight of less than four pounds means that you can carry practically your entire desktop with you as you make your rounds from computer to computer.

The Free Agent Go software and drive is formatted to work out of the box with Windows operating systems--including Vista, Windows XP and Windows 2000--but the drive can easily be made Mac-ready in a few minutes with Mac OS X's Disk Utility. The unit features a sophisticated touch point power on/off switch. Plug in the USB 2.0 cable to a PC and your personal desktop environment launches automatically. To help eliminate even the slightest bit of worry, we’ve included technical support and a five-year limited warranty.

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LaCie Big Disk Extreme+ 301199U 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire400/FireWire800 RAID System

Product Description
Marketing description is not available.ormous capacity and a transparent, built-in RAID 0 array with no configuration for fast FireWire 800 speed. Easily share data among the widest range of user platforms with this triple interface, plug and play hard drive. Store presentations, archive image banks, work on large-scale audio/video projects, or chain FireWire devices and iLink DV cameras. Its LaCie shortcut button conveniently launches any application (backup, music, slideshows, etc.) with just one push. Advanced features for professionals include triple power management, a 32MB cache, a thermo-regulated progressive quiet smart fan, and EMC Retrospect advanced backup and data restoration software for Windows and Mac users.

The LaCie Big Disk Extreme+ 301199U 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire400/FireWire800 RAID System is a powerful drive that's optimized for media professionals working with high-definition audio, digital video editing, SD video and 2D/3D imaging. Designed by Neil Poulton, the Big Disk Extreme+ offers a compact, lightweight storage solution ready for some heavy-duty action.

The LaCie Big Disk Extreme+ 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire400/FireWire800 RAID System offers:

• USB 2.0, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800 interfaces.
• Built-in RAID 0 performance with FireWire 800 speed with no configuration required.
• Flexible design that can be stacked, rack-mounted or daisy chained.
• Heat-dissipating body and advanced cooling system for cool performance.

The drive features USB, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800 connectivity.

Product Features

• Powerful 1 TB drive optimized for professionals working with high-definition audio, digital video editing, SD video and 2D/3D imaging
• FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces
• LaCie's trademark "Shortcut Button" for quick back-ups or application launch
• Includes FireWire 800 to FireWire 800 (9-to-9 pin) cable, FireWire 400 to FireWire 400 (6-to-6 pin) cable, hi-speed USB 2.0 cable (USB 1.1 compatible), and external power supply
• Measures 6.8 x 1.7 x 10.6 inches (HxWxD); weighs 5.5 pounds; 3-year limited warranty

Technical Details

• Model Number: 301199U
• Capacity: 1 TB
• Interface: 2 x FireWire 800 (9-pin) ports, 1 x FireWire 400 (6-pin) port (compatible with iLink, DV), 1 x USB 2.0 port (compatible with USB 1.1)
• Data transfer rate: FireWire 800: up to 800 Mbps (100 MBps); FireWire 400: up to 400 Mbps (50 MBps); USB 2.0: up to 480 Mbps (60 MBps)
• Burst transfer rate: FireWire 800: up to 80 to 90 MBps; FireWire 400: up to 35 to 40 MBps; USB 2.0: up to 30 to 34 MBps
• Average seek time (write): Less than 10 milliseconds
• Rotational speed: 7200 rpm
• Cashe: 32 MB
• Power supply: AC power cord (included)
• Cooling system: Thermo-regulated progressive quiet fan
• System requirements (PC): Windows 2000/XP/Vista; Intel Pentium 500 MHz processor or higher; 128 MB RAM (512 MB recommended); available FireWire 800, FireWire 400 or USB 2.0 port
• System requirements (Mac): Mac OS 10.2.8 or later; Mac G4, G5, Mac Intel 500 MHz processor or higher; 128 MB RAM (512 MB recommended); available FireWire 800, FireWire 400 or USB 2.0 port
• Operating temperature: 41 to 95 degrees F / 5 to 35 degrees C
• Operating humidity: 5 to 80 percent, non-condensing
• Dimensions: 1.7 x 10.6 x 6.8 inches / 44 x 272 x 173 millimeters (W x H x D)
• Weight: 5.51 pounds / 2500 grams
• Warranty: 3-year limited warranty
• What's in the Box: Disk Extreme+ 301199U RAID system, FireWire 800 to FireWire 800 (9-to-9 pin) cable, FireWire 400 to FireWire 400 (6-to-6 pin) cable, USB 2.0 cable (USB 1.1 compatible), external power supply, LaCie utilities CD-ROM (user's manual, quick install guide, software), drive stand

The Shortcut Button can back up your data or launch any application with a single button push. View larger.

Big Disk Extreme+ Triple Interface
Featuring high-performance storage (1 TB of total disc space), high capacity and a user-friendly quick backup feature for data safety and recovery, the Big Disk Extreme+ packs a powerful 1-2-3 punch. Its capacity, combined with ultra-fast transfer rates, make it ideal for data-hungry applications or sharing and archiving large-scale video projects.

This versatile storage solution offers a terabyte of storage, along with FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces. This triple-interface solution gives professionals the versatility needed to work in almost any environment. Professional users working with very large, resource-intensive files can take advantage of the high throughput of the FireWire 800 (with burst transfer rates up to 90 MB/s,) as well as the universal compatibility of USB. This makes the Big Disk Extreme+ especially convenient for video editors working in SD/HD, or for quick individual workstation storage in a small business setting.

LaCie's trademark "Shortcut Button"--the blue button in front of the drive--can be used to launch any utility--such as music, slideshows, or video--with a single push, or back up your valuable data. The Big Disk Extreme+ also includes EMC's Retrospect Express software for automated backups that will give you even greater peace of mind.

Convenient and Easy to Use
The Big Disk Extreme+ is a hot plug and play solution that offers built-in RAID 0 performance (with FireWire 800 speed) that requires no software configuration or drivers. Expandable via FireWire with other FireWire hard drives, the Big Disk can also be daisy chained with peripherals such as CD-RW, AIT or DV cameras. In fact, several Big Disks can even be daisy chained to the same computer and combined together to further increase capacity, speed or security via FireWire.

For extra convenience, the drive also features a power-saving three-position switch that allows for customized "Triple Power Management" -- "auto" for energy efficiency; "on" for instant access; and "off" for complete data protection.

Heat-Dissipating d2 Design by Neil Poulton
Designed by world renown designer Neil Poulton, the Big Disk Extreme+ boasts a sleek, handsome metal body that's ideal for naturally dissipating the system's internal drive heat. Its unique design actually draws heat away from the internal drive toward the external casing. The casing absorbs heat and will take advantage of its large surface to further dissipate the heat away from the drive. The Big Disk Extreme+ also includes an advanced cooling system with a thermo regulated, progressive quiet fan that keeps the drive safe and prolongs its life and reliability.

Engineered with a compact 5.25-inch 1U form factor to fit seamlessly into most work environments, and more compact and lightweight than RAID towers, the Big Disk Extreme+ can be placed in a space-saving upright position with the included drive stand, or can be stacked, rack-mounted and even daisy-chained with other drives (via FireWire) to increase capacity. An optional LaCie Rackmount Kit can be used to incorporate the drive into a standard 19-inch computer equipment rack, and the drive can also be placed in the optional LaCie Desk Rack (also sold separately).

The LaCie Big Disk Extreme+ measures 6.8 x 1.7 x 10.6 inches (HxWxD), weighs 5.5 pounds, and is backed by LaCie's 3-year limited warranty.

About LaCie
Established in France in 1989, LaCie is a leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. With offices and plants in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie develops and manufactures external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology.

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Western Digital 500 GB My Book Essential 2.0 - USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDH1U5000N

Product Description

Are you running out of hard drive capacity? Do you need to archive some important digital documents, photos, or music? This elegant external hard drive, reminiscent of a book, is the perfect solution. It takes no more space than a paperback book. Collect two or more and they nest neatly together like volumes on a shelf.cent of a book, is the perfect solution. It takes no more space than a paperback book. Collect two or more and they nest neatly together like volumes on a shelf.

Product Features

• Includes - External hard drive, USB cable, AC adapter and Quick Install Guide
• Smart and energy efficient - Turns itself on and off with your computer
• Saving and organizing your digital photo collection
• USB 2.0 Serial Bus Transfer Rate - 480 Mbits/s
• System Requirements - Available USB port, Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later

Technical Details

• Capacity (GB): 500
• Interface: USB 2.0
• Spindle Speed (RPM): 7200
• Buffer Memory: 16MB
• Average Seek (msec): <8.9
• Track-to-Track Seek Time (typical read, ms): 2.0
• Data Transfer Rate on USB 2.0: Up to 480 Mb/sec
• Temperature, Operating (°C): 5 to 35
• Temperature, Nonoperating (°C): -40 to 65

Western Digital has released v2.0 of the My Book Essential external hard drive series, redesigned for late 2007.

The Essential series is the value line from Western Digital's external hard drive product line. Featuring a USB-only connection, the drive is targeted to price-conscious users who need lots of extra storage space, but don't need multiple connectivity options (USB, eSATA, Firewire).

Slightly reduced in thickness from its predecessor, v2.0 is about the size of an epic paperback novel only a few inches deeper. It weighs in around two pounds.

Gone is the green lighted circle which used to represent the power switch on older v1.0 drives - v2.0 uses a blue-lighted vertical drive activity indicator which alternates on and off when the drive is being accessed.

But also gone is the power switch itself. The latest generation of external drives from a variety of manufacturers including Western Digital and Seagate are now omitting them as a cost-saving measure. The My Book powers up upon plugging in the power and/or the USB connector. The drive is configured to power down after 10 minutes of inactivity or sensing the computer has been turned off.

Another substantial change is also becoming common with external drive models - doing away with the standard USB cable and replacing it with a USB-mini. The included cable, around three feet in length, may be too short for some applications, and be prepared to have some longer USB mini connector cables on hand if you want to extend the reach. Seagate has gone the same way.

Setting the drive up takes well under five minutes, from removing the shrink wrap on the box to actually seeing the drive on your desktop. The box comes with a very brief manual, a power cord (with a horizontally aligned transformer which may or may not be a good thing depending on where you plug it in), a USB cable, and the unit itself, wrapped in a protective plastic sheet.

The drive is pre-formatted using the FAT system, which creates a single partition of 465 gigabytes. The FAT file system assures the drive will function on multiple platforms. The drive will prompt you to install some minor diagnostic software and some Google tools you likely already have considered - Google Toolbar, Picasa, and Google Desktop (which indexes your hard drive and uses the Google search engine to help you find files.) For the latter, consider Copernic Desktop Search 2, which is free and offers superior search performance and better tools.

Most Windows and XP users will want to reformat the drive to the NTFS file system, which will support those 4+ gigabyte files FAT will not. You can easily reformat the drive under XP by clicking your way through Control Panel ("->" means you should click on this option) -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Storage -> Disk Management. It takes at least an hour to complete the reformat, and be aware the tools included on the drive will be erased so consider backing them up somewhere else if you care about them.

V2.0's redesign features a very shiny, smooth surfaced external case. I fear it will readily show fingerprints and scratches, so be extra careful when handling it.

As with the earlier model, no internal fan is apparent and heat dissipation is absolutely critical to the longevity of any hard drive. Some manufacturers have skimped on this, such as Seagate with their FreeAgent series which has had a high failure rate, but v1.0 Western Digital My Book drives have also historically not fared well either. Consumers want these devices to be nearly silent, and the tradeoff is product design that omits what is often the single most important component to guarantee a longer drive life - a cooling fan.

Although both series of drives seemed to get equally warm to the touch (but not uncomfortably hot), the single most important concern I have about Western Digital's entire My Book product line is drive longevity and data integrity. The last version of this product had scores of complaints about drive failures, almost always resulting in partial or total loss of your data. Most seemed to either fail during the first week of use or right around the first anniversary of purchase.

Different hard drives, depending on design, can generate more or less heat. It's not possible to tell precisely what model hard drive is being used in v2.0 (and whether it's an upgrade in quality from the earlier model), but perhaps Western Digital will have noticed the relatively high number of drive failures from its earlier product line and has used a different model for v2.0. Time will tell.

Both versions of the My Book series seem to offer adequate ventilation on the top, back, and bottom of the unit. Airflow will be very important to allow the heat from the hard drive to dissipate. In any external case without a fan to move air through the unit, or a heat sink to collect and bleed off the heat from the drive, the temperature inside the case will easily exceed 120 degrees, if not much higher if you reduce or block any of the ventilation holes. The higher the temperature, the sooner your drive will fail.

As with all USB external drives, the time spent transferring files back and forth will be much longer than experienced using an internal hard drive. The My Book series is best suited as a backup method to store copies of your important data in case one of your primary hard drives should fail. When powered down (which happens when the drive has not been accessed for around ten minutes), there will be an additional delay when attempting to access files from it, because the drive will need to spin-up (allow around 5-10 seconds for this).

As to the product's quality and longevity, as this is a new product line there is no easy way to guarantee whether this will prove a completely reliable product. But historically, external drives of all kinds tend to live shorter lives than internal drives, and Western Digital's warranty for this model remains one year. For $25 you can extend the warranty for two additional years from Western Digital's website.

But remember, it doesn't matter how long the warranty lasts if your data is gone because of a drive failure. No warranty will cover the costs to recover data from a failed drive (which can easily exceed $1000 with no guarantee of success). Do not rely on any hard drive to protect your most precious files alone. Every hard drive fails eventually. Instead, consider using the My Book Essential as a hard drive backup of your primary drives. Or if you need to rely on an external drive for day to day use, consider purchasing a second unit and using that to backup the first in case catastrophe strikes.

You can also prolong the life of your drive yourself by keeping it cool. I have a small inexpensive desk fan set on low blowing across my stack of external drives which does a good job. I also keep papers off of the drive, away from the sun or any heat vents.

Also pay attention to the sound your drive makes - it can be an early indicator of imminent failure. A whining or grinding sound (like a power saw off in the distance) is a clear danger sign. Loud clicking sounds when the drive is accessing data should sound a red alert that your drive is about to die. And should you encounter "delayed write failures" or other errors increasing in frequency as the drive ages, you should begin planning its replacement. Unfortunately, sometimes drives suddenly fail with no warning, so please create a backup strategy today before you lose up to 465 gigabytes of your files tomorrow.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that Western Digital has corrected the flaws from the first version of this product line. It's too bad the power switch is gone and they've switched to the less common USB-mini connectors, but as long as it keeps my data safe and secure, I can live with the changes.

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