As they have for more than a
decade, makers of storage systems for consumers and small and midsize businesses
continue to leapfrog over each other when it comes to aerial density and
overall storage capacity in their devices.
The latest such example is
Seagate (NASDAQ:STX), which on Sept. 7 announced it is now shipping a new 4TB
GoFlex Desk 3.5-inch external hard drive. The company contends that this is the
highest-capacity consumer- and small-business hard drive now available.
The new drive has the space
to contain over 2,000 high-definition movies, said Patrick Connolly, Seagate
vice president and general manager of retail products.
That's a lot of storage in a
toaster-sized desktop device, especially when one realizes that the entire
Library of Congress, if digitized, could be contained in a mere 1TB of
capacity. It is also significant that this device will retail for $250.
The 4TB devices are Windows-
and Mac OS X-compatible and have the flexibility to go between both operating
systems, Seagate said. In addition to cross-platform compatibility, the GoFlex
Desk drive can also be utilized with the GoFlex Home adapter, if one chooses to
use it as a network drive.
With the pre-loaded Memeo
backup software, the GoFlex Desk external drive provides automatic, continuous
backup with encryption for all files. It includes a USB 3.0 adapter that works
with USB 2.0 ports, making it easy to connect to a Windows or Mac computer. The
adapter also features an illuminated gauge to display available space on the drive.
The GoFlexes made their
debut in May 2010 (see
a slideshow on the launch event here). This has become a hot-selling
product line for Scotts Valley, Calif.-based Seagate.
A GoFlex Desk for Mac
external drive, featuring both FireWire 800 and USB 2.0, will be available in
Apple stores by the end of the month, Seagate said.
The new 4TB GoFlex Desk
drive is now available from the Seagate Website
and will be available from select online retailers this month for $249.99.
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Data Storage News & Reviews 
