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Data storage specialist Western Digital announced the next generation of its My Passport storage drives with a range of capacities, beginning from 500GB and topping out at an industry-first 2TB. Featuring the companys SmartWare automatic backup software and WD Security technology for password protection and hardware encryption, the drives, which are powered through the USB port, come in white, black, silver, blue or red.
My Passport drives come with a two-year limited warranty and are available online at the WD store and at select retailers and distributors. The suggested price for the 500GB drive is $129.99, $149.99 for the 750GB drive, $179.99 for the 1TB version, $199.99 for the 1.5TB drive and $249.99 for the new 2TB edition. With the addition of finishes specially engineered to make the outer shell more resistant to scratches and fingerprints (a tough polycarbonate exterior and soft elastomer cushion lining also protect the drive), the My Passport drives feature USB 3.0 connectivity, USB 2.0 compatibility, and continuous, automatic backup software.
SmartWare features a visual interface that lets users see the WD drives connected to the computer. The platform automatically scans the computer and finds all personal files, including email. Users then select the files and folders that they want backed up or can back up files by category. Backup gauges show how much information has to be backed up in each category. Users can also mouse over a category to see a file count. As the backup is running, the category gauges will change color showing users the backup as it happens. When finished, users will see a status screen and information about the backup, which only has to be done once. After the first backup, a users files will be backed up automatically every time a file is changed or added.
In addition, if a user ever accidentally deletes an important file, or needs to get an earlier version of a file, they can find and retrieve with the retrieve interface. SmartWare also lets users restore all of the files theyve backed up or select a particular file or folder and set the number of versions they want to save so they can go back in time to retrieve an older version of a file.
“More than money, jewelry and other valuables, the item most missed if ever lost or stolen is one’s computerand everything on itso our goal in launching the next generation of the popular My Passport drives is to encourage more consumers to protect their data before something happens,” said Jim Welsh, executive vice president and general manager of WD’s branded products and consumer electronics groups. “The new My Passport makes backing up and preserving one’s digital life easier.”