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The high-end division of Seagate Technology, LaCie, unveiled the Mirror portable hard drive as well as the 4 terabyte (TB) Rugged RAID mobile drive, featuring hardware RAID 0 and 1, which lets users optimize the product for speed or data security according to their workflow and use it on any Mac or PC.
The Mirror is wholly encased in scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, and the 1 TB object sits in a base made of a single piece of ebony wood from Makassar.
Hewn from Makassar ebony wood, a richly colored, extremely dense wood, every display stand is unique, and there are no two pieces that are exactly alike.
This design-oriented piece from LaCie has been designed in collaboration with the acclaimed French designer, Pauline Deltour, who worked with the LaCie product development team to craft the design.
The glass is chemically strengthened and atomically configured to better survive the real–world events that most commonly cause glass failure.
This glass also enables improved damage resistance and toughness by helping to prevent the deep chips and scratches that cause glass to break.
Early in Deltour’s career, she worked as designer and project leader at Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design in Munich, and then opened her own studio back in 2009.
“LaCie’s objective with products such as the LaCie Mirror is to reach audiences who believe design is an important feature of the products they use, Kathy Wang, product manager of extreme design for Seagate and LaCie, told eWeek. These consumers want the best technology devices in their home and offices, and they also need these devices to reflect their premium decor and design sensibilities.”
The Mirror portable hard drive will first be available in late January for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $279.99 through the company’s website with wider availability later this year, and features a two–year limited warranty that includes complimentary web–based resources, in–house technical support, and worldwide repair or replacement coverage.
It is also possible to upgrade this service with warranty extensions, product replacement and data recovery services.
“With each Extreme Design release, we do something entirely different and unique with the design, materials used, and partners we work with – whether they’re top technology brands like Corning, or premium luxury brands like Christofle,” Wang explained. “These products are both conversation starters and are statement pieces that bring aesthetic value to functional products that typically do not take design into account.”
The Rugged RAID features Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 along with two internal hard drives that are preconfigured in hardware RAID 0, and also features RAID 1 (mirrored mode), where the data is duplicated across the two drives.
This means even if a single drive fails in the field, the data remains accessible from the other drive.The drive includes a backup software suite and compatibility with Time Machine and Windows Backup.
For added data protection, the Rugged is resistant to shock, dust and water. It is tested to withstand drops of up to five feet and 1 ton of pressure.
In addition, with its cap in place, the Rugged is IP 54–rated for additional resistance to dust and water splashing — even during operation.
It also includes LaCie Private–Public software, which lets users password-protect the whole drive or only certain volumes with AES 256–bit encryption.
Powered through the Thunderbolt cable, the Rugged offers access to the data anywhere, as no power outlet required, and the integrated Thunderbolt cable ensures that the cable cannot be lost.
The Rugged RAID, designed by Neil Poulton, will be available in a 4 TB capacity with a retail price of $449.99 this quarter through the LaCie online store and LaCie resellers, and offers the same warranty as the company’s Mirror drive.