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Disk drive and storage provider WD on Oct. 3 introduced its My Cloud line of what it calls “personal cloud” desktop storage machines that enable users to organize and secure digital content from their computers and mobile devices and access those files from anywhere.
The My Cloud units also have a mobile app for iOS and Android that allows users to view photos, stream video and access their files from anywhere on their smartphones or tablets. The mobile app also makes file sharing and collaborating possible, allowing customers to email files, share files as a link and print and open files with third-party apps.
Additionally, the My Cloud mobile app integrates other public cloud services so that customers can transfer files between their Dropbox, SkyDrive and Google Drive public cloud accounts.
The 2TB and 3TB My Cloud is currently available at select U.S. retailers and online, while the 4TB My Cloud is expected to be available in November. The suggested price is is $149.99 for 2TB, $179.99 for 3TB and $249.99 for 4TB.
In addition, the My Cloud mobile app currently is available for download from the App Store and Google Play. A two-drive and four-drive My Cloud configuration will be available in the future, the company said.
My Cloud users can store and organize their data in one secure place on the home network. With the platform’s desktop app, navigating, controlling and sharing these files from anywhere in the world is simple and intuitive. Customers also can attach a compatible USB 3.0 hard drive directly to the USB expansion port on the My Cloud drive and instantly expand their storage capacity.
“Families are connecting, sharing, syncing and backing-up numerous mobile devices and computers in their household, with the amount of digital data being created on these devices growing dramatically,” said Liz Conner, senior research analyst for storage systems at IT analytics firm IDC. “Personal cloud is an ideal solution to simplify the complex issue of organizing digital files across various devices so that users can enjoy their digital videos, photos and music on all of their devices.”
The company claims that by connecting a My Cloud personal cloud drive to the Internet, consumers get the anywhere, any-device access they can get from the public cloud, without having to pay monthly fees or giving up control of their personal data.
“We believe that there’s no place like home for the cloud,” Jim Welsh, executive vice president and general manager of WD’s branded products and consumer electronics groups, said in a statement. “Everyone is inundated with thousands of digital files scattered across multiple computers and mobile devices, and controlling that chaos is a challenge. WD’s personal cloud is the easiest, most secure and most affordable way for customers to control that chaos, with access to all of their files anywhere, anytime.”