http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
500GB drive ~ $100
Vantec enclosure with eStata ~ $40
This = rip off.]]>Mar 25th 2008 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Have you seen how tiny these are? I have a 500gb seagate hd in an icebox enclosure, but it's too freaking huge to be carrying around (and heavy).

The passport fits in my breast pockets and I take it everywhere.]]>Mar 25th 2008 12:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
So no a 500GB isn't ~$99, in fact they don't even exist yet!]]>Mar 25th 2008 12:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Don't forget to mention how it doesn't need external power.]]>Mar 25th 2008 12:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
that thin coat of rubber is going to wear out or scratch and look really nasty.]]>Mar 25th 2008 11:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
:p
If it looks somewhat like it, sure, let's call it that.]]>Mar 25th 2008 6:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 9:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 26th 2008 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 12:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 12:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
Doesn't matter much to me, they are external drives not my main HDD. Quieter is better imo.]]>Mar 25th 2008 12:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 1:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 1:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 3:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
Comes from the fact that no laptops (that I know of, anyways) and only some desktops have eSATA ports. One of the main reasons to by a pocket-sized drive over a larger 3.5"-based drive is to be able to plug into whatever computer you come upon. eSATA + USB = means more electronics on the inside, one more port on the outside = bigger enclosure = less portable. ]]>Mar 28th 2008 5:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 1:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/A ONE YEAR GUARANTEE - ONLY!
You try to get one replaced when it goes faulty!
I've thrown out more WD drives under two years old than I care to remember. Only one worse, that was IBM drives (now Hitachi owned)
Now. You start offering a 5 year guarantee and a postal return, no arguments, and I'll start thinking.
Service is what counts - especially with the inflated purchase price of these drive setups.]]>Mar 26th 2008 9:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
Also, Costco has the 320gb in Bronze with a carrying case for $139.00 at the register (no MIR). Goes back to $169.00 on June 2nd.]]>May 26th 2008 6:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Oct 2nd 2008 8:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
Though when it works (which is 90% of the time), this thing is AMAZING. It's tiny, quiet, cool (somehow...) and has enough storage to take just about everything you could need with you. If I didn't already have mine I'd definitely look at the 320gb ones. You guys complaining that it's too expensive have a point if you aren't taking things with you constantly, but carrying around something a little bit bigger than my wallet that has enough space for 3 of my harddrives is pretty damn perfect.]]>Mar 25th 2008 5:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 5:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 8:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/Mar 25th 2008 11:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
Occasionally it is really slow to copy something, not sure what's up with that. Otherwise, awesome.

(I do hate how they photograph them to look all-over coloured - the backs are usually white or black!)]]>Mar 25th 2008 8:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/25/western-digital-rolls-out-colorful-new-my-passport-elite-usb-har/
2) If concerned about the 1 yr warranty, buy it with a credit card that adds 1 yr to manufacturer's warranty. (just keep the original monthly statement & store receipt!)

3) After more than 2 yrs it will be obsolete anyway :)]]>Aug 6th 2008 6:08PM