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LaCie serves up LaCinema Mini HD, Network Server and Wuala-infused USB keys

CES just wouldn't be CES without a few new introductions from LaCie, now would it? Nah. Up first from the sexiest name in storage is a fresh member of the LaCinema multimedia hard drive family, the Mini HD. Equipped with 802.11n WiFi and a penchant for serving up 1080p video, this DLNA media player boasts an HDMI output, internal hard drive, USB socket (for uploading media or playing files back from a USB drive) and an extensive list of supported codecs that includes MKV, AVC and DivX. This one should be filtering out now in the US and Europe for an undisclosed amount. Moving on, we've got the simply titled Network Server, which sports five drive bays, gigabit Ethernet and Windows Home Server running the show. LaCie also enables users to backup their backups via its own Wuala technology, though exact pricing and availability details won't be revealed until later in Q1. Lastly, there's a new trio of USB Keys, which look an awful lot like actual keys. Sadly, these aren't ready to handle the beast that is SuperSpeed USB, but they do promise transfers as fast as 30MB/sec, and they're also waterproof and available in sizes as large as 32GB. The company's also throwing in 4GB of web-accessible Wuala storage for the first two years of ownership, with the CooKey and WhizKey available in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities for $19.99 and up, up, up. The full releases are just past the break.
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LaCie Introduces LaCinema Mini HD:
Full HD WiFi Media Center in a DVD-Sized Footprint

• Ultra-compact full HD media center
• Watch high definition movies on HDTV
• Wirelessly play and share photos, music, and movies
• So small it can be taken and used anywhere

PARIS, FRANCE (Jan. 5) – LaCie today unveiled LaCinema Mini HD, the all-in-one WiFi High Definition media center. Its amazingly small and stylish design packs a big punch, bringing your HD movies, photos and music collections to your widescreen TV in full 1080p resolution.

LaCinema Mini HD bridges the gap between the computer and entertainment worlds in full HD quality. Featuring built-in high-speed 802.11n WiFi, LaCinema Mini HD brings a DLNA® media player and server to your home without wires.

Transferring content to the LaCinema Mini HD is easy through the bus-powered USB connection for maximum transfer speeds, or by connecting the drive to a home network. Users can conveniently load files wirelessly from their computer or via the Ethernet connection.

"The new LaCinema Mini HD offers a full-featured media center by combining high storage capacity, compact design, and seamless store-and-play functionality," commented Salem Tirane, Digital Home Product Manager. "Users will benefit from large HD video format compatibility and the convenience of built-in wireless N streaming."

Playing movies is as simple as connecting the included HDMI video cable and selecting the wireless network. The drive is instantly ready to play content stored on its internal hard disk, attached USB drive or networked PC, Mac, or NAS (network-attached storage).

LaCinema Mini renders full HD 1080p movies in uncompromising quality on TVs and makes any movie, photo or music file accessible at your fingertips. Thanks to an extensive list of supported codecs, LaCinema Mini HD permits seamless playback of MKV, AVC, DivX and many more files on TVs. It is even possible to display album cover art and to create music-accompanied slideshows.

Encased in the latest minimalist design from Neil Poulton, LaCinema Mini HD is a fusion of art, simplicity and technology that can fits perfectly into any TV setup. Since it is also easy to carry, LaCinema Mini HD is ready to play back entire digital libraries anywhere, whether at a friend's house or at a holiday party.

Availability
LaCinema Mini HD is available in Europe in Europe and will be available worldwide later this year through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie Corner. For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

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LaCie Reveals New Server Technology
For Small Businesses


CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, LAS VEGAS (January 7, 2010) – Today LaCie demonstrates a new network storage server based on the Microsoft® Windows Home Server platform. The product will be shown for the first time at the CES.

This server leverages the success of LaCie's award winning 5big Network, which features five user-replaceable drives, Gigabit Ethernet, and data protection support for data integrity. The technology demonstration shows that by combining Microsoft and LaCie technologies on a single platform, small business users can enjoy a seamless interface to automatically back up computers to a single server. The server secures their backup both locally and remotely by automatically copying their critical data to the cloud, using LaCie's Wuala technology.

"LaCie's network server offers an exciting design and provides plenty of storage options with terabytes of capacity and the ability to back up data from local computers and to cloud-based services," said Leslie McGuire, Director of Windows Server Marketing at Microsoft. "We're pleased to have LaCie join us as a Windows Home Server partner."

"Our aim with this technology demonstration is to show that by teaming with Microsoft and through our Wuala cloud storage technology, we can provide an enterprise-grade, data protection solution with both local backup and off-site replication in one low-cost, compact system," said Erwan Girard, Solutions Business Unit Manager. "By leveraging the groundbreaking Wuala cloud technology, which ensures the highest speed in data upload and download, our server will provide truly usable cloud-based data backup and restore to accommodate the large amounts of data generated by small businesses."

Additional product details will be available once it is officially announcement in the first quarter of 2010. For more information or to schedule a customer or press demo, please contact Kim Myers at kmyers@lacie.com.

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LaCie Unveils New USB "Keys" with Wuala Online Storage Inside

• Up to 30MB/s speed in a USB 2.0 flash key
• Waterproof and sturdy metal design
• Get an extra 4GB of Wuala online storage for 2 years

PARIS, FRANCE (Jan. 5) – Today LaCie announced the LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey, design by 5.5 Designers. The new USB flash keys are modeled after the award-winning LaCie iamaKey, which was recently issued a 2010 award by the internationally recognized Observeur du Design.

LaCie, the originator of the flat key-shaped design for USB flash keys, now presents two new unique designs. The LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey are built with sturdy metal, making the surfaces tough and dependable. Additionally, the Gold SIP connector on the USB keys are both water- and scratch- resistant, making them some of the thinnest and most durable flash drive choices on the market.

The LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey offer more than a resilient surface and up to 32GB of storage--they include a complete storage experience by integrating an extra 4GB of online storage through Wuala.

Wuala, a company of LaCie, is an innovative online storage service that allows you to securely store, back up, share, and access files from anywhere. Simply upload files and set privacy settings for the files or folders you'd like to share – allowing your family, friends, and co-workers exclusive access to those files. Designed to provide the ultimate security, files on Wuala go through a special encryption procedure and are stored in different locations in the Wuala cloud.
This means no one - not even employees of Wuala - can access the files or passwords, ensuring that all of your data is fully secure and easily accessible.

Now LaCie offers up to 4GB for two years on all LaCie flash keys – and 10GB of Wuala online storage for one year in combination with its hard disk storage products. These products now provide customers with more storage, as well as a more secure and convenient way to backup and share their digital content. If you would like to enjoy more gigabytes in Wuala, you can buy additional storage, or trade local storage without extra charge –one of the more novel features of Wuala. You simply trade, for example, 50GB on your computer, and get up to 50GB of Wuala online storage.

"We are excited to see the LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey join a growing list of LaCie storage solutions that offer extra gigabytes of Wuala online storage for accessible and secure off-site storage," said Minh Le, Marketing Director, LaCie. "I can back up my most valuable data in an instant, and share files with family and friends, thanks to Wuala."

To learn more about Wuala visit www.wuala.com.

Availability
The LaCie CooKey and WhizKey will be available in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie Corner, starting at the suggested retail price of $19.99 (excluding VAT). For more information, visit www.lacie.com.