WiFi-connected hard drive fits a Plex server in your pocket
Western Digital's new drives provide network storage you can take with you or leave at home.
Over the years we've seen Plex's media software run across a number of different devices, from PCs to game consoles to NAS and cellphones. Now, it's teamed up with Western Digital for what it says is the first portable Plex Media Server. The hardware is handled by the My Passport Wireless Pro, a battery-powered portable hard drive that can run standalone for 10 hours, charge mobile devices, and back up data via SD or USB 3.0. The all-in-one box can even create a WiFi network to sync with mobile devices or stream media to any device running Plex, similar to Dish Network's HopperGo but without the need for a satellite subscription. The 2TB version is ready to take your stuff on the go for $230, and upgrading to 3TB only costs an extra $20.
Of course, if you prefer to leave your network-attached storage at home, Western Digital also rolled out some My Cloud Pro devices that trade portability for capacity and power. They can handle up to 32TB of storage, and back up connected devices with the press of a button. An integrated video processor lets it push 4K video, transcode up to four 1080p streams at once for viewing on other devices and run apps for Plex or Adobe Creative Cloud, all from your own home with prices starting at $400.
