MyPassportEssential

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  • Western Digital Nomad case protects your My Passport drive from falls, spills, and curious lizards

    by 
    Jesse Hicks
    Jesse Hicks
    06.15.2011

    It's possible -- likely, even -- that you're reading this while jumping out of a plane, wrestling a mountain lion, or having some equally hardcore adventure. If so, you're just the type of active consumer Western Digital's courting with its Nomad case. Designed for the My Passport external hard drive line, it combines a hard polycarbonate exterior with an elastomer interior that keeps the drive snug and secure, and provides another option if you'd rather upgrade your existing drive than spend the clams on a rugged one. It includes a USB port, making your data accessible even when the case is closed, and will set you back $30 according to WD. Lizard not included.

  • WD announces 3TB single-drive My Book Essential, two USB 3.0 Passport drives

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    10.05.2010

    You may or may not have noticed, but Western Digital just followed up on Seagate's earlier efforts by breaking out a 3TB external drive of its own -- one that has just a single HDD within. The newest My Book Essential not only houses a 3TB drive, but also packs a USB 3.0 port on the rear and the same rounded black shell that you've come to know and love / hate. If that's far too much for you to swallow (or simply too large to haul around), the My Passport Essential and My Passport Essential SE lines are also being bumped to USB 3.0, with the former shipping in a 500GB version and the latter in 750GB / 1TB. Both of those guys are powered entirely over USB and ship in a variety of mind-bending hues, with pricing starting at $99.99 for the 500 gigger and running up to $249.99 for more space than you'll ever need. %Gallery-104276%

  • WD tosses out high-fashion 500GB My Passport Essential drives, props to the LBC

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    07.23.2010

    Sure, 85.3 percent of your best buds are kickin' it in Cozumel right now, but a few bright minds at California State University, Long Beach have been toiling around the clock in those dreaded summer sessions in order to help create the five-pack you see pictured here. In order to give its already colorful My Passport Essential line a long overdue refresh, Western Digital has now added a handful of limited edition 500GB models with rather stylish exteriors. Boom Box, Black Hole, Cityscape, Fuchsia Leaf and Wave are the prints to choose from, and all five can be snapped up for a window of time at Best Buy or via WD directly. As for specs? You know the drill -- USB 2.0 powered, 256-bit hardware encryption and a two-year warranty. Take your pick for $119.99, dude.

  • WD's My Passport Studio wears contents on its sleeve with always-on 'e-label'

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    03.01.2010

    Western Digital's My Passport Studio line has been spinning for years now, but today the outfit is pushing out a revamped version with a little something special. Boasting a FireWire 800 interface, a highly pocketable design and 256-bit hardware-based encryption, this here drive offers an "e-label smart display" on the front that actually remains on even when the drive is off and unplugged. Owners can tweak the text on the display as often as they like via WD's SmartWare software, and by utilizing e-paper technology, you'll always be able to see what's inside at a glance. Just so you're aware, the company's shipping this thing in 320GB, 500GB and 640GB flavors, but all three come pre-formatted for Mac use -- thankfully your Windows 7 rig won't have any issues wiping that slate clean and starting over once you hand over your $149.99 to $199.99.

  • WD unveils new My Books, My Passports for Windows and Mac

    by 
    Joseph L. Flatley
    Joseph L. Flatley
    09.10.2009

    And we have storage for you! WD's refreshing a number of its external HDD storage devices, a move that's sure to put a smile on the face of many a young media hound. The new My Book Essential is available in 1TB ($149), 2TB ($229.99) 500GB ($99.99), while the My Book for Mac is available with 1TB for $149.99. My Passport Essential can be had in capacities of 500GB ($139) or 320GB ($99.99), while My Passport for Mac is going out there in 500GB ($149.99) and 320GB ($119.99) sizes. All these guys feature SmartWare software for data management, and all are available now in a wide range of earth-shattering, psychedelic colors (well, four -- including black). Read - My Book Essential Read - My Book for Mac Read - My Passport EssentialRead - My Passport for Mac

  • Western Digital expectedly adds 500GB My Passport drives

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    09.15.2008

    Nice going, WD! Just days after rolling out your 500GB laptop drive (and by "rolling out," we mean "shipping), you've already found the courage to add a few half-terabyte units to your My Passport lines. Starting today, consumers can snap up the My Passport Elite or My Passport Essential in a 500GB flavor, both of which still weigh in at under 7-ounces and are available now. Prices? Try $199.99 for the 500GB Essential, $219.99 for the 500GB Elite.

  • WD's My Passport Essential: now in 11 different colors

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    04.09.2008

    Face it: Western Digital's My Passport Essential family of portable hard drives was hamstrung from day one. After all, with just about every other external HDD from the company coming in any amount of colors, who exactly is going to be kosher with just black? Never fear, as WD's dutiful painting squad has stepped up and given prospective buyers 11 different hues to select from. Each drive comes in 120GB, 160GB, 250GB and 320GB capacities and gets all the juice it needs via USB 2.0, but choosing between candy apple red and banana yellow could really slow up the checkout process.[Via I4U News]