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Western Digital bumps My Book Thunderbolt Duo to 8TB, consoles regular My Book buyers with 4TB
Many of us may have liked the prospect of Western Digital's My Book Thunderbolt Duo, but there's no doubt some of us who discovered that even 6TB just wouldn't cut it. If that digital pack rat mentality describes you, the solution is here: the company has taken advantage of larger 4TB hard disks to stuff a total 8TB of storage into the Duo's enclosure. The extra capacity hikes the price to $850, although the company notes that it's including the often expensive Thunderbolt cable to avoid any surprise trips to the store. Those without the ports or budget for the Duo can still reap some of the benefits through an updated, 4TB version of the regular My Book that hums along on USB 3.0 at a more reasonable $250 price. Either of the new drives should be lurking in stores if you're hurting for space as we write this.
Western Digital's My Book Live Duo marries RAID and cloud storage, bytes everywhere celebrate
Not only is it the chunkiest My Book we've ever seen, but it possesses the otherworldly ability to live in the here and now and the hereafter. Analogies aside, the new My Book Live Duo is hailed as such: "a personal cloud storage system that combines the benefits of shared storage and remote access with double-safe backup or increased capacity of a dual-drive system with RAID." It's compatible with Mac and PC systems (and yes, Time Machine support is thrown in for good measure), and you'll find a pair of drives within the casing alongside an 800MHz CPU and an Ethernet port. WD's hawking these in 4TB (2 x 2TB) and 6TB (2 x 3TB) capacities, and if you weren't already sold, the units ship with support for the company's WD2go remote access platform -- something that's accessible via the web, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or Android. Finally, there's a DLNA-certified media streaming badge, and it's available as we speak at select US retailers for $399.99 (4TB) / $499.99 (6TB).
Western Digital's My Book Studio jumps to 3TB, dons Mac-approved brushed aluminum garb
Hard to say how long WD's going to keep its My Book line a-churnin', but when you've got a good thing going.... The outfit has just announced a gently refreshed version of its My Book Studio, now available in capacities reaching 3TB and sporting a flashy new exterior that should blend right into your Mac Pro + Cinema Display setup. Much like the G-Force drives of yesteryear, these new models are equipped with a brushed aluminum casing and rely on Western Digital's Caviar Green HDDs to handle the ints and outs. You'll also find FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces, meaning that Thunderbolt aficionados should probably be turning their nose up right about now. The new guys are available at "select retailers and distributors" as we speak, with pricing set at $149.99 (1TB), $199.99 (2TB) and $249.99 (3TB).
Western Digital's new My Book Studio Edition II has 6TB on offer, but no Thunderbolt or USB 3.0
If you want a lot of the GBs in not a lot of space, 3TB per disk is about as good as you're going to get. Western Digital has slapped two of its triple-terabyte monsters into a dual-disk enclosure and paired it with eSATA and FireWire 800 interfaces to create the My Book Studio Edition II. There's a good 'ol USB 2.0 hole in there as well, but no USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt for those getting hip with the new connections. Time Machine support is baked in as well as your choice of RAID configurations, all at a cost of $549.99. That's a good bit more than you'd spend if you bought a pair of disks and an empty enclosure, but such is the price of convenience. %Gallery-119224%
Western Digital debuts My Book Live NAS / media streamer, revamped My Photos app
The My Book Live definitely doesn't mark Western Digital's first foray into the world of connected storage, but the devil's in the details on this one. The company's newly released network drive falls into the budget-friendly My Book line, but promises access to files at up 100Mbps, or triple the speed of standard USB 2.0 units. Additionally, Apple Time Machine support comes baked in from the factory, and there's also an integrated DLNA-compatible media server that can stream photos, videos and audio through any number of devices (WD TV Live Plus HD, Xbox 360, your Blu-ray player, a PlayStation 3, etc.). It'll also double (triple?) as an iTunes music server, and when paired with the company's refreshed WD Photos app -- which is now optimized for iPad and iPhone 4 -- users can flip through their photo albums remotely. The My Book Live is now available for $169.99 (1TB) / $229.99 (2TB), and the aforementioned app can be sucked down as we speak from the action-packed App Store.%Gallery-104521%
WD announces 3TB single-drive My Book Essential, two USB 3.0 Passport drives
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%
Western Digital refreshes My Book DVR Expander
Western Digital's 1TB My DVR Expander has long been the sole option for TiVo owners looking to increase their storage, and it's just received a light refresh. Notable changes include an upgrade to WD's latest case style, USB 2.0 connectivity in addition to eSATA, and, most importantly, "verified" support for a wider array of compatible DVRs from Dish Network, Direct TV, and Scientific Atlantic, which have had issues with other unverified drives like the Apricorn DVR expander. Thanks to the USB 2.0 upgrade, Sony Blu-ray players, the PlayStation 3, and the Xbox 360 are now also supported, and all for a price of $149, which is $50 less than its predecessor. PR after the break. *Update: Apricorn reached out to use to let us know that "Our DVR Expander is tested and verified to work with DirecTV, Dish Network DVRs as well as Scientific Atlanta 8300 and 8240 Series (just like WD's drive)" and that "Firmware updates with cable providers affect all DVR external hard drives, regardless of brand."
Western Digital My Book 3.0 goes SuperSpeed USB
Western Digital's kicking off the expected flood of USB 3.0 announcements here at CES with the new My Book 3.0 series. The 1TB version of the SuperSpeed drive is actually available now for $179, or $199 in a kit with a USB 3.0 adapter card, while a 2TB version will hit next week. That's actually not a terrible deal if you're into futureproofing, since USB 3.0 is backwards-compatible with USB 2.0 -- you could theoretically use this drive with both your current machine and your next one. Or you could just keep buying cheap storage for the thrill of it. We won't judge you.
WD unveils new My Books with e-paper, while My Passport shrinks even further
Good news for hardcore portable storage buffs: looks like Western Digital is taking a hint from Verbatim and putting an e-paper display on its My Book Elite and My Book Studio portable hard drives, offering the device's label and free space up-front, perfect for those of us juggling multiple portable storage devices. In addition, both offer WD SmartWare, 256-bit hardware-based encryption, and are available in capacities ranging from 500GB to 2TB. My Book Studio (formatted for Mac and sportin' a FireWire 800 interface) ranges from $149.99 to $299.99 depending on size, while My Book Elite (with a USB 2.0 interface and NTFS formatting) will run you anywhere from $169.99 to $279.99.If what you're looking for however, is the company's "smallest drive to date," check out My Passport Elite. Featuring a USB dock, illuminated capacity gauge, a secure "drive lock" indicator, and that 256-bit hardware-based encryption, this bad boy is sports up to 640GB storage (which will run you $169.99). This one is available in one of three "metallic" colors -- Metallic Red, Metallic Blue, or Charcoal Metallic. Sadly, the company hasn't yet teamed up with MusicSkins for a Metallica skin -- but our fingers are crossed.Read - My Book StudioRead - My Book EliteRead - My Passport Elite
WD unveils new My Books, My Passports for Windows and Mac
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 My Book series bumped to 2TB
Western Digital's extremely popular My Book series of external hard drives got a little capacity boost today: all the single disk models now max out at 2TB. Not bad for the $330 - $380 you'll spend depending on port configuration, but that's a lot of data to trust to one disk -- we'd have a backup strategy firmly in place before plunking down the green.[Via Electronista]
WD debuts My Book World Edition NAS, we go hands-on
While some NAS devices can get a bit unwieldy or unsightly, that is thankfully not the case with Western Digital's new My Book World Edition, which keeps things clean and simple without skimping on the features most folks are looking for. Available in 1TB and 2TB capacities ($230 and $450, respectively) this one boasts both DLNA 1.5 and UPnP certification to allow for streaming with a variety of devices, and it packs a single USB port to let you turn any other USB drive into a network drive, though you're out of luck if you were hoping to plug a printer in there. What's more, our pals at Engadget Spanish have already managed to get their hands on one, and they've naturally wasted no time doing a complete unboxing. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look, and be sure to check back later for their full impressions. %Gallery-45244%
WD pumps out My Passport for Mac / My Book Mac Edition
We'll wager you didn't know Macworld was going on today, did you? Pathetic jokes aside, Western Digital has lined up a pair of launches today in San Francisco to coincide with Apple's final Macworld keynote, as we're treated to the My Passport for Mac portable HDD and the My Book Mac Edition. Truthfully, the only real difference between these drives and their vanilla counterparts is the pre-format process; with these, they both come "pre-formatted for Mac," saving you the tiresome task of converting 'em to HFS+ Journaled yourself. Additionally, these USB 2.0 drives are made to work "seamlessly" with Apple's Time Machine backup software, and they'll arrive in capacities including 320GB and 500GB (My Passport) / 1TB (My Book). Both units should be available now for between $129.99 and $179.99.
WD's My Book Mirror Edition simplifies redundant storage
That sound you hear is Western Digital grabbing hold of an udder and not letting go as it continues to milk the My Book brand for every penny it's worth. Today, the outfit is introducing a new line of dual-drive units that come ready to mirror whatever information you shove on 'em. The RAID-based Mirror Edition drives tout USB 2.0 connectivity, RAID 1/0 support, a fanless design, user serviceable enclosure, a capacity gauge and intelligent drive management features including automatic power-up and Safe Shutdown. The external HDDs arrive in RAID 1 (mirrored) mode -- which creates automatic duplicates of your files in case one drive fails -- but RAID 0 (striped) can be configured during setup. Stack your My Book collection even higher right now for $289.99 (1TB) / $549.99 (2TB).
WD MyBook updates for Leopard compatibility
I have previously noted that I like the Western Digital My Book line of external hard drives (particularly for their design cues). However, since Leopard I have had some problems with my drive, in particular it would randomly unmount causing my SuperDuper! based automatic backup schedule to fail. Since I suspect some of our readers might suffer similar problems I thought it worth pointing out that Western Digital has finally released some updates. I've been testing them for a couple of weeks now and things seem to finally be working as advertised.First there is a firmware update for the drive itself (be sure to pick your actual model) which is necessary for using the drive with Leopard. Second, there is also a Mac WD Drive Manager menubar application which is supposedly necessary for light and button functionality. In fact, the light "fuel gauge" on my drive still doesn't work properly, but since doing the firmware update and installing the drive manager I have not had the drive randomly unmount. So if you have been having problems running a My Book drive with Leopard I highly suggest applying the firmware update and running the Drive Manager to see if it helps.
Western Digital pumps out the My Book Studio Edition II
Confused by all the various permutations of Western Digital's My Book line of external drives yet? No? Well, go ahead and add the My Book Studio Edition II to your stack of flashcards, Mr. Smart Face. Just like the previous 2TB My Book products, you're getting two RAID 0 drives in a quad-interface external case, only this time it's the updated My Book Studio design. WD's also gone and upgraded the drives themselves to GreenPower units, which run cooler and use less power, and Mac users will be pleased to know that everything comes HFS+ formatted. Got that? Expect a quiz in the near future. Available now, we're told, at $349 for 1TB and $599 for 2TB.
New My Book external HDs from WD
I wouldn't normally post on a new external hard drive, but I have to mention that my favorite Western Digital My Book drives have just been redesigned and are shipping today (besides as Ask TUAW man it's an opportunity to remind you that you should be backing up!). I can't say that I've tested a large variety of drives, but of the external drives I've owned the My Book series has been by far the quietest, most attractive, and most reliable. Gone is the ring of light from the old models replaced by a light strip that functions as a capacity gauge. The new model comes in three models: a USB only Essential Edition, USB + FireWire + eSATA Home Edition, and an unfortunately Windows-focused Office Edition. I can't help but think one of these shiny piano black beauts would look great with one of those new Samsung printers next to a new iMac.[via electronista]
Western Digital rolls out 2TB My Book external hard drives
Just in case 1.5TB wasn't enough for you, Western Digital's now gone and topped off its entire range of dual-drive My Book external hard drives with a full 2TB of storage. That includes the My Book World Edition II, the My Book Pro Edition II, and My Book Premium Edition II models, each of which appear to be otherwise unchanged from their previous incarnations. Of course, all that storage excess doesn't exactly come cheap, with the 2TB versions of the drives running between $749 and $799 depending on the model.
WD My Library drives aimed at DVR owners
Western Digital appears to be cozying up to the consumer side of the DVR market with its latest offering, the My Library Video Edition, a version of its popular My Book hard drive which is designed specifically for use with Scientific Atlanta 8300-series DVRs (though the company claims it will be adding manufacturers and models which utilize eSATA). What's interesting to note is that WD has been making OEM drives for use with DVRs for a while, but this is the first time they've offered models aimed at the retail DVR storage market, and while the OEM drives feature technology designed to withstand constant, round-the-clock use, these new models appear to be missing those components. Certainly food for thought if you were planning on putting one of these through its paces.
Western Digital's My Book family updated to 1.5TB
Western Digital just upped their My Book family of storage solutions to 1.5TB. The update apparently applies to the magnificently confusing range of products including the World Edition, World Edition II, Pro Edition, Pro Edition II, Premium Edition II, Premium ES Edition, Premium Edition, and Essential Edition... which isn't all that essential considering the alternatives. However, the obtusely worded press release and lagging web site and on-line store has us scratching our collective heads. So let's just say that the My Book World Edition NAS products have been updated and call it a day.
