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WD announces new My Passport for Mac and My Book VelociRaptor Duo drives
WD (part of Western Digital Corporation) today announced a pair of new storage products for Mac. The My Book VelociRaptor Duo (starting at USD$899.99) is billed as the fastest My Book external hard drive system ever released by WD, while the latest in the My Passport (starting at $99.99) portable line adds both capacity and a USB 3.0 interface to the venerable portable drives. The My Book VelociRaptor Duo (above) is indeed a monster, matching two 1 TB 10,000 RPM WD VelociRaptor hard disk drives with twin Thunderbolt ports. As noted in a recent press event, the drive offers SSD-like data transfer speeds of up to 400 MB/s, and multiple My Book VelociRaptor Duo drives can be daisy-chained without impacting data transfer speeds. The drive can be configured at RAID 0 to maximize speed and capacity, or as RAID 1 to provide instant mirroring of content. Some of the RAID 0 speeds one can expect include transferring a 22 GB full-length HD movie in less than 65 seconds or over 2000 5 MB photos in less than 33 seconds. The drive is user-serviceable, with a top door that reveals two easy-install trays. The much more portable and affordable My Passport portable hard disk drives (below) have added USB 3.0 for use with MacBook Pro and MacBook Air devices that feature the interface. WD has also added a 2 TB version ($199.99) of the My Passport drive to the line, providing significant capacity and speed in a portable hard disk.
Western Digital My Passport for Mac portable hard drives get stamped for USB 3.0 and 2TB capacity
If you prefer your Passports to sport the same Mac sensibilities as your go-to work machines, Western Digital has upgraded said portable hard drives for the aforementioned laptop variety. The My Passport for Mac family of external HDDs have received the same USB 3.0 boost and increased 2TB capacity that the regular ol' My Passport got cozy with back in the spring. However, the Apple flavored offerings tout Time Machine compatibility and a ruggedized WD Nomad casing that should keep your files safe from dust, moisture and unintentional drops. Options include 500GB and 1TB units as well, with prices ranging from $99 on up to $200 for the 2TB portable drive. The entire trio is available now and a few more details await in the full press release that follows.
Western Digital MyBook VelociRaptor Duo: Thunderbolt, 2TB capacity, and a whopping $900 price tag
If you fancy Western Digital's MyBook Thunderbolt Duo, the outfit has just announced a new external storage offering that also sports the aforementioned connection. The MyBook VelociRaptor Duo packs two 1TB 10,000 RPM WD drives that carry the same prehistoric moniker -- as the name suggests (in both cases). These dual heavy-hitters create a 2TB repository for HD video, 3D rendering and the like while boasting SSD-like speeds of up to 400MB/sec and both RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. Of course, if one of these drives isn't taxing enough on your savings account, you can daisy chain a few for a more robust storage setup. Time Machine compatibility? You betcha. The unit works with Apple's backup system immediately and is user serviceable should the need arise. For those ready splurge on a couple of VelociRaptors of their very own, the Duo is on sale now. If you're not quite ready to commit your funds, consult the full PR below for the nitty gritty.
WD TV Play media hub revealed by the FCC, puts Texas Hold'em on the big screen
Western Digital must not want to leave casual TV gaming to the Roku crowd. Our friends at the FCC have just posted a filing that shows the as yet unannounced WD TV Play taking on its set-top rival with a dedicated gaming channel. We're only given a small peek into the new media hub's gaming universe through the pre-release user manual, but we know that a Texas Hold'em variant and other titles will find their way in through the gaming services Funspot and PlayJam. No signs have surfaced of a Roku-like motion control, either, although the remote has been given an overhaul compared to its WD TV Live cousin with prominent shortcut buttons for Hulu Plus, Netflix and Vudu. There aren't any immediate clues as to when the otherwise pedestrian-looking Play will take over store shelves -- that said, the virtually complete details hint that there's not long to wait.
WD Red HDDs aim to improve company's NASty reputation, bolster reliability in networked homes
Ever heard a story involving Western Digital Green hard drives within a NAS? It probably didn't end well. For whatever reason, the aforesaid outfit's Green portfolio never has been a hit in the network attached storage world, but the company's (in)directly addressing precisely that with its new line of WD Red HDDs. Specifically, these are called out as being "NAS hard drives" -- SATA interfacing spinners engineered to hold up under the continual pressures of serving information to home and small office NAS users. They're destined to end up in homes with "one to five drive bays," with the units available in 3.5-inch 1TB ($109), 2TB ($139) and 3TB ($189) capacities. WD's trumpeting the Red line's NASware technology, which is said to "reduce customer downtime and simplify the integration process." Those taking WD at its word can find 'em on store shelves this week; everyone else can hang tight for the eventual flood of torture test reviews.
Western Digital enters the router market, higher-end models include built-in hard drives
Western Digital is no stranger to media streaming, but until now its specialty has been moving content off a set-top box and onto your television. Now, though, the company is getting into the wireless game as well: it just announced its first networking products, including four dual-band routers and an Ethernet switch. Across the board, the routers use WD's so-called FasTrack technology to prioritize bandwidth-hogging activities like movie streaming, video chats and online gaming. And, like any modern-day router worth its salt, they include options for parental controls, as well as setting up a guest network. At the high end, the N900 Central (pictured) doubles as network-attached storage, suggesting WD was eager to put its hard drive know-how to good use. That'll be available in 1TB and 2TB flavors, and you can use a WD 2 Go website to access the drive remotely. (There are also iOS and Android apps, with a Windows Phone version coming soon.) Rounding out the list, it has four Ethernet ports and one USB connection. Similarly, the N900 router is rated for top speeds of 900 Mbps, except it lacks the built-in storage. In its place, it has seven Gigabit sockets, along with two USB ports. Moving on down the line, the N750 and N600 each have four Ethernet ports and two USB openings, with the N750 maxing out at 750 Mbps and the N600 -- well, you get the idea. Lastly, that switch has eight Gigabit ports if increasing your wired connections is what you're really after. With the exception of the storage-enhanced N900 Central, these are all available today, with prices ranging form $70 for the switch, $80 for the N600, $120 for the N750 and $180 for the N900. The N900 Central won't be available until next quarter, and will cost either $300 or $350 depending on whether you go for the 1TB or 2TB model.
WD TV adds streaming options, tunes televisions near and far to your Slingbox
A raft of goodies has been tacked on to Western Digital's TV Live and TV Live Hub media players including new streams and Vudu movie downloading, but the addition of SlingPlayer might be the most intriguing. Depending on your region, you'll see new channels on the WD set-tops, including The AOL On Network, Red Bull TV, ABC iview (Australia), Acetrax Movies, Maxdome and BILD TV-App. Walmart's Vudu service will also be added, letting domestic and some foreign users buy or rent from a library of 70,000 downloadable films and TV shows. Finally, if you're a frequent traveler, you can pack your WD box and fire up the new SlingPlayer on your hotel TV to watch hometown broadcasts wherever you may be. Provided you've got a Slingbox back home, of course. To find out more and see what's available in your country, check the source or PR below. Show full PR text New International and Domestic Entertainment Options Complement WD TV® Live™ and WD TV® Live Hub™'s 'Play Anything' Popularity IRVINE, Calif., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Digital® (NASDAQ: WDC), the world's leader in external storage solutions and maker of the popular WD TV® media player family, today introduced a variety of new entertainment options for the WD TV Live™ and WD TV Live Hub™ media players. Current and new users can now enjoy Red Bull TV™, ABC iview (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Acetrax™, Maxdome, the BILD TV-App, and the AOL On Network. They can also watch live and recorded TV with the new SlingPlayer® app and save their premium HD movies to the WD TV Live Hub's internal storage with VUDU. WD's new entertainment choices add to the WD TV media player family's prodigious ability to play personal content such as videos, photos and music by supporting a wide range of media formats. Users can watch content located on any networked PC or Mac® computer in the home, from a network drive such as WD's My Book® Live™ personal cloud storage, and from any directly connected digital camcorder, camera, or USB drive. WD TV Live Hub owners can also save and share pictures and videos from outside the home, using the WD Photos™ app for iPhone®, iPad® and Android™ mobile devices. "WD continuously listens to its customers, and adds the content options they want," said Scott Vouri, vice president and general manager, WD connected home solutions. "With today's addition of hot international and domestic channels, live TV through SlingPlayer, and HD movie rentals, purchases and downloads through VUDU, the WD TV media players truly provide the most entertainment." The WD TV Live Hub is the only media player to offer direct HD movie download service for today's hottest new movie releases purchased from VUDU's large library of movies and TV shows. VUDU is a subscription-free, HD video streaming service, which offers more than 70,000 blockbuster titles including new releases, Hollywood classics, independent films, and TV shows. Because it has an integrated 1TB hard drive, the WD TV Live Hub can save and play back purchased digital content from VUDU, including the high-quality HDX™ video format that features 1080p Full HD and rich Dolby Digital Plus™ 7.1 audio. "By centralizing their entertainment on the WD TV Live Hub, our customers get high-performance full-HD movie playback without overloading their home network or cluttering up the hard drives of other PCs in the house," added Vouri. From "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" to "The Muppets" WD brings today's top movies to the WD TV Live Hub for a cinema-like experience at home through the available VUDU service. New Services[1] Now Available: SlingPlayer (worldwide) – With a Slingbox® connected in your home, the SlingPlayer app brings your living room TV experience to your connected device in any room – around the home or around the world. The AOL On Network (US) – The AOL HD app, part of The AOL On Network, features high-definition technology, lifestyle, celebrity and entertainment content updated daily from The AOL On Network, which features video from brands like Engadget, TechCrunch, The Huffington Post and Moviefone. Red Bull TV (worldwide) – A unique online portal offering exclusive high quality programs from the World of Red Bull in HD. Available to nearly all devices – Red Bull TV offers worldwide live webcasts and a thematic catalogue of VODs complementing exclusive shows of the multimedia content of redbull.com. ABC iview (Australia) – ABC iview is Australia's most popular catch-up TV service and is run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It features 14-day catch-up from channels ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, ABC4Kids and ABC News 24. Acetrax movies (UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and Austria) – Available on the WD TV Live only, this service offers blockbuster new release and library movies from the major Hollywood studios. maxdome (Germany) – Available on the WD TV Live only, the most popular German video-on-demand service maxdome delivers over 45,000 major film and TV titles. BILD TV-App (Germany) – With the BILD TV-App users navigate easily and comfortably with the remote control through Germany's largest news and entertainment portal. The application offers the latest news and videos from politics, lifestyle, entertainment and sports, as well as the pictures of the day. Availability The WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub can be purchased at select retailers and online at wdstore.com. About WD WD, a storage industry pioneer and long-time leader, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company designs and produces reliable, high-performance hard drives and solid state drives that keep users' data accessible and secure from loss. Its storage technologies serve a wide range of host applications including client and enterprise computing, embedded systems and consumer electronics, as well as its own storage systems. Its home entertainment products enable rich engagement with stored digital content. WD was founded in 1970. The company's products are marketed to leading OEMs, systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital®, WD® and HGST™ brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company's website (www.westerndigital.com) to access a variety of financial and investor information. Western Digital, WD, the WD logo, WD TV, and My Book are registered trademarks in the U.S. and other countries; WD TV Live and My Book Live are trademarks of Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Other marks may be mentioned herein that belong to other companies. Pictures shown may vary from actual products. Not all products may be available in all regions of the world. All product and packaging specifications subject to change without notice. As used for storage capacity, one terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment. Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1dpR0)
WD grits teeth, hands over the goodies to Toshiba to regulators and dentists' delight
Western Digital has completed its FTC-ordered handover of assets to Toshiba in order to buy Hitachi's HDD business Viviti. The wedding of the year was halted when regulators, citing monopoly concerns, demanded WD hand over a bundle of IP, R&D materials and production line gear to Tosh. In exchange, Western Digital will take over Toshiba Storage Device (Thailand), the arm of the company that was devastated in the recent flooding. It's WD's aim to integrate the remaining assets into its own local operations -- you can read the official line in the land of pure imagination below.
WD's 1TB VelociRaptor HDD gets reviewed: substantial gains, moderate price
Western Digital has expanded its line of desktop-grade VelociRaptors to include a 1TB model that's available now for $320, but those kidding themselves with that whole "250GB is enough" thing can get in for as little as $160. Top-level specs include a 10,000RPM spindle rate and a SATA 6Gb/s interface housed within a 3.5-inch heat sink -- useful for lessening the burden of the drive's thermal output on the rest of the machine. Storage Review's tests reveal that sequential read and write transfer speeds top out around 206MB/s, thermal dissipation is excellent with low power consumption, and that random access has improved compared with its 600GB predecessor. They consider the new HDD to be a "very appealing value proposition" and "a blend of high performance, storage, capacity, and low cost." Hot Hardware discovered virtually identical numbers with their tests, but wasn't quite as forgiving when it comes to the cost-per-GB versus 7200RPM hard drives. However, they call this VelociRaptor the "fastest HDD yet" at "nearly double the capacity of previous" model. You can find even more stats and impressions to chew on at the sources below.
Western Digital ships 7mm HDD for Ultrabooks, losing down pavement cracks
Western Digital is whipping the sheets clear from a new, 7mm tall 2.5-inch mobile HDD that'll sit nicely inside your Ultrabook or other skinny device. The single-platter Scorpio Blue comes in 320 and 500GB varieties and will even sit nearly in 9.5mm slots (just, you know, bring along some blu-tack to pad the void around the drive bay). The units boast of super-low power management, quiet operation (with WD's WhisperDrive tech) and capable of taking a shock of 400Gs. It's available from today via selected retailers, the 320GB edition costing $80 and the 500GB version $100. Just be careful not to look at it side-on, after all, it's so thin you may not find it again.
IRL: Blue Mics Yeti, Western Digital My Passport and Razer's Naga Hex gaming mouse
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. It's been a busy week for tech writers. Capping out a week populated by not one, not two, but three smartphone reviews, we're happy to take a breather and return our attention to life's littler pleasures. Like USB mics and portable 2TB hard drives. And also, gaming mice.
Western Digital introduces My Passport Studio 2TB portable drive with FireWire 800 ports
Western Digital unveiled a new 2 TB external hard drive for Mac users this week. The My Passport Studio is formatted for the Mac and compatible with Time Machine so you can back up your data and go. The new drive also has an all-metal casing that'll complement the aluminum unibody design of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Besides its whopping 2TB capacity, the My Passport Studio includes a USB 2.0 port as well as two Firewire 800 ports which let you daisy chain Firewire devices to your Mac. Western Digital also included hardware-based encryption and password protection for those who carry around sensitive files. The My Passport Studio 2 TB portable hard drive is available with a MSRP of US$299.99. You can buy it online at the WD store and at select retailers. You can read more about the drive on Western Digital's website. Show full PR text WD® Gives Mac® Users the First 2 TB Portable Hard Drive for All Their Digital Content New My Passport® Studio™ Maintains Classic All-Metal Design and Dual FireWire 800 Ports For All-in-One Solution to Backup, Store, Protect, and Transport Files IRVINE, Calif., April 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Digital® (NYSE: WDC) today introduced the first 2 TB capacity portable drive dedicated for Mac® customers, My Passport® Studio™. This new standard in high storage capacity, along with Apple® Time Machine® compatibility for quick and easy automatic backup of Mac hard drives, allows Mac users to use one drive for the protection and transport of virtually all their digital content, everywhere they go. The new My Passport Studio portable drive maintains its elegant and protective all-metal casing to complement the MacBook® Pro or MacBook® Air®, providing the beautiful aesthetic that Mac users expect while increasing storage capacity to 2 TB, enough space for approximately 400,000 photos, 240 hours of video or 500,000 songs(1). In addition to the USB 2.0 interface, My Passport Studio's two high performance FireWire® 800 ports, makes it perfect for active and mobile creative professionals including photographers, videographers, graphic artists, and others who need the speed, capacity, and flexibility to access content anytime or anywhere. The dual FireWire ports provide blazing fast upload and transfer speeds while also allowing users to daisy chain additional drives or other peripherals such as HD camcorders. My Passport Studio also features hardware-based encryption and password protection software, and an all-metal design constructed for a sturdy feel in your hand and scratch resistance. "The My Passport Studio is a perfect companion for the MacBook Pro and for creative professionals on the go," explains Jody Bradshaw, senior director and general manager of WD's consumer storage products group. "For those who create large content files such as photographers and videographers, they will now be able to carry it with them wherever they go, as well as create a backup copy of everything they produce without fear of running out of additional storage while on location." Pricing and Availability WD's My Passport Studio 2 TB portable hard drive is available on the WD store at www.wdstore.com and at select retailers and distributors. The My Passport Studio 2 TB has an MSRP of $299.99. For more information on the My Passport Studio portable hard drive please visit the WD website at http://wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=420.
Western Digital intros My Passport Studio 2TB portable HDD, twin FireWire 800 ports included
Just days after WD revealed new 2TB My Passport drives for the USB 3.0-respecting world, along comes an option for those running OS X. Aside from the conventional USB 2.0 socket on the My Passport Studio, the Mac-friendly unit also packs a pair of FireWire 800 sockets. Not surprisingly, it ships with hardware-based encryption and password protection software, and while it'll probably come formatted for an Apple, there's nothing at all stopping other platforms from taking advantage. It'll ship in any capacity you want so long as you're happy with 2TB, and it'll be available at fine retailers around the globe this month for $299.99.
Western Digital unveils new My Passport portable hard drives, upgrades visa to 2TB
Sure, six terabytes of storage might seem like hot stuff, but Western Digital's stackable MyBook Thunderbolt Duo drives aren't exactly portable. Lucky for you and your massive photo, music and film collections, WD's My Passport drive just crossed the 2TB border. At $250, this USB 3.0 storage sanctum claims to be the first -- and so far, only -- portable hard drive to break the two terabyte mark. "It's the perfect blend of monstrous capacity, reliability and user-friendly technology in a sleek form factor," said WD executive vice president and general manager Jim Welsh, "now in five colors." Count 'em, five. You didn't think the lizards were after your data, did you? Read on for WD's official press release.
Western Digital MyBook Thunderbolt Duo is available now starting at $600
Back at Macworld, we laid our peepers on Western Digital's MyBook Thunderbolt Duo and were able to take a demo setup for a quick spin. Now, the dual-wielding external HDDs are officially on the market. You can snag 4TB (2x 2TB) and 6TB (2x 3TB) versions of this "über-fast" MyBook for $599 and $699, respectively. Don't forget: you can daisy chain up to six of these bad boys via the dual Thunderbolt ports on the kit's backside (if you have quite the piggy bank, of course) -- just like the four-unit set we encountered sporting 700MB/sec read and 500MB/sec write speeds in RAID 0. WD also says the storage devices are Time Machine compatible as soon as you can unpack 'em. If you're anxious to grab one of your own, hit the source link below to part with your funds. And for a quick refresher, take a gander at the gallery below.
FTC: Western Digital and Hitachi must give assets and IP rights to Toshiba (update: sale approved)
Thought everything was looking rosy for the hard drive hitch of the year? Well, it looks like Federal Trade Commission reckons the union of Hitachi and Western Digital isn't quite there just yet, ordering that the new company would have to shed some of its assets to Toshiba. The FTC wants to ensure a competitive climate in the 3.5-inch hard drive market and avoid Western Digital and Seagate -- the two largest HDD manufacturers -- carving up the whole sector between them. According to the FTC's proposals, Toshiba has to receive the production assets needed to equal Hitachi's current HDD market share, alongside access to Western Digital's research and development resources and licenses to its intellectual property. Regulators had previously stated that WD could expect to sell on some of its production assets in order to get the tie-up okayed. Western Digital now has 15 days to hand over these assets to Toshiba -- who, presumably, aren't complaining -- once the deal with Hitachi is finally inked. Update: Looks like all the FTC wrangling was worth it, because WD and Hitachi have announced that all the necessary approvals have been obtained and the deal is due to close on March 8th. PR's after the break.
Blockbuster On Demand pulls back from TiVo and others, is it on its way out?
From Zatz Not Funny comes word that TiVo owners are being notified their access to Blockbuster On Demand will come to an end March 31st, ending a run originally announced three years before. While this certainly affects TiVo's ability to offer the one box to search multiple services idea introduced with the Premiere, it could be more telling about Blockbuster's plans for the current incarnation of its internet movie service. As forum posters on TiVo Community point out, the list of supported devices is rapidly shrinking, with Vizio and Western Digital WD TV Live owners getting their own Dear John letters only a year or so after the app originally rolled out. Currently, the list of connected TV devices is limited exclusively to Samsung HDTVs and Blu-ray players, plus some cellphones and tablets. Once upon a time, Blockbuster desired an On Demand presence in "nearly every connected device" -- not to mention "major market presence" for the now Redbox-owned Express kiosks -- but after its purchase by Dish Network clearly those days are over. Now the only question is if / when we'll see a new service that better fits with the already announced Movie Pass package and what devices it might work on.
Seagate expects flood-related hard drive shortages to continue
Seagate took some time out from its busy earnings reporting schedule to address supply concerns stemming from the recent devastating floods in Thailand. The storage manufacturer announced that hard drives supply will likely fall 150 million units short of demand by year's end. While Seagate's own factories weren't directly hit, suppliers for the company were impacted -- as were competitors, like Western Digital. The events have also had a more positive impact on Seagate, however -- as a result of the floods, a number of large buyers have entered into long-term agreements, according to the company.
Western Digital shows off a Thunderbolt hard drive at Macworld | iWorld 2012
Hard drive storage company Western Digital was in attendance at Macworld | iWorld 2012 last week showing off its MyBook Thunderbolt Duo setup. The unit is a two-drive box that can hook up to your Mac through the Thunderbolt port, and it's Western Digital's first entry into the protocol. As you might imagine, using Thunderbolt means the transfers are much faster. Western Digital's rep said that while a transfer of 6 terabytes (the drive will likely debut in 4 or 6 TB models) would normally take up to 6 days to completely write over, the Thunderbolt drives can do it in six hours. That's big news for backup fans, who are very much awaiting WD's new models. The drive we saw was only a prototype model, and official pricing or release information hasn't yet been announced, unfortunately. But the units on display at the show had two built-in Thunderbolt ports, which actually allowed them to be daisy-chained off of the iMac on display. That means that users can either run the drives in Raid 0 or Raid 1 configuration, either using the two drives as one storage unit, or allowing one drive to back up the other. Additional units can then be added on to the setup -- the display at WD's both had three such units all hooked together, allowing for 18 TB of storage total, or any number of splits across those drives for backups. It was all very impressive, though again, WD hasn't yet announced plans for release. We should see these drives hitting the market later on this year, however, so we'll stay tuned for that.
Western Digital MyBook Thunderbolt Duo eyes-on at Macworld 2012 (video)
Here at Macworld 2012, Western Digital demoed a preview of their essentially finished, yet not final, MyBook Thunderbolt Duo. Scheduled to ship in Q1 for an "aggressive price," the unit plays host to two 3.5-inch drives, which'll come stuffed from the factory in either 4TB (2x 2TB) or 6TB (2x 3TB) configurations. On the outside, you're looking at the MyBook aesthetic you either love or loathe, but around back you'll find all connectivity has been gutted, save for power and two Thunderbolt ports. The latter means that up to six can be daisy-chained off one interconnect, which when setup in RAID 0 equates to rather speedy transfers, like 700MB/sec reads and 500MB/sec writes in the four-unit demonstration configuration we toyed with. And it's future proof too, as there's a door up-top which enables plebes to swap drives should the need arise. We'll keep an ear out for pricing, but until that day arrives, peep them in the gallery below, or in video form after the break.
