WD(R) Unveils Smaller, Smarter and More Secure Ultra-Portable My Passport(TM) Essential(TM) Drives With New WD SmartWare(TM) Sof
September 10 2009 - 9:57AM
PR Newswire (US)
Pocket-Size Drives with WD SmartWare and Hardware Encryption Keep
Consumers' Digital Lives Secure in One Place LAKE FOREST, Calif.,
Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WD (NYSE:WDC), the world's
leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its smaller,
smarter and more secure My Passport(TM) Essential(TM) and My
Passport for Mac ultra-portable external hard drives featuring WD's
new WD SmartWare(TM) software and equipped with hardware-based
encryption. The new My Passport drives are more than 20 percent
smaller than the previous generation My Passport. The new portable
drives with WD SmartWare software visually present consumers' data
in a control center, providing them peace of mind that their
precious photos, videos and files are securely protected. Available
now at select retailers and the WD online store (shopwd.com), the
new My Passport Essential and My Passport for Mac drives are
offered in capacities ranging from 320 GB to 1 TB and come in a
range of colors including Pacific Blue, Real Red, Cool Silver and
Midnight Black. According to research firm Parks Associates, the
average U.S. broadband household currently has over 120 gigabytes
(GB) of digital media and files, which is expected to grow to over
1 terabyte (TB) of data by 2013. And while 70 percent of consumers
back up their content, the majority of these people are using
manual, cumbersome methods such as copying and pasting to multiple
CDs and DVDs, and less than 18 percent use software that
automatically and continuously backs up their content. When the My
Passport Essential drive is plugged in for the first time, the
simple and intuitive first backup process launches automatically.
The real-time visual interface of WD SmartWare software gives users
a reassuring view of their backup as it happens. After the first
backup, users' files are backed up automatically every time they
change or add a file. My Passport Essential and My Passport for Mac
drives also feature user-selected password protection combined with
military-grade 256-bit hardware encryption, which scrambles files
before they are stored. Typically found only on much more expensive
drive systems, the encryption acts as a virtual padlock to keep
users' data secure. "The smaller and sleeker design of WD's
redesigned My Passport drives, combined with the intuitive visual
backup experience of WD SmartWare software, makes this drive a
smart and secure, travel-friendly storage choice," said Dale
Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD's branded products
group. "These ultra-portable drives are a stylish and spacious
storage solution for consumers to confidently backup, store and
carry their entire digital lives." WD My Passport Essential hard
drives are designed for Windows -based PCs while WD My Passport for
Mac drives are formatted for Mac computers and are compatible with
Apple TimeMachine(TM), Apple's integrated backup solution. WD
SmartWare works on Windows PCs and Mac computers and offers a
seamlessly integrated option for Mac users who want an alternative
to TimeMachine or Mac OS 10.4 users who don't have TimeMachine
compatibility. Price and Availability The new My Passport Essential
drives are offered in capacities of 320 GB, 500 GB and 640 GB; My
Passport Essential SE drives are offered in capacities of 750 GB
and 1 TB. My Passport for Mac drives are available with 320 GB and
500 GB. My Passport Essential and My Passport for Mac drives are
available now at select retailers and online at
http://www.shopwd.com/. MSRP ranges from $109.99 to $249.99 USD
depending on model. WD SmartWare Software WD SmartWare software
features: -- Visual backup displays that show content in categories
and shows the progress of backup; -- Automatic, continuous data
backup will instantly make a second copy whenever you add or change
a file; -- Retrieve valuable data to its original location whether
it's lost data or the file has been overwritten; and, --
Customizable data backup that allows user to set drive security,
run diagnostics, manage the power settings, and more from the WD
SmartWare control center. My Passport Essential The new WD My
Passport Essential, My Passport Essential SE and My Passport for
Mac drives with WD SmartWare software feature: -- Smaller, sleeker
design offered in a range of colors including Pacific Blue, Real
Red, Cool Silver and Midnight Black; -- 256-bit hardware encryption
for peace of mind knowing that data is protected from unauthorized
access; -- USB 2.0 interface that powers(1) the drive directly from
the USB port on user's computer, no separate power supply is
needed; -- Planet-friendly packaging derived from recycled
materials to minimize waste; -- Ready to plug-and-play with Windows
PCs; and, -- 2-year limited warranty. The My Passport for Mac
drives are plug-and-play ready for Mac computer users and
compatible with Apple TimeMachine. About WD WD, one of the storage
industry's pioneers and long-time leaders, 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 advanced
technologies are configured into applications for client and
enterprise computing, embedded systems and consumer electronics, as
well as its own consumer storage and media products. WD was founded
in 1970. The company's storage products are marketed to leading
OEMs, systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under
the Western Digital and WD brand names. Visit the Investor section
of the company's Web site (http://www.westerndigital.com/) to
access a variety of financial and investor information. Western
Digital, WD, and the WD logo are registered trademarks; My
Passport, My Passport Essential and WD SmartWare are trademarks of
Western Digital Technologies, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
Other marks may be mentioned herein that belong to other companies.
All other brand and product names mentioned herein are the property
of their respective companies. One gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes.
One terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes. Total accessible capacity
varies depending on operating environment. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090910/LA73394) (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000711/WDCLOGO) (1) An
optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power
from the USB port.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000711/WDCLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Western Digital
Technologies CONTACT: Constance A. Griffiths of WD Press Relations,
+1-949-672-7891, , or Bob Blair of WD Investor Relations,
+1-949-672-7834, Web Site: http://www.westerndigital.com/
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