New Seagate Drives Integrate Local Storage, Social Networking
Seagate unveils its Backup Plus external hard drives for Macs and PCs, with bonus Facebook and Flickr integration.
Seagate today introduced its next generation of storage devices. Known as Backup Plus, this new wave of external hard drives replaces the now-retired GoFlex line and sports several new features that help it stand outside of the considerable shadow cast by its well-regarded predecessor.
With a newly-revamped version of Seagate Dashboard, the Backup Plus generation of drives aims to provide easy set-up, one-click local backup and, in perhaps the most innovative flourish of all, the fusion of local storage and the social-networking sites Facebook and Flickr. It's a concept that Seagate claims will ultimately lead to more consumers backing up their online data by simplifying the process altogether. By simply clicking an icon in Dashboard, photos and videos may either be "Saved" (downloaded from Facebook or Flickr onto the Backup Plus) or "Shared" (uploaded from your Backup Plus to either site).
Like the GoFlex line, the Backup Plus generation is future-proofed thanks to the Universal Storage Module (USM) standard, which lets users easily add the latest connection capabilities to their drive, even if those technologies are introduced at a later date. Backup Plus drives are compatible with both Windows and Mac systems.
Available in red, blue, silver, and black, the Seagate Backup Plus lineup will be available immediately online and in traditional retail outlets and can also be purchased directly from Seagate. These new drives will be available in capacities of 500GB ($119.99), 750GB ($129.99), and 1TB ($139.99). Although Backup Plus drives work interchangeably with Windows and Mac, units specifically designed for Macs are additionally available in silver and will ship in 500GB ($119.99) and 1TB ($139.99) capacities.
If you're looking for a desktop-bound external hard drive, Backup Plus Desk drives will be available in 1TB ($129.99), 2TB ($149.99), 3TB ($179.99), and 4TB ($249.99) versions. The Backup Plus Desk for Mac will be available at launch for 2TB ($189.99) and 3TB ($209.99).
Also available are the new 500GB Seagate Slim and Seagate Slim for Mac storage drives. In addition to including the new Seagate Dashboard software, both Slim drives sport a svelte, 9.5-millimeter chassis and are priced at $129.99.
Stay tuned for our review of the Backup Plus (1TB).