Seagate Wireless Drive Update Connects Cloud and Local Storage

Seagate Technology plc announced an evolution in the company’s wireless storage category.

Seagate Wireless Plus mobile device storage consists of a family of capacities at 500GB, 1TB and 2TB versions to suit every need along with integration with cloud services, such as Dropbox and Google Drive.

It is designed to expand beyond the limitations of mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. With capacities that are multiples beyond the highest storage available on these mobile devices, it provides a solution to stream your HD video while freeing up space on your Android tablet, iPad, iPhone, Android smartphone, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 computers and Windows RT tablets.

The company created the wireless storage category in 2011 to address consumers’ desire to enjoy more content than tablets and smartphones can hold with their limited storage options. A CES 2013 Best of Innovations Award Winner, includes an option to save content and files to the drive through the Seagate media app as well as the ability to migrate files to cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive.

“Wireless connectivity is a feature that has been added to external storage over the last couple of years; it provides the convenience of high capacity and easy sharing for mobile devices that are limited in their storage capabilities,” said Ross Rubin, principal analyst, Reticle Research. “Now, with the integrating of popular cloud storage services to these products, there exists an invaluable bridge to even more content.“

The app capability to sync your files on the storage with an existing cloud storage provider means that your files are always accessible even when you don’t have network access. It creates your own Dropbox or Google Drive folder, so files are available and at the ready. Then once you are back on the network, your files will automatically re-sync to ensure all changes are saved in both the cloud and the drive.

“Having pioneered the category of wireless local storage for mobile devices, Seagate is now proud to advance the platform by adding more capacities and developing advanced features that will benefit how people are using these drives,” said Scott Horn, VP of global marketing, Seagate. “Cloud storage services provide a convenient way for people to migrate files between devices and share with friends and colleagues. With the new Seagate Media app and Wireless Plus mobile storage, people will now be enabled to use these cloud services to access even more media from their Wireless Plus storage device.“

The mobile device storage is accessed through the app for Apple iOS, Android, Kindle Fire HD, Windows 8 tablets. It connects to devices over a Wi-Fi connection, which the battery-powered drive emits once powered on. Connect to the network by searching for wireless plus in your available Wi-Fi networks. The drive creates its own Wi-Fi network, eliminating the need to be within range of an existing network connection.

You can use Wireless Plus to enjoy video, photos, music and even documents on the big screen via Airplay, DLNA or an app designed for Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray players.

The device has a supported battery life of up to 10 hours and provides its own Wi-Fi signal to enable access to the drive.

The drive is available at 2TB for an MSRP of $199.99, 1TB for $179.99 MSRP and the 500GB at a MSRP of $149.99 MSRP.