STACK Jun #128

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Most of us utilise and pay for a cloud
storage service to house all our files,
videos and movies, etc. Sufficient
storage is an ongoing concern for
many. Whether it's cataloguing
digital versions of movies, housing
entire photo and music libraries, or
even storing video games that on
the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, for
example, chew up 50GB a title, the
need for a safe and dependable system
for all these requirements is essential.
If, like us, you find trusting a third-party
establishment to manage your content
a little unsettling, Seagate has designed
a secure product (the same tech that
online banking employs) that could be
just what you’re looking for.
We're talking about the new
Network Attached Storage (NAS), the
Personal Cloud for PC and Mac. The
unit comes in several sizes; the one
we tested was 4TB. From an aesthetic
viewpoint, the Personal Cloud more
closely resembles the aforementioned
gaming consoles than a traditional NAS,
and has clearly been designed to sit
next to any home entertainment rig and
not appear incongruous.
It’s a 2-bay system that allocates, in
this instance, 2TB per bay. This can be
used as total storage or configured, so
that one mirrors the other for data
replication piece of mind. On the unit is
a small white indicator light, a USB port
and a USB 3.0 port. That’s it; it’s very
minimalist.
Seagate are pitching this to a more
mainstream market and consequently
the set-up is practically dummy-proof.
Plug in to a power source, attach
the Personal Cloud to your router via
Ethernet cable and wait for, in this
case a Macbook, to recognise it. Then
you simply set up an account that can
be remotely accessed with a handy
iOS and Android app. This means you
can access your content anywhere in
the world. On a recent trip to Sydney
we tested this continuously and
experienced no problems.
Once your content is uploaded, it can
be organised so it can be viewed just
by you, or alternatively, by anyone with
access to the Personal Cloud. It can
also be configured to back up content
automatically – a super time-saving
feature that we used to great effect.
Not only does the Personal Cloud
perform in the capacity of a hard drive
(it works well with Time Machine),
it also functions as a capable media
server too, allowing you to stream
directly to your Smart TV or mobile
devices. Additionally, the Personal
Cloud now runs Plex, an excellent
system that will organise all your
movies, music and photos.
If you’re in the market for a
NAS that puts content control and
management directly in your hands
without involving a third-party, the
Seagate Personal Cloud, with its user-
friendly and pleasing design, is worth
further investigation.
078 JUNE 2015 JB Hi-Fi
visit TECH
Seagate 500GB Wireless
Mobile Storage
Storage
Solu ns
It's a problem we all face on a daily basis –
storage space. Chances are your mobile devices
are already at capacity, filled with music, photos
and movies. Well, Seagate has a solution that
not only works well, it looks good too.
The wireless 500GB Go mobile storage hard
drive can connect up to three different mobile
devices – including smartphones, laptops or
tablets – and features its own Wi-Fi network.
The battery,
charged with a
detachable USB 2.0
cable (included), is
touted to last for six
hours and we found
this to be relatively
accurate (after
streaming Jaws
continuously during
our review, the
battery life lasted
just a shade under).
The sleek design and colour range makes a
refreshing change from the bland conformity of
a traditional hard drive. On top of the Seagate
Wireless there's a power switch, a USB
indicator and a Wi-Fi status light.
Operation couldn't be any simpler. Turn on
the power switch and when the Wi-Fi indicator
stops flashing, locate the drive in your settings.
Download the Seagate Media app, register,
select the drive from the list and upload all of
your documents, photos, movies, music and
photos, ready for easy access whenever you
need them. These are perfect for car trips or
domestic flights where more than one user can
stream content at the same time.
For people on the move, the Seagate Wireless
is your new best friend. It's the perfect solution
for all your portable storage worries, is simple to
set-up and connect, performs exceptionally well
as a streaming platform, and fits handily into a
bag. You won't mind the price, either.
With homes using mor
igital devices, storage
is becoming a real issu
as got it covered.
Personal Cloud