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Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive (Midnight Black)
by Western Digital
Digital Photo Product DetailsManufacturer: Western Digital
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Release Date: 2010-09-15
Model: WDBAAA5000ABK-NESN
Color: Midnight Black
Product features: - Automatic, continuous backup
- Visual backup control center
- Password protection and 256-bit encryption
- USB 2.0 interface
- Several colors to choose from including Black, Pacific Blue, Real Red, Cool Silver
Accessories:
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive (Midnight Black)Customer Review: Review of the hardware, not the software.
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I don't like or use backup software, therefore this review is of the hardware only. The way I use external hard drives is to drag and drop the files I want to save and thus protect from accidental loss and/or transfer from one computer to another onto them. When I used computers to operate a retail business I used automatic backup software (this was in the 1990's so as you might imagine, it was crude and slow compared to what's available today). I tried the backup software that came with a Simpletech external drive (only 160GB), and I quickly came to dislike it and to prefer dragging and dropping. By the time I got an Iomega external (1TB), I didn't even bother to see if it included backup software. This (500GB) external is the first Western Digital external hard drive I've owned and used.
I first plugged it into a 4-hub USB port that's attached to my desktop running Windows 7 64-bit. The Passport made a clicking sound, and I got a message that the driver wasn't found. I disconnected it and tried it on a laptop running Vista. I plugged the USB cable into the jack coming out of the back of the USB cable that attaches a portable laptop cooler (one of those things with fans that the laptop sits atop of) to the laptop, so again this was not a direct connection, but this time there was no clicking sound. After 10-15 minutes of the laptop doing some automatic stuff, a message that the driver had been found and installed appeared, and I was then able to drag and drop onto the drive, create folders and folders within folders (e.g., "Music," sub-folder "Stravinsky," etc.) on it, and that went smoothly as can be.
I then reattached it to the desktop, but this time I plugged the cable directly to a free USB port instead of to the 4-hub thing (a cheap, non-powered hub made by Targus that has yet to fail me - and I don't know if it had anything to do with my initial experience attaching the Passport to the desktop). It was recognized immediately, and I was able to drag and drop, etc., and open folders that I'd gotten from the laptop (e.g., I opened the Stravinsky MP3 files and played them in the desktop's Windows Media Player; after the music played directly from the Passport for about an hour I felt the Passport to see if it had gotten warm and if so how warm, and it's temperature didn't seem to have changed at all).
I've owned a 2GB USB flash drive for several years, and have recently considered getting one with more space, but I look at it this way: Considering the cost of gigabytes on USB flash drives, and taking the size of USB flash drives into account, the Passport, which is a tad smaller than my wallet and thinner by 1/3, with 500GB, is quite a bargain. There are other factors to be taken into account of course, such as the comparative mortality of flash drives and external hard drives. But if I had to choose between spending slightly less than the cost of a 500GB Passport Essential for a mere 32GB of USB flash drive storage (or a bit more than the cost of a 500GB Passport for a mere 64GB of USB flash storage), even taking the difference in size and the possible or predictable difference in mortality into account, I'm going to go with 500GB of storage in a package smaller than my wallet.
I will update this review should I experience problems with this unit in the future. I did not rate it on software because as I noted, I didn't use the software (and don't plan to). I didn't rate it on reliability because I haven't owned it long enough. I only gave the "microusb" connector 3 stars because I would prefer a beefier than "micro" plug (partly because I have fat fingers), but it's no worse than plugs I've gotten with digital cameras and camcorders. Ease of mind and speed get 4 stars from me because it will take me some time to know if these properties deserve more or fewer stars. Appearance gets 5 stars because it looks nice, but design quality gets a star knocked off because as other reviewers have noted, it's a fingerprint magnet. Ease of installation gets a star knocked off for the reasons I mention at the top of this review.
Would I recommend it? Definitely, to anyone who wants this combination of storage space, portability, and convenience, but again, I am only commenting on the hardware, not the software. And I think that anyone who purchases something like this must be prepared to make careful note of the warranty period in case of any problems. The manufacturer's warranty for this unit is 2 years for North America, and includes 30 days of free telephone support during the warranty period - the 30 day period begins when a customer makes her first call. Email support is provided for the entire warranty period, and the fine print also mentions an online knowledge base that is of course available to all 24/7. The manual for the Passport Essential is in PDF format on the drive itself. I haven't looked at it; no need to, and that's one of the conveniences I look for in external storage devices: plug and play without having to think about it. Installing this unit wasn't 100% hassle free as I note above, but it was hassle-free enough.
Description of Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive (Midnight Black)The world?s most popular portable drive is now smaller than ever. And it?s smarter than ever with WD SmartWare data management and backup software that backs up your data automatically and continuously, shows your backup as it happens, and restores lost files effortlessly. Password protection and military-grade, 256-bit hardware-based encryption lets you secure your data. One of the five beautiful colors is just what you need to make you look smart (and very stylish). WD?s smallest portable drive ever - WD is an expert in portable storage, so they designed a smaller, high-quality integrated USB hard drive inside a stylish package. With a variety of fun colors, there?s sure to be one to suit your style.
The world?s most popular portable drive is now smaller than ever. And it?s smarter than ever with automatic, continuous backup software and password protection. Choose your favorite fun color to look smart and stylish. Our smallest portable ever. We designed a smaller, high-quality, integrated USB hard drive inside a stylish package. With a variety of fun colors, there's sure to be one to suit your style. | See your life safe in one place. WD SmartWare software - A visual control center with a single screen view of all your data. From it you can back up, retrieve, and secure your files. | Password protection. An extra level of security with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption. | 
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| Features at a glance - Automatic, continous backup
- Visual backup control center
- Hardware encryption, password protection
- WD SmartWare software
- 2-years limited warranty
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| Our smallest portable drive ever - We're experts in portable storage, so we designed a smaller, high-quality, integrated USB hard drive inside a stylish package. With a variety of fun colors, there's sure to be one to suit your style. WD SmartWare? - A control center for your drive that gives you the power to: -- Protect your data automatically - Relax, your data is secure. Automatic, continuous backup will instantly make a second copy whenever you add or change a file. -- See your backup as it happens - Seeing is believing. Visual backup displays your content in categories and shows the progress of your backup. -- Bring back lost files effortlessly - Retrieve your valuable data to its original location whether you?ve lost all your data or just overwritten an important file. -- Take control - Customize your backup, set drive security, run diagnostics, manage the power settings, and more from the WD SmartWare control center. Find out more about WD SmartWare? Drive lock - Gain peace of mind knowing that your data is protected from unauthorized access or theft with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption. Ready to plug-and-play with Windows PC's - if you're a Mac user, check out our Mac version of this product. USB 2.0 interface - Powered directly from the USB port on your PC. No separate power supply is needed*.
* An optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power from the USB port. Planet friendly - We designed a small box from recycled materials to minimize waste. We encourage you to recycle it. Ideal For - Protecting your data with automatic, continous backup
- Retrieving lost data effortlessly
- Adding extra storage space for photos, videos and music
- Securing private or sensitive data
Compatibility Formatted NTFS
Windows® XP, Windows Vista®, Windows 7
Mac OS® X Tiger®, Leopard®, Snow Leopard? (requires reformatting)
Note: Compatibility may vary depending on user's hardware configuration and operating system. What's in the box
Ultra-portable hard drive, WD SmartWare software, USB cable, Quick Install Guide. Backup software you'll really use ? WD SmartWare Five great reasons to love it: | 1. It's easy - Data backup can be a chore, but it's your family photos, your movies, your music - your life - and it's important to protect it. So we made this software extra easy because we really want you to use it. | | | 2. You can see your life safe in one place -
See your content displayed in easy to understand categories like movies and photos. Watch the progress of your backup as it happens with the instant-feedback color bars. Now you can truly be sure that all your stuff is backed up. - A unique visual interface lets you see the drives connected to your computer.
- WD SmartWare will automatically scan your computer and find all of your personal files, including e-mail.
- Content category gauges show how much information you have to be backed up in each category. You can even mouse over a category to see a file count.
- Simply click Run Backup and WD SmartWare will automatically start backing up your files.
- As your backup is running the category gauges will change color showing you the backup as it happens.
- When finished, you?ll see a status screen and information about your backup. You only have to do this once. After the first backup your files will be backed up automatically every time you change or add a file.
| | | 3. It's always on the job - WD SmartWare is always watching your computer, so when you change a file and save it, create new files, add new pictures, movies, or songs, WD SmartWare will instantly back them up. | 4. You can bring back lost files effortlessly - If you ever accidentally delete an important file, or need to get an earlier version of a file, you can find and retrieve it in seconds with this easy-to-use interface. - Restore files and folders by categories ? photos, music, video, for example.
- Find a lost file with the search function.
- Go back in time to retrieve an older version of a file.
| | 5. You're in control - WD SmartWare software is also a control center for your external drives. From it you can: - Customize your backup
- Set drive security
- Run diagnostics
- Manage the power settings, and more...
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